Posts 2021-22

Language-Learning Tip

I have never led a Duolingo parent/adult class before (at least not formally with an XP classroom), so this was a first for me. I hope that this year has proven fruitful for at least some of you, despite my inconsistent posts. If anything, I think that developing the habit of working on an app reinforces 1) how much of a journey language-learning really is, and 2) how much motivation matters.

Perhaps it makes more sense to you now that I should want my [Lower School] classes to be “exciting” and “fun” and “novel”: you see, I know how long the road to proficiency/ fluency is, and I know that students will need a backpack of motivation and some serious inspiration to get them where they want to go. It is easy to start off like a rocket; but language-learning is not a sprint: you can’t train for 14,000 Ironman marathons in only one or two nights! It doesn’t quite work that way. We need to build the habit, and then somehow push ourselves to keep going.

As adults, this doesn’t really change all that much. We have jobs and dishes and laundry and bills and grocery shopping and kids running all over the house and appointments and soccer games and this and that and the other; maybe we started out very competitively in the fall and then our sprint fizzled out and we abandoned the app. But let’s be honest: if we really want to accomplish a goal, we have to make it a priority. And a habit. And we have to have a serious reason and motivation for doing so. Why is this important to you? If your “why” is lukewarm, it is unlikely that you will accomplish said goal, or at least you will not reach your goals on the original timeline.

It may seem like I am babbling on like a brook here, but my final language-learning tip of the year is, simply, a question: Why are you trying to learn another language? What is your reason? Mine can be summed up by the following quote, which I have shared before, but absolutely love. If you have learned a lot this year, or only a little, know that it has been time well spent, and that you can always revisit it when you are ready. Have a wonderful summer, and see you in the fall!

Here is a motivational quote by the Hungarian hyperpolyglot, Kató Lomb:

“We should learn languages because language is the only thing worth knowing even poorly. If someone knows how to play the violin only a little, he will find that the painful minutes he causes are not in proportion to the possible joy he gains from his playing. The amateur chemist spares himself ridicule only as long as he doesn’t aspire for professional laurels. The man somewhat skilled in medicine will not go far, and if he tries to trade on his knowledge without certification, he will be locked up as a quack doctor.

Solely in the world of languages is the amateur of value. Well-intentioned sentences full of mistakes can still build bridges between people. Asking in broken Italian which train we are supposed to board at the Venice railway station is far from useless. Indeed, it is better to do that than to remain uncertain and silent and end up back in Budapest rather than in Milan.”

POLYGLOT: HOW I LEARN LANGUAGES– book in PDF, by Kató Lomb

Language-Learning Tip

This week, get one of those $0.97 miniature notebooks, and start making lists of words you know in your target language. I am not a huge fan of memorizing vocabulary lists as a teaching methodology, but I do think that it can be a good exercise to reflect (in retrospect) on how much you have learned. You might start thinking, “Oh, I haven’t gotten much out of this app. I’ll never be proficient or fluent.“, but when you sit down and really take a look at all of the progress you’ve made, and all of the words you recognize or can verbally produce–provided you’ve been chugging away at it consistently–it can be astounding! Holy Moses! I do know a lot!

As the [school] year begins to wind down, take a minute after you complete each lesson to record a few words you know in your notebook. You can organize the lists by a separate category on each page–food, travels, etc.–or write them randomly as words or phrases occur to you. Handwriting words uses a different part of the brain than clicking and, IMHO, the more neurons involved, the better! Dr. K, feel free to correct me on this one. 🙂

ASIDES: 1) I recommend a tiny notebook so that it can fit in your purse or pocket and you can bring it with you everywhere; and 2) for a little extra inspiration, check out this article!

Language-Learning Tip

This week, you are challenged to try the Wordle game in your target language. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Wordle, you try to guess the [typically 5-letter] word of the day in as few tries as possible.

Instructions: First, search your target language HERE. Programmers around the globe have made it available now in at least 63 languages–amazing! Just click out of the directions, and then try to figure out the word. This changes daily and is challenging, but if my third and fourth graders can figure them out in Spanish, I bet you can, too! Have fun!

