Asian Polyglot's SECRET: How to Master Languages Quickly

Victor Talking

23 Sept 202104:42

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Victor shares his unique approach to mastering multiple languages, including challenging ones like Chinese and Korean. He emphasizes the importance of pre-testing, where he engages students in conversation before introducing new grammar or vocabulary. This method creates a sense of urgency, making the subconscious mind prioritize learning. Victor also criticizes traditional educational methods and language apps for their ineffectiveness, advocating for a more immersive and practical learning experience that can lead to fluency in just a few months.

Takeaways

😀 Victor shares his experience of learning multiple languages, including difficult ones like Chinese and Korean.
🎓 Victor emphasizes the importance of not just the number of languages learned, but also their difficulty level.
🗣️ He introduces 'pre-testing' as a key tool in his language learning coaching method.
🤔 Pre-testing involves guessing the meaning of words and texts before formal instruction, creating a need to know.
🧠 This method makes the subconscious mind believe that the information is critical, enhancing learning.
🔄 Victor's approach is the reverse of traditional teaching, where grammar exercises are done before grammar explanations.
📚 He advocates for using textbooks and standard materials over apps and video courses for effective learning.
📈 Scientific research supports Victor's method, though it's not commonly implemented in educational systems.
🌟 Testimonials on Victor's website show people achieving conversational fluency in Asian languages within a few months.
⏱️ The time to achieve fluency varies by individual but averages around three to four months on his program.
🚫 Victor strongly advises against relying on apps and video courses for language learning, stating they are ineffective.
🛠️ He encourages viewers to try pre-testing and to think of practical ways to use the language in their daily life to accelerate learning.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Victor's video?
-The main focus of Victor's video is to explain how he learned Korean and Chinese languages and to introduce a specific tool called 'pre-testing' that he uses in his language learning coaching.
How many languages could Victor speak fluently at the age of 26?
-At the age of 26, Victor could speak five languages and was professionally fluent in four of them.
What does Victor consider when learning a new language?
-Victor considers not only the quantity of languages but also the difficulty level of those languages, such as Chinese and Korean, which he mentions are harder than many European languages.
What is the 'pre-testing' method according to Victor's explanation?
-The 'pre-testing' method involves engaging in conversational practice and asking students to guess the meaning of texts and words before introducing new grammar or vocabulary, creating a need and importance for the information.
How does Victor's approach differ from traditional school systems in teaching foreign languages?
-Victor's approach focuses on creating a need for the information before presenting it, whereas traditional school systems tend to provide information first without creating a sense of necessity or importance.
What does Victor suggest doing before doing grammar exercises?
-Victor suggests doing grammar exercises first and then explaining the grammar, which is the opposite of the traditional approach where grammar explanations are given first.
What is the basis of Victor's coaching method according to the video?
-The basis of Victor's coaching method is the 'pre-testing' tool, which is rooted in scientific research and not commonly implemented in educational systems.
What results have people experienced using Victor's program according to the video?
-People have gone from zero to conversational in Asian languages within four to five months, sometimes even in two to three months, which is a much faster pace than traditional school systems.
What does Victor advise against using for learning foreign languages?
-Victor advises against using apps and video courses for learning foreign languages, stating that they do not work effectively for most people.
What alternative methods does Victor suggest for learning a foreign language?
-Victor suggests using textbooks, pre-testing, and engaging with the language in a way that simulates real-life usage, such as listening to texts, guessing meanings, and then studying vocabulary.
How does Victor describe the effectiveness of traditional language learning apps and courses?
-Victor describes traditional language learning apps and courses as ineffective, with many people staying at a beginner level for years without significant progress.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Innovative Language Learning Techniques

