Questions tagged [learning-methods]
For questions about methods, techniques, and/or practices that assist in learning another language
328
questions
1
vote
1
answer
30
views
How can I improve the sophistication of my Chinese grammar usage?
I'm starting to become aware of a weakness in my Chinese grammar. While in my speaking and writing I'm generally grammatically correct (of course, not always), I don't often use more sophisticated ...
CommunityBot
- 1
5
votes
4
answers
246
views
How to improve my usage of vocabulary
I have been having trouble recently, related to my vocabulary.
While writing essays or whatever writings in English, I recognized that my sentences were mostly consisting of 'simple' words. Such as '...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
1
answer
70
views
Are there effective ways to improve oral English or a platform which emphasizes students' improvement?
Am I the only one who feels that these English-teaching websites are just a way for teachers to make a few bucks here and there?
It seems that the majority don't really focus on the intricacies of ...
CommunityBot
- 1
3
votes
2
answers
157
views
Why don't Chinese people who are eager to practice English simply practice with each other?
If you've ever been a "foreigner" in China (especially in major cities), you may have encountered the intensity in which some Chinese people try to practice English with you. I certainly ...
- 259
8
votes
5
answers
437
views
Way to learn Persian (Perso-Arabic) alphabet
I'm going to learn the Persian alphabet. I found it very difficult because the letters look different depending on whether they are at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a word. Is there ...
1
vote
1
answer
33
views
What is the anticipated usage of this Chinese textbook's long lists of questions and answers?
The Chinese HSK6 textbook series 《HSK规范教程 6上》 by 王璕 has many pages like the following
wherein there are many listed questions and answers, such as
最近一年你身边有什么灾难发生吗？
In the previous year, has a ...
- 11
3
votes
0
answers
40
views
How can people with the same native language and target language practice with each other?
In this thread Dr @Rebecca J. Stones raised a very interesting question on the reasons behind Chinese people who are eager to practice English don't simply practice with each other, and I've shared my ...
- 259
1
vote
0
answers
17
views
How can I improve my listening for a selection of Chinese HSK6 words?
I downloaded Mandarin Corner's mp3s where, for each of the 2500 Chinese HSK6 words, Teacher Eileen says the word twice, then its example sentence twice. I note down the words which I don't near-...
- 2,368
4
votes
1
answer
105
views
Two common ways to increase vocabulary -- which is more efficient?
I just wondered how I can increase vocabulary to be able to communicate better and enjoy magazines, books and news programs in English.I have two vocabulary workbooks that contain around 2000 words ...
- 61
0
votes
0
answers
23
views
How can I go from "I can express myself" to "I can express myself in multiple ways"?
Most of the time, I can express myself appropriately in Chinese (speaking and writing). The catch is, my language would sound more fluent if I were able to say essentially the same thing in multiple ...
- 2,368
5
votes
1
answer
136
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 ...
CommunityBot
- 1
10
votes
2
answers
263
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 ...
CommunityBot
- 1
4
votes
1
answer
157
views
Improving vocabulary reading foreign language literature on ebook readers, how to export selected vocabulary into a spaced repetition app?
For improving my vocabulary I read favourite novels and short stories, preferredly in the original (target) language. When my level isn't quite up to it, I read a translation (be that English or ...
CommunityBot
- 1
12
votes
2
answers
406
views
How do I learn to read and write a language I can already speak fluently?
Born and brought up in the city of Kolkata, I've been surrounded by people who speak Bengali almost all my life. We speak a different language at home and my schooling has been in a different language,...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
0
answers
13
views
Equivalent of interlinear for audio?
I'm interested in learning a foreign language by audiobook format where the sentence is read once in English, then a second time in the foreign language.
Does this have a name?
Do any resources like ...
- 3,425
2
votes
1
answer
63
views
How to memorize Indonesian words easily?
I don't know whether it's just me, but I think that many Indonesian words look very similar. Are their any ways to memorize them (i.e tips and strategies) or tools to help me?
Thanks!
- 111
6
votes
1
answer
487
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 ...
CommunityBot
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
106
views
Improving English language at B1 level
I'm an English learner, starting from two years ago and with self-study and want to know how? Just with Google Translate when reading articles and translating words I don't know, and after some time I ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
0
answers
46
views
Why is "fluency development" so commonly overlooked?
Prof. Paul Nation in Learning Vocabulary in
Another Language (2001) put forward his idea of four strands to learning/teaching languages: (a) meaning-focused input, (b) meaning-focused output, (c), ...
- 2,368
7
votes
6
answers
282
views
How can I master the Hebrew alphabet?
I am trying to learn the Hebrew alphabet (that is, learn the basic letters and letter forms, including final forms). I am finding this much more difficult than it was to learn the Greek or Cyrillic ...
- 111
4
votes
1
answer
94
views
How do you learn to read Vietnamese using Chữ Nôm?
I am able to read Chinese characters, and have been exposed to Chữ Nôm, which is derived by amalgamating Chinese characters according to their meaning and pronunciation, so as to represent a Native ...
- 11
3
votes
0
answers
20
views
Japanese: Are there computer games that support learning the Genki I and II textbook vocabulary?
Are there computer games that use the Genki I and II textbook vocabulary? Sometimes playing a game allows for better memory formation of vocabulary compared to straight memorizing lists and viewing ...
- 31
4
votes
2
answers
106
views
How to Know if a Movie/Show is Translated Well Enough to Help in Language Learning?
As addressed in questions like this, watching movies and shows in your target language can be a good way to practice your listening skills, while also being exposed to new vocabulary and spoken ...
- 264
33
votes
6
answers
7k
views
What are the drawbacks to Duolingo?
We've all heard of Duolingo, and we've all probably used it at least a little bit. I have friends who think it's amazing.