**NOTE: the Spanish Wordle actually has three versions: normal, accents, scientific.

Language-Learning Tip

This week, I would like to draw your attention to two very different careers: translation, which is written, and interpretation, which is spoken (read more HERE). Now you are going to choose one of the two and imagine that this is your job. For those of you who settled on translation, pick up a book and try to find at least five words on a page that you know in your target language. Write them down. Look a second time at the same page, and see if you can get close for a few more words.

For instance, you might read, “I would like” and not know that yet; depending on the context, however, this could be simplified to mean, “I like” or “I want” in your target language, which you might remember. Push yourself to find synonyms that could work: you might not know eye shadow yet, but do you know eyes? You might not know delighted, but do you know happy? You might not know truck or vehicle, but do you know car? Train your brain to look for the meat and potatoes of a sentence. When you are learning a language, the goal is to get your point across. It may not be grammatically pretty or as precise as you’d prefer, but if the other person gets the general idea… mission accomplished!

For those of you who chose interpretation, turn on the radio. In your head, listen to spoken English and try to pick out key words that you know in the language you are studying. Say them aloud. Mentally “scan” the sentences you are hearing, and force your brain to search for words you do know. Just as with translation, work on simplifying what you are hearing.

If you had to communicate this to someone, what words do you know that could get the job done? When my students ask, “May I pretty please with a cherry on top go to the bathroom with my friend but take a buddy with me, too?”, I say, “Absolutely not!”–and then proceed to explain that in Spanish class, you need to simplify your thoughts and use words you know: “¡Baño, por favor!” (Bathroom, please!). (Okay, now you can!) Will I have higher expectations (a complete sentence/question) down the road? YES! But in the meantime, let’s start with getting your point across and decreasing the amount of English you are using. If you would like to learn more about translation and interpretation, check out this video below. Have a great week!

Language-Learning Tip

This week, focus on being hyper aware and observant when you are out in public: start scanning anything and everything [written] for your target language. I see Spanish everywhere I go. Stuck in traffic one day, I noticed that someone had spelled with their finger on the back [dusty] window of a truck, “Lávame” [‘LAH-bah-may’]. If you don’t speak Spanish, you might not have noticed; but I laughed because it means, “Wash me!”

My t-shirts say, “Hecho en…” (“A-choh-en”/Made in…). The label on a bottle of wine at the supermarket said, “Cielo rojo“, or red sky. The lunch buffet at my grocery store offered, “Ropa Vieja“, which literally means, “old clothes”, but refers to one of Cuba’s national dishes, recipe HERE. The Jeep brand, “Leer” (“lay-air”) means, “to read” in Spanish. When you see a Chevy “Nova”, read it as two words–no va–which means, “doesn’t go” in Spanish (NOTE: that the car sold poorly in Latin America is a legend, but it is still a nice mental check to practice your target language on the go!).

If you are studying another language, you can still keep your eyes peeled. So many signs are translated these days (more on this HERE), and words will jump out at you when you really start looking. This morning, I stopped to ask two people what language they were speaking. (Albanian!) I see Braille everywhere, when I look for it. Fun fact: Did you know that they intentionally made euros different sizes [of bills], so that the blind and visually impaired could tell the difference in value?

If you stay in more than go out, scan your kitchen. Look at the tiny print on products, warranties and instruction manuals, stickers on electronics, phones, directions, etc. I love trying to guess which language(s) I see in translations and hear out in public. If you want an “extra credit” ear exercise for this week, check out this game HERE. You can choose “audio” to guess the language by listening, or “alphabet” to guess what language is written.

Look for the language, and it will find you! As Rumi writes [literal translation], “Anything in search of instant, instant“; or, more poetically, “What you seek is also seeking you“.

Originally, in Persian (aka Farsi): هر چیزی که در جستن آنی، آنی

Language-Learning Tip

This week, visit your local library and take some time to see what language-learning resources are available. I would highly recommend checking out the children’s foreign language section, along with the 400’s (Language) in the adult section, and also DVD’s, CD’s (#OldSchool!), and audiobooks for your target language. Be a Word Detective and scan the children’s books for words you know, not words you don’t. They will jump out at you! I checked out some audiobooks for German (Pimsleur) once for fun, and they were so much fun to listen to and repeat aloud, both intentionally and randomly.

