Many Singaporeans consider Korean as one of the more difficult languages to learn.
Despite sharing some rules with Chinese and following an honorific system like Japanese, Korean is quite an isolated language, and many Singaporeans are not exposed to it. Therefore, you can say this reasoning solves the mystery behind what makes it difficult to grasp.
Nonetheless, with regular practice and the right guidance, learning Korean is actually an easy feat.
Here are five steps to help you learn the Korean language easily:
Know thyself and understand your goals
The ancient phrase, know thyself, still has meaning today.
Ancient philosopher, Socrates, elaborated on the maxim and explained that “an unexamined life is not worth living.” The phrase has several meanings, but in this case, it is a simple understanding behind the reason of why you want to learn Korean.
Alternatively, it could mean, why did you enrol in Korean classes in Singapore? Was it for professional or social reasons? Or even just for pleasure?
Once your reasons are clear, delve slightly more in-depth and spell out the objectives or purpose.
For instance, would you want to learn Korean lessons in Singapore and be able to impress and attract new clients towards your business?
When you are resolute in your reasonings and objectives, you will be able to motivate yourself to go the extra mile and persevere.
Motivate yourself
Learning a new language is not a simple undertaking.
You need to schedule your time and fix your Korean classes sessions in an already busy diary. Take the extra time to practice and even go out of your way to make new acquaintances.
It is inevitable that you’ll need to motivate yourself to achieve this new endeavour.
Motivation has strong ties with success and progress as they are counter-reliant. Therefore, motivate yourself by rewarding yourself after every milestone, making the process pleasant.
Use your free time to entertain yourself with Korean dramas, listen to fun podcasts in Korean and read, exciting Korean books.
Learn like a child
Everyone knows that children are the best learners, more so than adults. This is because children don’t have ‘sophisticated’ brains, which hinder the process of learning.
As adults, we tend to over-analyze, straining to grasp some aspects and fear embarrassment. Thus, we often fail to pick up certain subtle nuances in a new language.
However, we can learn like children.
Lose the need for perfection and fear of embarrassment. Make a mess and relish the mistakes. Doing so might seem silly, but you’ll definitely be making more progress than as a restrained perfectionist.
Immerse yourself in Korean
Engage with Korean input often.
Change the language on your phone, and computer. Get movies from Korea, listen to what’s new in K-pop, read magazines and follow sporting events in Korean.
When you immerse yourself in the language, you will supplement your practising, reading, listening and speaking skills through your Korean lessons in Singapore.
Have fun but remember your objectives
Immersion, engagement, and motivation are essential approaches in the development of any skills.
Keep in mind your goals for learning Korean and use fun activities to make practice sessions more exciting.
For instance, take cooking classes, dance classes even Taekwondo classes, all in Korean. The best lessons always come through cultural immersion!
