An Easy Way to Learn Foreign Languages: Part One
Introducing Luca and his language learning method…
Luca Lampariello is an Italian polyglot who speaks 9 languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Russian, and Portuguese.
Chinese is his latest language project, and learning to speak Thai is a real possibility!
When Luca was barely in his teens (13), he began studying languages on his own. As his experience grew, he came to the conclusion that there is no one best way to learn a foreign language, but there are some universal principles. And handy for us, he believes that the principles should be shared with others desiring to learn a foreign language.
Using these basic principles in his self-study, over the years a simple language learning method evolved.
Full circle: Target language (source files) => Native language => Target language
This method enabled him to acquire languages with ease. Ok, it is still a work in progress, but what method isn’t?
To talk with other language learners, Luca joined YouTube. You can find his informative videos on his YouTube channel at poliglotta80.
And YouTube is where I found both Luca and his method.
Excited about the possibilities, I contacted Luca to get the finer details on how his method would mesh with learning Thai. And as you will soon see, it works quite well. So well in fact, that we decided to work together to remix the script from his videos to fit a post format. Two posts, actually.
And that is what you will find in the coming information. Luca’s method, but with a focus on Thai language learners.
I now hand you over to Luca…
An easy way to learn foreign languages…
While learning a foreign language is not an easy task, it is not as difficult as it seems. I called one of my videos An Easy Way to Learn Foreign Languages, because I was inspired by the title of a book that made a serious impact in my life: An Easy Way to Stop Smoking.
Being able to quit smoking is generally perceived as difficult. The book literally dismantled the reasons why one smokes, and then rendered the quitting of cigarettes quite easy.
The idea is this: In order to be able to do something easier than first imagined, one has to be shown how to do that very same thing, only simply. This works for languages too, although it takes more of an effort.
My language learning method…
- The timeframe of my method is: Quality, then quantity.
- The method is based upon a strategy of: Often, natural, and sà-nùk.
- The strategy consists of: Listen, read, repeat, translate, and then translate back.
Studying languages with quality and quantity:
From the very beginning, put quality time into your studies. The quality aspect makes the difference between an excellent and a mediocre outcome. Put quality into your studies for the first 8 months to 1 year. After that period of time, add an additional ingredient for a solid language acquisition: Quantity.
Quality: What is more powerful than absorbing content? Preparing and training your brain to receive that very same content, that’s what. And if you put the time into absorbing the sounds of your target language, your brain becomes plastic towards that language.
Quantity: Listening and reading become more effective once you’ve built a decent vocabulary. And if you acquire a stable of useful words, you are more likely to understand, enjoy, and learn from books, blogs, articles, and podcasts.
My method uses three basic principles:
Often: The first principle is to work on a daily basis. Or, at the very least, 5 days a week. No gigantic amount of work is required either. For the first 3 months, 1 hour a day of study is preferred. Later on you can cut it down to 30 minutes.
Please note that it is more effective to learn a little bit each day, than to cram for 2 long days each week. Trust me. And after a mere 6 months, you will be astounded at your progress.
Natural: The second principle is to learn in a natural way, as natural as possible. The natural way of getting into the fabric of a language doesn’t bother with the heavy tomes of grammar.
It is not that grammar books are not useful. But, given the heaviness of the subject, a strong focus on grammar has a tendency to discourage language learners.
In the first stages of the learning process, it is more fruitful to concentrate on the spoken language by listening to as much dialogue as possible. During this time, write down, in your own words, the bare basics of grammar. No more.
Sà-nùk: The third principle is very Thai: Sà-nùk (สนุก means ‘fun’ in Thai). This principle focuses on making your language learning experience entertaining, not stressful.
It is important to inject a bit of sà-nùk into your lesson plan, so here are a few suggestions:
- Create simple games with the lessons.
- Input the lessons into Byki (Byki has activities and games).
- If on a Mac, copy the vocab into aTypeTrainer4Mac.
- Learn a handful of Thai songs each month.
- Laugh at hilarious Thai commercials on YouTube.
- Partner with another Thai language learner.
- Challenge your partner to a Thai language competition.
- At each milestone, treat yourself to something lusciously sinful.
There will be times when you feel frustrated because you can’t recall something you worked on a few days ago. When this happens, allow yourself to relax. Remind yourself that soon enough, those very same worries will seem ridiculously easy.
One other important note: Even if it takes you 8-9 months to finish your chosen Thai course, don’t worry. The faster one learns a language, the faster one forgets. So don’t learn in haste. Remember that quality is much more efficient than quantity.