Repeating words aloud allows you to get a sense for the feel, character, and personality of a language. For example, when I repeat a word, it helps me to get into the character of that language. Not only does your language have its own personality, but you also have a slightly different personality with each language you speak: that said, do not shy away from a ‘you’ that is more bold, or less so, in your target language. I tend to be more introverted in English and more extroverted in Spanish, while German feels strong and robust: I may not know what I am saying, but I will be confident, that is for sure–ja, voll! What personality traits does your new language bring out in you? What does it feel like?

Language-Learning Tip

Here is a motivational quote by the Hungarian hyperpolyglot, Kató Lomb: 

“We should learn languages because language is the only thing worth knowing even poorly. If someone knows how to play the violin only a little, he will find that the painful minutes he causes are not in proportion to the possible joy he gains from his playing. The amateur chemist spares himself ridicule only as long as he doesn’t aspire for professional laurels. The man somewhat skilled in medicine will not go far, and if he tries to trade on his knowledge without certification, he will be locked up as a quack doctor.

Solely in the world of languages is the amateur of value. Well-intentioned sentences full of mistakes can still build bridges between people. Asking in broken Italian which train we are supposed to board at the Venice railway station is far from useless. Indeed, it is better to do that than to remain uncertain and silent and end up back in Budapest rather than in Milan.”

POLYGLOT: HOW I LEARN LANGUAGES– book in PDF, by Kató Lomb

Language-Learning Tip

This week, use your target language as much as possible, wherever you go. Make it a game. Are you waiting in line? At the mall? At the grocery store? Online waiting for a website to load? In a traffic jam? Train your brain to use those ten second blips of nothingness to be productive and stay mentally active.

Try to remember a word or phrase–or several–in the target language while you are waiting. A minute here or there will prove much more effective in long-term retention than an hour or two of studying. When your skills begin to advance, work on translating what you hear in your head. Learning a language might be a challenge, but it should be a fun challenge! Make a conscious effort to incorporate Spanish [or any language you are studying] into your daily life.

Extra: Have you ever wondered what is one of the most difficult words to translate? If so, check out the video below. Fascinating!

Language-Learning Tip

This week, try changing either A) all of your devices, or B) just your email account to your target language. The time frame is up to you. Want to explore for 10 minutes? Great! Want to level up and keep your device in [Russian/ Spanish/ Greek/ etc.] for a full 24 hours? Awesome! Want to go hardcore and change all of your devices and accounts to your target language for an entire week or more?

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! While there may be a learning curve and some momentary frustration, so many of the apps and sites we use are pictorial, in the sense that we recognize and click on things based on the image, and not the word. How many brands do you know just by their icon? (Extended discussion- how many acronyms can you list? Zoikes! Language is constantly evolving!)

TECH- Not sure how to change the language? For Gmail, go to “Settings” – “General” tab – and “Language” is at the very top. For iPads, go to “Settings” – “General” – and scroll to “Language and Region”.

NOTE: If you are switching to a language that does not have the Roman alphabet, make sure to write down somewhere how/where you changed the language; otherwise, it can be a headache to switch back to English. Every device is a little different, but it is always somewhere around “Settings” and “Language”.

Language-Learning Tip

If you have learned the numbers 0-20 in your target language, try playing with them out of order and using the digits in context. It is fun to be able to count to ten or twenty in a language, but if you can’t identify “seven” outside of that memorized sequence, it is ultimately not very useful information.

Instead, practice counting backwards; practice skip counting (2-4-6-8-10; or 10-8-6-4-2; or 1-3-5; etc.); count your change; look at license plates when you are at a stoplight; look at a digital clock and say the numbers that you see in your head (or aloud); look at prices in the grocery store and say those numbers. If this is too much to handle initially, pick a number, like seven, or “siete” (“see-EH-tay”) in Spanish, and focus on that: whenever you see a seven anywhere, say “siete” in your head. The goal is to make the language you are learning useful.

