TaylorFabio's recent posts

meifeng wrote:

Personally, this is how I learn new languages, and it's a combination of two methods.

1. On a need-to-know basis:

I have a crap memory (probably small brain), and so, with most things in life, I learn them as I need to know. Language is no different. I learn stuff on the need-to-know basis, and over time, organically, I do end up with sufficient knowledge to operate. Some things organically repeat on the need-to-know, so eventually, it enters my long term memory, because my mind registers that knowing that is quite important.

2. Hobbies/using a hook:

It's no secret that I like to eat, so I wind up with a rather extensive vocabulary revolving food in several languages. Sometimes, when certain languages are fairly similar, e.g. romance languages, I then create mental maps to map certain languages to something else that's already more ingrained in my mind. My friend describes this as the "inkblot" method, where you link new things with things you already know, so it sticks a bit better.

Thanks for sharing this with us. I'm glad you have found a way to learn a language that works best for you. This is helpful and gives me some ideas too. Good luck in all your journeys!

I enjoyed reading everyone's comments. It does seem time consuming but if it works for some it works. I guess it depends on the person and their abilities. 

I find this very fascinating. Im sure this technique could be used with language learning somehow. Im going to think of some ideas but hopefully others will comment ideas in the meantime. My brain is fried today :wink:

Writing down the words and phrases is very helpful. It'll help learn the spelling and help recognize words when reading in said language. I believe writing it down helps very much. 

Rose.Angelie wrote:

I'm interested in learning French but I haven't really started studying yet (other than learning basic greetings and numbers) because I find reading and pronunciation very challenging. Those are my biggest obstacles.

Pronunciation can be difficult when learning a new language. Just keep trying! Maybe there is a way to listen to the language. That might help. 

This is very fascinating. Thank you for sharing this. I love learning about other cultures and languages! 

meifeng wrote:

TaylorFabio wrote:

I chose conversation but motivation is on my top list of obstacles as well. I find it difficult to even motivate myself to study a language every day and to learn enough where I can converse.

Would it help if you try and remember why you wanted to learn the language?

I dont have any significant reason why I want to learn a language other than to learn it. I think different languages are unique and it's important if I want to communicate with others better who speak said language. 

I chose conversation but motivation is on my top list of obstacles as well. I find it difficult to even motivate myself to study a language every day and to learn enough where I can converse. 

This is amazibg and inspiring. That is a lot to learn and keep up with. I commend you on your dedication. Learning one language is hard enough let alone 10. Kudos to you!

Alphabet, basic vocabulary and coversation basics are my favorite to start out with to build a foundation. 

leosmith wrote:

Am I the only one that finds the closeups in that video disturbing? :dizzy_face:

Well now that I watched it again and you mentioned it... It is a bit creepy. Haha. 

Oh wow. I haven't seen this until now. Looks very interesting but difficult too! 

I am in between on this one. It would be a plus if they were a native speaker! However, it does not mean someone who is not, does not know how to speak the language. Native speakers know a whole lot more and can provide better education on the language but there are many who aren't that are very knowledgeable as well. So, though it would be a perk, I think my vote is no that they shouldn't have to be native speakers. 

Huge thank you! I have been looking for more resources for learning Italian! 

This is truly interesting. Im fascinated to see that it is possible for them to learn other languages. I never even thought twice about this question. Thanks for all the info!

Thanks for sharing this! I believe understanding and learning another persons language allows us to understand them better and connect with them deeper. I believe that it brightens people's day when we are able to communicate with them in ways others cannot. It shows them that there are people who truly care to learn different languages!

Duolingo seems popular. I think I can recall using it before and it was good. I just have trouble sticking with things. But it is very helpful! Thanks for the list of other apps maybe I'll try some of those!

Wow! Thank you for sharing this information! I believe that using a combination of both would boost learning! However, if choosing only one, then you just should try each of them to conclude which works best for you!

Vladyslava wrote:

A friend of mine has this theory, that in order to make something a habit or attain a large goal, one should do a tiny little bit of that activity but every single day. That relates also to language learning. She is trying to read a couple of books in the English language, and in order not to lose motivation, she sets a minimum goal of one page per day. One page seems to be nothing, that's why it is easier to complete this task and tick it on the to-do list.

However, having read one page, you sort of break through the wall of laziness, and you read further and further. I believe this is a very helpful method to build a language learning routine.

I have heard that if you do something every day for like 10 days or something it becomes a habit. It usually works so this sounds pretty similar. Then you can add more to it little by little. 

Confession: I am terrible at keeping up with the learning to begin with. I have trouble staying on track and sticking with learning long enough for me to learn anything. 

For many Universities it is a requirement to have taken so many courses or something for a different language. I think it is silly because for many majors, it will not be necessary to use those languages. I believe that for many jobs or careers it is important to have some experience with other languages but should not be required to get into a school.

