Language incorporates so many aspects of what makes us who we are. And it is the first point of connection to build communities. We’ll discuss how you can improve your language learning sessions and different ways to think about language overall.
For those who want to immerse themselves in Chinese culture fully – whether to be close to family, work abroad, read web novels and Chinese-based fantasy fiction, or for another reason – learning Mandarin Chinese can give you a richer experience. Heritage learners, too, often already have Chinese language skills, but may not feel confident …
The Essential Guide to Learning Mandarin Chinese Read More »
You’ve probably experienced these scenarios, but never linked them to foreign language anxiety: For a language learner, these bouts of foreign language anxiety often make it seem like mastering another language is impossible. In fact, it’s common for learners, especially younger students, to link their anxiety with an inability to learn. But that’s far from …
You have already heard that 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail. But does that statistic translate into language learning goals or even goal setting in general? Well, when you consider that only 20% of people actually set goals, we can see the sample pool for success is already pretty small. And even though only 6% …
5 In-Depth Steps to Setting Strong Language Learning Goals Read More »
Over the past decade, I’ve relied on my bullet journal as a backup for every task. And over the years, I’ve begun using it to improve my target language skills – or at least, my writing and reading skills. But it wasn’t easy to figure out a system that worked. When bullet journaling in your target language, there are a few challenges: I overcame these challenges by keeping my journal simple …
How to Keep a Bullet Journal for Language Learning for Busy People Read More »
Speaking a second language is one of the most difficult skills to master, and there are many reasons why. Anxiety, lack of practice, lack of practice with a native speaker, and vocabulary barriers can make it difficult to speak fluently and comfortably. Personally, I’ve studied and dabbled in several languages, but I only feel moderately …
The 6 Best Language Learning Exercises for Speaking Practice Read More »
Going from an elementary textbook to real-life usage often feels overwhelming and almost disorienting when learning a language. So often, phrases and vocabulary from a list and sample dialogues fail to account for variety or language styles. This is an intermediate topic and is likely one factor leading to a learning plateau. There’s just too …
The Basics Practical Use of Style for Language Learners Read More »
Recently, I’ve been dabbling into other languages again. While I’ve tried to set a primary and secondary language for the year, there’s just an itch to play with a new sound set and grammar system. So, after making progress on my Greek and Japanese goals, I downloaded an app. One I tried years ago. Because …
Ling App Review: Great for Less Common Languages Read More »
Let me be frank: It took me some time to get on the LingQ bandwagon. So you’ll find in this LingQ review that learning to love this app was a journey. I love to read, but when I first tried LingQ six or seven years ago…I wasn’t thrilled. Sure, it was the free version, and …
Realistic LingQ Review: A Powerful Learning Tool – If Used Correctly Read More »
After weeks of trudging through Im Krebsgang by Günter Grass, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a simple trade-off in my inbox: Would I review a copy of the recent book 50 Coffee Breaks in my preferred language? As a glutton for language resources and looking for a brief change from my current German practice, …
Can You Boost Your Language Skills With 50 German Coffee Breaks? Read More »
Yes, I’ve got italki review for you. And for good reason. In our recent survey, 44% of language learners struggle with speaking, and only around one-third of learners feel comfortable with this language skill. This is unfortunate, learning to speak a foreign language is usually the first “proof” of fluency. For those of us realizing …
My Italki Review: Everything That You Ever Wanted to Know About Italki Read More »
