7 Bullet Points About Languages - Week 13
Hi everybody,
I hope your study of your language(s?) is still going strong!
Each week, I share 7 things that could be useful to your learning odyssey. I hope they can help you improve your journey, tickle your curiosity, and inspire you to keep exploring.
Let's dive right in!
One video: How to Build a Step By Step Language Study Plan — By Steve Kaufmann
In this interesting video, Steve provides great advice on the importance of having a study plan. What I loved was his insistence on having set tasks to do over just blocking off some time. If you know what you'll study and find it exciting, you'll see much better results than just following a boring method someone else chose for you!
One article I read: How You Can Become Fluent in Another Language — By Laura Izquierdo
I liked this article's advice on incorporating your new language in your life through your habits and especially how journaling can be a great way to improve. For the past two years, I've been writing in Korean 3 things I'm grateful for and it's made the language feel much more natural. But I liked the idea of adding 3 things that'd make the beginning day great and I'll give it a go in another language.
One article I wrote: 5 Common Worries Every Polyglot Goes Through
I'm a polyglot but above all, I'm human. I have my worries and have to make decisions like everybody else. In this piece, I went over 5 questions I've asked myself many times and other polyglots do too. Most of them can happen to you way before you become a polyglot so get ready for them before they pop up!
One podcast episode: The best way to learn a language - More Than Words Podcast
I really hate these kinds of titles and, as I expected, the episode didn't give the "best way" to learn a language. After all, there isn't such a thing as "the best way" to do it. This being said, this exchange between 4 language experts (2 polyglots, a neuroscientist, and a language tutor) was very interesting. As usual, all the advice was very down-to-earth and applicable so I recommend listening to it and picking what you need.
One tool to try: Radio.garden
I discovered this website through this article and I've been using it every day since then. It's quite simple. Type the name of a country whose language you're learning and you can listen to some of its radio stations. I love that it's a one-fits-all tool with radio channels from all around the world.
One quote to ponder: "The only normal way to begin speaking in a new language is to begin speaking badly." — Greg Thomson
One challenge for the week ahead: Learn 10 adjectives and use them in an imaginary conversation
This week, let's add some spice to the languages we learn and learn a few adjectives. Be attentive to the next few conversations (or mental discussions you have on your own) and take note of adjectives you use a lot. Then look them up in the language you learn and write a short imaginary conversation on Journaly to get some feedback. Bonus points if you get a native friend to take part as well!
Last week's challenge was to journal in your target language for a week. I kept writing my gratitude journal in Korean as I have done for the past 2-3 years but I also wrote a few 3-4 simple sentences every morning in Mandarin. That helped me rediscover words I have forgotten, such as room (卧室), gathering (聚会) and a few others. What did you learn?
Let me know how it went for you by sending me a mail at barra.mathias(at)gmail.com !
As always, thanks for reading!
Mathias Barra
For more of my articles, you can find them here.