You do not need to spend a lot of money or time to learn the English language since it will help you to achieve better freelance projects and earn in a different currency
When you learn a new language, you might increase your memory, reduce the possibility of depression and get better projects opportunities
For a long time, the person who is writing this text was thinking about how to learn English on a freeway. When you are learning something new honestly it is hard and even if you are kind of facility to learn, learning a new language is kind of reprogramming your brain.
I have a friend who is a polyglot, and he speaks like 17 languages. And I asked him, how he has been learning so easily NEW languages. But he said that the secret is only to keep going, because the way is not easy, but also not impossible. There are 7000 languages around the world and 23 of them are the most spoken.
Some psychiatrists say that when you would like to add a new habit to your life, you should push yourself for at least 21 days. It is the time that the brain takes to understand that you are adding a new experience to yourself.
The same as learning a new language. Our brains are used to speaking, listening, and understanding our mother tongue. Then, when you are learning something new, your brain wants to remove that information, for understanding that it is wrong to us. But because of it, the polyglots used to see carry-on.
After a while, a second language will become more natural and promote more facility when it is necessary to speak. For example, you do not need to speak perfectly however, your communication needs to be efficient and clear. Do not judge yourself for having an “accent”, because in the end what you are trying to say is more important than the way you are speaking.
But the main aim of this text is to help our new freelancers who do not know English yet or those who would like to boost their language skills. Most of the opportunities are abroad, and due to it, you will need to speak at some moment. Some people might use translator tools for writing emails, but if you speak English or any other second language, you will boost your CV and chances of getting new projects
Some curiosities about the English language
The origin of the English language is from the people who have occupied in Great Britain region as a combination of several diabetics: Celtic-British, Anglo-Frisian, Saxon, Franco-Norman, and Latin. 700 BC, Celtic started to occupy the British Isles, where the territory started to expand and passed from person to person.
The English language is divided into Old English, Middle English, and Modern English. All these divisions were important to the development of the country, civilization, and expansion around the world of the language.
Nowadays, 35 countries have registered English as the official local language. Over 1.2 billion people around the world speak English, what become the language the most popular language in the world. Wherever you go or for any job interview in another country, English will be the first choice.
During an interview for a new project, English will be extremely necessary if you are aiming to get opportunities abroad, and of course, earn in a different currency from your country. The main meeting after onboarding, contracts, invoice, etc will be all made in the English language.
Most of the developers have a piece of knowledge of the English language, because of the Programmation languages, data, quantity of information, and the procedure of learning. But some of them feel a little shy to speak English or unsafe speaking, we will show you some tips to boost your learning.
But I do not have money or time for investing right now
Ok, if you read until this point and must be thinking I do not have money for paying an English course or enough time to go to some school and learn there, we will give you 5 tips to add English to your daily life and start to learn when you have a free time, in the bus, train, metro, car, walking, working out, etc.
All the tips can be considered for any other foreign language. The procedure of learning is not just in a class, of course, this step can collaborate, but the learning is around your daily life and the change of habits. It is like you add a new goal and you are working on it to achieve it.
Remember, if you are achieving to be a successful freelancer and get better projects abroad, the English language will be always the first option for communication. Even though sounds difficult for the beginner, it is not impossible and expensive to learn.
1 – Music
Yes, definitely music is the most enjoyable way to learn a new language. You can choose some singers and even your favorite songs and listen carefully to the lyrics. After, I usually check for the lyrics, the meaning, and other songs from the same singer.
2 – YouTube
For sure, YouTube is the most famous platform and an easy way to learn. There are a diverse quantity of videos teaching and explaining pronunciation. You can watch videos of natives and also teachers. Nowadays podcasts are very famous as well, so you can watch interviews and add subtitles if it is necessary to pay attention to the writing as well.
3 – Language Clubs
I am sure in your city or close there are some speaking clubs for meeting and exchanging languages. It might be a great idea to help you to speak face a face with a native, share your mother tongue, and local slang, develop friendships with foreigners and learn different accents. And of course, you will have fun, meet new cultures and improve your speaking skills.
4 – Books or newspapers
You can start to read books with levels or even children to understand the basics concept and then with time you can increase the number of pages. Also if you want to read a book about specific knowledge, try to choose international authors to study and improve your English at the same time.
Everyday time in the day you can read news from other countries or even from your own country but in English to understand and learn the more formal language a proper grammar. Comic books and novels might be a great selection as well. Reading also helps with reasoning, concentration, and to develop critical thinking.
5 – Travelling
This might be the most enjoyable tip because everybody loves to travel. And when you travel, even in countries around your own country, you will use the English language as the main communication there, even if English is not the local language. For example, if you are from Turkey, you can visit Georgia, Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia and apply for a freelancer visa to live in another country and expand your cultural skills as well.
Learning English will promote confidence and better communication skills
How to boost language learning
If you already learned English but are thinking about speaking fluently and improving your language skills, you can also follow the advice mentioned above. However, I listed other tips to boost your knowledge. For example, you can change your phone settings to English, watch Ted Talks, and apply to receive a daily newsletter in your email about some subject that you enjoy.
Whenever I have free time, I am watching Netflix, even documentaries, series, or movies. I do add the original language and English subtitles. The first days will sound difficult, however, when the time comes, it will become natural and you will even not watch using subtitles anymore.
Another tip, do you know your favorite series, from when you were a child or those traditional like Friends, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, etc, you can watch it all again only in English. While you are watching if appears any questions about vocabulary or expressions, you can use Google Translate, Linguee, Tureng, and Cambridge Dictionary.
There is a game and the name is KAHOOT, you can play games, accomplish some tasks and answer some survey questions to improve and check if your knowledge is correct. And you can play with friends and create a competition
3 Free Apps to learn English
1 – Busuu
Available to IOS and Android Systems, there are two options, free or premium for learning 12 languages. Also in the platform, you can interact with natives and use the community to improve other skills.
2 – Duolingo
This might be the most famous language app. Duolingo is also free and you can improve grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, writing, and reading skills.
3 – Memrise
Available for download on smartphones, you can also access Memrise through an online platform and watch some classes.
Just choose the best option for you and go to boost your English and get that dream project. All this text was built based on personal experience and tried during the years of learning. Since I am not a native, with time I built my confidence to speak and learned that nobody needs to be perfect, only communicate and share your message.