“Contextese”: How Context Helps You Understand a Language
Context can help you infer meaning from partial language. Learn which clues Benny uses, why they help and when to check your interpretation.
Category: positive mentality
33 Reasons Language Learners Get Stuck (and What to Do Next)
Explore 33 common reasons language learners get stuck, with practical next steps for time, confidence, motivation, pronunciation and more.
Fail fast and fail often: why many failures can be the key to success
Frequent failures give you useful feedback. Benny explains how reviewing what went wrong can improve the next attempt and keep you moving.
Oops! Logically analysing when something goes wrong, rather than resorting to excuses
When a project goes wrong, examine the causes before reaching for excuses. Benny shares a practical way to learn from a disappointing result.
The Language Gene delusion
You do not need a special language gene to become multilingual. Benny explains why commitment and practice matter more than supposed talent.
Can You Sound Like a Native Speaker? What Actually Matters
Can you sound like a native speaker? Learn why context changes what listeners hear and how to improve accent, clarity and conversational ease.
Benny’s 3.25 month video: questions that waste your time
Watch Benny's Mandarin interview after three months and one week, with an honest look at his progress and the comparisons that waste learners' time.
When climbing any mountain, focus on the steps, not on how steep it is
Big goals become less intimidating when you focus on the next step. Benny draws a practical lesson from climbing Huayna Picchu with sore feet.
Unnecessary elitist standards: get rid of them and fluency is yours for the taking
Let go of unrealistic standards for fluency and focus on communication, progress and the skills that matter for your own language goals.
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