Learning Techniques Archives - Page 2 of 9

16Jun

16 Jun 2020

Create Your Own Dictionary

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 […]

28Jan

28 Jan 2020

Reading May Be the Secret of My Success in Language Learning

Learning Techniques

Breaking News –Special Report: A new way of recording and transmitting information has been discovered, even more convenient than mp3 technology. It’s called reading, yes, writing things down for others to read! Someone commented on one of my recent YouTube videos where I said, in Japanese, that Japanese people who are learning English might […]

24Sep

24 Sep 2019

Enrich Your Language Learning With Blogs and Podcasts

Learning Techniques

I want to talk about blogging and podcasts as a means of enriching your language learning content, variety and, particularly, as a step from beginner material to the more difficult, more demanding material. I recently did a “Streak with Steve” live stream video. We’re encouraging people to commit to maintaining a streak at LingQ, so […]

19Sep

19 Sep 2019

Want to Learn Languages Faster? Go Easy on the Grammar

Learning Techniques

For the last week I’ve been studying Serbo-Croatian. We have the Serbian mini stories at LingQ, so I’ve been at it for a week. I’m going to try to speak, obviously, when I’m in Croatia. I’m going to try to understand. That’s why I’m trying to learn as much of the language as I can […]

05Sep

5 Sep 2019

Listening Activity: How Do You Spend Your Time?

Learning Techniques

I have previously talked about whether people are vocabulary builders or vocabulary memorizers and I sort of said that memorizers spend a lot of time with Anki decks or lists and try to nail down vocabulary and that is a large part of their language learning. Vocabulary builders prefer to let the vocabulary accumulate through […]

30Jul

30 Jul 2019

First 3 Months Fluency is NOT the Goal

Learning Techniques

Today I want to talk about three months because three months comes up quite often. We have our 90-day challenges at LingQ. I have done quite a few. I have done it in Polish, in Korean, in Arabic and Persian and maybe some other, I can’t remember. We had the 3 Months to Fluency that […]

25Jul

25 Jul 2019

Learning Multiple Languages at Once: Is It a Good Idea?

Learning Techniques

I don’t think it takes any special talent to learn multiple languages. Some people may do better than others, but everyone can do it. Some may pronounce better, some may have a larger vocabulary, different people have different interests, but everyone is capable of doing it. It’s an extremely rewarding thing to do.

I speak 20 languages

Learning Techniques