The Tools of Learning

I've neglected this blog for the past week or so (stating the obvious!). With NVQ stuff at work, I haven't had much time to write new posts or do what I'm writing about in the first place - learning Dutch!

So far, I've given a brief background about why I wanted to do this and a few facts about the language itself. However, now I get to the most important challenge in front of me: HOW to learn the language (and remember what I've learnt).

Even before I started this blog I have actually been attempting to learn since early February. I have a few tools at my disposal to help. Some obvious, some I've paid for (in an attempt to show outstanding commitment to the cause!).

With languages like French, even non-speakers know what things like bonjour mean. With Dutch, I knew absolutely nothing. Not even yes and no or please and thank you. And considering most adlt colleges and universities don't offer pure Dutch courses, I had to find other means to help me, which I will detail.

1. The Internet - Pretty obvious really. It's already there to use, it has all the facts and information I could possibly want. Free translation software, Dutch Youtube videos, etc. Plenty of useful stuff for me to use. But what the web doesn't offer is the key to success in such a task: structure. It's fine looking things up online but to effectively learn a new language you have to have a proper learning plan or else you will never succeed.
2. Software - Proper courses are well out of my price range with tuition fees mocking my empty wallet like a gloating bully. For me, my best hope was something I can use at home but has plenty of content and structure. Safe to say I have found such a thing, which my next post will look at in more detail as I think it's bloody marvellous!
3. Books - The keystone of all learning. No linguist would be complete without a decent dictionary and some theory books. Fortunately, Amazon is a godsend when it comes to this. I have a comprehensive English to Dutch dictionary and a fantastic book written by a Dutch language professor covering all basic Dutch spelling and grammar rules. It also reads as a week-to-week study course which will complement point number 2 wonderfully.
4. Voices - Not the ones I hear inside my head, but actual real, Dutch-speaking ones. I've managed to find some audio files to accompany my software which I have put onto my MP3 player. This means I can go for walks (which I do often) whilst native Dutch speakers really help me remember what 'm learning at home.
5. Dutch-speaking Friends - Or friend, I should say. She's @MarieS95 and she's a Dutch-speaking Belgian (and a wonderful person too). Who better to help me than someone who already knows Dutch?!

If I think of more, I'll post them, but for now I'll leave it at that. A workman have never have too many tools but sometimes you only need a few to get the job done!