Questions tagged [learning-methods]
For questions about methods, techniques, and/or practices that assist in learning another language
7
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1answer
75 views
How to overcome limitations of memory palace?
I frequently use the loci method (memory palace) to learn vocabulary, but I find that after 150-200 words my house is full with words/images and there is no space left.
I know of people who can ...
4
votes
1answer
52 views
Does learning a new language while in the target country instead of learning the current language reach the goal of acquiring both faster in the end?
Here is the situation:
I have now been learning French for two months.
I will start to stay in South Korea for one month.
After staying in Korea, I'll stay in France and attend language school for ...
5
votes
1answer
100 views
Are paper flash cards better for retention than digital flash cards (both self made)?
Language Learning Stack Exchange currently has sixteen questions about flash-cards, fifteen questions about anki and twenty questions about spaced-repetition. There is no doubt that spaced repetition ...
4
votes
3answers
93 views
How to get most language learning benefits from frequent casual conversations with natives?
I know several languages on various levels:
Polish native
English C1-C2
German B2-C1
Russian B1
Spanish B1
I have tons of opportunities to speak to natives:
English - quite a few people at work (...
6
votes
1answer
102 views
What is the better way for structure the learning of 5 languages in 1 year and 6 months?
It's really this, I have a dream to speak Japanese, Korean, Standard Chinese, French and Russian. I know it is hard and very difficult to learn five language at the same time.
Right now, this is my ...
4
votes
0answers
33 views
Best way to improve your ability in a language post A-Level (Exams at age 18)
It is fairly clear how to get your standard of language up to an A-level standard (exams taken at age 18 in the uk) due to clear syllabi and textbooks up to this standard. However, I find that past ...
6
votes
2answers
88 views
kannada learning - beginner's way
I am a native Marathi (Maharashtra, India) speaker and I wish to learn Kannada.
These 2 languages are totally different except for a few words in common.
To start with, I would like to learn basic ...
2
votes
0answers
16 views
What is the easy and effective way to learn in tandem live, when speaker A has B1 and speaker B barely has A1 in the language of A speaker?
I learn German (~B1), my friend learns Russian (~A1, just a little bit of the vocabulary and ability to pronounce the text). Mainly we communicate through English. Next couple weeks we live together, ...
5
votes
1answer
50 views
Do gender differences affect language learning strategies?
As far as I know, there have been many discussions and a considerable amount of research about differences in learning between boys and girls, or men and women. See for example:
Gender differences in ...
6
votes
1answer
47 views
Is it a good idea to practice American English by listening to radio from the USA?
While I was looking for a better way to practice American English I found a website, where you can find radio channels from all over the world. Do you think it is a good idea to practice your ...
3
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0answers
46 views
Can adults learn grammar like 5 or 6 year old kids?
As the title said. Learning a language is complicated, but children can easily pick up any languages around them. Can adults learn grammar like toddlers? and How?
2
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0answers
32 views
how can I structure my plan learning korean?
I am not a native speaker of Korean and not-native speaker English. I want to make a plan for learning Korean well and maybe arrive to B2 in July 2019.
I do not have a lot time because I get up 6 Am, ...
5
votes
0answers
24 views
Resources for learning the Silbo Gomero (Gomeran Whistle)
Here's a fascinating video on the Silbo Gomero, or whistled tongue of the island of Gomera in the Canary Islands of Spain. Today, it's essentially used as an encoding of Spanish that can be carried ...
5
votes
0answers
32 views
Coming from Spanish, where do I start learning English?
Is there any manual or website that I recommend to start learning English?
Honestly, with my mother tongue (Spanish) I have forgotten and sometimes left without understanding, some concepts that are ...
2
votes
3answers
115 views
What are the effective ways to learn and remember any word. And use that in the right way
I am having trouble with picking the right word for the context that I am talking about. To get rid of the problem I practiced to find all the forms of any word that I encountered ever through books, ...
5
votes
1answer
137 views
Is shadowing really a technique for interpreter trainees?
Shadowing is a technique for improving pronunciation popularised by the polyglot Alexander Arguelles. There are many YouTube videos about the technique; most of them don't demonstrate shadowing in the ...
