Why 90% of BEGINNERS Struggle to Learn a Language

Summary

The speaker discusses their struggle with learning Chinese and the inefficacy of traditional methods like apps, textbooks, and flashcards. They emphasize the importance of finding a comprehensible resource that aligns with one's current language level and sticking with it, rather than seeking shortcuts or hacks. The video highlights the insights of Professor Stephen Krashen, who argues that learning grammar rules does not necessarily lead to language proficiency. The speaker advocates for consistent, comprehensible input and patience, stressing the need for hundreds of hours of exposure to achieve language proficiency, and encourages viewers to trust the process and maintain consistency.

Takeaways

• 📚 Struggling with Chinese language learning for a long time, despite trying various resources like apps, textbooks, and flashcards.
• 🔍 Realization that learning grammar rules and vocabulary lists alone might not be effective for language acquisition.
• 💡 The idea that there might be another, more effective way to learn a language, beyond traditional methods.
• 🔄 A tendency to switch between resources when progress seems slow, possibly due to a lack of sustained motivation.
• 🚫 Understanding that there's no shortcut or 'hack' to instantly learn a language; consistent time and effort are required.
• 🎯 The importance of finding a comprehensible resource that is just above one's current language level to facilitate learning.
• 👨‍🏫 Professor Stephen Krashen's perspective on the limited effectiveness of learning grammar rules in language acquisition.
• 🧠 Trusting the natural language acquisition process of the brain, which is designed to pick up languages over time.
• 📈 Managing expectations by recognizing that language proficiency comes with hundreds of hours of comprehensible input.
• 🔁 The value of consistency and habit formation in language learning, such as dedicating a small, regular amount of time each day.
• 🌟 Observing that successful language learners, or 'polyglots,' all share the common trait of putting in the necessary time and consistent effort.

Q & A

What challenges did the speaker face when learning Chinese?

The speaker struggled with learning Chinese for a long time, feeling like something was missing despite trying various resources like apps, textbooks, and flashcards.

Why did the speaker feel they weren't making progress with traditional language learning methods?

The speaker felt that traditional methods like learning grammar rules and vocabulary lists didn't work for them. They also found themselves switching between resources and losing motivation.

What mistake do novice language learners often make, according to the speaker?

Novice language learners often think there is a shortcut or hack to learning a language, rather than focusing on spending consistent time with the language.

What is the key to successful language learning as per the speaker?

The key to successful language learning is spending time with the language, finding a resource that is comprehensible, and sticking with it consistently.

What does the speaker suggest doing if you're a complete beginner in a language?

The speaker suggests searching for beginner-level material like TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) or ALG (Automatic Language Growth) videos, or getting a basic beginner's textbook with audio.

Why does the speaker advise against focusing too much on grammar rules?

The speaker believes that learning grammar rules doesn't necessarily lead to practical abilities in the target language, as supported by Professor Stephen Krashen's research.

What does the speaker recommend focusing on instead of grammar rules?

The speaker recommends focusing on comprehensible input, which involves spending time with the language and understanding words and phrases in context.

How much time does the speaker suggest is necessary to learn a language effectively?

The speaker suggests that learning a language effectively requires hundreds of hours of input, and emphasizes the importance of consistency over time.

What should learners focus on to stay motivated, according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that motivation isn't as important as consistency. Learners should develop a small habit, like spending 15 minutes a day on the language, and trust the process.

What common trait do successful language learners share, based on the speaker's observation?

Successful language learners share the common trait of putting in the time and consistently showing up, trusting that their efforts will eventually lead to success.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Overcoming Challenges in Language Learning

The speaker discusses their struggles with learning Chinese, noting that traditional methods like textbooks and flashcards didn't yield progress. They emphasize the need for a different approach, suggesting that learning grammar rules and vocabulary lists alone is insufficient. Instead, the speaker advocates for finding a resource that is both engaging and comprehensible, slightly above one's current level. They mention TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) and ALG (Accelerated Learning Grammar) as methods that might be helpful. The speaker also highlights the importance of consistency and trust in the language learning process, rather than seeking shortcuts or hacks.

