Do You Need Grammar to Learn a Language?
When it comes to learning a new language, the debate around the role of grammar is as lively as ever. Do you need grammar to learn a language? The short answer: not…
6 principios para aprender inglés en casa
Aprender inglés (o cualquier idioma) es un desafío, pero el principio es simple. El cerebro necesita procesar y asimilar el idioma a través de exposición consistente y comprensible. En este blog, exploraremos…
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…
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…
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?
Learning Languages with Netflix & YouTube
Language learning as we know is about motivation. That’s the driver. That’s the smart plug that triggers your interest, your curiosity. Content, which feeds that curiosity and those interests, is extremely important. Content that you like, content that has resonance for you.
Don’t Speak in Your Target Language
I think very often in the standard classroom there’s a tremendous emphasis placed on producing the language, speaking the language, which is fine because that’s what people want to do. But what I think is more important is what will I be able to do with the language in a year from now? And from that perspective, I’m not tremendously motivated to speak.
The Importance of Repetition in Language Learning
First of all, obviously when you start in a language, whatever you’re listening to is not comprehensible. So you can’t begin with comprehensible input. You’ll begin with input, which is not comprehensible, but which gradually becomes more and more comprehensible. However, if you have access to the text, so you can look up words, then you have a chance. And if you can use LingQ for example, and you can review the words, then you have a chance, or even if you’re using Teach Yourself or some other starter book you can gradually get to where material that is initially not comprehensible becomes comprehensible.
