01 - Basic Principles For Efficient Language Learning - Rev PDF

Basic principles for efficient
language learning
realized by Luca Lampariello
in collaboration with Luca Toma
GROUPINSIDERS.COM EXCLUSIVE
L1 vs L2 learning:
are kids better learners?
•  A common suggestion is to learn

the way kids do, the natural way
•  Fact: without a doubt, kids end

up learning a language well
•  Wrong conclusion: learn like a

kid and you will succeed!
Conditions are different
•  Kids don’t have another L1 influencing L2

•  Conditions are different
•  They have no choice but to learn if they want to live: L1
acquisition is the result of living, not deliberate learning
•  When no choice no bad choice
•  Adults can learn the wrong way, and can give up
•  Wrong conclusion: kids learn better and faster
Apples and oranges
•  A good comparison should be done in the same conditions

otherwise we are comparing apples and oranges
•  Wrong conclusions adults have enormous

disadvantages vs kids!
•  Let’s look at the way kids learn a language and in what conditions
Kids - Conditions
Family School Movies, TV, Friends

radio, music
kids are learning L1 lots of time being part

surrounded by in a formal context, spent of a peer
the language interaction with listening and group
since birth classmates, getting babbling /
corrections in copying
writing, speaking
affection, social
playing, interaction
environment
curiosity learning as a
result of social
interaction
psychology with teachers
and other
learners
Kids - Conditions
Let’s do the math:
365 days x 18 years x 24 hours =
78.840 hours of reading, listening, speaking, writing...

living the language!
Everything happens as a whole process over the course of

a long time…
Adults - Conditions
Interference Curiosity Psychology Others
we have we have a various less time,

already an L1 less “genuine” impediments no environment
curiosity commitments
than a child
transfer of our fear of speaking,

L1 into L2 making mistakes,
being judged
structure
(grammar, syntax),
pronunciation,
intonation
Same conditions
•  Comparing is difficult because of different

- internal / psychological factors: L1 and no L2
emotional
connection
- external /environmental factors: family

friends
school
•  If an adult lives in a country, speaks, hears, listens to the

language, goes to school, gets corrected every day for 18
years very high level!
Learning an L2
•  Most people don’t go to live in-country…

How can they learn a language as
independent learners?
•  We have disadvantages but also advantages as adults
•  Start with the right mindset and make the right choices
Methods
•  Is there one best method to learn a language?

searching for an objective, universally efficient
method is pointless!
•  There is no one best method, one-fits-all method:

people have different learning styles and tastes
what suits you might not suit another
•  A trial and error process:

figure out what you like from the very beginning
Basic cognitive principles:
1) attitude
•  A positive mindset:
learning is fun and not difficult!
•  Your attitude towards the language and the people who

speak it plays a huge role
•  The psychological factor is essential
•  Know your limits and embrace them: they are your force!
2) make the time
•  I don’t have the time!
•  “It is not that we don’t have time,

it is that we make poor use of it”
Quintilian (Roman rethorician)
•  How do we make the time?

Portable devices are
a revolution: you can
listen anywhere and
whenever you want
if you want it!
3) consistency
•  Learn a bit every single day, twice a day
spend 30 minutes deliberately studying when

feeling fresh
•  Use your dead time by listening (mp3)

at the supermarket, at home (cleaning up,
washing the dishes)
•  Advantages:
regularly feeding the brain
the brain learns small chunks better
no burn-out
4) variation
•  Intelligible, interesting input, lots of it
•  Vary your work
doing the same thing is boring, but you can do so many
different things (analogy with muscles):
read read & listen listen read out loud speak to yourself
•  What counts is not only how much you do, but how you do it
•  Advantages:
listening and reading is easy
varying your work keeps you and your brain
interested and motivated
5) learn, don’t study
•  Learning a language is acquiring an ability, it is not an

academic subject to study as you are taught in school
•  Rote memorization is not an effective way to learn
•  You learn by repetition, variation and exposure to content
•  You learn words and grammar from context (and so do kids)

that you encounter, not by learning things by heart
6) motivation
•  Having a Ferrari (method) and no fuel (motivation) is like having no
Ferrari at all
•  Most people give up after little time because they don’t know how
to motivate themselves
•  Think about what you can do after some months of effective study:
•  Think of that every single day before and after having learned
something
7) action
•  The art of imperfection: you have to do something poorly before

doing it well
perfectionism can be a huge stumbling block
•  Speak when you feel ready, and when you do:

speak to yourself, find a partner on-line or
in real life for an exchange
•  Language is a communication tool, you perfect it

by using it it becomes automatic
Wrap up
Language learning is not difficult, it can be fun.

Language learning can change your life.
It can be done if you know how to do it.
The Internet has revolutionized
the way we can learn.
Happy language learning!

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Basic principles for efficient

• A common suggestion is to learn

• Fact: without a doubt, kids end

• Wrong conclusion: learn like a

• Kids don’t have another L1 influencing L2

• When no choice no bad choice

• Adults can learn the wrong way, and can give up

• Wrong conclusion: kids learn better and faster

• A good comparison should be done in the same conditions

• Wrong conclusions adults have enormous

Family School Movies, TV, Friends

kids are learning L1 lots of time being part

Let’s do the math:

365 days x 18 years x 24 hours =

78.840 hours of reading, listening, speaking, writing...

Everything happens as a whole process over the course of

Interference Curiosity Psychology Others

we have we have a various less time,

transfer of our fear of speaking,

• Comparing is difficult because of different

- external /environmental factors: family

• If an adult lives in a country, speaks, hears, listens to the

• Most people don’t go to live in-country…

• We have disadvantages but also advantages as adults

• Is there one best method to learn a language?

• There is no one best method, one-fits-all method:

• A trial and error process:

• Your attitude towards the language and the people who

• The psychological factor is essential

• I don’t have the time!

• “It is not that we don’t have time,

• How do we make the time?

spend 30 minutes deliberately studying when

• Use your dead time by listening (mp3)

• Learning a language is acquiring an ability, it is not an

• Rote memorization is not an effective way to learn

• You learn by repetition, variation and exposure to content

• You learn words and grammar from context (and so do kids)

• The art of imperfection: you have to do something poorly before

• Speak when you feel ready, and when you do:

• Language is a communication tool, you perfect it

Language learning is not difficult, it can be fun.

Happy language learning!

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•  A common suggestion is to learn

•  Fact: without a doubt, kids end

•  Wrong conclusion: learn like a

•  Kids don’t have another L1 influencing L2

•  When no choice no bad choice

•  Adults can learn the wrong way, and can give up

•  Wrong conclusion: kids learn better and faster

•  A good comparison should be done in the same conditions

•  Wrong conclusions adults have enormous

•  Comparing is difficult because of different

•  If an adult lives in a country, speaks, hears, listens to the

•  Most people don’t go to live in-country…

•  We have disadvantages but also advantages as adults

•  Is there one best method to learn a language?

•  There is no one best method, one-fits-all method:

•  A trial and error process:

•  Your attitude towards the language and the people who

•  The psychological factor is essential

•  I don’t have the time!

•  “It is not that we don’t have time,

•  How do we make the time?

•  Use your dead time by listening (mp3)

•  Learning a language is acquiring an ability, it is not an

•  Rote memorization is not an effective way to learn

•  You learn by repetition, variation and exposure to content

•  You learn words and grammar from context (and so do kids)

•  The art of imperfection: you have to do something poorly before

•  Speak when you feel ready, and when you do:

•  Language is a communication tool, you perfect it