How to think in English and stop translating in your head

linguamarina
4 Oct 201909:28

Summary

TLDR在这段视频中,演讲者分享了他如何开始用英语思考的故事,并强调了用英语思考对于提高语言水平的重要性。他提到,如果不能用英语思考,人们说话会慢,需要在脑中翻译,这会降低英语的熟练度。他在英国的一次访问中,通过与寄宿家庭的日常交流,逐渐开始用英语思考。他提出了几个提升英语思考习惯的策略,包括在英语国家旅行并居住,阅读英文书籍和杂志,学习新概念时不进行母语翻译,以及将日常活动转为使用英语。他还建议通过写歌词、使用活动追踪器等方法,来培养每日用英语的习惯。视频鼓励观众,如果还没有开始用英语思考,可以通过订阅频道和观看更多类似内容来帮助转变思维。

Takeaways

  • 🌟 **思考英语是提高语言水平的关键**:从中级到高级,再到母语者水平,思考英语是关键步骤。
  • 🚫 **改变不是一夜之间**:思考英语的能力不会立即发生,需要时间和实践。
  • 🇬🇧 **身临其境**:在英语国家生活,与当地人交流,可以加速英语思维的形成。
  • 📚 **阅读英文材料**:将非学习相关的阅读材料切换为英文,有助于日常使用英语。
  • 🤰 **学习新概念**:在英语中学习新概念,避免在母语和英语之间进行翻译。
  • 📱 **改变日常设备语言**:将手机、笔记本电脑等设备的语言设置为英语,有助于习惯使用英语。
  • 📒 **记录习惯和活动**:使用英语记录日常习惯和活动,如日记、计划等。
  • 🎶 **练习歌曲歌词**:通过听英文歌曲并尝试写下歌词,可以提高听力和英语思维。
  • 📈 **持续进步**:通过日常习惯的建立和坚持,逐步提高英语水平。
  • 🔍 **直接学习概念**:遇到新词汇时,直接学习其概念,而不是通过母语翻译。
  • 📉 **避免翻译**:在学校学习时,避免通过母语翻译单词,而是直接学习其意义。
  • 🧩 **多任务实践**:尝试将日常生活中的各种活动,如健身、社交媒体等,用英语进行。

Q & A

  • 为什么用英语思考对于提高英语水平很重要?

    -用英语思考可以避免在脑中进行翻译,提高语言的流利度和反应速度,有助于从中级水平提升到高级或母语者水平。

  • 作者在英国的时候是如何开始用英语思考的?

    -作者在英国的时候,通过与寄宿家庭的日常交流,逐渐在早晨醒来时、晚上睡前都用英语思考,最终实现了用英语思考的转变。

  • 作者提到了哪些方法来帮助自己持续用英语思考?

    -作者提到了四个方法:1) 旅行到英语国家并尽可能与当地人居住;2) 阅读英文书籍和杂志;3) 学习新概念时直接用英语,不进行翻译;4) 将日常生活中的活动转换成英语进行。

  • 为什么作者在英国的时候能够更快地开始用英语思考?

    -作者当时还是青少年,学习语言的能力较强,加上全天只使用英语进行沟通,这加速了他用英语思考的过程。

  • 作者如何保持在俄罗斯时还能用英语思考?

    -作者通过给自己设定规则,比如阅读英文材料、学习新概念时用英语,以及将日常活动如手机和电脑设置成英语,来保持用英语思考。

  • 为什么作者建议在阅读非学习相关材料时使用英语?

    -这有助于将英语实践融入日常生活,通过有趣的内容提高英语水平,而不是仅仅局限于学习环境。

  • 作者如何通过学习新概念来加强英语思考?

    -作者建议直接用英语学习新概念,不进行母语翻译,这样可以避免在脑中进行不必要的语言转换,加强英语思考。

  • 作者为什么推荐将手机和电脑设置成英语?

    -这是日常生活中频繁使用的工具,将其设置成英语可以不断接触英语,让大脑习惯英语环境,有助于提高语言水平。

  • 作者提到了哪些活动可以帮助我们练习英语听力和思考?

    -作者推荐通过听英文歌曲并写下歌词、阅读英文书籍、观看英文视频等方式来练习英语听力和思考。

  • 为什么作者建议我们在学习语言时避免翻译,而是直接学习概念?

    -翻译可能导致理解上的偏差,而直接学习概念有助于更准确地掌握语言,并能更自然地用该语言思考。

  • 作者如何使用日常活动追踪器来维持学习英语的习惯?

    -作者通过在活动追踪器上记录每天完成的英语相关活动,比如听英文歌或阅读英文,以此来养成每日练习英语的固定习惯。

  • 作者为什么认为在英语环境中学习语言更容易?

