Terrific interview! During the pandemic, I decided to add French to my English and Spanish, where I have native fluency. I decided it would take three or four YEARS to get to a conversational level, which is realistic for a non-full-time student. Never believe the marketing baloney “learn a language in three weeks or months.” I am now at a conversational level in French.
The most honest people I’ve ever heard on RUclips about language learning, I think his success is also because that. Steve is not afraid to talk about his level in every language, most people do.
The thoughts articulated here by Steve are truly exceptional in general, and even stand out among the many videos and interviews with him I have watched. One reason is that they seem to apply to any type of learning and the moderate, at best, contributions that teaching is making to it. I’m a retired professor who was teaching some specific kind of information technology, and I always tried to get at what helps learning, rather than teaching. It is hard, of course, for a teacher, and not least with undergraduate students, may of whom seem to have been brainwashed into requesting traditional approaches to teaching, mainly optimized for teaching, rather than those optimized for learning. I failed at convincing those, while graduate students tended to love the approach. The difference between them is roughly one of learning to test vs learning to understand. In hindsight, Steve is helping me to understand my own experiences, in both learning languages (working on my 7th) and teaching other skills. Thank you both for this great interview!❤
Thank you for this valuable content! I’m struggling with learning Japanese right now. The results are not great, but I’m really committed to learning. I also enjoy the process ❤️🇯🇵
LingQ is a great learning source, maybe the best single one out there for multiple languages. Kaufman really knows what he’s talking about. Thats a good interview, I’m glad you just let him talk on his favourite subject.
It is 100% the best for reading and listening comprehension.. speaking.. there are probably better options.. unless money isn't a problem for you.. writing.. idk I've never wrote on LingQ either I have Brazilian friends so I don't need to write on LingQ.. unfortunately nobody wants to talk on the phone with me.. which is.. upsetting because I want to talk.. but anyway LingQ is by far the best and I find it very fun.. it's quite addicting to find new words or you're reading and find a LingQ that you realize now you know and you get to always see your numbers go up I've been reading a lot of books (in English) and maybe 1 in Portuguese.. but I haven't been able to use LingQ because of it for 4 months but now I'm about done with a series and I've had an ich to use LingQ... 😂
I’ve tried lots of apps and programs for language learning, and LingQ is by far the best one out there. It’s ideal for the workings of the brain. And most of all, it’s fun!
The traditional method persists because it makes money. Major publishers make a lot of money on text books. Universities get students to pay a lot of money each semester. Apps make money with monthly subscribers. It’s not about money-it’s ALL about money.
They wouldn’t make money on it so readily if people weren’t so willing to be suckered into false promises just because school instilled in them a wrong understanding of how learning works
1) you cant be fluent in every language 2) you can be conversational in many languages 3) you can be motivated if you enjoy learning 4) you can immerse yourself to read and listen 5) you have to study and practice to make it reflexive 6) you have to make alot of mistakes without being ashamed 7) do it wrong everyday to be able to do it right a year from now
When I started learning French, I spent two months explicitly studying, chapter by chapter, a 'complete french grammar' book. Most of my listening was the content from the grammar book I was using. In that first two months, I also added words to a vocabulary list that I reviewed through efficient self-testing and 'making up sentences in french' with the words I was reviewing. I got through the whole grammar book. After that, I went to school to study something else for eight months. I kind of just sat on the French I had learned and did a little bit of it during the eight months. After the eight months, I started studying french full time again and started watching kids shows in French and I progressed really fast. Anyways I have two points about grammar: 1) learning the grammar was relatively easy and I found it helpful to know what verb tense I was listening to, and also how to express myself correctly. And 2) since I learned complete french grammar I basically knew Italian grammar and Spanish grammar. Knowing the grammar allowed me to progress in spanish and Italian much faster... Although I would say it is the fact that I had gotten used to speaking with french grammar (as opposed to having explicit knowledge of it) that helped spanish and Italian feel a lot easier than it would have been without my french experience. Indeed, it is the habituation to the language that is key and not the explicit knowledge.
I am level A2 in Italian as an English speaker and I am just starting to learn Spanish… Do you have any suggestions on separating them in my mind since they are so similar or do I have to accept the fact that I will mix them up here and there and it is OK and that the main point is to be understood?
@deannaJesusIsLord I have no tips. I originally learned Italian (after achieving fluency in French) but then I really wanted to speak Spanish, since there are a lot of opportunities to speak Spanish... So I switched over to spanish... But it was really hard to not mix up the two.