Thanks to all of you who kept working on the app, even without my weekly emails. For those of you who took a break (like me!), it is a new year and time to get back into the routine. Remember your reason for studying your target language, and if you don’t have a strong one, think about that this week. The stronger the reason, the more likely you will stick with your study. You can always “update” your reason at any time, too. 

For example, I used to want to learn Russian so that I could talk with my ballroom dance hero, Yulia Zagoruychenko, in her native tongue when I met her at a competition; however, I never made it to the world finals:) […that she won], so my reason and motivation for learning Russian needed to be updated at a certain point.

Language-Learning Tip

Many of you have been working consistently on the app for at least six weeks now, and hopefully you feel like you are making progress. That said, it can be frustrating during the language-learning process when you understand your target language, but are not yet producing it. My students and I play a game when they have “center work” [directed free play] during Spanish class. Here, we have “off limits” words, meaning that there is a common pool of vocabulary that everyone knows, and whenever you are speaking freely in English, you must replace said English words with the Spanish. You are “charged” fake pesos (and/or “Spanish taxes”) if you break the rule and say, for example, “money” in lieu of “dinero“.

For children, it is a game to hold everyone accountable; for adults, it is simply forcing yourself to be hyper-aware of the thoughts and words you use. In the previous sentence, for instance, I have learned children (дети), you (ты), and words (слова) in Russian on Duolingo. So as I am typing, I am replacing those words in my head with the equivalent in Russian. When I am talking with others or listening to the radio, I monitor and translate in my head as much as possible. It can be an interesting exercise to note which words or phrases you hear yourself using regularly in your native tongue. (And if you don’t know how to say those words/phrases, start looking them up!)

Point being, try not to compartmentalize your language study: include it in all parts of your life. When you do so, the linguistic output will come faster and more naturally. You have to train yourself more consciously as an adult learner. As a final note, consider that a baby listens to language for nearly two years, 24/7, before producing any intelligible language. By comparison, what percentage of your week are you working on the app? Patience, my little grasshoppers!

Duolingo-Specific Tips

TIP #1- try to limit yourself to working on three “circles” at a time, until you reach the gold or purple (Legendary) level. If you skip around too much to other units, the app will start testing you on things you haven’t actually learned yet.

TIP #2- If you are learning Spanish on the app, I have received excellent reviews from adults for the “audio” and “live” lessons. These are not available in all languages yet, as far as I can tell- but if you see those tabs near the bottom of your screen, be sure to check them out.

Language-Learning Tip

Hopefully, you have started to establish a language-learning routine. If you took a break this past week, now is the time to return, renewed, refreshed, and rejuvenated! The challenge during this busy season will be sticking with the habit of studying your language on a regular basis, despite the myriad distractions around us. As I’ve mentioned before, try to “pair” your language-learning habit with something else you do every day; that way, you will be more likely to stick with it.

When you do this, the race has truly begun. After a few dozen times around the track (metaphorically speaking), you will begin to notice oddities, or so-called quirks in your target language. Many of these will fall in the category of syntax–the arrangement of words and phrases in language; or, how language is organized–that differs from your native tongue. “Juice of orange/jugo de naranja” instead of orange juice (Spanish); “I doctor/Я доктор”, instead of “I am a doctor” (Russian); “Electric brain/电脑“, instead of “computer” (Mandarin Chinese). You may not be here yet, but when you arrive, try to be flexible in your thinking. “We” are not any more right than “they” are. This is where the beautiful flower of language begins to blossom!

The “tip” this week is just to think about how things are organized… your physical surroundings, your thoughts, language, the world (?!). Do you think your language shapes or influences how you think? (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)

**Continue reading the rest of this article HERE!

Language-Learning Tip

This week, it is time to expand our horizons: listen to your target language for five minutes on something outside of the app (e.g. Pocoyo cartoons, radio, internet, podcast, songs, YT channels, etc.). When you listen to the target language, the idea is to become accustomed to hearing a bullet train of unintelligible sounds pass you by at the speed of light (squared), and simply enjoy the cadence and rhythm. Relax.

