“If someone else can do it, you can, too.” Does that sound familiar to you? Probably. The same is true for second language acquisition.
Anyone can learn a language. Different methods exist for language learning. I will focus on just one: speaking with native speakers. When I was 12 years old, a French speaker asked me for directions. I couldn’t understand him, so I didn’t respond. The man realized there was a language barrier.
I didn’t want to break that barrier for a long time as I didn’t know a lot of French words. That made me uncomfortable. On top of that, I only felt comfortable speaking in my own language. I started looking forward to mastering the French language.
A college lecturer helped me with that. She told me about the nonprofit organization Roeland, an institution that organizes language camps. At those camps, I spoke French on a daily basis, which was a bit difficult at first.
At camp, participants get two or three language workshops every day in which they can practice the foreign language. In between workshops, there is time and space for both sports and creative workshops.
I think that everyone should participate as an entertainer. For starters, your French skills will get a serious boost. You also get to know new people and places, all while teaching young people new things. Finally, you will feel real gratitude through the messages the participants leave you at the end of the language camp.
Learning a new language offers you many opportunities. You expand your cultural knowledge, meet new people, and gain experience in the field of education. So, you have the world at your fingertips!
Translation: Asmae Maataoui
Revision: Ingrid Inkindi Dusenge