A Powerful and Underrated Beginner Language Goal
When you start learning a new language, it’s easy to get carried away with huge, unrealistic goals. What's the best beginner goal to set when you're learning a language?
Category: positive mentality
“I’ll Do It Tomorrow” – Solving 3 Mindtraps that Make You Put Off Language Learning
You just spent a few hours studying your target language, and you’re feeling great. You’re feeling like you can do this. You’ve got a routine planned. You’ve got it all mapped out. But a day goes by. Then two days. And you haven’t gotten back to your language practice. Before you know it, you start […]
Why hard work isn’t what makes good learners
Don't work hard on your language - works smart! How? Well, here is an engineering approach. The most important is that...
How to Make a New Year’s Resolution and Actually Keep It
This year, make a New Year¡s resolution you can actually keep. Here's how to stick to your goals throughout the year and keep up your momentum.
Stop Allowing Excuses to Run Your Life!
In my inbox I see hundreds of people sharing their language learning woes every day, and in person I meet many people everywhere I go who struggle to start a language. There are many reasons they give, some of which are valid, but many times they are just excuses. Nothing reminds us more of this […]
How to Start Learning a New Language (Right Now. Today. Seriously).
Let me ask you a question: If you really wanted to learn a new language, what would you be doing right now to make that happen? The thing with language learning, and really with any goal or desire we have in life, is that we spend a lot of time thinking about what we want and talking about […]
5 crazy ways to get over shyness immediately, no drink/drugs required
My philosophy in language learning is, always has been, and always will be to Speak From Day One.
But for many people, this is terrifying! And because I have been talking so much about how effective I’ve found using Skype and language exchange websites, or in-person meetings early on in a language project to chat with native speakers right away, I’ve been asked a lot of questions about what to do if you’re too shy to speak from day one.
So today I’m going to answer these questions.
I’m severely deaf and partially sighted, but have learned 5 languages. Here’s my story
So, I’m Julie Ferguson and I have nothing on Helen Keller! I am, however, severely deaf and partially sighted.
My parents realised that I had a hearing problem when I was 2 years old, though I didn’t get my first hearing aid until I was 4. Unfortunately, when I was 4, nobody could understand me babbling away in my version of English, except for my mum and my brother. Apparently, I was bad. I couldn’t even pronounce my own name (it sounded like Ooee Fehuhoh).
I was sent to speech therapy for intensive work before I started primary school, and I remember working on all those weird sounds especially “spoon”. My particular hearing loss makes it difficult to hear consonants, especially s, h, and f.
Encouraging quotes, Chinese proverbs with original translations, and inspirational thoughts for language learners
I asked those following my Facebook, twitter and G+ pages what their favourite encouragement quotes or short inspirational ideas were, to inspire language learners and got some real gems! I also did my own research online and tried to include some sayings on this blog that people have really enjoyed. And finally, I searched long and […]
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