Victor introduces his video by addressing a frequently asked question about his fluency in multiple languages, particularly Asian languages like Korean and Chinese. He emphasizes that learning languages is not just about the number but also the difficulty level. Victor shares his unique language coaching method called 'pre-testing,' which involves conversational practice and guessing the meaning of texts and words before formal instruction. This method is designed to create a sense of urgency and importance in the learner's mind, leading to more effective language acquisition. He contrasts this with traditional educational systems that present information first without creating a need or context. Victor's approach is supported by scientific research and has yielded impressive results, with students achieving conversational fluency in a few months, much faster than traditional methods.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Pre-testing

Pre-testing is a method where learners are exposed to material or concepts before being formally taught them. In the context of the video, Victor uses pre-testing to engage his students in a conversational practice for 20 to 40 minutes before introducing new grammar or vocabulary. This method is meant to create a sense of need and importance for the information, which is believed to enhance learning efficiency.

💡Conversational Practice

Conversational practice refers to the activity of engaging in spoken language to improve fluency and comprehension. In the video, Victor emphasizes the importance of conversational practice as a precursor to formal instruction, suggesting that it helps students to better understand and retain new language concepts.

💡Professional Fluency

Professional fluency implies a high level of language proficiency that is suitable for professional or work-related contexts. Victor mentions being professionally fluent in four languages, indicating a deep understanding and the ability to use these languages effectively in professional settings.

💡Language Difficulty

Language difficulty refers to the challenges a learner faces when acquiring a new language, often related to the complexity of the language's grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation. Victor discusses the difficulty of languages like Chinese and Korean, comparing them to European languages to highlight the unique challenges they present.

💡Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind is the part of the mind that operates without conscious awareness but influences behavior and decision-making. Victor talks about making the subconscious mind believe that language information is critical, which is a psychological approach to enhance the learning process.

💡Survival and Reproduction

In the video, Victor uses the phrase 'survival and reproduction' metaphorically to describe the urgency and importance that the subconscious mind associates with learning new information. This is part of his strategy to make language learning feel essential.

💡Grammar Exercises

Grammar exercises are tasks designed to help learners practice and understand the grammatical rules of a language. Victor suggests doing grammar exercises before receiving formal grammar explanations, which is a reversal of the traditional teaching method and is based on scientific research.

💡Scientific Research

Scientific research in the context of the video refers to studies and findings that support Victor's teaching methods, particularly the effectiveness of pre-testing and the order of presenting language material. It implies that his approach is evidence-based.

💡Testimonials

Testimonials are personal endorsements or recommendations given by individuals who have experienced a product or service. Victor mentions testimonials on his website, which serve as social proof of the effectiveness of his language learning program.

💡Traditional School System

The traditional school system refers to conventional educational methods and institutions. Victor contrasts his teaching approach with that of the traditional school system, criticizing it for not creating a sense of need or urgency in language learning.

💡Apps and Video Courses

Apps and video courses are digital tools commonly used for self-directed language learning. Victor advises against relying on these tools, claiming they are ineffective for achieving fluency in foreign languages, based on feedback from his program participants.

Highlights

Victor shares his experience learning Korean and Chinese languages.

At 26, Victor could speak five languages and was professionally fluent in four.

Language difficulty is important, not just the number of languages learned.

Victor's languages include challenging ones like Chinese and Korean.

He introduces the concept of 'pre-testing' as a key learning tool.

Pre-testing involves conversational practice before grammar or vocabulary lessons.

Victor's coaching method is based on making students think the information is critical.

Traditional schools present information first, without creating a need or asking questions.

Victor's method makes the subconscious mind believe the information is essential for survival.

Students in Victor's program reach conversational levels in 3-4 months on average.

Victor's approach is the opposite of traditional methods, doing grammar exercises before explanations.

His method is based on scientific research, though not commonly implemented in educational systems.

Testimonials on Victor's website show people becoming conversational in Asian languages quickly.

Victor advises forgetting about apps and video courses for language learning.

He emphasizes using textbooks and pre-testing to accelerate the learning process.

Victor's program helps students use the language in their lives before they are 'ready'.

The video concludes with Victor hoping it was helpful and signing off until next time.