Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

Can we learn several languages at the same time? Are we better off to focus on one? It all depends on your goals and personal preferences. You will progress faster if you focus on one language, however you will give up the chance to explore other languages during that same period.

Daria teaches Russian and looks for learning material that is of interest to the learners. Learn Russian with Star Wars! More important than insisting on correct grammar, especially in the early stages.

When we start a new language, we're excited to discover new sounds, new words, new structures. Early there is a sense of achievement as what was just noise is starting to become meaningful. Certain words repeat often enough that we learn them. But after a few months, we start to feel we're stuck. It's the doldrums. What can be done?

The difficulty level of any language depends on the learner. How motivated is the learner to acquire a certain language? Is he or she confident of their ability to acquire the language? To a confident and motivated learner, no language is really difficult. In fact, the learning process becomes its own reward.

In acquiring a foreign language, reading is often underrated as a goal, and as a learning activity. When I learned Chinese, over 50 years ago, I did a lot more reading than I’m doing now in Arabic and Persian. Today I rely on the audio to help me read. In 2022 I plan to focus more on reading, even in sentence mode, but without the constant help of audio.

How To Learn Vocabulary by Steve Kaufmann

We often hear that speakers of certain languages have trouble losing their accents, speakers of English or Slavic languages, for example. Iryna sounds Mexican, both in English and Spanish, yet is a native speaker of Russian and Ukrainian. Best to avoid generalizations.

I started Standard Arabic, Persian & Turkish to better understand the region. Dropped Turkish to focus on reading Arabic script. Now I'm doing more colloquial Arabic. Things change.

I hitchhiked in Italy in the 60's, getting by with French and Spanish. In the '70s I got a Linguaphone Italian course. I avoided the exercises but listened over and over again, occasionally reviewing the grammar explanations. That was it until I discovered the power of audio books.

When I learn a language I'm curious about the culture. However, I first need to get a sense of the new language using subject matter familiar to me. More exotic details of the culture can wait. Unfortunately these are often included in beginner texts.

Many people need English for the workplace, including immigrants in English speaking countries. To learn the technical language mine the many publications, articles, YouTube videos, podcasts etc. from the Internet for the words and phrases you need to learn.

Shadowing is a language learning technique developed and popularized by polyglot Alexander Argüelles. The idea is to repeat what you hear while listening in order to improve pronunciation and speaking. I have not used this much in the past but want to give it another try.

I started learning German before the age of the Internet. I'd had some exposure as a young man, but during a month between jobs, in 1987, I really went at it. I found second hand German readers, and I went at then, massive comprehensible input.

I used to say that age is no obstacle to language learning. I want to state that differently now. I think seniors should learn languages. The benefits are many.

In my latest video I talk about how much my interest in history has influenced my language learning. It has been my inspiration, my source of interesting content, and represents much of the time that I have spent learning these languages. And just about all of them my interest in history sustained me.

To achieve a comfortable level in a language you first have to have a reason, a subject of interest, a friend, something that you focus on directly. Your ultimate goal of fluency is the indirect result of his first step.

The realization, thanks in large part to Stephen Krashen, that meaningful, comprehensible, and compelling input (CI) is the key to language learning success is changing how languages are taught. But how does it work, given that the new language is incomprehensible when we start?

I favour using content of interest, compelling content, to make language learning enjoyable. But many school learners simply aren't interested. Can setting a specific list of words to learn make things better?

It's a common question: are extroverts better language learners than introverts? I don't think it matters. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3FG2b48

Gabriel is a wonderful polyglot. He learned them mostly one after the other, motivated by different things, and encouraged by his success. I think that is the case with most polyglots.

We need meaningful input to learn languages. Listening is great for preparing to speak and is the most portable learning activity, but reading is where I feel I acquire the most words.

What are the most common problems I see in language learners? A big one is that people don't realize how long it takes and give up too soon. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3jY6eAb

Language acquisition is a slow and gradual process of improvement, uneven and sometimes imperceptible. Having clear tasks helps to keep you going. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3blwrnJ

Veronika teaches English at her youtube channel English with Veronika Mark. Her English is flawless. She learned at home in Russia. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3BcMs9Z

I focus a lot on input, reading and listening, but my goal is always to speak the language. Output is important and the languages that I speak and probably understand the best are the ones that I have spoken the most. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3nhfGQ7