A REVIEW OF THE LANGUAGE HABIT TOOLKIT FROM KERSTIN CABLE

Despite several years of language learning under my belt, there’s still one thing that I struggle with more than anything else.

Consistency.

Don’t get me wrong – I love learning languages which is why I keep doing it over and over and over.

Sometimes, life just gets in the way.

Today, sitting down and studying is habitual. It feels weird to me if I don’t spend at least a few moments during my day involved in language. As weird as if I had forgotten to have a cup of coffee or put on my shoes before I walk out the door.

But it wasn’t always like that. I struggled with any sort of consistent study schedule (or planning) for longer than I’d care to admit.

Slipping back into my old, inconsistent – I’ll study when I feel like it – routine, is something that I seriously worry about. And that’s where The Language Habit Toolkit comes in.

The Language Habit Toolkit

Kerstin Cable of FluentLanguage.co.uk is a fantastic and knowledgable polyglot based in the UK and the voice behind The Language Habit Toolkit. She’s studied languages for 20 years and as both an instructor and learner, she shares her experience from both sides.

Language learning presents a variety of challenges, and with the Language Habit Toolkit, Kerstin shows you that creating a roadmap and consistent study schedule doesn’t have to be one of them.

What Is the Language Habit Toolkit?

The Language Habit Toolkit is a series of (five) detailed worksheets to help you keep on track with your language learning. It also includes a video module on goal setting and a 37-page guide that includes tips on how to stay motivated and inspired in your studies so that you can keep returning to them day after day.

My Thoughts on the Language Habit Toolkit

Many language learners make the mistake of choosing poorly defined goals. ‘Fluency’ in a language is vague (it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people) and may seem out of reach. With a goal like that, it’s easy to grow frustrated at your progress because you just never seem to get there.

It is, on the one hand, good to have goals like these. Kerstin calls them ‘Vision Goals’ and they give you something to aspire to and work towards. They’re a mark to draw your bow and aim for. But you also need what she calls ‘Path Goals’ – those steps that ultimately lead you towards your ‘Vision Goals’.

Both the guide and the video do an excellent job of differentiating between the two and provide you all the knowledge you need to decide what both will be for you.

As Kerstin shares as a part of the Toolkit, achieving your goals and habit building are all about how you frame your thoughts. Words have a lot of power, and if anyone knows this, it’s a language learner. I have certainly experienced moments where I’ve seen this in full effect. I’m sure that you have too.

Using these worksheets is really wonderful for when you’re feeling stuck. Having the ability to go back and look at where you were a week before or even a month earlier really gives you into insight into just how far you’ve come and how steadily you’re making progress. It also gives you a clear path for moving forward.

This can be hard to see when you’re in the thick of it.

I like that this program has just one video and a short guide. The value isn’t in being led along by the hand. It’s in taking action yourself. I think this is fantastic because at some point, being an independent learner means being independent. You need to be able to rely on yourself to make progress. The Language Habit Toolkit offers you just that.

Things I Thought Could Be Better

I think that the Toolkit would benefit from a one sheet Quick Start Guide. That way, you get a quick overview on the best way to navigate the materials.

Because it’s the way many online courses go, I instinctively started with the video, thinking it was an introduction to the entire Toolkit. I was mistaken – it’s a module on goal setting – and it led to some initial confusion for me. Was the program for building habits or goal setting?

Once I read through the guide, things made more sense and I was able to dive into better using the material included in the Toolkit. While I like that the materials let you run on your own, it could benefit from a roadmap.

In Conclusion

As a part of the Language Habit Toolkit, Kerstin shares all the ways you can use goal setting and habit building to experience success as a language learning.

The materials are a great asset for learners who need direction or help establishing a consistent routine. You have everything you need to get started and to build a well-rounded language learning habit.

Please note that if you choose to purchase the Language Habit Toolkit through one of the links in this post, I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. It goes towards keeping Eurolinguiste up and running, so if you do choose to purchase the course through one of the links, thank you immensely! I only recommend products that I myself use.

Recommended.