Short summary of video by Chris Lonsdale in TEDx and some of my personal experience of learning Turkish from zero.
You can find the full video here:
Chris Lonsdale is a brilliant speaker. You can also learn from him how to present the material and what to put on slides. He starts with a question how to speed up learning – the one he has been studying for many years. Now when the paсe of life is so rapid you we – sure thing – want to achieve more at a less time.
2 things of a less importance are: talent and immersion in new country. The last might be doubtful but from my experience I should admit that feeling like a baby in the ocean of new info – is the proper description of situation around a foreigner in a new country.
So here are the pieces of advice to learn a language in six months
- Focus on language content that is relevant to you.
The most obvious and widely discussed by methodologists point. Gives the answer to: should I learn 10 words per day/ should I learn extracts by heart and many others.
- Use your new language as a tool to communicate from day.
The sooner the better. Form my experience I hesitated a lot, also being a perfectionist doesn’t add to your courage. This is the moment when you should make yourself speak – with mistakes, slowly, like a child – but speak.
- When you first understand the message, you will unconsciously acquire the language.
Focus on the main idea, not grammar, not unknown words but the message. In any case you have a context, so use it.
- Physiological training.
Learning a new language is like starting going to gym: you either make it or not. So imitate, watch videos, train your organs of speech.
- Psycho-physiological state matters.
Every time you say «I can’t» – it’s a step back. Instead think about your bravery, courage, persistence, new horizons and – the most important – people who defeats laziness and procrastination are not so numerous, so keep going!
Chris Lonsdale also shares the actions to make to learn a language
- listening a lot (weather you understand or not)
I love podcasts, but never say no to films, although music gets harder for me
- focusing on getting the meaning first (before the words)
- starting mixing (words with words, constructions – make something practical). Even inventing new items is better then nothing))
- focusing on the core
- getting a «language parent» — a very important thing. Find somebody whom you trust, who is a native, who will not correct you severely but will be your language partner and companion
- copying the face – I described it above
- «direct connecting» to mental images – do not learn from somebody: make your own pictures in your head – the funnier/stupider/more senseless – the better.
To sum it up learning a language is like sport. You need regular practice, which requires persistence, it must be important for you, you should keep being positive and actually you start plunging yourself into a new reality which will definitely change your life.