As the days pass, your brain will begin to pick up on details and cognates (words that sound similar in English), and do a lot of subconscious work. If you studied your target language in school at some point, you might begin to recall vocabulary from a lifetime ago, or distinguish between accents from different countries. Duolingo will build your vocabulary phrase by phrase; listening to the target language will train your ear.

Last but not least, remember that, “We should learn languages because language is the only thing worth knowing even poorly” (-Kató Lomb, hyperpolyglot). Keep up the excellent work!

Language-Learning Tip

Spend 5-10 minutes searching for some music in the language that you are learning (with a beat you like). You can look up what the lyrics mean right away, or just focus on enjoying the foreign sounds. If your language has characters or a different alphabet, check out THIS PAGE for a little help getting started. Finding new music to add to your playlists is always fun!

For Fun

In other news–and to make this challenge more interesting–we are going to equate the number of XP you have earned to the number of kilometers on an imagined hike through all of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries. The links below are just to get a taste and feel for what these places are like. There is no extra work required, but don’t blame me if you end up buying a plane ticket!

• If you have earned between 0 and 839 XP, then you are traveling from Ushuaia, Argentina to Torres del Paine, Chile.
• If you have earned between 840 and 2503 XP, then you are en route to Futaleufú, Chile.
• If you have earned between 2504 XP and 3925 XP, then you are en route to a skyscraper in Santiago, Chile (feel free to explore the others first, as this link doesn’t have as much info quite yet).

Keep up the excellent work!

Language-Learning Tip

Start talking to yourself outloud in your target language. No, but seriously! One of the biggest stumbling blocks in language-learning is fear: fear of being wrong, fear of embarrassing yourself, fear of sounding silly, fear of making mistakes. When you are learning another language, all of these fears are legitimate. But they are also INEVITABLE. You are going to fail, and sound silly, and be wrong, but THAT IS OKAY!

As your Language Coach, I want you to be wrong. I want you to make mistakes. Not because I am a mean old grinch, but rather because this is how we grow and learn at an accelerated pace. When you practice talking to yourself outloud in your target language, you stop worrying about feeling self-conscious and you start playing with the language–its sounds, its quirks, its cadence, its syntax. Once you get over the ‘this is super awkward, why is maestra telling us to do this?‘ stage, your confidence will begin to soar. And when it is time to talk with a native speaker in a real conversation, you won’t think twice about it.

If you’re really unsure about the whole talking-to-yourself thing, leave yourself a few post-its in the target language around your house with Duolingo words and phrases, and read them aloud when you see them. The bathroom mirror is ideal. Let Language stare you in the face every morning!! 

Every evening, we go to bed, satisfied that our Duolingo XP place on the leaderboard is safe and sound. We have worked hard, and it shows. Every morning, we discover that someone has passed us.

Kudos to everyone participating in the Duolingo Language Challenge. I had NO IDEA (*cue fireworks*) that you all were so competitive! This is amazing!! I am studying Russian and trying to stay ahead of everyone, but wow!! All I can say is thank you for keeping me on my toes and at the top of my game!

Language-Learning Tip

Pair something you do every day–such as brushing your teeth–with your new language routine. For example, do one lesson on Duolingo (3 minutes) after you brush your teeth each morning. If you forget in the morning, well, you brush your teeth at night, too, right?! Combining a habit with another one you already do regularly will make it much easier to incorporate into your [presumably] busy schedule. As Coach would say, “YOU’VE GOT THIS!!”

INSPIRATIONAL ARTICLE: Why I Taught Myself 20 Languages

Many thanks to all those who have expressed interest and to those already participating. I am SO excited!

The Duolingo Language Challenge is picking up speed. I have already spoken with many parents and faculty interested in joining this friendly competition. Thinking about everyone beginning a language-learning journey and working towards a common goal is motivating in itself, but I will also try to share a few tips or pieces of advice every so often, to help keep you–and me!–on track.