how to teach yourself a foreign language
principles resources and ideas to use when learning
What's in the guide?
There are lots of guides out there in the internet, so why did we need another one? Most guides out there are very theoretical. They talk a lot about language learning theory or dispense a smattering of advice without covering the breadth of any one topic. Theory is important, but it can also be very lengthy. Oftentimes, the learner is still left wondering "ok great, so I think I understand how to learn, but what do I actually do to start? What resources should I use? What should my routine be?". Here we take the position that understanding the basic steps to learning a language is far more important for a beginner than dealing with lots of theory.
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D.7 Active recall
Active recall is the active use of memory during the learning process. It requires focused attention
on recalling and using information to improve your language skill. This can be contrasted with
passive learning, where you allow knowledge to come to you in a passive way without actively
straining to decode meaning or recall a concept. For example, relaxing and watching a TV show
or reading over your study notes.
While passive activities such as simply watching a show are generally much more enjoyable
and easier to do in large amounts, active recall is more efficient in terms of progress per hour
spent. Active learning by using your content for focused study will let you gain new knowledge
faster. At the same time, learning a language takes enormous amounts of input and there is no
way to realistically expose yourself to all the forms and words you need without large amounts of
passive learning.
Be sure you are doing both types of learning. You may find it better to use more difficult
resources for active learning and easier ones for passive learning