How to Determine Your Language Proficiency Level: ILR, ACTFL, and CEFR Scales Posted by meaghan on Oct 22, 2014 in For Learners
You’ve heard the mantra: How can you know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been? Cliché as it may be, this concept applies perfectly to learning a language. Knowing where you stand will help you set realistic goals, identify the resources that are best-suited for your level, and measure your progress over…
10 More Problems Only a Language Lover Will Understand Posted by meaghan on Oct 20, 2014 in Archived Posts
I’ve got 99 problems and learning a language ain’t one… but these 10 things are. (So are these 10 things from the first post, in case you missed it.) 1. When you think of the right word… immediately after using the wrong one. One day it will just come out naturally… right? 2. When you…
6 Tips on Learning to Love Screwing Up Posted by Malachi Rempen on Oct 15, 2014 in Archived Posts
As I argued last week, if you want to learn a language, you’re going to have to learn to love screwing it up. As someone from the comments last time pointed out, you learn by making mistakes! It’s the only way! So learn to be at ease with making a mess of things. But how?…
Why Language Learning is a Daily Commitment Posted by meaghan on Oct 13, 2014 in Archived Posts
Ever heard a product that claims that you can learn a language in 10 days? Ever met someone who actually truly learned a language in 10 days? Coincidence—I think not. The “secret” to language learning is just this: there is no secret! As with most things in life that are difficult to achieve (running a…
7 Ways to Memorize a Language and Still Understand It Posted by meaghan on Oct 8, 2014 in Archived Posts
We published a SlideShare earlier this month discussing “8 Mistakes that Haunt Language Learners”. One of these mistakes is worth a deeper look—the concept of memorizing what needs to be understood. It’s a big problem for anyone who wants to learn a language quickly, but more importantly sustain it over time and use it fluidly…
Screwing Up: Learn to Love It Posted by Malachi Rempen on Oct 6, 2014 in Archived Posts
Language learning in a foreign country is hard. Not only do you have to wrestle with merciless grammar, call up vocabulary from the dusty depths of your memory, parse figures of speech and slang like in-jokes you aren’t in on, and even possibly learn how to read and write legibly in an entirely new alphabet…
The Buddy System: 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Learn a Language Alone Posted by meaghan on Oct 1, 2014 in Archived Posts
We all remember clutching someone’s hand so we wouldn’t get left behind on a class field trip: the good ole’ buddy system. It’s a simple action, holding someone’s hand, but it provides that extra layer of safety and accountability we all needed at a young age. What about now that we’re a bit older, though?…