Either system would work great. But a poll should do the trick on voting to see what people like the most!

Oghenekevwe wrote:

TaylorFabio wrote:

Well, practicing the alphabet every day is a good thing to do. That way it stays fresh in your mind. Then maybe doing simple phrases everyday for some time and slowly working up to more complicated. Listening could be done in between that or even like while doing things like chores. Just some suggestions.

Thank you so much for your reply Taylor,duly noted...

you are welcome. I have troubles myself creating a good routine but those things have helped me. Just thought I would share them!

Well, practicing the alphabet every day is a good thing to do. That way it stays fresh in your mind. Then maybe doing simple phrases everyday for some time and slowly working up to more complicated. Listening could be done in between that or even like while doing things like chores. Just some suggestions. 

This is awesome! I hope this helps many! Thank you for sharing ! 

TED videos are pretty great ! Kids do love movies and videos so that makes sense for them to learn from them.

I agree that breaks are very important. Taking breaks helps to reduce burnouts and frustrations. I believe if you take breaks with any learning, it will reduce your chances of giving up and help you to continue to prosper. In turn, this gives you the confidence you need. Also, the entire blog was a really good read and I love such stories that allow us as humans to relate and realize we are not alone. 

flash cards and games! catchy songs too!

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

There are so many different alphabets
http://aboutworldlanguages.com/writing-systems

I agree what a great link! I do not have a favorite but they are all so unique!

oh awesome! I watch netflix all the time. It would be awesome to try watching things in a different language. Then it would help me learn too. 

Jade.Xuereb wrote:

I think it is a great way to learn a language but ultimately you will probably need to read or write or youuse will be limited to conversational , I agree with the homophones statement mei

I agree with being limited by only learning by ear when it comes to writing and truly understanding the language and how to use it. 

I honestly never knew what Spanglish was until I read this. Merging languages seems kind of silly. However, wouldn't that just create a world of new languages? I hope for my own sanity it does not become official. All of these made up slang words, and now this.....

I personally believe that people who take shortcuts really miss out on learning better. I believe that we should aim successfully and fully understand each level of the language we are learning in order not to cheat ourselves.

There are many ways to deal with language burnout. You just need to find the way that works for you to spark your interest again. For me, sometimes I just need a break or to slow down a bit. Sometimes I find it helpful to listen to music in the language I am learning or even putting on a movie I can quote by heart but switching the language is fun sometimes! There are different ways to spark my interest again it just all depends on the day and mood. 

I would say being able to get anywhere anytime would sound pretty great honestly. 

Welcome and good luck in your journey!! I hope you find many useful resources here!

I think it is an okay way to learn if that is the way someone learns best. It may not be teaching them how to write the language but if they only want to speak it then it should suffice. 

I don't remember details because I was extremely young. My family and I were over someones house to swim. I was in like a boat thing with another kid. The boat flipped over and I was too young to swim so I was drowning. It felt like forever until someone realized and jumped in to save me. 

I personally have not experienced this myself but have had troubles understanding people with thick accents in the past. I do not assume them to be any certain way, I just assume it is just the way they speak.

Growing up I always wanted to be a lawyer. That is, until, I fell in love with teaching. Teaching young learners has been my passion ever since. I have taught at many childcare centers and just have not pursued any farther. I have 2 step children now and a girl on the way so I plan to stay home with them and teach them myself. 

Happy Sunday!!! What is everyone's plans? I am going to visit my friend and her newborn, then going to dinner with my fiance. 

This is a completely brand new concept to me. I have never heard of it and it was never used in my classes. I do think that it seems like a great learning tool and it should be taught more in schools. Thank you for this enlightening information.

I don't believe I find any language "ugly" per say. However, depending on the person certain languages can sound a bit off if they do not use the language proper. Personally, I believe each language is beautiful in its own way. Each language comes with a history and background. I find that to be mesmerizing. 

The first place I would want to go is Italy. I would try to learn the language all the while saving money to take with to go shopping. I have always, always wanted to see Italy, ever since I was a little girl. 

I cry sometimes or I take a nice warm bath. Other things I like to do are listen to music, sleep, play with my dog, call my friends or family, etc. There are many things I do when I have a bad day it just all depends on what I want or feel like doing and the circumstances that day.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go? Why? If a different language was spoken there would you try to learn it before traveling? 

dragonsky wrote:

Jess.PWinkler wrote:

Michelle.Batan wrote:

I would rather be alone for the rest of my life :blush:
Would you rather know WHEN are you going to die or HOW are you going to die?

I'd rather know how!!
Would you rather be famous when you are alive and forgotten when you die or unknown when you are alive but famous after you die?