I decided you're a very good interviewer on top of uploading interesting videos (like the one about using AI to study languages). That's not as easy as it sounds 👍👍👍
What he's saying about being patient with yourself is crucial. People give up on themselves way too easily because they allow their pride to be attached to their perceived level. Did we do this as kids with our first language? No, we just let the sounds surround us, and we used what we needed, when we needed it. And when we didn't know a specific word, we used body language and simpler words to describe the word we were looking for. Learning your 2nd, 3rd, etc, language as an adult works similarly. Learn a few words, then play with them and see what you can do. You'd be shocked at what you can communicate with so few words. When I first began learning Mandarin, I was so eager to go use it with strangers, that the fun of trying to chat with people alone was enough to blow my own mind and helped me realize how a little can go a long way. If you hide and wait for perfection, you do yourself a disservice. Go out there and make friends! If you can say things like "What is this?", "Can we go together?", "i like ...", "we are friends".... You will begin finding your few new words have relevance and the power to change your life in a meaningful way. Get out there and enjoy the process, accepting that you aren't perfect. You'll never look back :)
The speaking part is by FAR the hardest. You might get little opportunity to speak but you can read or listen as much as you like. I can understand Dutch no problem but cannot speak it at all
Read self-help books in a target language?!! I found that advice to be absolutely hilarious!!! And perfect! Funny because it's so true, the nature of self-help books... and funny because it was (to me) surprisingly obvious! Don't think I ever would have thought of that on my own, even though I am admittedly very often drawn to the "self-improvement" genre AND I've always wanted to learn a second language because my dad speaks German like a native speaker.
Here's a ChatGPT summary: - Steve Kauffman, a polyglot, speaks more than 15 languages and has been conversant in 20 languages at different times. - Kauffman emphasizes that language learning is based on motivation and that traditional methods are often ineffective because they focus on teaching and testing rather than exposure and habit formation. - He suggests that language learning should be an enjoyable experience, focusing on exposure to the language through reading and listening rather than theoretical grammar explanations. - Kauffman recommends starting with simple content with a lot of repetition and gradually moving to real content that interests the learner. - He believes that explicit grammar study can be helpful but should not be the main focus; instead, usage and exposure are key. - Reading is highlighted as a powerful tool for language learning, with Kauffman suggesting that it helps with vocabulary acquisition and should be paired with listening. - Kauffman uses AI tools like ChatGPT to create simplified summaries of books in different languages, which he finds helpful for language learning. - He stresses the importance of habits in language learning, both in terms of daily routines and creating new language habits in the brain. - Kauffman advises learners not to be frustrated by mistakes or what they can't say, as improvement comes with continued practice and exposure. - Main message: Language learning should be an enjoyable, habit-forming process focused on exposure and practice rather than traditional methods of teaching and testing.
Wow informaccion excellente. Gracias Amigos por me ayuda otra estillos a aprender un lengua Nueva. Tengo 36 mes mas o menos con Espanol. Para me cuando yo llegar en un pais Espanol yo aprender mucho palabras en El calle. Tambien cuando tu va por otra pais, tu leer muchos en restaurante y Otra negocios!
Awesome content! But I feel like people waste too much time on vocabulary lists. Instead of memorizing thousands of words, we should focus on mastering the most common 500 words and actually using them in conversations. It’s way more effective than trying to learn everything at once. Anyone else agree?
Definitely agree if the goal is to learn a dozen languages or as many as possible for fun or travel. But if you’re learning a language for career/job then it becomes necessary to learn, in a way, as much as possible. I say “in a way” because you don’t sit down and read the dictionary from cover to cover, rather, you end up finding yourself spending a lot of time reading the dictionary and trying to pick up as much vocabulary as possible. Examples are students or academics from non-English speaking countries who find themselves having to learn English to continue their advanced studies or do research or teach in England or America for example. If you are trying to attend medical school then you better learn and pick up as much vocabulary related to science, biology, anatomy etc before you can call yourself ready to go anywhere. In my case, I learned English in school as the official third language. According to the Moroccan system back in the 90s, English is taught starting in the second year of high school. So I had three years of English before I went to college to study English literature. by the way, three years means something similar to learning French in the US before the Internet. Meaning one class session a week for about eight months and no practice outside the class. There was no RUclips and no books or magazines. So we should be thankful we have the Internet now. anyway, I had to spend a lot if time when in university because high school does not prepare you for reading Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, and Emily Bronte etc. So I learned lots of high level vociferously way before learning the more common everyday life stuff. It was an interesting experience, but it worked out nicely for me because I ended up living in the US and had a chance to learn to speak like a “normal” person eventually 😅 This is not of course not how one should learn every language but sometimes you have to do things differently.