    -在英语环境中,学习者可以不断地接触和使用英语,这种沉浸式学习可以加速语言习得过程,使学习更为高效。

  • 作者提到了哪些资源可以帮助学习者在英语环境中学习?

    -作者提到了Linguatrip.com,这是一个列出了多种语言学习项目的资源网站,可以帮助学习者找到适合自己的语言学习机会。

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ 英语思维的重要性与实践

本段讲述了视频作者如何开始用英语思考的经历。作者强调,不以英语思考会导致说话速度减慢、需要在脑中翻译,从而影响英语的流利度。他分享了自己在英国家庭寄宿时,如何从早上因英语不流利而尴尬,到晚上能自如地用英语交流的转变过程。他提到,持续用英语思考是达到高级英语水平的关键,并分享了自己创造的一些规则,比如旅行至英语国家、尽可能与当地人居住、阅读英文材料等,以帮助自己保持用英语思考的习惯。

05:02

📚 像孩子一样学习语言

这段内容讨论了如何更自然地学习英语,即像孩子学习母语那样。作者建议摒弃传统的翻译学习方法,而是直接用英语学习新概念。他举了自己在德国学习数学时,用德语学习新词汇的例子,说明直接学习概念的重要性。此外,作者还提供了一些实用建议,如将手机和电脑设置为英文、用英语写日记、尝试写下喜欢歌曲的歌词等,以提高英语听力和思维能力。他强调,养成每天使用英语的习惯对于语言学习至关重要。

Mindmap

Keywords

💡思考英语

思考英语是指用英语进行思考,而不是在大脑中先将母语翻译成英语。在视频中,这是提高英语水平的关键步骤,能够帮助人们从中级提升到高级甚至母语者水平。例如,视频作者在英国时,通过整天用英语交流,最终能够在梦中用英语思考,这标志着他英语思维的转变。

💡流利度

流利度是指一个人使用语言的自然流畅程度。视频中提到,如果不在英语中思考,人们倾向于说得更慢,需要在头脑中进行翻译,从而降低了英语的流利度。作者通过在英语环境中的沉浸式体验,提高了他的英语流利度。

💡语言环境

语言环境指的是一个人所处的语言使用的社会或文化背景。视频中强调,在英语语言环境中,如英国或美国,更容易实现用英语思考。作者通过在英国的homestay家庭中与当地人交流,加速了英语思维的转变。

💡词汇量

词汇量是指一个人掌握的单词和短语的数量。视频中提到,作者在英语语法和词汇方面已经相当不错,但通过整天用英语思考,他的词汇量得到了更深层次的应用和扩展。

💡语言习得

语言习得是指通过经验学习和吸收语言的过程。视频中,作者通过在英国的经历,实现了从中级到高级水平的转变。他通过不断的实践和沉浸式学习,逐渐习得了用英语思考的能力。

💡规则

规则在视频中指的是作者为了保持英语思维而为自己设定的一些行为准则。例如,他规定自己阅读的所有非学术材料必须是英文的,以此来加强英语的使用和思考。

💡概念学习

概念学习是指学习新知识或技能的过程。作者建议学习新概念时直接用英语,而不是先学习母语中的对应词汇,这样可以避免在大脑中进行不必要的翻译。例如,作者正在学习关于分娩和怀孕的知识,他直接用英语学习相关术语。

💡翻译

翻译是指将一种语言的文本或话语转换成另一种语言的过程。视频中,作者强调在学习英语时应该尽量避免翻译,而是应该像孩子学习语言一样,直接学习和思考英语概念。

💡日常活动

日常活动指的是人们每天进行的常规活动。作者建议将尽可能多的日常活动转换成用英语进行,如使用英语界面的手机和电脑,用英语写日记,以此来提高英语的使用频率和思维习惯。

💡习惯追踪

习惯追踪是指追踪和记录个人习惯养成的过程。作者提到使用习惯追踪器来记录每天用英语进行的活动,如听英文歌曲或阅读英文书籍,以此来养成用英语思考的每日习惯。

💡歌词练习

歌词练习是一种通过写下正在听的英文歌曲的歌词来提高英语听力和理解能力的方法。作者建议听众尝试这种方法,并提到了自己通过听写Modest Mouse乐队的歌曲'Float On'来练习英语的经历。