But what are the drawbacks to using Duolingo? In particular, have any ...
4
votes
0
answers
72
views
Are there any studies on whether it is more effective to study a language a bit everyday or have a couple longer sessions?
As with trying to learn anything, language learning obviously takes time and practice, but many people, myself included, have limited time to dedicate to a language learning practice. With limited ...
- 195
-1
votes
2
answers
121
views
Struggling with learning, especially without outputting
I'm trying to learn Japanese, and I know quite a bit already (I used rtk to learn the meaning/ stroke order or about 2200 kanji, know over 1700 vocab, listen and watch a lot of videos constantly ...
- 658
4
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Learning Hindi as a speaker without first learning the writing system
My girlfriend is Indian and Hindi-speaking and I would like to learn some Hindi so to be able to talk with her using basic sentences and improve through speaking.
I have been trying using Duolingo (...
2
votes
1
answer
64
views
How to master English prepositions?
I have been trying to learn English prepositions so many times but so far I have failed. It is the only thing that gives me so much pain. I have watched so many movies or videos and also read many ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
1
answer
278
views
How does learning math differ from learning second foreign languages (L2)?
Peer-reviewed publications analogize learning math to learning a L2. But what are the DisAnalogies and CounterArguments? How can you distinguish learning math from learning L2?
Luciana Oliveira, ...
- 2,368
12
votes
2
answers
528
views
What techniques can I use to master nasal vowel pronunciation?
I'm referring to those encountered often in French and Portuguese for example. In Portuguese they may be denoted by "ão" or "õe".
When first learning these new pronunciations from my native English, ...
- 115
4
votes
0
answers
46
views
How to go about learning a heritage language that I lost as a child?
I used to be bilingual in French and English when I was very young but when I began school in Australia, I stopped speaking French so I could get better at English and now at 16 I can understand the ...
- 41
10
votes
4
answers
185
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.
...
4
votes
0
answers
60
views
Is this a good way to learn English?
In the anime Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai, there's such a scene of a notebook.
As you can see in the picture, it's almost barely a list of vocabulary, I mean, there's no example sentence. Besides, ...
CommunityBot
- 1
0
votes
2
answers
129
views
What is the most efficient set of languages needed to easily become proficient in any language?
I’m not familiar with the terminology to ask this question properly, so I’ll do my best in laymen’s terms.
I’m a native English speaker, so I find certain elements of other languages particularly ...
- 111
1
vote
5
answers
129
views
After stumbling upon a word in Chinese, how can I determine if it's worth studying?
Nowadays I'm reading opinion pieces and news articles in Chinese. I'm at a late-HSK5 level. I stumble upon many new words, too many to study them all, so I need prioritize some words and postpone ...
- 2,368
3
votes
2
answers
72
views
What do Chinese students do with the lists of new characters in 语文 textbooks?
In my grade-3 语文 textbooks, we find lists of new characters which appear in the accompanying essay, such as the following:
I'm curious as to what what Chinese students actually do with this. I ...
- 101
5
votes
4
answers
228
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 (...
- 21
5
votes
2
answers
189
views
When the Foreign Services Institute says "X class hours" are required, how many hours of self-study are assumed?
From the Foreign Language Training website, we find e.g.:
The following language learning timelines reflect 70 years of experience in teaching languages to U.S. diplomats, and illustrate the time ...
- 446
21
votes
4
answers
249
views
What strategies can I use to learn the gender of irregular nouns?
The problem
When a foreign language uses genders for nouns and pronouns, memorizing these genders is a difficult process.
Sometimes it is possible to follow rules or hints: 1; 2; 3. E.g.:
In French,...
- 446
10
votes
2
answers
347
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 ...
CommunityBot
- 1
13
votes
3
answers
285
views
How can I improve the listening and speaking skill as a self-learner?
I learn any languages mostly alone, without any school or tutors (as it is insanely expensive and also quite inflexible). I learn it mostly online, starting with apps like Rosetta Stone and Memrise as ...
- 1,253
7
votes
3
answers
2k
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
5
answers
2k
views
Modern Hebrew before Biblical Hebrew?
I have heard it said more than once that there are advantages to gaining a basic fluency in Modern Hebrew before attempting Biblical Hebrew. Getting comfortable with text decoding, basic vocabulary, ...
1
vote
0
answers
49
views
Any apps for "progressive" language learning like Toucan?
What I mean by "progressive" language learning:
The student starts by learning a small amount of vocabulary and grammar.
When practicing the foreign language, the student replaces the ...
5
votes
1
answer
59
views
Read new language with child
I wish to read English with my children. They are preschool age and have no English. I began by substituting the bedtime story with an English story but they got frustrated by the fact that they didn’...
CommunityBot
- 1
14
votes
2
answers
200
views
Can you 'plateau' while learning a language?
I feel like no matter how much I'm studying my language, no matter how hard I'm doing it (Georgian and Chinese), I'm still at just, a level. I can have conversations in them, read articles in them, ...
- 446
6
votes
2
answers
132
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 ...
- 446
5
votes
1
answer
83
views
Are learning and acquistion the same?
Many books on English Methodology treat learning and acquisiton synonymously. But I think they are different.
Some professors I know say that they are different.
Some others say they overlap and ...
CommunityBot
- 1
2
votes
2
answers
31
views
What are some effective options for an American with no nearby Korean-speakers to learn Hangul?
After studying the evolution of language at a very superficial depth I've decided that I want to be able to communicate using Hangul at something like the conversational level. There seem to be no ...
4
votes
0
answers
124
views
What is the best manual (non-program) research-backed SRS spacing?
I am learning Japanese Kanji via Remembering the Kanji, but this question could apply to any vocab or grammar flashcard sets.
I know that programs such an Anki have an algorithm that decides the best ...
- 1