A few more tips before we move on…
The Internet:
Rather than surfing the Internet in search of multiple Thai language courses, concentrate on one set of materials. This is exactly what I do with the Assimil and Teach Yourself series (more about this later).
The Internet is an incredible tool for learning languages, but it also turns a fair number of people into passive learners. What I suggest is to become an active learner by sticking with good material at the exclusion of all others.
And only after you’ve acquired a core of language knowledge, do you head back to the Internet. Because it is at that point that the Internet will become an amazing means to improve your linguistic knowledge.
But until then, please don’t be tempted away by yet another language course. And another. And another.
Pronunciation:
A delicate subject to talk about is pronunciation. With some effort, even taking into account linguistic inclinations and ear, I personally believe that most language learners can reach a good pronunciation level.
What I want to point out though, is that it is extremely important to listen to the sounds from the early stages of your learning. And being tonal, this is especially true with the Thai language.
It is not just a matter of listening, but also being able to reproduce the sounds correctly through the proper positioning of your mouth and tongue.
Getting the assistance of a native speaker will accelerate the process of acquiring and reproducing sounds correctly.
Proper pronunciation consists of two main phases:
- Pronouncing single words correctly.
- Getting the correct intonation of a whole sentence.
Thai learners are lucky in that there is an excellent product available: Improving Your Thai Pronunciation, by Benjawan Poomsan Becker.
Thai script, transliteration, writing vrs typing:
I personally use MS Word for my foreign language studies. But, given transliteration and the Thai script, you might very well prefer to handwrite your homework.
If you are going the typing route, WLT has a post explaining how to type in Thai (PC typing resources are included): Thai Typing Tutors: aTypeTrainer4Mac
The beautiful Thai alphabet stumps many students, while challenging others. Taking this into account, you can choose to go through the method either way: Thai script or Thai transliteration.
If you are unfamiliar with Thai transliteration styles, visit thai-language.com to get a look at some that are available.
And for those of you desiring to get a jump on the Thai alphabet, 60 Minutes to Learn the Thai Alphabet is the ticket. You can also study the Thai alphabet via one of the many language sites in WLT’s Learn Thai for FREE resources page (but don’t lose yourself in there!)
Please note: In An Easy Way to Learn Foreign Languages: Part Two, I will explain (in detail), the strategy of my method.
Until then, please visit my YouTube Channel: poliglotta80
Luca Lampariello
poliglotta80
Stumble it!
Okay this one has got me hooked although the bait has been swallowed the hook is loose in my mouth, you might say I’m intrigued enough to follow this route.
I see a stark similarity in this method and Daniel T Murphy’s. Quality before quantity and walk before you run are to me the same approach. Get some good basics before over indulging is the message I’m getting.
…’Rather than surfing the Internet in search of multiple Thai language courses, concentrate on one set of materials’…..
Okay I’ve selected mine and it is Teach yourself Thai by David Smyth.
I’ve loaded the first CD in the drive and I’m going to learn a little five days a week. I can’t promise it will be a hour each time. I’ll look forward to the second part.
Martyn, when I first listened to Luca explain his method I was excited. Even if I got the order wrong at first, I could see the power. And when he patiently explained, I was even more chuffed.
It is so simple. I can do simple.
I got the ‘ah hah’s!’ because I know that this method will work with how I learn.
And no matter what stage learners are, they can use this too.
Catherine,
Great post! Thanks for highlighting Luca and his great language ability on your blog. His methods are truly great for learning languages and they work extremely well. I have spoken to him on many occasions and he has a remarkable ability to really get inside languages and use them in a natural way in conversation. Anyone wishing to get into a language would do well to employ Luca’s methods.
Thai is a fabulous language and I have found the Thai people to be hospitable and friendly – the “land of the smiles” truly matches my experience of Thailand. Anyone wishing to learn this incredible tongue will be well rewarded by the pleasure one gets from conversing with other speakers of the language. Luca’s fine example is a fabulous way to attain a good knowledge of Thai, or indeed any language.
All the best,
Richard
Richard Simcott´s last blog ..50 things with accents and languages
Richard, Welcome to WLT! It is wonderful to see your comments here. Your ‘50 things with accents and languages’ is truely amazing, so I hope others will wander over there too.
Luca’s method will work for me. And I especially like how he is advising beginners to stay away from the Internet for awhile. For WLT, I made it my quest to find everything I could to help learn Thai. But too much of a good thing can sidetrack the early efforts of a language learner.