05:01

🔄 Trust the Process and Stay Consistent

In this concluding paragraph, the speaker reinforces the message of trusting the language learning process and maintaining consistency. They encourage learners to find interesting and comprehensible input and to be patient, as language acquisition requires time and exposure. The speaker suggests setting a daily habit, even if it's just 15 minutes, to ensure regular practice without burning out. The key takeaway is that with consistent effort and the right approach, language learners can achieve their goals.

Keywords

💡Comprehensible Input

Comprehensible Input refers to language input that is slightly above a learner's current level but still understandable. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of finding resources that are not too difficult, allowing learners to grasp new information without being overwhelmed. This concept is central to the video's message about language learning, suggesting that learners should seek out materials that are just challenging enough to promote growth without causing frustration.

💡Motivation

Motivation is discussed as a factor that can wane over time, especially when progress seems slow. The speaker mentions that motivation alone is not enough for language learning success; instead, consistent effort is key. This concept is used to illustrate that while initial enthusiasm may drive language learning, it's the sustained engagement with the language that leads to proficiency.

💡Grammar Rules

Grammar rules are mentioned as a common focus in language learning that may not be as effective as some learners hope. The speaker suggests that memorizing rules does not necessarily translate into practical language ability, aligning with the advice of Professor Stephen Krashen. This keyword is used to challenge the traditional approach to language learning, advocating for a more immersive and contextual method.

💡Vocabulary Lists

Vocabulary lists are another traditional method of language learning that the speaker found less effective. The video suggests that learning words in isolation does not help as much as encountering them in context. This concept is used to highlight the importance of language immersion and the natural acquisition of vocabulary through exposure to the language in use.

💡Language Hacking

Language hacking refers to the search for shortcuts or tricks to learn a language quickly. The speaker mentions that novice learners often believe there is a hack to language learning, but the reality is that there is no shortcut. This term is used to debunk the myth of easy language acquisition and to emphasize the necessity of consistent, dedicated study.

💡TPR (Total Physical Response)

TPR is a teaching method that involves using physical actions to teach language. The speaker suggests searching for materials related to TPR for language learning, indicating that this method can provide a more engaging and interactive way to learn. The mention of TPR in the video underscores the speaker's advocacy for active, experiential learning over passive study.

💡ALG (Affective Learning Grammar)

ALG is a term used to describe a method of language learning that focuses on the emotional or affective aspects of language use. The speaker recommends looking for resources related to ALG, suggesting that learning grammar in a way that connects with the learner's feelings can be more effective. This keyword is used to illustrate an alternative approach to traditional grammar instruction.

💡Consistency

Consistency is highlighted as a critical factor in language learning. The speaker advises forming a habit of daily language study, even if it's just 15 minutes, to ensure regular exposure to the language. This keyword is used to stress the importance of regular practice over sporadic, intense study sessions.

💡Expectations Management

Expectations management is the process of setting and adjusting one's expectations to realistic levels. The speaker cautions against expecting too much too soon, such as achieving fluency after a few classes. This concept is used to remind learners that language acquisition is a gradual process that requires patience and a long-term commitment.

💡Polyglots

Polyglots are individuals who speak multiple languages fluently. The speaker mentions observing YouTube polyglots and notes that despite their varied methods, all have put in significant time and effort. This term is used to illustrate that success in language learning is universal across different approaches, provided the learner is dedicated and consistent.

💡Immersion

Immersion refers to the practice of surrounding oneself with the target language as much as possible. The speaker suggests that spending time with the language, rather than just learning about its mechanics, is crucial. This keyword is used to advocate for an immersive approach to language learning, where learners engage with the language in context rather than in isolation.

Highlights

The speaker struggled with learning Chinese for a long time, feeling that something was missing despite trying various methods.

They found that learning grammar rules and vocabulary lists did not work well for them.

The speaker suggests that there might be another way to learn a language beyond traditional methods.

They mention the tendency to switch resources when progress seems slow, thinking it might be the reason for lack of progress.

Motivation tends to wane when using a particular resource for a long time, leading to inconsistent study habits.

As novice language learners, we lack experience and often seek shortcuts, believing there's a hack to language learning.

The speaker emphasizes that there's no hack for language learning; it's about spending time with the language.

They recommend finding a resource that is comprehensible and just above your current level.

For beginners, it's advised to search for materials related to TPR or ALG in your target language.

The speaker shares their personal experience of not benefiting much from learning grammar rules and vocabulary lists.