Highlights

思考英语是提升语言水平的关键,有助于从中级提升到高级甚至母语者水平。

如果不在英语环境中思考,人们倾向于说得更慢,需要在脑中翻译,这限制了英语的流利度。

作者在英国的时候开始用英语思考,这个过程在青少年时期进展得更快。

作者在与寄宿家庭的互动中,早上醒来时感到尴尬,因为那时大脑还在“睡觉”,难以用英语回答。

通过整天用英语交流,作者晚上能够轻松地用英语讨论晚餐等话题。

作者在第三周的时候,已经能够在梦中用英语思考,这标志着语言能力的巨大转变。

作者回到俄罗斯后,英语思考的能力有所下降,因此创造了一些规则来维持这种能力。

规则一:尽可能多地在英语国家旅行并与当地人居住。

规则二:带回大量英文书籍和杂志,只阅读英文材料,以此来引入用英语获取信息的实践。

规则三:当学习新概念时,用英语直接学习,避免在脑中进行翻译。

规则四:像孩子一样学习语言,摒弃翻译,直接学习概念。

通过将日常活动切换到英语,比如智能手机和笔记本电脑的语言设置,可以提高英语水平。

作者建议使用日常计划器或习惯追踪器,并用英语记录,以此来培养每日习惯。

通过听写最喜欢的歌曲的歌词来练习英语,可以提高听力和用英语思考的能力。

作者推荐以规律和持续的方式开始练习,逐渐增加练习量。

观看更多此类内容有助于将大脑从母语转换为英语思考。

作者鼓励观众在评论中分享他们每天用英语做的事情。

Transcripts

play00:00

- Hey guys.

play00:01

Welcome to my channel.

play00:02

Today I'm gonna share my story of

play00:04

how I started thinking in English.

play00:06

And when we don't think in English, we tend to speak slower,

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we tend to translate things in our heads,

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and we just tend to be less proficient in our English.

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So, thinking in English is a key thing

play00:22

for you to move from being intermediate

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to upper-intermediate, advanced and native speaker level.

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So, if you're interested, continue watching.

play00:45

If you think that this could happen overnight,

play00:48

it cannot, unfortunately.

play00:49

So, my story is I started thinking in English

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for a couple nights when I was in the UK.

play00:55

I think it was my second or first visit,

play00:58

it was really early on.

play01:00

I was a teenager, so the process went faster.

play01:03

So, what happened, every morning

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when I woke up in my homestay, with the host family,

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I would be really embarrassed about my English

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because my brain is still sleeping

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and they would ask me questions in English,

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and I would be like, oh my God,

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they're asking me about my breakfast

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but the only way I can say what I want is in Russian,

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in my native language, 'cause I just woke up.

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This was the hardest moment

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to switch languages throughout the day.

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But by the evening,

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because I was communicating solely in English

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with other people, it would be really easy for me

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to talk about what I want for dinner,

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or just, you know, discuss anything.

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And because I spent the whole day thinking in English

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I went to bed thinking in English.

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And then I think it was my week three,

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and normally when you go to learn your language somewhere,

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during summer, you stay there for like,

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maybe four or five weeks, or whatever,

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but by week three I went to bed thinking in English,

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and I had a dream in English,

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and I woke up in the morning,

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and I realized I'm actually thinking in English.

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And that was like, this huge transition for me,

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because I didn't have this switch in the morning,

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because I woke up with my brain functioning

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in English already.

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And my level back then was, I think upper-intermediate,

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so I was pretty good in English, not spoken English.

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I was good at grammar, I was good at vocabulary.

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But this switch was crucial.

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I remember coming down to the kitchen

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and sharing with my homestay,

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"Hey guys, I just dreamed in English."

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And

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it went away.

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I came back to Russia, it went away,

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because I switched back to speaking Russian,

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I switched back to reading in Russian,

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But I created some tips for myself,

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because I really wanted that feeling to stay with me

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throughout my life.

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And I really wanted to still be able to think in English,

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even in my own home country.

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So, I have created a couple of rules for myself

play03:00

that I followed carefully until I moved to the US.

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And when you're in an English-speaking environment

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it's super easy.

play03:08

Rule number one, travel to an English-speaking country,

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stay with locals, as often as you can.

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Linguatrip.com, all the programs are listed there.

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You know, select the one that fits you.

play03:21

But yeah, that requires your time and money.

play03:24

But this is the most effective way.

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This is when I went through this transformation.

play03:29

When I came back to Russia, the second thing I did,

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I brought a lot of books in English with me,

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and a lot of magazines.

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You don't have to go somewhere to bring stuff in English,

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you can just go online,

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but for me, switching to reading in English only,

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and I told myself, okay, starting this day,

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for all the non study-related materials

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I'm switching to English,

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Because this is the way to introduce this practice of

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consuming information in English, into my everyday life.

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So maybe you follow this rule as well.

