When I want to improve my Italian, Davide’s Podcast Italiano channel is where I will go. The content is interesting and Davide speaks clearly and not too fast. In this my latest video I chatted with Davide about his channel and the Italian language.
Mar 21, 2023•21 min
To become fluent in a language takes time. It’s important not to be discouraged. Make the time you spend with the language as enjoyable and meaningful as possible and you will reach your goals.
Mar 16, 2023•8 min
In this video I have some fun with the hugely popular ChatGPT. Is it helpful for language learning? How can it be used with LingQ, the app I use to learn languages?
Mar 15, 2023•14 min
Using slang too early in your language learning can backfire. I never make slang my focus. Instead I let any slang words or phrases come naturally as I gain more and more exposure to the language.
Mar 09, 2023•8 min
When I start a new language, I sometimes know a related language and that helps. This is a video of me starting two languages that are not related to languages I know, Finnish and Indonesian.
Mar 07, 2023•12 min
Mayu has a YouTube channel called Mayu E Room. She helps Japanese people learning English. We talk about the language education system in Japan and also Mayu’s experience in the US. She studied language acquisition at Middlebury College. We speak in English and Japanese.
Mar 02, 2023•16 min
Do you think quizzes and tests are essential for language learning? Traditional language instruction certainly has many of us believing this to be true. In this video I explain why I don’t do quizzes, drills and tests and why you shouldn’t either.
Feb 28, 2023•6 min
As Aristotle said “well begun is half done”. Laozi said “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”. This is true for language learning. Just getting started is half the battle, but you need to make sure you get started in the right way.
Feb 23, 2023•6 min
It’s not enough to have a lofty language learning goal like “I want to be fluent”. What matters more is that you focus on what you are going to do every day with the language. Find activities that give you enjoyment and satisfaction, every day. This will ensure constant improvement.
Feb 21, 2023•5 min
No better person to talk to about chatGPT, AI, and language learning, than my friend and outstanding polyglot, Luca Lampariello. We are of the old school. Will a younger generation learn languages differently?
Feb 16, 2023•22 min
Numbers, colours, days of the week, family members, body parts, greetings, etc. I have never understood the need to focus on such vocabulary when we start learning a new language. In fact, I find it more difficult to remember these words as there is no meaningful context.
Feb 14, 2023•10 min
The plateau is a concept that comes up often in language learning. We have some initial success in acquiring new words and gaining a sense of this new language, then we come to that period where there are lots of low frequency words that we need to learn.
Feb 09, 2023•5 min
I spend most of my time listening. Listening comprehension is where the action is, in my opinion. If you can understand movies, podcasts, conversations, the other end of the conversation, you can eventually get to where you can hold up your end of the conversation.
Feb 07, 2023•6 min
Improving in a language, especially in pronunciation, is a matter of technique, practice and attitude. Hadar knows this from her experience learning English, and becoming an actress in New York, as a non-native speaker.
Feb 03, 2023•17 min
Reading is a vital activity in language acquisition. It’s how to build vocabulary. In today’s video I talk about my experience with both intensive and extensive reading and why I like to do a mix of both.
Jan 31, 2023•14 min
I enjoy every stage of my language learning; when I start to explore a new language; when I go back again to something familiar that I don’t understand; when I start to understand more; when I understand most of it; and when I no longer feel I need to learn it.
Jan 26, 2023•8 min
Throughout his book, Atomic Habits, James Clear makes the point that small actions can, over time, have a major impact on outcomes. Developing good habits is more important than focusing on long term goals.
Jan 24, 2023•12 min
Some people say we need to “focus on the basics” when learning a language. However, we acquire various aspects of a language naturally, in an order that we don’t control. It is futile to try to master the basics, some of which will elude us for a long time.
Jan 20, 2023•9 min
YouTuber Veronika Mark speaks excellent English and now she is studying Spanish in Mexico City. I caught up with her and discussed her studies and how her English has improved since we last spoke.
Jan 17, 2023•16 min
There may be many reasons why language learning, or bilingualism, is associated with a delay in the onset of dementia. Obviously, it is a form of exercise for the brain, creating new neural networks, but it also gives older people a strong sense of purpose.
Jan 12, 2023•6 min
Do you enjoy answering comprehension questions about content in your target language? Many teachers and writers of language learning textbooks seem to think these questions are vital. I couldn’t disagree more.
Jan 10, 2023•7 min
Challenge yourself in 2023 and start a LingQ Language Challenge. We have a 30-day and 90-day challenges as well as the Streak with Steve challenge. Stay on track, motivated and learn from content you’re interested in and you will make a breakthrough in your target language.
Jan 05, 2023•7 min
In the coming year I want to follow my own advice and make sure I enjoy my language learning activities without worrying about how much I am improving. That’s my major New Year’s resolution.
Jan 03, 2023•9 min
We shouldn’t penalize people for getting things wrong in language learning. Maybe we congratulate them instead and encourage them to keep on getting things wrong, because eventually, with enough exposure, they’re going to get it right.
Jan 01, 2023•7 min
I find it easier to learn things that are different from each other in a new language. Take colours for example. If I can space the colours or connect them to something else, like a plant or a shirt, and I come across them in different situations, then eventually I assimilate them. I start to learn them. But if I try to learn them as a list, I find that very difficult to do.
Dec 29, 2022•5 min
Stefani is fluent in five languages, intermediate in three others and learning two more. She is yet another outstanding polyglot who proves that you can grow up in a monolingual family and become an accomplished speaker of many languages.
Dec 22, 2022•14 min
To speak well in a language we’re learning, we need to speak a lot. This requires strategy. We need to first build up our comprehension and vocabulary. Then we need to find or create environments that are familiar, comfortable and meaningful.
Dec 20, 2022•7 min
Writing is a great way to improve your skills and comprehension, but particularly your ability to output, to speak. To write you need to look words up, so it’s an assist to get to speaking. Do you agree?
Dec 16, 2022•13 min
Aristotle's Metaphysics begins: "All men by nature desire to know". Languages are among the most useful and rewarding things we can learn and get to know. I discuss this in this video.
Dec 14, 2022•10 min
Ksenia, from Russia, learned Ukrainian in Ukraine. I asked her how much Ukrainian a Russian speaker, with no previous exposure, understands. Answer: 40%.
Dec 09, 2022•21 min