Like language skills, all subjects come with practical applications in the ‘real world’. Classic examples include mental maths being handy when calculating the expected cost of supermarket purchases. Whilst having a good knowledge of written English and grammar helps you to appear professional.

This is even more evident in language learning; a subject designed for its practical applications. Languages have fantastic applications in the outside world as we can learn from our surroundings without even realising it.

Taking advantage of multiculturalism

In the United Kingdom, for example, we are surrounded by multiculturalism. There are a host of foreign cuisines in our restaurants and takeaways, plus a great variety of music genres and a whole range of recipes, films and series.  All this can help us to understand different languages.

Using Labelling

Even in supermarkets, we have a whole range of products emanating from all around the world. But how is buying ham from the Italian meats section in Tesco helping me to learn languages you ask?  Well, more than likely you have selected an item labelled ‘prosciutto di Parma’ or something to that avail, from the aisle labelled ‘antipasti’. These words may have become commonplace in our tongue. However, they are in fact loan words or ‘calques’ from other languages.

If you were to travel to Italy, sit down at a restaurant and study the Italian menu. The knowledge that you subconsciously picked up from your weekly supermarket sweep will help you to recognise that the ‘antipasti’ section of the menu refers to starter-type foods. It also allows you to understand that ‘prosciutto’ refers to cured ham, and that ‘di Parma’ suggests its origin.

Improving language skills for students

We are surrounded by little snippets of foreign languages daily. This can become the most fun and beneficial way of improving language skills. Listening to Luis Fonsi and Justin Beiber’s ‘Despacito’, or to Shakira singing about her truthful hips can be a fantastic accompaniment to language studies at both school and university. ‘Mi casa, su casa’ – everybody sings along to this line and to a language student, they have just seen an example of personal pronouns and the use of the formal voice.

It’s amazing how things like this suddenly come back to you in an exam situation. I remember during my A-level Spanish listening exam, I gained an extra mark from being able to recognise that the word ‘muslos’ meant ‘thighs’. That was all thanks to a Pitbull song (I don’t need to go into more detail with that example I’m sure!).

Related: Discovering Technology for Language Learning

Language skills we can pick up naturally

These weird and wonderful little ways of picking up bits and pieces of foreign languages often pass by unnoticed.  It is no coincidence that many other nationalities, such as the Spanish, on the whole have a better command of English than we do over another foreign language.  They are constantly surrounded by English songs on the radio, quotes in English on clothing, gifts, marketing etc..  The correlation between the omnipresence of this foreign tongue and their ability to understand and communicate in that language is evidently positive.

Fun and Interactive

What I love about this way of learning is that not only is it a fun and interactive way of picking up vocabulary, but it is also very practical. It teaches day–to–day phrases and words, colloquialisms and general chit chat that academic learning specifications often overlook in favour of the more ‘serious’ topics and complex, formal grammar. In this way, it complements academic language learning perfectly. It can also be a great way of getting family and friends involved in the process.

So this week, why not attempt to cook dinner using a recipe written in Italian (perhaps keep the pizza delivery number at hand just in case!). Or have a good read of that Argentinian wine label. Play some reggaeton music whilst you’re in the car and watch a French drama with the subtitles on. You’d be surprised at how helpful this could be.

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Years after, in one of my EFL DipTesol training sessions the other day, Simon (the trainer) asked us: “How can we help students to improve their reading skills?”. While I’m sitting at my laptop writing this blog. It strikes me that, after years and in two different contexts, one of my answers would be at least partly the same. By applying your technological world to language learning. Or the other way round, depending on how you prefer to look at it. 

Let’s take a step back for a moment and think about this. The obvious objection could be: how do you know students are not doing this? They’re not, trust me. Or rather, only a minority is exploiting technology for these purposes and only to a limited extent. But you don’t need to take my word for it. Although I’m talking from experience after many years spent teaching foreign languages. You can ask other language teachers or ask your children. 

Discovering technology for language learning: new opportunities

Really? How is this possible? In the digital era/world? If you are asking yourself these questions as I have been over the years. You’re probably thinking from your point of view, i.e. an adult who did not know what the internet and all related technology were when you were a kid. Because this is a crucial point. You did not have all this and you discovered a whole new world of opportunities when they were presented to you. Not for our children: smartphone, apps of any kind and for any taste, tablets and all the rest of it have always been part of their world.

Still, one might again object. The opportunities are still there, so why shouldn’t they use them? I suspect the reason might not be the purpose these tools can be used for, but the purpose they are supposed to serve. In other words, our children and teenagers grow up with smartphones they associate with leisure, that is, friends and fun, rather than study. They are addicted to them, but have you ever seen a teenager spending hours on a language app? They’re more likely to spend hours chatting with friends on Whatsapp or Facebook. 

 A different angle on technology

What lessons, if any, can be learned from this argument? I strongly believe that we as educators should encourage students to start looking at technology from a different angle. By showing them that, in the case of language learning at least, technology can always be fun but also useful. I have been fortunate enough to work both as a language tutor and language adviser, and my best results in this respect were always achieved in the latter position. By talking to students individually and maybe taking them through some of these online resources to show them their value.

As members of that generation who has not grown up surrounded by technology, parents can play a similar role with their children, and encourage them to see beyond the entertaining side of the internet and toward its useful applications to language learning. They might even start playing with and learning a language themselves! Who knows?!? 

Related: Language Skills – How we can learn from the world around us

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About Vincenzo

Vincenzo has completed an MA in Language Learning and Technology and taught Italian at the University of Hull from 2006 to 2017 – You can see Vincenzo’s Tutor Profile here.

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