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I speak 20 languages. I've been learning languages for over 50 years and I've tried all kinds of approaches. I talk about my experiences, my approach to language learning, what I enjoy about learning languages and all manner of other topics related to language. If you love languages, or think you would if you hadn't been discouraged by past experiences, this is the podcast for you. Anyone can learn a language. You just need the right attitude and the right approach!
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Steve Speaks with David Marley about Politics.
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Steve Speaks with David Marley about Politics.
LingQ_Support
Join LingQ founder Steve Kaufmann and David Marley as they talk about politics.
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Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann
The realization, thanks in large part to Stephen Krashen, that meaningful, comprehensible, and compelling input (CI) is the key to language learning success is changing how languages are taught. But how does it work, given that the new language is incomprehensible when we start?Steve Kaufmann
I favour using content of interest, compelling content, to make language learning enjoyable. But many school learners simply aren't interested. Can setting a specific list of words to learn make things better?Steve Kaufmann
I favour using content of interest, compelling content, to make language learning enjoyable. But many school learners simply aren't interested. Can setting a specific list of words to learn make things better?Steve Kaufmann
It's a common question: are extroverts better language learners than introverts? I don't think it matters. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3FG2b48Steve Kaufmann
Gabriel is a wonderful polyglot. He learned them mostly one after the other, motivated by different things, and encouraged by his success. I think that is the case with most polyglots.Steve Kaufmann
We need meaningful input to learn languages. Listening is great for preparing to speak and is the most portable learning activity, but reading is where I feel I acquire the most words.Steve Kaufmann
What are the most common problems I see in language learners? A big one is that people don't realize how long it takes and give up too soon.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3jY6eAbSteve Kaufmann
Language acquisition is a slow and gradual process of improvement, uneven and sometimes imperceptible. Having clear tasks helps to keep you going.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3blwrnJSteve Kaufmann
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Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann
Veronika teaches English at her youtube channel English with Veronika Mark. Her English is flawless. She learned at home in Russia.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3BcMs9ZSteve Kaufmann
I focus a lot on input, reading and listening, but my goal is always to speak the language. Output is important and the languages that I speak and probably understand the best are the ones that I have spoken the most.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3nhfGQ7Steve Kaufmann
To become a polyglot, you have to start by wanting to learn just one language. If you do so you may find you're motivated to learn another language, because you enjoyed the experience, the cultural enrichment, and the sense of satisfaction of becoming fluent in a new language. You're on your way.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3FXTMdp…
Those of us who learn languages typically spend a lot of time engaged in various language learning activities. It's well worthwhile understanding how we learn languages. There is no better source of information on this subject, no better explainer, than Stephen Krashen.🔥 Learn languages like I do with LingQ: https://bit.ly/3FBCDWw…
Some people want to learn slang and even swear words at an early stage of their learning. I've never done this and don't recommend it. You actually need quite a high level of familiarity with a language to be able to use these terms appropriately. There is a danger of creating a bad impression without realizing it.…
The greater the variety of our language learning activities, the more different ways we use the language while learning it, paradoxically, the better we end up focussing when we interact with that language. We end up with an augmented reality experience.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3BaQd0o…
It has occurred to me that the process of learning a language is not one of deliberately learning rules and words, but rather one of becoming familiar with a language, making another language a friend, whose traits and idiosyncrasies we appreciate and enjoy.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3kMtfHc…
People often look for better ways to do things, sometimes called hacks. Are there hacks for learning languages? I checked out some productivity hacks on the Internet. Do they work for languages?Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/2XXpp5nSteve Kaufmann
Stu Jay Raj speaks languages of southeast Asia, India and China. Most people know that the Indian subcontinent and China have a combined population of around 3 billion people but don’t realize Southeast Asia has a population of almost 700 million. There are a lot of people that Stu can speak to and learn from.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.…
Language learning is in itself a form of travel. We are able to visit different cultures, different ways of saying things and to enjoy the pleasure of moving to exotic environments.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3hCfTewSteve Kaufmann
Content drives enjoyment and success in language learning. It has evolved from teachers, books, tapes, online content including mp3 files, to all the ways we can learn from videos.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/394sFhySteve Kaufmann
Factors that influence our choice in languages to learn include how easy it seems, how useful it seems and our interest in the language. It is the last one, interest, that I find the most motivating.___Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/2XcM3qbSteve Kaufmann
When starting out in a language, I prefer to focus on that language. Once I'm more advanced, I can combine it with the study of another language where I'm at a similar level.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3tiisY3Steve Kaufmann
I did nothing in Persian for two weeks, no listening, no reading, and focused on Egyptian Arabic. When I next spoke with my Persian tutor, I did better than ever. Benign neglect.Steve Kaufmann
My mornings are important. That's when each day begins. If I start each day by listening in my target language, this usually triggers further learning later in the day.Steve Kaufmann
Language learning requires us to cut off some of our normal contacts in our own language, in order to concentrate on acquiring a new language. This can, at times, feel lonely.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/38e2LqTSteve Kaufmann
We live in an age where we can easily access enormous quantities of great input material for our language learning. The downside is how easily we can be distracted. How do we deal with it?Steve Kaufmann
