“So, Now What?” Here’s Where to Start: A Friendly Guide to Save Your Heritage Language
Alright, I have downloaded these apps. Now what?
In my previous blog post, I explored how digital tools can help with learning and maintaining heritage language. But, that would only be the way to start, right? Families and friends are a big part of your life and they can create an environment where you can truly learn your language. So here’s the question we’ll explore today: “What can families actually do to make heritage language learning into their daily lives?
First Topic Of The Day During Breakfast or Dinner
Let’s talk about food. No, seriously I mean it. What’s the best way for people to come together? Food, great food, and great people. In my second blog post, I mentioned that perhaps, we can start by trying to speak your heritage language during breakfast or dinner. Here are some ways:
- Practice table manners and phrases. To learn or teach your child some phrase such as “Pass me the salt please,” “Thank you for the meal,” “May I have more?” Practice saying “Enjoy your meal!” in your heritage language before everyone starts eating.
- We can start by describing the food’s flavour, naming the dishes or ingredients. Describing the textures, colours.
- Have family members explain the cooking process in the heritage language: “First, we chop the onions. Then, we fry the garlic.”
Let children “teach” you how to make the dish — even if they’re just repeating what they’ve heard
This could be easily integrated and turned into a practice despite the busy schedule, and all ages can be involved at the same time. At least, this is what I would do if I have children.
The Ling App
The second strategy is to dedicate just five minutes to studying your heritage language. I mentioned the Ling App, a website and mobile application, and I highly recommend to use it every morning for five minutes, complete a stage, or practice before sleeping. Then, puff up and put on a brave face and use the words you;ve learned confidently with your family members. Apply it in real life practices, annoy your parents with it.
For my case, I’ve done it. With every new Thai word or phrase I heard from her phone call with her family members, I would mimic the pronunciation and tone, which was something that came naturally to me to mimic, and I learned from there. Once I understood the context and meaning of that word, I would annoy my mother every now and then with the words I’ve just learned. If I make any mistakes, then, I guess I made her day.
Another advantage is that since Ling is an app, you can learn anytime, anywhere on the go, during breaks, or at home (Woah, that rhymes.) What I like most about a language learning app is that there are no formal classes or fixed schedules, which makes it perfect for those with tight routines who still want to learn the language in between, and Ling can offer just that!
In this article, it shares how Ling has a positive impact on learning.
The Ling app significantly improves users’ English proficiency, specifically in pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. Futhermore, Most students felt the app’s exercises increased their confidence in speaking English, largely because it allows for autonomous practice without the fear of judgment or making mistakes. The app also empowers students to take control of their learning, as participants felt it helped them learn independently at their own pace and schedule
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So these are more reason to use the app! You can overlook of the writing of a language first, you need to learn and write to speak use it before to the next stage.
But, Sometimes, It’s Not Always Easy.
Easier said than done, I know. The learning process is never easy, because well, you are learning, and sometimes things are not supposed to be easy, that’s how you grow.
Learning with your grandparents could be slightly difficult as they are often not tech-savvy and may be reluctant to use the app or website, seeing it as troublesome and giving up easily. Children or the younger generation with lesser exposure to their heritage language might not see the point, while average learners, much like you and myself, might lose our motivation along the way due to various reasons — life gets busy, enthusiasm fades, and sometimes, it just feels easier to give up than to keep going.
This study (2025) concludes several reasons for the causes of fear of foreign language learning that children face.
- Fear of making mistakes: That fear arouse self-doubt and reluctance, causing students to not have the courage to speak during verbal practices
- Fear of negative evaluation: Many avoid using the language altogether rather than risk receiving unfavourable feedback from teachers or peers.
- Fear of speaking in public: Students often feel overwhelmed when forced to speak in front of others.
These worries make learning a foreign language difficult, especially when paired with anxiety and low self-esteem.
In the same study, researchers observed another problem among adult language learners, which is the time constraints. Surely, balancing the demands of learning a new language with life;s responsibilities and family commitments would result in fatigue and various learning difficulties and eventually burn out that makes you lose the interest to learn the language at all.
And to that, my advice is to take it slow. Only you know yourself best, and there’s a lot of trials and errors, and experiments to see which study method fits you best and etc. You can start and continue anywhere or anytime. You are always free to begin again. In fact, resting is a part of productivity too, as sometimes the best thing you can do for your learning is to d just that and come back with fresh energy.
Final Thoughts
“You are what you eat,” thus saying that environment plays an important role in life. If you’re a learner yourself, you can first create your own environment. You know your schedule, habits, and what keeps you going, so trust yourself to design a system around what works for you. What works for otehrs may not works for you, and what’s a learning pricess without stumbling around the trials and errors? Expirement around it to see which study method fits you best.
Or if you’re a parent figure who wants to teach your children your heritage language, my biggest advise, again, start with food. Talk and interact with your children with the heritage language and make learning fun together. Chat with them, question and prompt them with questions!
But most of all? Consistency. I cannot emphasise this enough. Preserving your heritage language doesn’t necessarily require hours of study every single day, and sometimes, it’s not truly about the app you’re choosing but your attitude and mindset towards learning your heritage language.
Remember, you can start anywhere, anytime.
My Question For You
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve accidentally said in your heritage language just because you mixed it up with a different word?
