How can you maintain your foreign language skills over the summer?

What have you planned for the summer? A break? Be careful not to stagnate or lose your second language level: it's important to keep revising. Here are a few practical tips for continuing your language learning even during the summer vacations.

Summer is often synonymous with vacations, relaxation and a break from normal routines. However, it's also an ideal time to maintain and even improve your foreign language skills. After all, why not take advantage of summer to change the way you study?

How can you KEEP UP WITH language learning during summer?

Integrate language into everyday activities

One of the most effective ways of maintaining your foreign language level is to integrate it into your daily activities. You can, for example:

• Watch films or series: Choose films or series in the language you're learning. Activate subtitles in the same language to improve your oral and written comprehension. Soon, you won't even need subtitles! (Unless you're eating potato chips, in which case subtitles are always useful!)
• Read books or articles: Take along a book, magazine or download online articles in the target language. Reading enriches your vocabulary and improves your grammar.
• Listen to music: Find songs in the language you're learning. Try to understand the lyrics and sing along to improve your pronunciation. Better than a revision session is a karaoke session!

Use mobile applications

Mobile apps are a great tool for practicing a foreign language on the go. Here are a few popular apps:

• Duolingo: This app offers daily exercises and lessons adapted to your level. It focuses in particular on regular learning, thanks to the chain technique.
• Memrise: Ideal for learning vocabulary thanks to memory cards and videos of native speakers, this application is a good complement between two lessons.
• Babbel: With short 15-minute exercises, Babbel lets you improve your grammar and vocabulary between online lessons.

Participate in language exchanges

How about taking advantage of the vacations to meet native speakers? You can:

• Travel abroad: If possible, travel to a country where the language you're studying is spoken. Total immersion is one of the best ways to rapidly improve your language skills. Of course, you'll need to dare to engage in conversation. We promise you'll make lightning progress.
• Join conversation groups: Look for local or online conversation groups. These groups offer you the opportunity to practice the language in a friendly setting. Global Lingua courses also focus on conversation: face-to-face with a teacher, you'll learn faster!

Write regularly

Keeping a vacation journal in the language you're learning is a great way to practice writing. It's also very original! In it, you can describe your daily activities, impressions and reflections. This will help you strengthen your grammar and vocabulary while giving you regular practice.

Online courses

Even during the summer months, many online language courses are available, including Global Lingua courses. As the timetable is flexible, you can take a break during your vacation weeks, then resume at a more sustained pace before the start of the new school year. It's a great way to maintain your language skills while having a good time: you can tell your teacher all about your vacation!

Practice with friends or family

If you have friends or family who speak the language you're learning, practice with them. You can organize conversation evenings, board game and role-playing evenings, or simply discuss a variety of topics.

Summer is a great time to reinforce your foreign language skills in a fun and relaxing way. By integrating language into your daily activities, using mobile applications, participating in language exchanges, writing regularly, taking online courses and practicing with friends and family, you can not only maintain your level, but also make significant progress. Make the most of this time to make your learning experience enjoyable and rewarding.