2 posts tagged “language learning”

Rule #1 You need to learn the alphabet.  This includes the consonant classes, the tone marks and how to work out all the rules.
If you don't do this you won't every be able to pronounce anything properly.

Rule #2 You need to be reading every day.  Even one sentence is better than being lazy and doing nothing all day. 
Do whatever you can handle and there is no need to do it in one sitting. Spread it out over the day.  Most days read stuff that 
you are already interested in.  Now and then, read other stuff just for variety.  

Rule #3 Listen everyday, as much as possible  Anything that is real language.  We want to keep away from manufactured teaching materials as much as possible.  
That stuff rarely resembles real langauge.  

Rule #4  Setup and USE an SRS.  It will make everything easier.  I'm partial to Anki at the moment.  Learn about SRS's and how do use them effectively here.  Khatzumoto has some great ideas and strategies which work for any language.

I study languages.  I speak at least 5 of them, although at times I wouldn't consider myself fluent in all of them.  I'm not really 100% clear on what fluency really entails so I just like to say I speak lots of languages.  I can hold real conversations in at least 5 and I can pretend to impress people in a few others. 

I have begun this blog for me more than for you.  I need to focus my efforts and become more efficient in my progress.  I get lazy when I can't find a good (or at least malleable) teachers in a language I tend to flounder as I just don't have enough self-discipline for constant progress without someone to help keep me in check.  Hopefully, by me spending a little time recording my daily methods and progress I can further improve on my methods and ultimately become more efficient.  If it helps you in the meantime, well, good stuff for you too then.