Oooh, tough question.
I think I'll choose the first option cause I think the 2nd one would be too realistic for me :D I just feel like people appreciate me more once I'm not present with them haha :D
Would you rather be the #1 star in a small country and be absolutely not known outside of that country (like Greenland or smth like that) or be infamous (meaning majority of people that know about you will dislike you and you'll be famous for all the wrong reasons) worldwide (like the..idk..catch me outside girl or whatever )

I would most definitely rather be the number one star in a small country and not be known rather than known for all wrong reasons!

Would you rather be poor for your whole life but have the love of your life or be rich with many luxurious things?

Teleport for sure so that I could go anywhere when I want or need to.

Would you rather find your true love or a suitcase filled with millions of dollars inside?

List of some of my favorite movies:

1) disney movies

2) titanic

3) daddy day care

4) polar express

5) elf

6) most chick flicks to include mean girls and the notebook

7) most adam sandler movies

There are so many movies I could watch over and over again but those are some of them.

Personally, I prefer to buy clothes in the store where I can try them on. I have heard way too many horror stories about clothes people order from on-line and how it just is not what they expected. I have ordered other items from online but they mostly turned out just fine.

It all depends on my mood. In summer I mostly drink Iced coffees but when it gets colder I may enjoy a few cups of hot coffee. I like to use different flavored creamers to sweeten the coffee though. But overall I am a fan of coffee. 

Creating a picture dictionary or other type of dictionary seems like a great way to learn a language. It is created by "you" therefore it could be of extreme help since it would be easier for "you" to understand. I really love this idea. 

Yes I believe it is possible to forget a language. I personally have learned German, Italian and Spanish. Though I was never taught enough to become fluent, I have forgotten these languages. However, I am certain that maybe even if I became fluent for a while it would still be possible to forget. Unless consistent every single day, forever, I believe a language can be forgotten or at least some parts of it like grammar. It all depends on one's ability to retain information and how much work was put in to learning. That is just my perspective. 

Personally, I find both challenging but find writing a bit more challenging. It is a bit more challenging in the sense that you have to learn all the spelling and grammatical things. But speaking can be just as challenging because you have to be able to pronounce the words and use them correctly. 

You know what, that sounds great. Oddly, I catch myself talking to myself out loud anyway so then it will not be as weird if I am practicing a new language! :)

I like to search for some vocabulary words of everyday things. I like to write the object in my native language on one side, and on the other side is the name of the object in the language I want to learn. It was also suggested to me to write the name of objects in the language I am learning, on post-it notes and post them on the objects around the house. 

Hello! Welcome! This site should prove to be helpful in your language learning journey. Allow yourself to explore all of the resources available to discover what works best for you. Remember to never give up! Good luck!

Welcome! There are many resources available to help you learn the languages of your choosing. I suggest trying them all to see what works best for you. Those are awesome choices though! This site will allow you to learn at your own pace and there are many people as well, to help you on your journey. I wish you the best on this new journey and never give up! 

Taylor

Emotional intelligence is important in life. It is important to make many decisions based on facts or the situation itself rather than emotions. Normally, I have a better emotional intelligence level but, some circumstances have altered my abilities to control emotions. I do also believe that emotional intelligence is not solely the most important thing in life. There are many aspects that are needed to have a life of balance. Also, some things can be chosen using emotions. It all depends on the person and the situation. 

I actually really love that idea. It gives me an excuse to buy colorful post-its! That is a very good way to learn a language because it is literally posted on every day things. 

Personally, I believe that each person learns best with a different method. Some even learn best with a mix of different methods. There is no right or wrong method of learning rather, methods that work best for the individual.

All of these are ways of learning I really never thought of. From movies, to music, to trying to hit all ways of learning. These all sound efficient and I may try to expand the ways I learn by using these thoughtful ideas. 

Okay great. I will check it out. Thank you.

What are some ways you learn languages that are efficient? 

I like to relax in comfy clothes on my couch. It helps me to be able to concentrate. This is because I am not so distracted by being uncomfortable and am able to better focus. The more comfy I am, the better I learn. 

Welcome! I am new here as well. Wish you the best in your journey!

meifeng wrote:

Welcome, Taylor! Moons ago, when I tried learning Italian, I signed up with the Italian Cultural Institute in Singapore. They offer scholarships, too, to people who are interested in learning Italian. You could check if they have one near you.

Do you have to pay for it? I am just confused as I thought this site was free. 

Thank you. Still unsure of exactly how to use this site to learn a language but I am going to keep exploring. 

Hello, my name is Taylor and I have recently discovered this site. I am interested in learning mostly Italian and Spanish. I am Italian and want to learn the language and Spanish is so commonly spoken where I live that I would like to be able to understand as well as communicate with others. Any suggestions on how to go about learning these languages? Thanks for reading.

Taylor