A question...is it possible or, better, is it something good or wise, learning two languages at the same time?..I mean, I'm still learning english (improving it..) but I wish starting German...what about??
The cliffhangers in the beginning are actually ruining this for me, I've listened to Steve Kaufmann's opinion a lot already so i kinda now what he's gonna say. So that actually made me not interested in the rest of the video anymore
No talk about how important it is to learn tp write in another language? That is the blue ribbon test of how well one truly knows a language. Write a whole page about your day in another language and you'll get a very good feel for your grammar and vocal abilities.
Great conversation! Regarding the last part, what's your take on reading and listening at the same time (in other words audiobook)? Are there any studies on how effective this is compared to solely reading or listening? What's your experience?
I don't know any studies about it but I have certainly noticed it is easier to miss some details when just listening as you (or me at least) are mainly focused on meaning. When I see the written form at the same time some smaller details are more obvious. That said, it is obviously easier to get large amounts of listening done. We only have so much time each day
@@matt_brooks-green Yes, I second that. I find my comprehension way higher when I (read/listen) or (read/listen/watch) simultaneously compared to one of them alone. But of course, as you say, it's always very convenient to pop a podcast in the background while cooking or commuting etc. Interesting thoughts! thx
@@amber_rgsit took you two weeks to think of that? And you end a sentence with "lol"? And you are unable to recognize and correct your spelling mistake in the first comment? Very intelligent indeed. See you in two weeks, take care
It's a Canadian accent. You can tell someone is Canadian when they pronounce about like "aboot", & instead of pronouncing process like praw-sess, they say PROH-sess. Look out for those two words. 😄
🔥Get FREE language learning tips every week to become a better language learner - 👉 geni.us/langclub
Terrific interview! During the pandemic, I decided to add French to my English and Spanish, where I have native fluency. I decided it would take three or four YEARS to get to a conversational level, which is realistic for a non-full-time student. Never believe the marketing baloney “learn a language in three weeks or months.” I am now at a conversational level in French.
The most honest people I’ve ever heard on RUclips about language learning, I think his success is also because that. Steve is not afraid to talk about his level in every language, most people do.
The thoughts articulated here by Steve are truly exceptional in general, and even stand out among the many videos and interviews with him I have watched. One reason is that they seem to apply to any type of learning and the moderate, at best, contributions that teaching is making to it. I’m a retired professor who was teaching some specific kind of information technology, and I always tried to get at what helps learning, rather than teaching. It is hard, of course, for a teacher, and not least with undergraduate students, may of whom seem to have been brainwashed into requesting traditional approaches to teaching, mainly optimized for teaching, rather than those optimized for learning. I failed at convincing those, while graduate students tended to love the approach. The difference between them is roughly one of learning to test vs learning to understand. In hindsight, Steve is helping me to understand my own experiences, in both learning languages (working on my 7th) and teaching other skills. Thank you both for this great interview!❤
Thank you for this valuable content! I’m struggling with learning Japanese right now. The results are not great, but I’m really committed to learning. I also enjoy the process ❤️🇯🇵
日本語上手!
Two of my favorite language RUclipsrs!
Thanks Steve!
When Steve Kaufmann has something to say about language learning, I think it's a good idea to listen :)
Wooooow this is huge, congrats man.
🥳 Thank you 🙏
Thanks for this interview. I always enjoy hearing what you guys have to say.
LingQ is a great learning source, maybe the best single one out there for multiple languages. Kaufman really knows what he’s talking about. Thats a good interview, I’m glad you just let him talk on his favourite subject.
It is 100% the best for reading and listening comprehension.. speaking.. there are probably better options.. unless money isn't a problem for you.. writing.. idk I've never wrote on LingQ either I have Brazilian friends so I don't need to write on LingQ.. unfortunately nobody wants to talk on the phone with me.. which is.. upsetting because I want to talk.. but anyway LingQ is by far the best and I find it very fun.. it's quite addicting to find new words or you're reading and find a LingQ that you realize now you know and you get to always see your numbers go up I've been reading a lot of books (in English) and maybe 1 in Portuguese.. but I haven't been able to use LingQ because of it for 4 months but now I'm about done with a series and I've had an ich to use LingQ... 😂
I’ve tried lots of apps and programs for language learning, and LingQ is by far the best one out there. It’s ideal for the workings of the brain. And most of all, it’s fun!
it's a tool in the toolbag, but it's pretty overrated. I bet he endorses it too $$$$
@@RafaMedina-Vendedor Lute3 is basically a free version of lingQ the refold yt channel made a video about it
Thanks for the support!
