Learning only a thousand words can help you recognize almost 75 percent of what you read. <ul><li>Learn 625 words from word frequency lists. Each language has its own list.</li><li>Use games to create deep multi-sensory memories for words.</li></ul> Game 1: Spot the differences.Search for the words in the native language, then switch to Basic Version. Look for differences, then add one or two good images in flashcards for that word. Game 2: Memory Game.Look for a personal memory related to the word. Try to remember the word rather than the translation.

Learning words

<ul><li>Learn pronunciation first.</li><li>Don't translate.</li><li>Use spaced repetition systems.</li></ul>

The three keys to language learning

All language learning follows the same pattern: We go from simple sentences (doggie jump), we change their forms, -ing forms(doggie jumping) to irregular past (birdies went). Then regular past tense verbs (doggie jumped) and present tense in third person (Daddy eats). To make sentences:<ul><li>Take the first example out of your grammar book. and make a flashcard.</li><li>When you see new words or word forms that surprise you, make flashcards based on them.</li></ul>

Learning sentences

<ul><li>Make memories more memorable. Make foreign words more memorable by learning the sound system of your language, then connect those sounds to images, then connect those images to your past experiences.</li><li>Maximize laziness. Don't do rote repetition. Study a concept until you can repeat it once without looking, then stop.</li><li>Recall rather than review. Make and use flashcards containing images and personal connections for words, pronunciation or grammatical construction.</li><li>Test yourself just before you think you'll forget.</li><li>Rewrite the past. When you recall a memory, you can rewrite earlier experiences.</li></ul>

Five principles of memory

<ul><li>Ears. Your brain is hardwired to ignore the differences between foreign sounds. Train your brain to listen to similar-sounding words, such as niece and knees.</li><li>Mouth. Improve your accent by using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Learn the position of the tongue, lips and vocal cords.</li><li>Eyes. Every language contains a pattern of connections between its spelling and its sounds. Try to internalise that pattern using a spaced repetition system (SRS). Create flashcards to memorise every spelling pattern you need.</li></ul>

Train your ears, mouth and eyes

<ul><li>Start with the top 1000 words in your new language.</li><li>Add keywords based on your interests.</li><li>Use a thematic vocabulary book.</li><li>Use Google Images to find quality example sentences and pictures for your words.</li><li>Write example sentences and definitions, get them corrected.</li><li>Add a dictionary when you have enough vocabulary.</li></ul> Read a book.<ul><li>The first book should be familiar to you.</li></ul> Watch movies and TV.<ul><li>Read an overview of the series or movie first. Don't use subtitles.</li></ul> The game of taboo.The only rule - no first language allowed.<ul><li>Do video chatting.</li><li>Take language holidays.</li></ul>

Learn with language games

The basics of learning a foreign language

problemsolving

Problem Solving

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

productivity

Productivity

communication

Communication

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

Learning A Foreign Language

This book will equip you with simple and effective ideas to learn a language.

Presents a series of techniques for acquiring a foreign language, including news ways of training the tongue for pronunciation, use of visual imagery for connecting sounds and spelling, and spaced-repetition methods for learning new vocabulary.

education

Learning & Education

books

Books

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • For anyone who wants to learn a foreign language, this is the method that will finally make the words stick.   “A brilliant and thoroughly modern guide to learning new languages.”—Gary Marcus, cognitive psychologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Guitar Zero   At thirty years old, Gabriel Wyner speaks six languages fluently. He didn’t learn them in school—who does? Rather, he learned them in the past few years, working on his own and practicing on the subway, using simple techniques and free online resources—and here he wants to show others what he’s discovered.   Starting with pronunciation, you’ll learn how to rewire your ears and turn foreign sounds into familiar sounds. You’ll retrain your tongue to produce those sounds accurately, using tricks from opera singers and actors. Next, you’ll begin to tackle words, and connect sounds and spellings to imagery rather than translations, which will enable you to think in a foreign language. And with the help of sophisticated spaced-repetition techniques, you’ll be able to memorize hundreds of words a month in minutes every day.    This is brain hacking at its most exciting, taking what we know about neuroscience and linguistics and using it to create the most efficient and enjoyable way to learn a foreign language in the spare minutes of your day.