What are your techniques when learning new languages?

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What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby SiejLind » Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:03 am

Hi there, I'm new here. Just wondering if anyone here has tried audio courses for language learning? I've been trying to learn a new language, specifically Italian, just for new knowledge. I've come across a lot of apps and techniques before.. Pimsleur, Glossika, Babbel, Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, etc. But most of the time I feel like I'm still lacking something. I think so far what works for me is this audio course called Ripeti Con Me from a website called Think In Italian. It's probably helping me more since I hear native Italian speakers with really useful conversations instead of those I can't really relate to.

So far, I agree with what they said in their Youtube documentary video "Learning languages fast". Here are some of the things I've learned:

1) Setting goals and identifying what you want to focus on are the first steps to learning effectively.
2) It’s necessary to listen at a natural speech rate when learning a new language
3) Don't rely on flashy interfaces where you can become addicted to earning badges instead of learning

You can just type Simple.Fluent with a dot in between simple and fluent and you'll come across that Youtube channel. Not sure if I can link it here so probably just check that website Think In Italian and that youtube channel.
If anyone else agrees with this or have their own techniques, let's discuss them :D
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby 白田龍 » Fri Nov 12, 2021 9:45 am

1) Try lots of different stuff, stick to the few that feel most effective.
2) Allow yourself to rest when you feel tired
3) Do not try to re-invent the wheel
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BeaP
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby BeaP » Fri Nov 12, 2021 10:08 am

I agree with your takeaways from the video and also with the recommendations above me. I think you need one course that has a kind of progression, and you can supplement it with basically anything, always according to your needs. Which language do you want to learn? If the ones listed in your profile: although I'm not a big proponent of youtube polyglots, Lindie Botes comes across as someone honest and trustworthy to me. You can check out her videos on material and method recommendations. If you want to learn Italian, the best channels are Learnamo and Podcast Italiano. But in my opinion she's the best of the best:
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby lusan » Fri Nov 12, 2021 2:30 pm

For Italian, what I did:

1. 501 Italian verbs - Barron's
2. New Italian Grammar in practice by Susanna Nocchi
3. Assimil El italiano - Spanish version - Only passive wave

After that
1. Grimm [italian dubbed] - 6 seasons - 85 hours of film watching
2. Read, read, read. Start with graded books and climb the ladder to normal books
3. Italki tutor - For conversation and writing ONLY

Main tools

Anki, Anki, anki...
And many many hours - Covid helped a lot.

Given that I am native Spanish, I reached an intermediate level in 10 months.
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SiejLind
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby SiejLind » Sun Nov 14, 2021 11:07 pm

Thank you for the suggestions. I will check out the recommendations you mentioned. :) I think my favourite so far is watching those Youtube videos along with what lusan said. Thanks as well BeaP!
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby sporedandroid » Mon Dec 06, 2021 1:29 am

I personally don’t like textbooks too much. The first thing I do when I learn a language is read about it on Wikipedia and watch YouTube videos about the language. I don’t quite count this as language learning, but I think it’s helpful to learn about a language. Afterwards I study premade Anki sentence decks with audio. I also add in subs2srs and try to find comprehensible input made for learners.
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby rdearman » Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:47 am

Language exchanges. Talk, talk, talk. I know almost zero Korean, but one of the first things I did was start looking for language exchange partners. I've spoken to a lot of people in French and Italian, and it has always helped me. So I have been speaking to a lady in Korea, even before I started my lessons. She has helped me with the numbers, and she explained some of the things the teacher taught me in a slightly different way which sort of made it "click" in my head. So different people, different perspectives.

https://www.conversationexchange.com/
https://www.language-exchanges.org/content/welcome
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby Le Baron » Mon Dec 06, 2021 2:52 pm

Most centrally (though this may be personal) I cut away multiple language focus in order to get a foothold on the one I most want to learn. I don't want to berate you OP, but it has 'beginner' Korean and 'beginner' Japanese in your bio and you are also wanting to pursue Italian. None of my business in the final analysis, but I find most progress is made with focus on a single language to get it up and running.

As for learning the posts above me have noted the main points. For myself I start with a course, because it's good to be guided at the start. Then I start on listening material, every day for several hours a day using transcripts to iron out problems things I can't make out from just listening. Also videos, short or long, as many as I can get. Plus reading as much as possible, both books and online (Wikipedia is a good resource). I consult grammars when I need to.

That's passive understanding. For speaking it has to be speaking practise which is harder to get. Together they assist one another and the other two of the four core skills: reading helps with writing, plus listening and some speaking because you learn structure/vocab. Speaking helps with listening and vice-versa.
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby jeff_lindqvist » Mon Dec 06, 2021 4:04 pm

rdearman wrote:Language exchanges. Talk, talk, talk. I know almost zero Korean, but one of the first things I did was start looking for language exchange partners.


Funny, that's the last thing I look for.

(That would be a challenge, to learn a language entirely through language exchanges. Next life...)
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Re: What are your techniques when learning new languages?

Postby Henkkles » Mon Dec 06, 2021 4:41 pm

Transcription and chorusing are the backbone of my methodology.
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