The traditional method persists because it makes money. Major publishers make a lot of money on text books. Universities get students to pay a lot of money each semester. Apps make money with monthly subscribers.
It’s not about money-it’s ALL about money.
true
They wouldn’t make money on it so readily if people weren’t so willing to be suckered into false promises just because school instilled in them a wrong understanding of how learning works
1) you cant be fluent in every language
2) you can be conversational in many languages
3) you can be motivated if you enjoy learning
4) you can immerse yourself to read and listen
5) you have to study and practice to make it reflexive
6) you have to make alot of mistakes without being ashamed
7) do it wrong everyday to be able to do it right a year from now
Thanks I annoyed he cut it out t first
Steve Kaufman is so humble ❤
Lingq in reality is worth 1.99 per month
When I started learning French, I spent two months explicitly studying, chapter by chapter, a 'complete french grammar' book. Most of my listening was the content from the grammar book I was using. In that first two months, I also added words to a vocabulary list that I reviewed through efficient self-testing and 'making up sentences in french' with the words I was reviewing.
I got through the whole grammar book.
After that, I went to school to study something else for eight months. I kind of just sat on the French I had learned and did a little bit of it during the eight months. After the eight months, I started studying french full time again and started watching kids shows in French and I progressed really fast.
Anyways I have two points about grammar:
1) learning the grammar was relatively easy and I found it helpful to know what verb tense I was listening to, and also how to express myself correctly.
And
2) since I learned complete french grammar I basically knew Italian grammar and Spanish grammar. Knowing the grammar allowed me to progress in spanish and Italian much faster... Although I would say it is the fact that I had gotten used to speaking with french grammar (as opposed to having explicit knowledge of it) that helped spanish and Italian feel a lot easier than it would have been without my french experience.
Indeed, it is the habituation to the language that is key and not the explicit knowledge.
I am level A2 in Italian as an English speaker and I am just starting to learn Spanish… Do you have any suggestions on separating them in my mind since they are so similar or do I have to accept the fact that I will mix them up here and there and it is OK and that the main point is to be understood?
@deannaJesusIsLord I have no tips.
I originally learned Italian (after achieving fluency in French) but then I really wanted to speak Spanish, since there are a lot of opportunities to speak Spanish... So I switched over to spanish... But it was really hard to not mix up the two.
Great interview!
Thanks Loïs!
I decided you're a very good interviewer on top of uploading interesting videos (like the one about using AI to study languages). That's not as easy as it sounds 👍👍👍
Thank you so much 🙏
great video
What he's saying about being patient with yourself is crucial. People give up on themselves way too easily because they allow their pride to be attached to their perceived level. Did we do this as kids with our first language? No, we just let the sounds surround us, and we used what we needed, when we needed it. And when we didn't know a specific word, we used body language and simpler words to describe the word we were looking for. Learning your 2nd, 3rd, etc, language as an adult works similarly. Learn a few words, then play with them and see what you can do. You'd be shocked at what you can communicate with so few words. When I first began learning Mandarin, I was so eager to go use it with strangers, that the fun of trying to chat with people alone was enough to blow my own mind and helped me realize how a little can go a long way. If you hide and wait for perfection, you do yourself a disservice. Go out there and make friends! If you can say things like "What is this?", "Can we go together?", "i like ...", "we are friends".... You will begin finding your few new words have relevance and the power to change your life in a meaningful way. Get out there and enjoy the process, accepting that you aren't perfect. You'll never look back :)
My sister told me that the English saying Practice makes perfect is not true. Practice makes progress !! as perfection does not exist.
That's great. Now you are more correct and much less motivating
The speaking part is by FAR the hardest. You might get little opportunity to speak but you can read or listen as much as you like. I can understand Dutch no problem but cannot speak it at all
Read self-help books in a target language?!! I found that advice to be absolutely hilarious!!! And perfect! Funny because it's so true, the nature of self-help books... and funny because it was (to me) surprisingly obvious! Don't think I ever would have thought of that on my own, even though I am admittedly very often drawn to the "self-improvement" genre AND I've always wanted to learn a second language because my dad speaks German like a native speaker.
