3 tips on how to learn English, German and Spanish using social media and live streaming platforms online

Nowadays, people spend a lot of time online. Do not waste this time, try to use them to improve your skills. You will be able to have fun, create new business opportunities by yourself and meet new people.

In this post, I’ll give you 3 tips how to use social media and live streaming platforms to improve your language skills.

I love news, documentaries and sport. Therefore, I’m looking for news, valuable docs and racing constantly. I do it every day. Live streaming news platforms provide the opportunity you just cannot miss, if you want to learn language.


Credit: Christopher Long, https://cplong.org/tag/twitter/

To be able to use it, you need the Twitter account. Twitter is actually great news feed, which gives you updates on events, economy, politics, sport and movies. Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware there are pros and cons of social media and those websites may have negative impact on our mental health and it is time consuming. However, if we use them as the tool to make us better speakers and happier, it is worth doing.

Google and YouTube are your friends

If you use social media, you should be able to use them to practice your language. Try to comment on YouTube videos you’re watching. Social media may have be useful to learn language, if you use those platforms to talk to other people on regular basis on F1 race you are watching now, documentary on National Geographic channel or news on Sky News live stream on YouTube.

Listening is paramount, if you want to learn new language. Therefore, don’t worry if you don’t understand every single word you heard on Sky News, Tagesschau, RTVE, F1 TV or Netflix. You need to be familiar with other language.

Watch YouTube with subtitles in language you watch, for example Spanish RTVE in Spanish and then check words in dictionary. Try to find someone online you explain you grammar rules or follow grammar language lessons on YouTube. Treat grammar rules and dictionaries as the tool to help you while you watch movie with subtitles to have a fun. Studying makes sense if you have fun doing so, if you are happier, if you feel that if gives you something new and valuable.



Remember, progress is made step by step, not overnight. Therefore, you need to be interested, not bored. If I had to follow and watch something I strongly dislike, I would not do it. I love economics, finance and news, therefore I do watch Bloomberg shows with Francine Lacqua and Tom Keene. They provide news and they love what they’re doing.

I’m aware people don’t have time to follow media on long time per day, everyone has job, or needs to study at the university or looks after kids.

However, if you are able to find 15-20 minutes per day to watch something, it’ll make massive difference.

It is hard, but well organized person will be successful. It is important dimension, like your commitment.

By the way, you will be committed, if you’ll be interested in doing something, not because you have to do something. Studying should not be painful experience. This kind of approach is wrong.   

When I was at school, I didn’t know that I should follow those global media platforms to study and having fun with that. I was wasting my time memorizing words, doing hundreds of grammar exercises. I wasn’t able to speak fluently on any topic I’m interested in. It was disappointing.

However, I found my way to study effectively and do it every day by following shows I love and I’m interested in.

Try to use your time online on watching different things. I would not be English speaking person if I did watch only BBC News, Sky News and Bloomberg. DTM gave me a lot in terms of my German. DTM is German touring cars series. You can watch racing weekends on YouTube official channel of the series. I was watching live streams on YouTube, commenting regularly and asking people in German what do they think on races, drivers and cars. You need to be inspired and active, not bored.


Credit: Wikipedia

Conclusion

To sum up, you need to use your social media accounts to interact with people on news and shows you’re interested in on regular basis. You will be able to make progress. Patience is required to do so.