Professor Stephen Krashen's views on the ineffectiveness of learning grammar rules for language acquisition are mentioned.

The importance of comprehensible input is stressed, meaning materials should be understandable yet challenging.

The speaker advises to trust the language acquisition process, as the brain is designed to pick up languages.

They mention the difficulty of finding engaging yet comprehensible materials, especially for beginners.

Consistency is key, with the speaker suggesting a habit of daily study, even if it's just 15 minutes.

The speaker advises managing expectations, as language proficiency takes hundreds of hours of comprehensible input.

They note that YouTube polyglots have diverse methods but share the commonality of putting in the time and showing up.

The speaker concludes by encouraging trust in the process, consistency, and patience for results.

Transcripts

I sucked at learning Chinese for a long

time and it always felt like something

was missing

tried all the apps the textbooks the

flash card decks and still I wasn't

getting anywhere

[Music]

now if you're watching a video like this

it might mean you're experiencing a

similar thing I'm not an internet

polyglot just someone who found that

learning grammar rules and lists of

vocabulary didn't really work for me and

so I kind of thought there must be

another way to it

so what would happen is I would take a

particular resource and I would start

off using that and then slowly as I felt

like I wasn't making enough progress I'd

start flitting to different resources

maybe thinking that that was the reason

I wasn't making any real progress it was

either that or

as I started doing using a particular

resource slowly my motivation would Wane

and I wouldn't maybe stick with it as

much as I would want to and then that's

why I wasn't seeing the results now as

novice language Learners our problem is

we don't yet have the experience to know

that we can learn a foreign language

we want to take shortcuts we always

think there's a hack there's some sort

of thing that we're not yet doing other

people have learned languages and we

just haven't managed to do it yet

whereas in fact that's that's not always

the way there's there's not a hack in

order to necessarily pick up a language

instantly

the only thing that matters is spending

time with that language finding a

resource you like and then just sticking

with it it should be something

comprehensible to you I.E just above

what you um what your level is at the

minute and that if you're a complete

beginner that means finding beginner

type material so if you search your

target language and tprs or your target

language and ALG

um you might find some videos on YouTube

or elsewhere courses or something like

that or even get a basic beginner's

textbook with with some audio and work

through there for me what I found is

that spending too much time learning

grammar rules and lists of vocabulary

doesn't really help and Professor

Stephen crash and who you can find some

videos about will tell you the same in

that learning grammar rules doesn't

necessarily equate to abilities in our

target language

[Music]

thank you

now the difficult thing from here is

once you've found something you find

interesting enough

it's quite hard at the beginning to find

something that's like absolutely

gripping but interesting enough and is

comprehensible to you so you can

understand it enough whilst you're still

learning new stuff and then from there

once you've got your comprehensible

input you just have to trust in the

process I know it sounds mad you might

want to do some research from Professor

Stephen crashen but your brain is

designed to pick up languages it may not

have felt like that if you failed before

so you're actually spending time with

the language not learning about the

mechanics of the language but just

spending time hearing new words and

phrases in context the difference with

this sort of approach though is you just

need hundreds of hours now the next part

from there is managing our expectations

because

sometimes we think oh yeah if I just do

these 20 language classes I'll get to a

decent level so I can

have some level of conversation the

level of conversation you have is fairly

basic if that's what you want to do

that's fine but your level of

comprehension won't yet be sufficiently

high because you haven't had enough

input

the way it works is you just need

hundreds and hundreds of hours of input

of stuff that isn't too too

incomprehensible stuff that's you can

just about understand

the easier the better I would say and

from there just stick with that process

don't worry about it just keep going and

that's all you need to do

so the idea of motivation isn't really

that helpful to be honest

just about showing up just get a little

habit where let's say you uh you do 15

minutes a day and you just stick to that

first of all

don't burn yourself out just trust in

the process the more time you put into

it the more you'll get out of it that we

just need to put enough input in before

we should expect any results

and I've watched enough of the YouTube

polyglots in my time and I will say that

although they've all got their different

methods

the one thing they've all got in common

is that they put the time in and they

show up they're putting enough hours

and eventually they know they'll get

there

and if we're learning our first foreign

language and then that's the problem we

don't know we're definitely going to get

there

trust in the process be consistent and

you will

and that's all there is to it good luck