I've made a video to share my impressions of the languages, sights, sounds (and tastes) of Singapore with you. It's what I've called a "smash and grab": a quick raid on the linguistic landscape of this cultural melting pot. To jump straight in to the film, scroll down to the bottom of this introductory post. I just had a few days in Singapore before and after my … [Read more...]
How important is reading for learning a foreign language?
How important is reading for learning a foreign language? Here's my take. I've also made a video on the same topic (link at the bottom of this post). If your main goal is to learn as efficiently as possible to converse in a language, you may well wonder why you should bother with reading. Reasons to doubt the value of reading to learn a language After all, most language, for … [Read more...]
Basque Intensive! 7: out and about (video)
Bilbao and Iruñea: these are two of the major Basque cities I visit the final video in my Basque Intensive! series. The film is for you if want a taste of this fascinating part of the world and its rich culture.... As regular readers will know, I've been learning the Basque language for several years now. I recently spent a whole month in the Basque Country. It's a … [Read more...]
The Goldlist Method explained (how to remember vocabulary)
What is the goldlist method and how can you use it to remember vocabulary? How to remember the words is a key question all language learners ask themselves in the early and intermediate stages. You can generally communicate and understand a lot without correct grammar, but if you don't have enough words, even "Tarzan-style" speech is going to be a struggle. This article is all … [Read more...]
Improving intermediate to advanced writing skills in a foreign language: Operation Write Russian Right
This post is about improving your intermediate to advanced writing skills, about how you might use language exams as a constructive learning tool and about being a committed language learner, in for the long haul, through thick and thin. Oh, and I get to launch my next language learning project. Ding, ding, back in the ring! In the middle, brandishing gloves and … [Read more...]