Episode Details

Lucas Ardelean, a language enthusiast and ESL teacher, shares his story about how he almost gave up on learning his first language through immersion, and what helped him finally have a successful learning experience.  He shares mistakes he made, gives advice on how to learn a new language, and provides some helpful resources. Thank you, Lucas!

Language Learners Triangle

1. Time in the language
2. Comprehensible input
3. Motivation

Develop a learning lifestyle

Turn every aspect of life into a language and culture learning exercise.

• Sing in the language
• Talk to yourself.
• Read everything.
• Write new words down.
• Speak in the language at every opportunity.
• Have Intentional conversations to practice new words and grammar.
• Take time to rest.
• Find media at your level:  TV,  movies, YouTube, Podcasts, magazines, books,

Approaching a language

1. Determine why you should learn
2. How will you do it? Make a plan and set goals.
3. Find a good language coach.
4. Start to become familiar with the target culture and language.
5. Be committed for the long haul
6. Experiment with methods.
7. Have fun

Books

• Lanier, Sarah. Foreign to Familiar. Hagerstown: McDougal, 2000.
• Storti, Craig. The Art of Crossing Cultures. Boston: Intercultural Press, 2001.
• Thomson’s academic writing on GPA can be found here.

Apps

• Mango Languages
• LingQ

Some Definitions

• Coach - a foreigner or local who helps you and the nurturer in the task.
• Comprehensible input - Content that a learner can understand the essence of but not does necessarily mean that they will understand the grammar or even all the words.
• G.P.A. - Growing Participatory Approach (GPA) as developed by Greg Thomson
• Nurturer – language helper or teacher
• Production – speaking the language.

Music by Canuto Ngui "Nfumayong" from Equatorial Guinea.

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