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How I Learn Languages

 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies Post Reply
RyanStraker
Newbie
United Kingdom
Joined 4640 days ago

3 posts - 5 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 1 of 4
16 February 2012 at 6:31pm | IP Logged 
In school alot of people around me don't know where to begin to start learning a
language, they say that the language is 'too vast', or that there is 'too much' to
learn. I am now an advanced Spanish speaker, and I just thought I'd share my technique
with the forums.

1. I began by buying a dictionary (Collins unabridged) and a grammar book (Practice
makes perfect Spanish grammar). In my opinion these resources are mandatory in the path
to success, as you are literally surrounded by Spanish when you learn. It is written
down in black and white.

2. I actually went about learning Spanish by splitting 60 minutes into 3, 20 minute
sections:
  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Pronunciation


For the vocabulary section, I began by learning greetings, introductions, etc. Later on
in the learning process, I learned my vocabulary by reading, listening, pronouncing
then writing down the word, including it's gender. Writing it down several times would successfully drill it into my head.

For the grammar section, I would work from my grammar book, and link the grammar lesson
in with the vocabulary in which I had previously learned in the last 20 minute section.
For example, one grammar lesson in the book was a lesson on conjugating regular -ar
verbs in the present tense. I then practiced this conjugation on the vocabulary I had
learned previously, as this: 1) Focused on my conjugation skills, and 2) Drilled the
vocabulary further into my head.
I found this technique extremely successful, and I have never used any other method of
learning vocabulary and grammar.

For the pronunciation, I simply took the lessons offered free on studyspanish.com
These lessons are invaluable to the Spanish speaker, as they are of high quality, give
a written and audio explanations and they are 100% free. Again, as a way of linking the
vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation sections, I would practice the pronunciation
skills I had gained in the section on the words and sentences I had practices/learned/constructed from the previous two 20 minute sections: vocabulary and
grammar.


Aswell as learning the language, I practised mainly by keeping a daily journal in
Spanish.
3 persons have voted this message useful



Serpent
Octoglot
Senior Member
Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
Joined 6531 days ago

9753 posts - 15779 votes 
4 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, FinnishC1, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Studies: Danish, Romanian, Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovenian, Catalan, Czech, Galician, Dutch, Swedish

 
 Message 2 of 4
16 February 2012 at 6:44pm | IP Logged 
RyanStraker wrote:
I actually went about learning Spanish by splitting 60 minutes into 3, 20 minute
sections:
  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Pronunciation
Exactly what Spivak recommends too.
1 person has voted this message useful



RyanStraker
Newbie
United Kingdom
Joined 4640 days ago

3 posts - 5 votes
Speaks: English*
Studies: Spanish

 
 Message 3 of 4
16 February 2012 at 6:48pm | IP Logged 
Serpent wrote:
RyanStraker wrote:
I actually went about learning Spanish by splitting
60 minutes into 3, 20 minute
sections:
  • Vocabulary
  • Grammar
  • Pronunciation
Exactly
what Spivak recommends too.


Who's Spivak?
1 person has voted this message useful



Serpent
Octoglot
Senior Member
Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
Joined 6531 days ago

9753 posts - 15779 votes 
4 sounds
Speaks: Russian*, English, FinnishC1, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Studies: Danish, Romanian, Polish, Belarusian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Slovenian, Catalan, Czech, Galician, Dutch, Swedish

 
 Message 4 of 4
16 February 2012 at 9:10pm | IP Logged 
A Russian polyglot who wrote a book about learning languages. Use the G-search, there have been several threads about him.


1 person has voted this message useful



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