Reactivating a language you learned before

As language teachers, we so often hear people tell us that they studied a language a long time ago–in high school or college– but have forgotten everything they once knew. They usually go on to say that they had learned the rules of grammar but were always afraid to speak the language. And then after 10, 20, or even 50 years, they feel that they have forgotten everything and need to start over. But you would be surprised to see how much is still there in your brain! In this post, I will discuss how you can reactivate a language that you studied long ago.

Let me start by telling you about my own recent experience in relearning French. I learned French for 2 years in elementary school in the Netherlands and then took it for six more years in high school. At the time, I was able to read some of the major French literature and speak it reasonably well, but after high school, I never spoke it again. I moved to the United States for graduate school, became fluent in English, and ended up working there for more than 40 years until I decided to retire to the South of France.

For the first couple of years that I was going back and forth to France, I just listened to people speak but was afraid to open my mouth. I realized soon that I understood a lot more than I thought and that helped me gradually regain my receptive skills (listening to conversations and reading signs and menus, for example). Remember the principle of Comprehension precedes production! You first need to understand things and (re)build your vocabulary before you gain the confidence to start speaking.

Here are some ideas for reactivating the knowledge that you had once acquired and for expanding on it to (re)gain your fluency:

• Start by rebuilding your receptive skills by focusing on listening and reading. There are many ways to practice listening: listen to podcasts; watch movies in the target language; watch newscasts; listen to audiobooks, etc. A great way to reactivate your reading skills is to start by reading graphic novels or illustrated books that provide you with visual context. I am currently rereading all the Asterix comics in French!
• If you have the opportunity to travel to the target country, immerse yourself in experiences that reactivate your vocabulary: go to the market; enjoy a lovely meal at a restaurant; take a train or a bus trip; go to the theatre. Surround yourself with authentic experiences where you hear the language spoken.
• Expand your vocabulary by reading and listening. Make notes of words you remember and write down new words that you encounter. Try to use them in a sentence and practice your pronunciation.
• If you have forgotten much of the grammar (like I have!), buy a simple grammar book to review the basic rules but don’t get too hung up on getting everything right. If you wait until you speak totally ‘correctly’, you will never say anything! Try to just get your meaning across when you begin speaking and don’t worry about making mistakes!
• Try to find a learning partner. A tandem exchange (virtually or in person) can be an excellent way to practice speaking. For example, if you are relearning Spanish and you find a partner who wants to improve their English, you could meet for an hour once or twice a week and spend half the time speaking English and the other half speaking Spanish. It’s a win-win for both of you!
• Best of luck, and let me know how it goes!