Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann

Using slang too early in your language learning can backfire. I never make slang my focus. Instead I let any slang words or phrases come naturally as I gain more and more exposure to the language.

When I start a new language, I sometimes know a related language and that helps. This is a video of me starting two languages that are not related to languages I know, Finnish and Indonesian.

Mayu has a YouTube channel called Mayu E Room. She helps Japanese people learning English. We talk about the language education system in Japan and also Mayu’s experience in the US. She studied language acquisition at Middlebury College. We speak in English and Japanese.

Do you think quizzes and tests are essential for language learning? Traditional language instruction certainly has many of us believing this to be true. In this video I explain why I don’t do quizzes, drills and tests and why you shouldn’t either.

As Aristotle said “well begun is half done”. Laozi said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. This is true for language learning. Just getting started is half the battle, but you need to make sure you get started in the right way.

It’s not enough to have a lofty language learning goal like “I want to be fluent”. What matters more is that you focus on what you are going to do every day with the language. Find activities that give you enjoyment and satisfaction, every day. This will ensure constant improvement.

No better person to talk to about chatGPT, AI, and language learning, than my friend and outstanding polyglot, Luca Lampariello. We are of the old school. Will a younger generation learn languages differently?

Numbers, colours, days of the week, family members, body parts, greetings, etc. I have never understood the need to focus on such vocabulary when we start learning a new language. In fact, I find it more difficult to remember these words as there is no meaningful context.

The plateau is a concept that comes up often in language learning. We have some initial success in acquiring new words and gaining a sense of this new language, then we come to that period where there are lots of low frequency words that we need to learn.

I spend most of my time listening. Listening comprehension is where the action is, in my opinion. If you can understand movies, podcasts, conversations, the other end of the conversation, you can eventually get to where you can hold up your end of the conversation.

Improving in a language, especially in pronunciation, is a matter of technique, practice and attitude. Hadar knows this from her experience learning English, and becoming an actress in New York, as a non-native speaker.

Reading is a vital activity in language acquisition. It’s how to build vocabulary. In today’s video I talk about my experience with both intensive and extensive reading and why I like to do a mix of both.

I enjoy every stage of my language learning; when I start to explore a new language; when I go back again to something familiar that I don’t understand; when I start to understand more; when I understand most of it; and when I no longer feel I need to learn it.

Throughout his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear makes the point that small actions can, over time, have a major impact on outcomes. Developing good habits is more important than focusing on long term goals.

Some people say we need to “focus on the basics” when learning a language. However, we acquire various aspects of a language naturally, in an order that we don’t control. It is futile to try to master the basics, some of which will elude us for a long time.

YouTuber Veronika Mark speaks excellent English and now she is studying Spanish in Mexico City. I caught up with her and discussed her studies and how her English has improved since we last spoke.

There may be many reasons why language learning, or bilingualism, is associated with a delay in the onset of dementia. Obviously, it is a form of exercise for the brain, creating new neural networks, but it also gives older people a strong sense of purpose.

Do you enjoy answering comprehension questions about content in your target language? Many teachers and writers of language learning textbooks seem to think these questions are vital. I couldn’t disagree more.

Challenge yourself in 2023 and start a LingQ Language Challenge. We have a 30-day and 90-day challenges as well as the Streak with Steve challenge. Stay on track, motivated and learn from content you’re interested in and you will make a breakthrough in your target language.

In the coming year I want to follow my own advice and make sure I enjoy my language learning activities without worrying about how much I am improving. That’s my major New Year’s resolution.

We shouldn’t penalize people for getting things wrong in language learning. Maybe we congratulate them instead and encourage them to keep on getting things wrong, because eventually, with enough exposure, they’re going to get it right.

I find it easier to learn things that are different from each other in a new language. Take colours for example. If I can space the colours or connect them to something else, like a plant or a shirt, and I come across them in different situations, then eventually I assimilate them. I start to learn them. But if I try to learn them as a list, I find that very difficult to do.

Stefani is fluent in five languages, intermediate in three others and learning two more. She is yet another outstanding polyglot who proves that you can grow up in a monolingual family and become an accomplished speaker of many languages.

To speak well in a language we’re learning, we need to speak a lot. This requires strategy. We need to first build up our comprehension and vocabulary. Then we need to find or create environments that are familiar, comfortable and meaningful.

Writing is a great way to improve your skills and comprehension, but particularly your ability to output, to speak. To write you need to look words up, so it’s an assist to get to speaking. Do you agree?