How to Really Learn a Language: Six Key Principles
Language learning can seem daunting at first, but with the right approach, it becomes an enriching and fulfilling experience. I may not be the best language learner, but I’ve achieved a good…
Reading Comprehension Strategies
Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill for language learning and communication. Reading unlocks new levels of understanding and fluency. Improved reading comprehension entails a larger vocabulary, the ability to process more complex…
How to Start Learning a Language: The Best Approach to Get Going
You’ve decided to start learning a new language. While exciting, getting started can feel a bit daunting. What’s the right approach? How do you know what tools work for you? In this…
How to Learn a Language on Your Own
When it comes to learning a language on your own, it’s fundamental that can set you take charge of your own learning. It doesn’t matter whether you’re studying in a classroom or…
Comprehensible Input and Compelling Input (CI)
What is meant by comprehensible input in language learning? Stephen Krashen uses this term, as well as the term compelling input, to refer to the kind of language exposure we need in order to learn a language. The term CI, in language learning, can apply to both. What do they mean?
6 Brain-Friendly Strategies for Reading in Any Language
Reading is the ‘killer app’ for education, communication, and language acquisition in my opinion. It bridges gaps between cultures, connects us with history, and enhances our linguistic abilities. In this post I…
Google Translate Doesn’t Work? Google and Language Learning
I hear all the time that Google Translate doesn’t work. It’s not accurate. It’s this and that. I think Google Translate is a tremendous resource and not only for language learners. It’s not 100% and it’s better for some languages than others, but I find it extremely useful.
How to Expand Your Vocabulary Without Memorization
Accumulating words is the fundamental task in language learning, in other words it is very important to acquire new words. Many learners are under the impression that this is done through memorization. This is not, however, the most effective way to grow your vocabulary. I’ve never been able to learn new words by deliberately trying to memorize them. The more effective way to learn new words is simply through exposure to the language.
Language Learning Distractions
We live in an age where there are lots of distractions. The multiplicity of media has made it easy to be distracted from whatever task we are engaged with.
You DO NOT Need to Be Perfect
Why do I want to talk about perfection? First of all, I am a dilettante learner. I also recognize that there are people who need the language for professional reasons because they want to get into a school so that they’re not just dabbling in the language, exploring, having fun like I like to do, they actually need it. So how good do they need to be in the language?