8
votes
0answers
50 views
Learn alphabet by replacing letters in native text
I've read before somewhere about a way to quickly learn how to read a foreign alphabet. You take an unfamiliar letter and put it in English words where the sound of that letter makes sense. That ...
4
votes
1answer
52 views
How many Hanzi (Chinese characters) are theoretically possible to learn per day using Heisig's RTH?
I am currently learning three new Chinese characters per day using Heisig's Remembering the Simplified Hanzi (1 and 2) combined with Anki. This leisurely pace suits me because Chinese is not my top ...
4
votes
1answer
93 views
Question about Leitner box. How many cards to study from levels other than 1?
I am trying to learn Tagalog. I have made around 1500 flash cards and I am about to start using the Leitner box.
If I choose to learn 10 new words every day (from level 1) when I am in the ...
6
votes
1answer
43 views
Learning Tahitian, having issues with comprehension
I'm taking a class at my school in Tahitian, it is the beginning level. However, I am having trouble with understanding and memorizing the words. I am a native English speaker and know Mandarin to a ...
5
votes
1answer
75 views
How does language learning in a classroom affect self-learning?
Circumstances require me to take a ~3 month break from my formal/classroom/directed language studies soon. Prior to studying my L2* under a teacher I was learning independently. How will my classroom ...
6
votes
0answers
52 views
What sequences of learning kanji characters, their readings, meanings, and related vocabulary tend toward longest retention?
In Japanese, many words can be written both with just the kana (phonetically) and with the kanji (Chinese characters).
For example, the character 年 (ねん - "nen") means "year". In other vocabulary it ...
5
votes
0answers
51 views
What are general cognitive principles that could explain why Heisig's method works?
This is a follow up to this question on Remembering the Kana.
James Heisig is author of a famous series of books involving learning Chinese and Japanese characters. These books are
Remembering the ...
5
votes
0answers
20 views
About Inductive-Contextual method [duplicate]
I am currently reading Lingva Latina per se illustrata, by Oerberg. It follows the Inductive-Contextual method, which I find quite pleasant and effective. I have not found, however, books using this ...
9
votes
3answers
108 views
Should I learn english from UK if am I learning english from USA?
Hello everyone I looking for any expert about this topic I'm learning still english and in some blogs and friends always say me that should I learn english from Uk and American to same time but for me ...
7
votes
1answer
61 views
Differences in language learning abilities and strategies between a 30 year old and a 70 year old?
This is a question about language learning for different ages, specifically people in the second quarter of their life versus someone in the fourth quarter of their life (assume average life span of ...
3
votes
0answers
30 views
In Anki, do you have any effective methods for learning words with multiple meanings? [duplicate]
I have been learning English for over a decade now, and my ultimate goal is to reach level C2. With that in mind, I use Anki as my base of vocabulary.
A very specific problem has been haunting me ...
7
votes
1answer
43 views
What is the popularity of using colored (e.g. red) transparencies to obscure words in a language book?
When I was in Japan twenty years ago, I noticed that high school students would sometimes study English from special books with black and red printing inside. The book would come with a red-colored ...
5
votes
1answer
78 views
Similar Languages to South-Slavic/Balkan
I am going to be travelling through the western Balkans (specifically Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania) and would like to learn some of the spoken ...
8
votes
1answer
99 views
How can I sound more 'native'?
I'm fluent in French and Russian - by which I mean that I don't have any trouble reading novels and can easily converse in either without making grammatical errors or feeling uncomfortable - and have ...
5
votes
1answer
70 views
Is thinking speech just in brain less effective than speaking aloud, to improve speaking skills?
I'm struggling with improving speaking right now, which is far inferior to my reading and writing skills. The language is Mandarin Chinese and I live in China and attend language school.
But the ...
6
votes
1answer
105 views
Japanese – how to learn it without using SRS?
I hate SRS (spaced repetition system), even though I have used it for more than ten years for various languages. I can’t stand the sight of it anymore, yet, I know of no better alternative for a ...
9
votes
3answers
139 views
Does living in a country where the language is spoken improve the language skill that much?
It seems quite common among language learners that living in a country where the language you learn is spoken is a very effective way to improve the language skill (especially speaking).
