Last week we “virtually” sat down with a seasoned interpreter who takes language very seriously and got some very interesting information about how we can create consistency toward our language learning goals. 

Out of all Egyptians, who hasn’t tried to learn a new language in the past 6 months? The answer is, the majority DID! But, did we all master the language and are able to speak it now? Extremely debatable! That’s why our second feature takes us through the journey of “Language Learning”.

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Ahmed Gouda, I’m an interpreter and a small entrepreneur living between the USA and Egypt. Also, I’m an influencer teaching people various subjects including English language, translation, interpretation, and freelancing.

How do you motivate language learners to continue practicing the language? 

One of the main tips I give to people so they can learn the language is to use it, practice it by listening, reading and speaking. When you use what you learn, it sticks in your mind and it becomes easier to recall the vocabulary. 

Which channels do you think are best to practice new languages, especially in Egypt? 

I used the Discord App to create a server that let people practice English and more than 17 thousand people joined, they practice the language every day.

In addition, social media groups have the feature of creating a room so that people can join and talk. I found a lot of people using it to practice English and other languages. 

What do you think of English conversation clubs? 

The idea of English conversation clubs was there a long time ago, it started as in-person meetings and now it has evolved into virtual meetings. It’s a very good idea to motivate learners by talking to people who share the same goal. 

Can Droplen be an alternative provider to such language learning experience?

Droplen can definitely be used as a connection between a learner and their teacher.

If the teachers are signed up on the platform, using features such as mentorship, learners can subscribe monthly and be on both group and private message threads with their teacher and their peers. Droplen also connects learners in one place since users can talk to one another on the platform and practice the language together.

From your experience, how can new language learners speak with the correct accent? 

When you watch an English movie, a talk show, or any type of video that is in the native English language, you have to try to listen carefully to how they speak the language and try to emulate it. Another way is to use the available apps or websites that give you the correct pronunciation of a word before guessing it yourself.

How long does it take a new learner to be fluent? And how can we accelerate this process? 

I think that the duration varies depending on the effort of each individual learner, but in general,  one year is the average. They can accelerate that by having an organized schedule and more time dedicated to practicing the language. 

What is the minimum or maximum number of hours that a learner should practice the language on a daily basis?

The number of hours needed is very relative yet the minimum hours a learner shall practice the language is “1 hour” giving around 15 minutes for each pillar of learning a language which includes:

• Reading (15 mins)
• Writing (15 mins)
• Listening (15 mins), and
• Speaking (15 mins)

What do you think of Droplen? And how users can benefit from it?

Droplen is a great app that lets people reach the influencers they love and admire so they can learn more from them, or even get mentored by them. It also gives the flexibility to the influencer to set their own price per minute or even publish mentorships per week.

Want to get in contact with Ahmed Gouda? Now you can reach him out on Droplen here.