Powerful Language Learning Tips From The Refugee Olympic Team

Reading Time: 5 minutes

For sports fans around the world, the leading international competition is here: The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. From July 24 to August 11, athletes from across the globe are showcasing their talent and hard work through various sporting events and competitions.

Among them is the Refugee Olympic Team, representing extraordinary strength of character, the spirit of overcoming adversity, and hope for over 120 million forcibly displaced people. Established in 2015 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to support potential elite athletes affected by the global refugee crisis, the 10-member team that debuted at the Rio 2016 Games has grown to 37 athletes in Paris this year.

The stories of these world class athletes offer powerful lessons for us all – including our community of language learners – showing us that training for sports and mastering a new language are more similar than you think!

Let’s take a look at lessons we can learn from Olympic athletes to accelerate our language learning…

Lessons from the Refugee Olympic Team for Language Learners

1. Motivation

Growing up in Damascus, Yusra Mardini trained in swimming with the Syrian Olympic Committee, and represented her country internationally in 2012. However, at age 16, the Syrian Civil War forced her to flee home and undertake the dangerous migrant route across the Mediterranean Sea on an overcrowded boat. The crossing made global headlines when Yusra and three other strong swimmers spent over three hours pulling their dinghy and fellow passengers to safety after the boat’s motor failed and it started taking on water.

But Mardini’s journey had only begun. Overcoming almost impossible odds, she went on to compete in the first Refugee Olympic Team at Rio 2016. Throughout this pursuit, Mardini openly expressed her personal mission, “to help others better understand the plight of refugees; that ultimately all they are seeking is safety and opportunity.” Yusra Mardini’s dedication to raising awareness about refugees drove her success, illustrating how a strong personal mission can lead to extraordinary achievements.

Although Mardini is not competing in the Paris 2024 Games, she continues to support the Refugee Olympic Team as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. You can learn more about her story in the BAFTA-nominated film The Swimmers.

Language Learning Tip: When learning a new language, find your “why.” A personal motivator will help you stay committed, even when learning feels tough, by providing a larger purpose.

 2. Consistency

It is important to put in the time and effort to consistently exercise the skills needed for success. Iman Mahdavi, a refugee from Iran, is competing in wrestling at the 2024 Olympic Games. He talks about training in the gym in the outskirts of Milan, where he is now based after fleeing his home country. The gym has become his second home as he commits to a consistent and rigorous training schedule.

Language Learning Tip: Find your own “training gym,” that second home where you feel comfortable putting in regular practice, fostering consistent progress in your language learning.

3. Managing Breaks and Burnout

Iranian-born Dina Pouryounes won her first international taekwondo medal while living in an asylum center in the Netherlands in 2015. Now competing in her second Olympics in Paris 2024, Pouryounes emphasizes learning from past experiences without succumbing to pressure. In her words, “I gained experience from my first Olympic Games. I noticed my errors and worked on them. I want to be the best version of myself and be proud and happy of what I did in the competition. I am training to get the best result and to be able to appreciate all those efforts.”

Language Learning Tip: Acknowledge your progress to avoid burnout. As you are learning a new language, there will come moments when fluency – or even proficiency – seems impossible. Pouryounes shows the importance of balancing hard work and realistic expectations to avoid crushing pressure. When facing challenges, take a step back, reflect on your growth, and return to training with a positive mindset.

4. Enjoyment and Play

Training and competing for a title win is challenging, but it can also be fun. Adnan Khankan – originally from Syria and now based in Germany – is making his Olympic debut in judo with the mindset of a winner. Khankan believes in enjoying the journey as much as the competition. His positive attitude reminds us that enjoying what you do is one of the most important aspects of achieving success!

Language Learning Tip: Incorporate play into your learning. Engage in games, puzzles, and popular culture in your target language to inspire curiosity, maintain interest and enhance retention. Whether it’s Arabic jeopardy, French bingo, or singing along to your favorite Spanish songs – you can learn in ways that best suit you with the expert guidance of NaTakallam’s native-speaking Language Partners.

With NaTakallam, Go for Gold in Your Language Learning

This summer, why not take inspiration from the Olympics beyond the excitement of the games? Just as athletes train rigorously to excel in their sports, you can channel that same dedication into your language learning journey.

Connect with a NaTakallam Language Partner today. These experts bring not only language proficiency but also the resilience and unique perspectives gained from overcoming the challenges of forced displacement. Imagine having a coach who motivates you with the same discipline, reward, and enjoyment found in the sports we admire – a true champion in guiding you through your language learning adventure.

NaTakallam offers language learning options in Arabic, Armenian, English, French, Kurdish, Persian, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian – powered by native Language Partners from conflict-affected, displaced and refugee backgrounds.

Learn a language, make a friend and support the livelihoods of forcibly displaced persons – from the comfort of your home.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sabrina Salam is an intern at NaTakallam. She is currently doing legal work supporting refugees and migrants. She loves to hike, write stories, and learn languages!

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