The posts below are language tips written for anyone taking the Adult Duolingo Class.

Most Recent

• WEEK #14: Around the holiday season, I like to declutter and clean in preparation for a new year. Some of this is inspired by a Cuban tradition–for New Year’s, many Cubans mop their houses from top to bottom, and fill up a bucket with the dirty water. Next, they dump this water in the street, as a symbolic gesture to “throw away” all of the bad stuff from this past year and begin anew.
• I’m sure this is not limited to Cubans (the Japanese have a similar tradition), but the idea of ‘decluttering’–getting rid of the excess, the superfluous–got me thinking about language. When you are initially learning a new language, you have to pare down your sentences. You can’t always use fancy adjectives or be as precise as you’d like.
• In essence, you have to declutter what you say, get to the meat of your thought, take down the decorations in your mind of how you want to be perceived (e.g., highly educated, relatable, etc.)… and just spit it out. Learning a language is humbling: you become a diamond in the rough, clay not yet molded, marble not fully sculpted. But your moment is coming! So declutter your sentences, and focus on what’s truly important in your message. A word uttered here or there in a language you aren’t expected to speak can make someone’s day.

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Archives

• WEEK 1: Integrate your language study into your thoughts and conversations. For example, if you know that verde is green in Spanish, every time you see any shade of green today–while you are driving, at the grocery store, on the soccer field–say the word verde to yourself. Make the language come alive. Actively search for the words you know out in real life.”
  • EXTRA: Read the rest of this post HERE.

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• WEEK 2: Don’t simply repeat words robotically on the app–add expression, snuggle up and get comfy with them. They are becoming a part of you, no matter where you are on your language-learning journey.
  • EXTRA: If you would like to go down the linguistics rabbit hole, check out this page for some thought-provoking articles. 

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• WEEK 3: Pacing. This week, pay attention to pacing. Just like in a marathon, you can’t go out in a full sprint–and maintain that speed for 26.2 miles (or at least most of us can’t). Some of you may have started out pretty hardcore, but your pace has begun to slow. Don’t beat yourself up about it; just find the right rhythm for you and your schedule. The most important factor when learning a language is frequency. It is much more effective to study in little blips throughout the week, than a cram session on Saturday. I know the cram session is tempting, but it won’t get you where you want to go. #fluency #proficiency
  • EXTRA: Check out the main Adult Class page for more tips HERE.

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• WEEK 4: This week, reflect on WHY you are learning your target language. Do you want to travel and be able to communicate with people in that country? Would it make your job easier if you spoke XX language? Do your in-laws speak another language and you’d like to feel more like family when you are around them? It is important to have a strong reason to fall back on when your language study begins to plateau or you notice yourself losing interest.
  • If you want to travel, be specific–what do you want to see? Dream it! Visualize it! Write it down! And maybe, just maybe, buy a ticket! THIS site is also fun to play around with, either to click on all of the states/ countries you’ve visited or the ones you would like to visit someday. So… WHY are you learning your language in particular? And do you know how to say why in the language you’re studying??!
    • EXTRA: Check out this language-based post re: Columbus Day from last year, in case you missed it.

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• WEEK 5: Are you skipping the “repeat aloud” lessons on Duolingo? Yes, I’m looking at you! Do you click the, “can’t talk now” button? DON’T! This week, be courageous. Repeat the sentences aloud… maybe even when you don’t have to. It will build your confidence. Just do it. (#FunFact- did you know that “Nike” comes from the Greek νίκη [níkē], meaning victory?)
  • EXTRA: Watch this [FUN!!!] video about “what English sounds like to foreigners” (guy at top of page)

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• WEEK #6: This week, consider “journaling” in your target language. This might mean writing down three words you remember. For example, if you had coffee sometime today, write “coffee” in the language you’re studying (if you know it). If you know, “I drink coffee” (or “I don’t drink coffee”), write that! Don’t worry about verb tenses–“Well technically, it should be I drank coffee…”. NO! Your goal is to get out a thought or two on paper. (Or the shower stall glass door when it’s fogged up: write a word there, don’t just draw a smiley face!) Did you greet anyone with, “Hello” or “Good morning” today [in English]? Then write the equivalent in your language to indicate that. If you’re ready for a full sentence or two, try that on for size. Work at your own level and pace.
  • The most important takeaway here is to use what you already know. If you don’t know the word, move on. Use a word you do–the word might not be precise, it might not be perfect, but it will get the job done. Not sure about truck? Say car. Not sure about toast? Say bread. We have to train ourselves to get to the point a little faster in the language we are studying. “Me! Bread! Now!” It’s not pretty–perhaps, pretty humbling!–but you’ve made your point, right?
    • EXTRA: Oh, so you think you’re hardcore?! Send me a photo of your handwritten scrawls in another language! (I won’t grade you, promise.)

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• WEEK #7: This week, let’s extend a bit to culture. Have you tried cooking a dish from your target language’s culture? If you don’t have time to go all out on a full-fledged recipe, order out a meal you haven’t tried before. I like to have weekly, broad, ‘international’ themes at home sometimes, where if I am making empanadas, I’ll put on Spanish [Argentine] music. If I am making samosas, I’ll stream a radio station from India. If I am making spaghetti, I’ll listen to Italian. Surround yourself with the language AND culture. Language is more than words!
  • EXTRA: Check out radio.garden to stream radio stations from anywhere in the world (all of the green dots are cities).
  • Click HERE for recipes from Spanish-speaking countries.

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• WEEK #8: Are you making connections, or is your language study tucked away in a drawer? Do the words in your target language only surface in your mind when you are on the Duolingo app– and then remain dormant the rest of the day? If that is the case, don’t ask, “Why can’t I remember?” Ask instead, “How can I connect my daily activities with my target language?” Our brains are unique search engines, and will actively look for answers… which means that we have to make sure we are asking thoughtful questions.
  • In fact, our brains will no doubt tell us a million reasons why we can’t remember, but that is not productive: it just makes us feel bad. However, if we pose a better question, our brains will get to work and start thinking of ways to integrate our language study into our daily lives. So, ask your brain! I bet it will come up with some creative answers!
    • EXTRA: Earn DOUBLE the XP you normally do in a week.

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• WEEK #11: This week, think about those catchy code phrases where people say, “The eagle has landed” or “We have a code red” or “Mission accomplished” or “The eagle has left the nest”.
  • Now, using the same tone of voice–while talking into your invisible handheld walkie talkie–repeat a Duolingo phrase: “He’s eating an apple.” “Bread, please.” “Good morning, Mr. Rodriguez.” Make it a game with your family! #SecretMessages #Codes #FunLanguageGames

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Calling all Word Enthusiasts! The Wordle is back! Rather, I abandoned the Wordle for several months and was just reminded of its utility in learning another language. Thus…

• WEEK #13: This week, check out the “Guidebook” icon on the Duolingo app, and scan the units you’ve completed to see if you know a handful of five-letter words in your target language. If you know a few–in Spanish, for example, mujer/ woman, cinco/ five, queso/ cheese, vamos/ let’s go, dónde/ where, guapo/ handsome–try guessing the word of the day!
  • Here is the link for the Spanish Wordle.
  • THIS PAGE is the link to search for the Wordle in any other language you may be studying.
    • NOTE: If you’ve never played before, you have six chances to guess a word. After you choose a word and press enter, green means the letter is in the correct location; yellow means it is in the word, but in the wrong location; and gray means that letter is not in the word.
• EXTRA: Reach out to another parent/ faculty member who is studying the same language as you, and text them your “The eagle has landed” secret code phrase from the other week. If you don’t remember what I’m talking about, click HERE.

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