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Maybe you tell yourself, hey from now on

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I will only do fun stuff in English.

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So whether it's a YouTube video, whether it's Instagram,

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whether it's a book that you're reading,

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maybe switch it to English.

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And the third thing

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that is really still working for me here in the US,

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when you learn a new concept in English,

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so for example right now I'm learning a lot

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about childbirth and pregnancy,

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and I've realized that

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when I encounter a new topic in English,

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and I learn all the terms, I cannot think about this topic

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in my native language, 'cause I

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don't even know what things mean.

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I cannot translate them.

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Because I learnt the concept in English straightaway

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I'm not doing this translation in my head.

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The fourth tip is that all of us

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are doing these translations,

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like when we're at school we learn that this is a pencil,

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but we don't learn the concept, we learn the translation,

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and they tell you a pencil in your own language,

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and this is how your brain learns the word.

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But this is the wrong way.

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This is not how kids learn language,

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and your goal is to learn a language as if you're a kid.

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So, when you're learning a new concept

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you get rid of this stuff.

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For example, if you want to read more about photography

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or if you want to read more about filmmaking, blogging,

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do that in English.

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And if you encounter a new concept, you just Google it,

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you go to images, and you read what that word means

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without translating it.

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And this is the key.

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I remember when I moved to Germany for a semester,

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to study mathematics,

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I learned so many new words,

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regarding econometrics and mathematics in German,

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and then I came back to Russia,

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I couldn't speak Russian during my classes

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'cause everything I knew was in German.

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This is like a game-changer as well.

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So learn new concepts in English, and do not translate stuff

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from your own language into English.

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Try to learn them as a concept.

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And of course, other daily activities

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that you can switch to English,

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again, our goal, we have 12 hours a day, right?

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We do a lot of stuff in our native language,

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just because we're surrounded by it.

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But our goal is to take all the things during the day

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that can be done in English, and do them in English.

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So, the next thing of course,

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switching your phone, your smartphone,

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your laptop, to English.

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This is like number one thing you should do

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after watching this video,

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'cause this is the key.

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The next thing you could do is if you have a daily planner,

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if you have your habits tracker,

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if you have whatever, like a calendar

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where you're writing things down, do that in English.

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Again, this would tell your brain, okay.

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When I was a kid, by the way, I had a diary

play06:43

where I wrote down all of the activities

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that happened to me during the day,

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well, I think I did it til I was 18 or 19,

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I did it at first in English,

play06:50

because I didn't want my parents

play06:52

to understand what was going on,

play06:54

and then I switched to German, and I did it in German.

play06:57

That was again, amazing practice for me,

play07:00

because I really wanted to do it

play07:01

and because I really had a goal of other people

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not getting what I'm writing about.

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It was a great way to practice languages.

play07:09

Another exercise that I would recommend doing

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is if you have a favorite song

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try to write down it's lyrics while listening to it.

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There would be some words you won't be able to understand,

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you will look them up later.

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So your goal,

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when you're listening to a song,

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is just writing down everything you understand.

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Maybe leave some blanks.

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My task to you, there are a lot of songs out there

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that you can practice with.

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But the most challenging song for me

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was a song by Modest Monkey, "Float On".

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Do that first.

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Like, start with that song.

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You'll be so confused, but the other songs

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will be so easy.

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So you just switch on the song

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and you write the lyrics down.

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Helps you with listening,

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helps you with thinking in English.

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Well, it's gonna improve your listening dramatically.

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And the key thing, in all of the things that I mentioned

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is being regular.

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So, you start with just one thing, for a day,

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maybe even switching your phone to English,

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and then you introduce more and more.

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If you have an activity tracker,

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and it really looks like it's, oops.

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Hello.

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It's a really simple thing when you can make it yourself.

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Like activity tracker,

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for example you have English

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song

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and here you have gym

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and here you have your supplements, or whatever.

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And like every day, you just put a plus

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in front of a thing that you've done.

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So, try to introduce a daily habit

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of like an English song or reading in English.

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But when you do reading,

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tell yourself read at least 10 pages

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because otherwise reading is very vague,

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you're like ugh.

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I've read a text message in English.

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10 pages at least.

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And then everyday, like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,

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so super easy to make,

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you just put a dot in front of things you've done.

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And this way you develop a regular habit.

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That was it from me guys.

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I hope you enjoyed watching this video.

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If you're not yet thinking in English

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subscribe to this channel,

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'cause watching more of this content

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would definitely help you switch your brain

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from your own language into English.

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Like this video if you enjoyed this content

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and please let me know, down in comments below,

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what is this thing that you're doing in English everyday.

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Thank you so much, and I will see you

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in the next videos.

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