On methods… I started out my professional life as a portrait artist. When ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’ appeared on the market, I was curious so purchased a copy.
Reading through, I realised that her method was exactly how I twigged into drawing portraits. It was how I ’saw’ the world around me. I just didn’t realise it because I started so young – around 4 years old is an early recollection from my parents, who tagged me as an artist from that point on (presents of dolls were overshadowed by paint sets and art classes).
And in a way, that is what Luca has done. And just like in drawing, there are many ways to learn languages, but this one is speaking to me personally.
Btw – if you have any tips that you would like to share, please do :-)
It definitely seems a simple way to go and I like simple but I think Thai is one of those languages that needs a little more time. Not all languages are made the same and one such as Spanish would be much easier to learn with this route than Thai.
That being said I am trying to get in Thai learning 4-5 times a week but I still think the best program is living in the language area and learning by example.
Talen´s last blog ..Long Live the King & Happy Fathers Day
Talen, by time, do you mean more than one hour per day? Because he has not put a time limit on length. And while he has learned European languages with this method, he is now going for Chinese (and I am sooooooooooo glad that I am not learning Chinese :-)
One of the things I like the most about Luca’s method is a solid emphasis on both input and output. There are lots of theories out there on the net that over emphasis learning through input but that will make you a good reader and listener. If you want to interact, you need to practice speaking and writing as well.
Another thing I like about the method is that it’s flexible. Catherine, it looks to me like you’ve done a wonderful job applying it to learning Thai. Best of luck to you!
Ryan´s last blog ..November Wrap-Up
Ryan, I guess that is also why I like Luca’s method – he has everything covered. And I will see for sure in 2010, when I spend a full month testing his method out (wish me luck!)
I’ve been floowing Luca’s method for some time now, ever since I discovered his YouTube channel. I’ve been brushing up my Italian using both Linguaphone and Assimil, but following Luca’s methodology. I’m now using to help me to learn Swedish. Follow his advice, enjoy your language learning and it WILL be effective.
Davide, welcome to WLT :-) It is excellent to hear from someone who is using Luca’s method. After reading about the method, I ordered Assimil Thai (which, as you know, is in French not English) so I’ve decided to brush off my absolutely awful French at the same time as I’m pounding away at Thai. I figure that his method will make the whole process easier, so why not go for broke.
Can you please explain the elementary method. You hear a sentence, repeat it, then write it down in your native language. Then the next day, you do this again with a new sentence. Then the third day, you translate the sentence you learned the first day into the language you are practicing? Then the fourth day you’d do the same to the sentence you learned on the second day right?
Hi Agnaldo, welcome to WLT! To fully understand Luca’s method, go to the second post – An Easy Way to Learn Foreign Languages: Part Two.
I’m starting his method in the new year. For 30 days, I will post my progress at the end of each week.
Hello luca, I´m federico from argentina and I think you´re so amazing person, It´s easy to you learn any language, you´re good
I´ve begun to learned english about 7 mothns and i´ve listened many english, I think the language enter with ear and that is I do it, listen and listen…. well I´m going to go, greeting from argentina.
oh one question: how much time have you learn any language??
Dear Federico, first off, let me thank you for the nice words.
Listening to a lot of English (or any other language) is without a doubt a very good way of “plonging” into the language, but I suggest you start absorbing English not only by listening to it, but also by reading, writing and speaking it. As I pointed out numerous times, quality does count in language learning. If you read, say, the script of a podcast while listening to it, and you write it down (in both Spanish and English) will help your brain link the script with the sounds (“Verba volant sed scripta manent” the latins used to say). A balance between input and ouput is the key to learning a language consistently. As you will have noticed, there’s a number of people who read and understand a language effortlessly but have issues when it comes to “uttering” words, producing sounds or write a simple text. There are others who have a decent oral and written “production” but have a rather poor comprehension. If you do things the right way, you’ll develop all these skills consistently, that is, you’ll be able to read, write, speak and understand very well the language you mean to pick up. You need to have a good method (a nice car) and a lot of fuel (motivation). With these 2, no matter how far the road strechtes, the results are garanteed. Everybody can pull it off. The difference between those who make it and those who don’t is faith. If you believe in yourself you can do it. Just give it time and never give up.
Have a great day
Luca
PS: I replied in English but I’d gladly answer in Spanish if you didn’t fully understand my answer