BlogPosts Tagged "Motivation in language learning"
24Nov
The Seven Secrets to Language Learning Success: Part 1
People often ask me how I learned 15 languages. I will tell you what works for me; you’ll have to decide if this can work for you. Here are the first four secrets to language learning success...
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04Sep
The Best Way to Learn Another Language? From Interesting Content
Of course, language learning success depends mostly on the learner. But what about external factors? What does a keen language learner need most of all?
The answer is interesting language content. What constitutes interesting content will depend on each learner, and even on the changing interests of each learner. But the best way to learn another language is through interesting content, [...]
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30Jan
How to Learn Any Language Effortlessly
When I wrote my book The Linguist: A Personal Guide to Language Learning, I began with what I called ‘The Parable of the Crooked Tree’. The author of the parable was Zhuangzi, an early exponent of Taoism, a school of Chinese philosophy from over 2,000 years ago. I referred to Taoism on a number of occasions in my book. Zhuangzi’s basic principle in life was to follow what was natural, what [...]
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22Feb
Finding the Time to Learn a Language
“I just don’t have time.” This is one of the most common reasons people give for not being able to learn languages. I am now retired, but I am still quite busy. I play sports, make time for my family and I have a number of tasks that I perform as part of LingQ. They include […]
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15Jan
Learning a Language Means Acquiring Words
People often say to me, “Steve, you’ve obviously got a talent for languages, that's why you’ve learned so many. Good for you, but I could never do it.”
To which I say, to myself at least, why don’t you try doing it the way I do it? Maybe, rather than a question of talent, it’s a matter of the method that I use. What is my method? It’s really quite simple. It’s the relentless pursuit of words [...]
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01Jan
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Language Learners
In Stephen Covey’s famous book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People he gives advice for people in many aspects of their lives: advice for managers, for business people and for people generally. His advice can also be applied to language learners, and here’s how.
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20Nov
Having Language Difficulties? It’s Time to Believe in Yourself
Many of you have heard me say before that the three keys to language learning are motivation, the time you spend with the language and your ability to notice what’s happening in the language.
Some language learners aren’t motivated, so they don’t spend the time or develop the ability to notice and they don’t learn. That’s to be expected. But there are many people who are motivated, who do [...]
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23May
The New World of Language Learning
Our three LingQ Academy Live students, Hanna, Emily and Tamás, are finally here in Vancouver. I had a short meeting with them and I explained my vision that, basically, we’re in a new world of language learning where learners are teachers, teachers are learners and we learn from the world around us.
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04Apr
How to Have Motivation in Language Learning
Maintaining motivation is absolutely key. I think many people start with some motivation to learn a language and, for various reasons, get frustrated and they are unable to maintain their motivation.
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15Feb
Can Reading And Listening Help Your Career?
I believe that reading and listening, the same things that are so powerful for language learning, are extremely important in order for people to be competitive in the new economy.
Read more Can Reading And Listening Help Your Career?