From Desire Comes Passion Posted by Sean Young on Jul 27, 2012 in Archived Posts
There are times when I like to sit and watch people choose a language book or course at the bookstore. I see those who go through the books, casually looking through them, flipping through the pages, not sure if they will be able to do it. And I see those who are looking for a…
Passive Listening or Active Listening? Posted by Sean Young on Jul 25, 2012 in Archived Posts
It seems like today we want everything now. We get our dinner at a drive-through, we wash our hair with shampoo and conditioner in one bottle, and we always want to do more things in the least amount of time. All that multi-tasking and rushing around may not always be for the best, however. In…
How long will it take to learn? Posted by Sean Young on Jun 30, 2012 in Archived Posts
This question cannot be answered in one word or sentence for all learners and all languages. It is not possible to predict how much time achieving fluency will take, since it is a very individual process. Achieving fluency in a foreign language depends on many factors. There are “easy” and “difficult” languages for an English…
Can Adults Learn a New Language? Posted by Sean Young on Jun 27, 2012 in Archived Posts
Have you ever heard of Joseph Caspar Mezzofanti? He was an Italian cardinal who spoke almost 40 languages fluently when he passed away in 1849. How about you – do you know another language? Many adults I’ve spoken to have stated many reasons why they are not learning, or they only know one (their…
HELP! I can’t understand a word! Posted by Sean Young on May 30, 2012 in Archived Posts
In the beginning stages of language learning, getting that one sentence out in another language and having it understood by the native speaker can be thrilling. You’ve established communication! But then, you hear the reply and all you hear is a bunch of sounds spoken at rapid speed that makes your head spin. What happened?…
Use A Learning Notebook Posted by Sean Young on Apr 30, 2012 in Archived Posts
A very helpful strategy in language learning is to write your own book about your new language. No, I don’t mean a classroom-ready language course. Just a simple notebook in which you can write comments about your lessons, notes on your progress, things you discovered in that “Aha!” moment, or anything that helps you practice…
How Do You Learn A Language? Posted by Sean Young on Apr 23, 2012 in Archived Posts
Everyone has their own style for learning how to do something. It could be a job skill, how to care for their lawn, hobbies and crafts, etc. Each individual has a preferred way to learn, a way that helps them see how things are done clearly and makes sense in their minds so they can…