How I learned English by myself for free without studying

Summary

In this video, Judy, a first-year medical student from Turkey, shares her unique self-taught journey to English fluency without formal classes. She starts with her A2-level English background and describes her struggle with the language, which was overshadowed by her focus on German. Inspired by YouTubers like James Charles, Judy outlines her method of learning English through daily consumption of English media, gradually increasing the speed and complexity of content. She emphasizes the importance of thinking and expressing oneself in English to build 'an English brain.' Judy's approach is fun, cost-free, and can lead to fluency, though it may not improve grammar. She also mentions the limitations of her method and teases upcoming evidence-based language learning tips.

Takeaways

• 😀 Judy is a first-year medical student in Turkey who shares her experience of learning English without formal study.
• 🏫 Judy attended a regular private school in Turkey and learned basic English up to A2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
• 📚 In high school, she focused on German as her main foreign language, which led to a decrease in her English proficiency.
• 🌐 Judy's motivation to improve her English came from watching YouTube videos, particularly those of James Charles, and wanting to understand what was being said.
• 🎬 The method Judy used for learning English involved watching English content on platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and TV shows, initially with subtitles.
• 📱 She emphasized the importance of consuming media in English and making English a part of daily life, such as changing phone settings to English and reading news in English.
• 🗣️ Judy recommends watching videos without subtitles once you start understanding them and practicing explaining what you've watched in English.
• 📚 Reading in English is also crucial, and summarizing what you've read in your own words can help reinforce learning.
• 🔝 Judy suggests increasing the speed of videos to 1.25 to 1.5 times the normal speed as you get more comfortable with understanding English.
• 📆 Consistency is key, and Judy advises continuing these practices for at least a year to see significant improvement in English fluency.
• 🚫 Judy acknowledges that her method might not be suitable for complete beginners or those learning English for academic purposes, as it may not focus on grammar.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video transcript?

The main topic of the video transcript is Judy's personal experience of learning English by herself without formal study.

What is Judy's educational background in English before high school?

Judy attended a regular private school in Turkey where she took English lessons as her main foreign language and reached an A2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Why did Judy's English proficiency decline during high school?

Judy's English proficiency declined during high school because she attended a German-Turkish international high school where the focus was on German, and she only had two to four English lessons per week.

What motivated Judy to improve her English skills?

Judy was motivated to improve her English skills to understand the fast-speaking YouTuber James Charles, whom she was interested in.

What is the first step Judy suggests in her method for learning English?

The first step Judy suggests is to choose what to watch in English, which can be a Netflix show, YouTube videos, or TV shows.

How does Judy recommend watching English content initially?

Judy recommends watching English content at normal speed with subtitles on, focusing on understanding what is being said.

What is the purpose of watching English content daily for at least one hour according to Judy?

The purpose is to make English a part of daily life and to improve understanding and fluency through consistent exposure.

What does Judy suggest doing after becoming comfortable with videos without subtitles?

Judy suggests explaining the content of the videos in English to oneself without translating any words, to practice speaking fluently.

How does Judy incorporate reading into her English learning method?

Judy suggests reading in English, such as books, newspapers, or online news, and summarizing what has been read in one's own words.

What is one of the cons Judy mentions about her self-taught English learning method?

One of the cons Judy mentions is that without extra studying on grammar, one's English grammar may be poor.

What does Judy plan to upload in the coming weeks related to language learning?

Judy plans to upload a series of evidence-based language learning tips from a polyglot in the coming weeks.