However, ...
4
votes
1answer
56 views
How does flow relate to language competency? Can it be taught/learned?
Psychological flow is kind of like going on autopilot, or
being completely immersed in an activity, and is also related to high
performance levels. I was reading about flow in music, but it reminded
...
8
votes
1answer
104 views
Studies on average time by full immersion in 2nd+ language to become conversant?
Are there any studies that have noted some "average"1 length of time for a brand new 2nd (or 3rd, etc.) language learner fully immersed in a culture to pick up a new language to a level of at least ...
3
votes
2answers
102 views
Can I learn a language with a child?
I am living with my brother, his wife, and their one year old daughter (my niece). They are attempting to raise their daughter bilingual in two languages, Language A and Language B. Language A is the ...
4
votes
1answer
62 views
Should I put more focus on the subtitle or the content when watching a movie to improve the listening skill?
I tried watching a few Chinese movie to improve my listening skill, but I wonder whether I should put more focus on following the subtitle or the content of the movie.
When I put more focus on ...
5
votes
2answers
114 views
Approach to multiple language learning goal for a multilingual family
I'm going to live in Japan with my future wife.
She is L1 (first language) korean speaker but lived in Japan for over 10 years making Japanese her L2 (second language).
My own L1 language is German ...
4
votes
1answer
62 views
What advantages and disadvantages does intensive classes in the country of the language have over weekly lessons in my own country?
At my Japanese school in Sydney, I've seen an ad for 2+ week summer course in Fukuoka, Japan. The discounted price for the course is 88 thousand yen for 30 hours of lessons, which is roughly ...
9
votes
4answers
117 views
What are some strategies for effectively studying two unrelated languages simultaneously?
We already have a few questions on this site asking about learning multiple related languages, however, what about learning multiple unrelated languages?
I'm a (mostly self-taught) student of Spanish ...
4
votes
2answers
141 views
Is it possible to learn grammar through spaced repetition, and if yes, how?
Spaced repetition is mostly used for learning vocabulary, but learning vocabulary is not all there is to learning a foreign language. Grammar also needs to be acquired, one way or another. Since doing ...
9
votes
3answers
91 views
Learning language by singing songs?
Learn languages by memorizing rhymed poems is about pro/cons of using poems to learn a language.
What about using songs? Songs might use more modern language, avoiding the cons mentioned for poems.
...
7
votes
2answers
96 views
How can one learn a language with unpredictable pronunciation?
I've always preferred languages like Spanish, German, Japanese, with pronunciations that you can easily predict (yeah, German has a few irregularities, but they're not that numerous, the only major ...
14
votes
4answers
192 views
Should I start learning another language even if I haven't mastered the last one?
I have studied German for the whole year last year. But I want to study other languages too.
I haven't mastered German yet, and I am seeking advice whether I should start learning a new language ...
9
votes
1answer
61 views
French subtitles
I have been watching a lot of French-language shows on Netflix lately but with French subtitles. I find that the subtitles rarely match what is actually being spoken!
For example someone will say, "...
7
votes
2answers
57 views
How can I look up transliterations of words I hear (in Hebrew)?
I combine many resources when learning a language. One of my best resources is audio-only, but there are many times when I need to look up a transliteration, such as when I can't distinguish if a word ...
13
votes
3answers
182 views
Learning a language, for someone who can't stand flash cards
I can't stand memorizing words. I've found that the best way to memorize vocabulary is using (digital) flash cards, however I find studying flash cards to be one of the most mind-numbing and ...
11
votes
4answers
220 views
Improving a language at B1 level
I am learning Russian and English. I speak in English and understand everything most of the time when my friends talk. I understand about 60% of the words in movies and news. I also struggle with ...
7
votes
1answer
157 views
Collection of mnemonics for learning foreign languages?
I recently noticed that some language versions of Wikipedia have a list of mnemonic devices that contains examples that can be used for learning languages. For example:
Mnemonic devices on the ...
12
votes
0answers
106 views
What are the various context clue techniques children use to learn a new word?
Are there any literature that discuss in great details, the various context clues that children use to learn a new word? I found myself reading a few papers "The development of a classification
scheme ...
