It has been a really fun semester as an independent language learner. It reinforced that I love exploring new cultures and that learning new languages can really help me do that. Knowing a language gives you a unique insight into the culture with which it coincides rather than trying to learn about it from a more distant point. I found out that there are many ways to learn a language. I obviously learned English without much thought, it was the language spoken in my home and school growing up. I started learning Spanish in a classroom taught by American teachers in an American school. We used textbooks, flashcards, etc. I started learning Korean using primarily online resources such as Duolingo and Mango, which are different than the traditional textbook method. I also worked with a language partner, whereas with Spanish I didn't have the same exposure to native speakers at the beginning of my language learning.
As nice as it was to have the flexibility to learn Korean on my own, I would be lying if I said I didn't struggle with prioritizing it with my other school work. Sometimes it was hard to sit down and devote the hours needed to learning this language when I had deadlines in other classes. It was also more difficult to keep up with my weekly goals without a professor making me. One the other hand, I enjoyed this freedom because I never felt I was wasting my time learning something I would not find useful. I focused on Korean vocabulary I found relevant, and only learned using tools I enjoyed and found productive. If I were in a traditional classroom, this may not have been the case. I may have been doing assignments I wasn't as interested in just because they were part of a textbook or something.
I did enjoy learning about the linguistics part of language learning. It helped me recognize that different languages have different parts of speech and sentence structures, but they can still be broken down. Breaking down sounds and grammar rules helped me recognize patterns in Korean that I was able to apply to my learning and help me become a more adaptive and communicative learner. I especially liked the readings about bilingualism and how becoming a polyglot is not as daunting of a task as one may think. This encouraged me that it would be possible for me to make significant strides in learning Korean even as an adult autonomous learner. I hope to continue my Korean studies and eventually visit the country with my family and experience the language and culture firsthand.
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