Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

As you know, I learn languages on LingQ. Mostly I listen and read. But I also review vocabulary. Here’s how I do it using LingQ’s vocabulary review activities.

In this video, I discuss learning English with Anna Tyrie of the YouTube channel English Like a Native: phrasal verbs, spelling, pronunciation and more!

It's fine to have a long term vision that we would like to be fluent, have intelligent conversations in a language or understand movies. It's nice to have that as a vague goal, but in order to push yourself in that direction, you should not focus on the long term goals.

Reading is powerful. When I have read a whole paper book from cover to cover, without a dictionary or the iPad, I consider that to be a major milestone.

Listening comprehension is the core skill that leads us to speaking and reading better. It leads us to a better sense of the language.

Once you're past the first "discovery" period in a language, you hit the plateau. You feel you're not progressing. You need to vary things up, in order to keep going. One approach is speed LingQing.

Some people say you should try to learn 10 words a day and make sure you can use them, really nail them down. I've never found that effective. Here is how I learn vocabulary.

Make sure you have a tutor who has the imagination, the wherewithal and the resourcefulness to keep the conversation going when there’s a lull. A tutor who comes up with a new subject, a new question, something to keep the conversation going. This is key.

As you are progressing in your target language there will be lots of times when you are not going to understand. To reach your goals you need to accept this and keep moving forward.

Enthusiasm is such an important factor in language learning, and there are few more enthusiastic than YouTuber Rupa Sensei. I caught up with Rupa to find out how and why he is inspiring English learners.

Though I am an input-based language learner I want to output better. That’s why I am embarking on a three month challenge of increased Persian study. Here’s what I will do to step up my Persian.

There are two stages in language learning: the initial intense study of a limited number of words, and the later more extensive approach to learning in order to acquire the up to 10,000 words needed to function at a professional level. These two stages make up the upside down hockey stick.

It’s easy to get caught up in the negative as a first time language learner: I keep forgetting the words, I can’t speak, I’m just not getting it. You need to maintain a positive attitude and believe you will get there. Keep on putting in the time and you will improve.

I began learning Arabic in early 2018. In this video, I discuss what my learning strategy was at the beginning of my Arabic journey and how it has changed over the years.

My seventh and final video in my series on language learning goals is on culture. I leave culture until last so I can explore it in the target language. It makes the exercise more meaningful.

Of course there are objective factors when it comes to being a successful language learner, but there are some subjective factors too. In this video I discuss the characteristics I believe set language learners up for success.

As well as enjoying the process, learning another language means I get to discover a new culture and people. What is your “why”?

Writing is an effective way to improve language skills. You have time to look things up: words, verb and noun forms, conjugations, declensions, phrases, etc. You have more time to work on your output than when you’re engaged in an oral conversation.

Learning is about much more than schools. This is especially true for language learning. A major ingredient for success is enthusiasm, on the part of the learner and the teacher. My chat with Alberto of Italiano Automatico.

Language learning is not about performing or being judged. It's about communicating, understanding, expressing our thoughts and ideas and feelings, however imperfectly, in the language we're learning.

Grammar or correct usage is usually the first goal of language instruction. For me it’s the fifth goal, after acquiring words, reading, listening, and speaking with mistakes. It’s only then that I focus more on grammar.

Vocabulary growth is key to acquiring a language. In this video I show I do this. Spoiler, I'm not a big user of flash cards. I learn words in context, or occasionally using lists.

Compelling input is increasingly recognized as the sine qua non of language learning. So where does grammar instruction or grammar learning fit in? Olly and Steve discuss this.

Olly Richards of storytelling.com and I compare notes on the technology we use to set up for our videos. Language learning has become more easier through technology, but making videos for YouTube has become more technically demanding.

The goal of language learning, for most people, is speaking. But, for me, it isn't the first goal. A strong passive vocabulary, good reading skills, and good listening comprehension are earlier goals that enable to become a good speaker of the language.