Language learning depends on our motivation. But then, that is true of most things that are worthwhile doing in life. Here I talk about how to stay motivated when we're learning a new language.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3CBcu8KSteve Kaufmann
I made a video about the importance of repetition in language learning. This generated questions from my viewers which I try to answer here. One common theme is that we need to mix in interesting compelling new content with our repetitive listening and reading.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3lKRPcv…
I’m a strong supporter of Krashen’s language acquisition hypothesis and the importance of compelling input. But there is a role for repetitive listening to a limited range of content for reasons I discuss in this video.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3Ae7MvBSteve Kaufmann
People tell me they have no time to learn languages. Sometimes it’s just a matter of getting started. Listening is the easiest activity to use to get started learning a language. Here are some thoughts on how to go about it.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3jdGmPBSteve Kaufmann
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Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann
I'm 45 days into my 90-day challenge of trying to get to the next level in Persian and Arabic. I thought I would like to do a monologue in Persian. It is full of mistakes, unrehearsed. That's what makes it useful for me, to notice my gaps and as a record of my progress.Steve Kaufmann
My attitude towards language learning has changed over the last 15 years. I used to think speaking a handful of languages was a big deal. I now think there's no limit to the number of languages we can learn, as long as we aren't seeking perfection. Every language we learn, even a little of, is enriching.…
Entrepreneurship and language learning are connected in my mind. Both involve creating value. Learning a language creates value for oneself. Entrepreneurship is all about creating value for others.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/36UL8MsSteve Kaufmann
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Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann
Pronouncing well doesn’t mean pronouncing perfectly, it may require deliberate effort. That was my experience when learning Mandarin and French. In subsequent languages, the pronunciation just came to me.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3rj79O4Steve Kaufmann
When people hear me speak languages like Mandarin, Japanese, French, or Russian, or see me eagerly trying out my more limited abilities in languages like Persian, Korean or Arabic, they often tell me I’ve a talent for languages. Yet these same people don’t put the effort into learning languages that I do.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3k…
As we are exposed to more of a language, things we hadn’t noticed before all of a sudden appear to us. This process of noticing more and more is an important part of acquiring the language.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3xBR8FvSteve Kaufmann
Books, plain old paper books, are a vital part of my language learning strategy. Traditional books are comfortable and comforting, with less opportunities for distraction than reading on my mobile device. It helps to cover the same material in different ways, electronic and paper based.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3hrbnjB…
Most language learners fail. They may pass their exams but they fail to learn to speak the language they are learning, which is generally the goal. Maybe it's time to change the goal.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3dKRmlLSteve Kaufmann
Listening is the killer app for language learning. How do we get better at listening if we struggle to focus?Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/36iHITrSteve Kaufmann
Most people learn languages at school. How important are they to learning a language? It depends on the individual. I wouldn't go to one but recognize that for many people they are necessary.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3A3EZdUSteve Kaufmann
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Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann
Languages are for communicating, not for competing with others. Novak Djokovic competes in tennis but communicates wonderfully in different languages, despite the odd mistake. ___Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3gTEvzsSteve Kaufmann
Speaking skills in a language rely on massive input, listening, and reading. Critical thinking skills rely on knowledge of the subject matter, acquired through massive input, reading, and listening. I don't think these skills can be taught without massive input.___Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3iZ56wt…
The most important function of a teacher, any teacher, including online language teachers, is to either feed the enthusiasm of the student or,where that is lacking, to trigger and inspire the desire to learn.Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3iOYeSkSteve Kaufmann
Can we be lazy and learn languages? I think so. Here are my seven hints on how to be a successful yet lazy language learner.Steve Kaufmann
I'm in the "Streak with Steve" challenge for both Arabic and Persian. I chose a minimal number of "LingQs created" in each language to make it easier to maintain my streak. In fact, I create many more LingQs every day in my major language of the week, and just try to keep the minor language streak alive.Learn languages like I do on LingQ: https://b…
Grammar describes usage in a language at any given time in its evolution. It's hard for us to learn these rules of usage without a considerable investment of time in reading and listening. Input is the best way for our brain to get used to the patterns of language.Learn languages like I do on LingQ: https://bit.ly/34XdowY…
Even a keen language learner like myself needs to be nudged from time to time. That is why I join the 90-Day Challenges at LingQ. I invite others to do the same, maybe even follow me, in the languages they are studying.Join me in a LingQ language challenge: https://bit.ly/3cizpKGSteve Kaufmann
Want to learn a language like I do? Join LingQ today: https://bit.ly/3yPzU8wPitch accent has received more attention recently, especially for learners of Japanese. Do I think pitch accent is important? No. Not important.Steve Kaufmann
I always emphasize input in language learning, getting the language in you through listening and reading. But how do you get started speaking? I offer some advice in this video.Learn a new language like I do, on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3ftIoL3Steve Kaufmann
The Internet has changed how we learn languages. There are so many apps and so much readily available technology that it has never been easier to learn languages.Want to learn a new language? Sign up for LingQ today: https://bit.ly/3v5dZIkSteve Kaufmann
Learning Japanese, and living in Tokyo for 9 years, had a profound influence on my life, especially professionally. It wasn't necessarily meant to be. It came about because of a personality conflict I had with my boss. I might have ended up in Beijing instead. Study a language on LingQ: https://bit.ly/3eW6PAx…
