Learning Techniques Archives

15Sep

15 Sep 2020

Should You Try Learning Two Languages At Once?

I am asked this question regularly from my YouTube and blog viewers. if I would recommend learning two languages at the same time or not. Well, first of all, a person who is learning one language and wants to learn another language or even a third language is something that I fully understand and fully endorse.

01Sep

1 Sep 2020

How Long Should it Take to Learn a Language?

Learning Techniques

Language learning depends mostly on three factors, the attitude of the learner, the time available, and learner's attentiveness to the language. If we assume a positive attitude on the part of the learner, and a reasonable and growing attentivenes...

18Aug

18 Aug 2020

Experience Is The Best Teacher

Learning Techniques

At the age of 55, I decided to learn Cantonese. I had studied Mandarin and could read Chinese characters, but I needed to develop the ability to understand how Chinese characters were pronounced in Cantonese. I went through a period of six months of intensive listening. That was when I discovered the minidisk player. For […]

22Jul

22 Jul 2020

How Many Words Do We Need to Speak a Foreign Language?

Learning Techniques

It is tempting to believe that we can just acquire a small number of very useful words and sort of get a jump start in a language. I have never found that to be the case. Of course we need to learn key words like “I”, “you”, “he” and “she” and the like, or “where”, […]

14Jul

14 Jul 2020

Tips to Help You Learn Mandarin

Learning Techniques

I studied Chinese in 1968. At the time I was working for the Canadian Government, the Ministry of Trade and Commerce’s Trade Commissioner Service to be exact. Canada was preparing to recognize the People’s Republic of China and decided that they needed to train some officials in Mandarin. I was sent to Hong Kong to […]

16Jun

16 Jun 2020

Create Your Own Dictionary

Learning Techniques

When it comes to learning a new language, some learners like dictionaries. They read them. They treasure them. They worry about getting the best possible dictionary. I don’t like using dictionaries. Using them is like one-way love.

02Jun

2 Jun 2020

Levels of Language Proficiency: What Is Fluency?

Learning Techniques

I recently watched a video which features polyglots Luca Lampariello and Anthony Lauder. In it they make the point that you don’t need to have a large vocabulary in order to be fluent. Anthony has said in the past that even with a few hundred words you can be fluent, or you can be fluent at a relatively low level of proficiency in a language. I don’t agree at all.

28Apr

28 Apr 2020

The Three Language Acquisition Stages

Learning Techniques

They say “you are what you eat”. In the global information age, maybe it should be “you are what you can say”. Language, in its varied manifestations, is mankind’s defining achievement, and it also defines us. Language can be social, political, technical, practical, entertaining, sensual, philosophical, and much more. At the banquet of life, each language is another course. The better you can [...]

24Mar

24 Mar 2020

How to Learn Vocabulary Fast

Learning Techniques

The most important task in language learning, in my opinion, is the acquisition of vocabulary. If we have enough words, we can make sense of what we’re reading or listening to and we can somehow express ourselves. Vocabulary is much more important than grammar. The grammar you acquire gradually as you become familiar with the […]

18Feb

18 Feb 2020

The Best Way to Learn a New Language

Learning Techniques

Good language learners notice what is happening in a language. They notice the sounds of the language, and the structure and the vocabulary. They notice as they listen and read. They notice when they use the language. How can we train ourselves in the ability to notice, in order to become good language learners?

I speak 20 languages

Learning Techniques