Comments on LANGOLAB: What's the Best Way to Get Fluent in a Foreign Lan...

I have learned so far 3 languages. I think the bes...

2010-08-27T18:19:40.140-05:00

I have learned so far 3 languages. I think the best way to get fluent is by trying to read and practice everyday the things learned. Never be shy or afraid to speak. Be open to make mistakes. Try to associate more with those that speak the language and this will speed up your fluency. I love this blog. Thanks for posting this.

To [second] anonymous, It took me a long time to ...

2009-05-10T15:14:00.000-05:00

To [second] anonymous,

It took me a long time to realize what worked for me. I started to realize that I needed to understand words in context, preferably (this is just an example) seeing verbs actually being performed. There's a cool name for this method - Total Physical Response. It's gaining in popularity in schools around the United States.

I agree - I learned more in one week in Belarus th...

2009-05-10T15:03:00.000-05:00

I agree - I learned more in one week in Belarus than I did in two years studying Russian. But I would never have been able to function as well as I did without first immersing myself here in the States. I would've been paralyzed with culture shock if I didn't prepare myself a little beforehand!

There's also no guarantee that you'll learn while you travel. I've heard so many stories about Americans studying abroad and sticking together with other Americans. The key, I'm convinced, is an open mind and a willingness to use travel as an immersion experience. You need to be willing to put yourself out there completely and leave your comfort zone (away from your fellow countrymen, at the very least). If you don't, you can travel all over the world without learning anything at all.

Travel is the best way to immerse yourself.

2009-05-10T13:19:00.000-05:00

Travel is the best way to immerse yourself.

I think it really depends on your learning style.....

2009-05-10T11:26:00.000-05:00

I think it really depends on your learning style...I know I can't learn new vocabulary without actually SEEING it. So for me..reading a lot first, getting familiar with words and then hearing them and being able to visualize them is the best way for me to pick up new words.

Stay tuned for my next post about other easy ways ...

2009-05-09T19:56:00.000-05:00

Stay tuned for my next post about other easy ways to get improve your language skills.

I totally agree! Languages are living traditions t...

2009-05-08T19:56:00.000-05:00

I totally agree! Languages are living traditions that exist within people. It is through interaction with others--in conversation--that one learns best. As my German teacher once told me, "the best way to learn a language is to go to bed with a dictionary." From personal experience, I can attest to this method!

Isn't that the point of learning a language? To s...

2009-05-08T16:44:00.000-05:00

Isn't that the point of learning a language? To speak it? Don't get me wrong, I adore Dostoevsky, but if that was my basis for speech, I would get laughed all the way across the former Soviet bloc.

LOL! He told me the same thing. I guess he didn'...

2009-05-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

LOL! He told me the same thing. I guess he didn't realize that we actually wanted to interact with people using the language.