7 Bullet Points About Languages - Week 42
Hi everybody,
I hope your week was marvelous!
I've had a quite low week with some health problems to take care of and many sleepless nights this week. As a result, I barely studied and only relied on passive exposure. I'm feeling close to an overall burnout so I'm planning a week of rest so I can reset everything next week. Taking care of your mental and physical health matters. Don't overlook them for anything, even languages!
Alright, let's dive right in!
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.
One video: The Best Language Learning Technique YOU'VE NEVER TRIED — By Brian Wiles
I'm not a big fan of the clickbait title but loved the content! This video explains in detail how to use a diary combined with HiNative to improve your language. If you've never tried HiNative, this is a great first introduction to it!
One article I read: Qlango Review: A Straightforward App for Beginner Language Learners — By AromieKim (FluentU)
I fell upon this review of Qlango while searching for a new app to try out. It's a complete overview of the app along with its pros and cons (I didn't have any glitch when I tried it though). This app teaches vocabulary through short exercises and I loved the fact that difficulty increases as you go. The review said it was limited for free users but it seems you can use it well if you accept the regular ads.
One article I wrote: How to Use Technology to Learn a Language
Since I didn't publish a new article about language this week, I figured it'd be a good opportunity to give you an old article I published back when my audience was much smaller. I believe it's still one of my best articles about language learning since I delve into details along with screenshots. Hope you love it as much as I do!
One podcast episode: How To Become A Polyglot ― By Steve Kaufmann
This short episode was lovely and I couldn't agree more with it. The process to become a polyglot is exactly what Steve said. If becoming a polyglot is one of your goals, this is for you!
One tool to try: Qlango (iOs & Android)
This week I'm recommending Qlango after trying it out as mentioned above. It's not perfect nor a one-stop app but it can still be worth your time. If you're still at an A1 or A2 level in your language, this app could be a good addition to grow your vocabulary!
One quote to ponder: "The best teachers don't give you the answer, but they spark within you the desire to find the answer yourself." ― Anonymous
A reminder of the current biweekly challenge: Learn 3 words a day
I fell upon this tweet and thought it was another great idea. This challenge is to learn three words a day for 30 days. Nothing much but it's a good habit to have! You can find people who started that this month by using the hashtag #3vocabfor30days on Twitter. I might do it for a month but let's start doing it with a biweekly challenge! Don't forget to make your own example sentences so you can retain them better!
Sum-up of the 1st week of the challenge: Learn 3 words a day
As mentioned above, this week was horrendous for my languages. I relied on loads of passive exposure, only looking up a few words each day in Korean while playing Genshin Impact. I've decided to give it up for this incoming week to give myself a real break. I want to be back with energy by next week so I want to give myself the time to relax and recharge. If you need that too, give yourself the same permission. If not, keep on!
Let me know how it went for you by sending me a mail at barra.mathias@gmail.com!
As always, thanks for reading!
Mathias Barra
For more of my articles, you can find them here.