tungemål wrote:I've always been an independent learner, and I find that language learning is much easier now, than 20-30 years ago. It's mainly because of these points (but also because I know how to do it now):
- a wealth of material for listening and reading available online, for free
- online dictionaries (faster) and other tools like google translate and context reverso
- easy to find speakers online (Italkie, conversation exchange etc)
- smartphone apps, like Anki and also Duolingo, allthough they can't replace a coursebook.
Which brings me to this: I like to go through a coursebook. But my delution in the 90s was that I would know a language after completing a "Teach Yourself"-book. The coursebook is just a starting point, but a very useful one. And they also existed 20-30 years ago, with audio on CDs or even cassette tape (I bought a French course in the 90s that still came with cassettes).
20 years ago I was living in the Netherlands, and I tried to learn Dutch. I had a coursebook, a paper dictionary, I borrowed cartoons at the local library, and tried to use Dutch in the city. Still, I think it would be much easier for me to learn Dutch now, living in Norway. What I lacked at the time was mainly audio material to practice with.
yes, yes, yes.... Assimil, a grammar book as well as a one of most common verbs, and ...
1. Serials
2. Podcasts
3. YouTubes lectures and news
4. Online news
The rest is just work. No even having to leave our own homes.