If you are interested in learning a foreign language (French, German, Russian, Spanish, or Italian) online, please contact us!  We are available to help you reach your language goals.

One of the questions language students frequently ask EmpowerMost is: How long does it take to learn a second language? The answer depends on many factors, but at the top of the list are: which language the student is attempting to learn and how much time the student will be able to devote to language learning.

Unfortunately there are no quick-fix solutions to learn a language overnight. There are not even very many effective ways to shave off the amount of time it takes for a student to get comfortable with a language.

The four foundational blocks of any language are: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And there are no short cuts to mastering any of those items. Want to improve your French reading skills? The best way is to spend devote more time to reading French novels and newspaper articles. You want to improve your Russian grammar? The best way to accomplish that is to spend more time doing Russian grammar exercises.

While there certainly are not any miracle tricks to master a foreign language, there are some basic techniques that a student can adopt that will greatly enhance his or her success. Below, we have outlined some of the tools that you can use to expedite your language learning process.

1. Focus on vocabulary: One of the greatest hindrances to fluency is a limited vocabulary. You should generally plan to have a strong command of at least 3,000 words at a minimum, just to function on a day-to-day basis in a language. And it is not uncommon to need 5,000 or more words in order to be comfortable reading a book.

In order to emphasize vocabulary, some techniques that students can try:

-Purchase blank note cards and write out all of the vocabulary words for that week. Carry those cards with you and study them for at least 20 minutes a day. 

-Write out vocabulary words in red pen. Some people believe that our minds are capable of remembering things we see in red better than words we see in black or blue.

-Write out sentences that use your new vocabulary. It is better to learn words in context, rather than just the English translation of the word.

2. Don’t neglect grammar! Students often complain that grammar is the least exciting part of learning a language. And they are right. But without grammar, you end up constructing sentences like this one:
To the chair, will sit I must.
To avoid sounding awkward when speaking your second language, it is imperative to devote significant amounts of time to understanding grammar.

3. Listen to the news or radio in your new language. With the internet, it is possible to listen to recordings and live streamings of everything from news shows to radio programs. Take advantage of all of the free resources on the internet.

4. Read in your new language. Again, because of the internet, you now have a free library in your new language. Prior to internet usage, students had to go to the library to check out books or foreign language newspapers. And purchasing a subscription to a foreign language newspaper is extremely expensive. But today, there is no shortage of access to foreign language newspapers, books, and academic resources.

5. Practice, practice, practice! Learning a language is not something that you can do and then forget about and revisit 5 years later. Language learning is a daily exercise and one that requires constant practice and refinement.

If you are interested in learning Russian, sign up for EmpowerMost's spring semester.  Classes last 10-16 weeks, and are customized for the student's individual needs.  Email info@empowermost.com for more information and a brochure.

Topics include: 

• Proper pronunciation
• Spelling rules
• Conversational skills
• Improving vocabulary
• Reading short Russian novels
• Grammar.

Last year, Forbes magazine had an interesting article on the art of learning a second language.

Some highlights from the article: 

Once an individual masters one language, experts say learning additional foreign tongues can be much easier for a number of reasons. Individuals with previous experience know what's involved in the learning process and are more adept at cultivating strategies for communicating with limited comprehension. "And no matter how different the two languages are, there are some sounds or words that can be carried over," says DeKeyser.

The tricks to maintaining foreign fluency are very similar to the methods used to achieve it--you have to practice.

"Maintaining a language is a matter of dedicating enough time to it," says DeKeyser. "You need to interact with native speakers. Make every possible effort to speak the learned language on a daily basis."

The article can be read here. 

Beginning in September, EmpowerMost will offer Russian language labs for students in the DC area who want to improve their spoken and written language skills.  The weekly seminars will focus on essential grammar necessary for speaking.  The seminar is appropriate for beginner students, but advanced students will also benefit from an intense review of all the language fundamentals.  

For more information about the seminar series, or to reserve a space in the class, email us at info@empowermost.com 

If you are interested in becoming a translator or interpreter for EmpowerMost, please send your resume to info@empowermost.com

We are accepting applications for all languages.

Are you interested in learning a foreign language?  EmpowerMost offers personalized classes, ranging from one-on-one instruction to group classes for companies.

For more information, visit our Language Academy page.

January	Januar
February	Februar
March	März
April	April
May	Mai
June	Juni
July	Juli
August	August
September	September
October	Oktober
November	November
December	Dezember

EmpowerMost Translations is seeking Chicago-based language instructors to conduct private language instruction for students.  Classes range from 10 to 12 weeks and will correspond with the Summer Semester.

EmpowerMost has the following immediate needs:

1) A Russian language instructor for 15-20 hours a week.  Classes will be held in West Loop and/or downtown. 

2) A Ukrainian language instructor for 5-10 hours a week.  The class will take place near Ukrainian Village.  

3) A language instructor whose native language is Estonian.  This course will be held 5 hours a week, near River North.  Lessons will range from: vocabulary-building, speaking, writing, and basic reading comprehension.  

For inquiries, please follow EmpowerMost's guidelines for applying.  Preference will be given to instructors with academic references.  

Washington, DC – EmpowerMost Translations now offers language instruction courses.  The courses are designed to provide students with a firm foundation in the language, including writing, reading, and speaking skills.  Classes are tailored to meet the student's specific needs.

EmpowerMost offers instructional courses in the following languages:

Washington, DC - EmpowerMost now offers language instruction courses.  Classes are tailored to meet the student's unique needs.  Emphasis is placed on helping the student build a strong foundation in all of the language components - writing, reading, and speaking.

EmpowerMost offers instructional courses in the following languages:

Albanian Arabic Armenian Bengali Bosnian Bulgarian Burmese Cambodian
Chaldean Chinese Croatian Czech
Dutch Farsi (Persian) Finnish German
Greek Hebrew Hindi Indonesian
Italian Indonesian Italian  Japanese
Korean Kurdish Latin Macedonian
Portuguese Punjabi Serbian Slovak
Spanish Thai Turkish Ukrainian
Uzbek Vietnamese

Albanian Arabic Armenian Bengali Bosnian Bulgarian Burmese Cambodian
Chaldean Chinese Croatian Czech
Dutch Farsi (Persian) Finnish German
Greek Hebrew Hindi Indonesian
Italian Indonesian Italian  Japanese
Korean Kurdish Latin Macedonian
Portuguese Punjabi Serbian Slovak
Spanish Thai Turkish Ukrainian
Uzbek Vietnamese