Here's a ChatGPT summary:
- Steve Kauffman, a polyglot, speaks more than 15 languages and has been conversant in 20 languages at different times.
- Kauffman emphasizes that language learning is based on motivation and that traditional methods are often ineffective because they focus on teaching and testing rather than exposure and habit formation.
- He suggests that language learning should be an enjoyable experience, focusing on exposure to the language through reading and listening rather than theoretical grammar explanations.
- Kauffman recommends starting with simple content with a lot of repetition and gradually moving to real content that interests the learner.
- He believes that explicit grammar study can be helpful but should not be the main focus; instead, usage and exposure are key.
- Reading is highlighted as a powerful tool for language learning, with Kauffman suggesting that it helps with vocabulary acquisition and should be paired with listening.
- Kauffman uses AI tools like ChatGPT to create simplified summaries of books in different languages, which he finds helpful for language learning.
- He stresses the importance of habits in language learning, both in terms of daily routines and creating new language habits in the brain.
- Kauffman advises learners not to be frustrated by mistakes or what they can't say, as improvement comes with continued practice and exposure.
- Main message: Language learning should be an enjoyable, habit-forming process focused on exposure and practice rather than traditional methods of teaching and testing.
Wow informaccion excellente.
Gracias Amigos por me ayuda otra estillos a aprender un lengua Nueva. Tengo 36 mes mas o menos con Espanol. Para me cuando yo llegar en un pais Espanol yo aprender mucho palabras en El calle. Tambien cuando tu va por otra pais, tu leer muchos en restaurante y Otra negocios!
Awesome content! But I feel like people waste too much time on vocabulary lists. Instead of memorizing thousands of words, we should focus on mastering the most common 500 words and actually using them in conversations. It’s way more effective than trying to learn everything at once. Anyone else agree?
Definitely agree if the goal is to learn a dozen languages or as many as possible for fun or travel. But if you’re learning a language for career/job then it becomes necessary to learn, in a way, as much as possible. I say “in a way” because you don’t sit down and read the dictionary from cover to cover, rather, you end up finding yourself spending a lot of time reading the dictionary and trying to pick up as much vocabulary as possible. Examples are students or academics from non-English speaking countries who find themselves having to learn English to continue their advanced studies or do research or teach in England or America for example. If you are trying to attend medical school then you better learn and pick up as much vocabulary related to science, biology, anatomy etc before you can call yourself ready to go anywhere. In my case, I learned English in school as the official third language. According to the Moroccan system back in the 90s, English is taught starting in the second year of high school. So I had three years of English before I went to college to study English literature. by the way, three years means something similar to learning French in the US before the Internet. Meaning one class session a week for about eight months and no practice outside the class. There was no RUclips and no books or magazines. So we should be thankful we have the Internet now. anyway, I had to spend a lot if time when in university because high school does not prepare you for reading Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, and Emily Bronte etc. So I learned lots of high level vociferously way before learning the more common everyday life stuff. It was an interesting experience, but it worked out nicely for me because I ended up living in the US and had a chance to learn to speak like a “normal” person eventually 😅
This is not of course not how one should learn every language but sometimes you have to do things differently.
A question...is it possible or, better, is it something good or wise, learning two languages at the same time?..I mean, I'm still learning english (improving it..) but I wish starting German...what about??
I'm finally starting to get somewhere in Korean after 16 months but I haven't enjoyed the process!
The cliffhangers in the beginning are actually ruining this for me, I've listened to Steve Kaufmann's opinion a lot already so i kinda now what he's gonna say. So that actually made me not interested in the rest of the video anymore
The sign of a good language learner is [soft booming noise]
No talk about how important it is to learn tp write in another language? That is the blue ribbon test of how well one truly knows a language. Write a whole page about your day in another language and you'll get a very good feel for your grammar and vocal abilities.
Nonsense
Nice
Great conversation! Regarding the last part, what's your take on reading and listening at the same time (in other words audiobook)? Are there any studies on how effective this is compared to solely reading or listening? What's your experience?
I don't know any studies about it but I have certainly noticed it is easier to miss some details when just listening as you (or me at least) are mainly focused on meaning. When I see the written form at the same time some smaller details are more obvious. That said, it is obviously easier to get large amounts of listening done. We only have so much time each day
@@matt_brooks-green Yes, I second that. I find my comprehension way higher when I (read/listen) or (read/listen/watch) simultaneously compared to one of them alone.
But of course, as you say, it's always very convenient to pop a podcast in the background while cooking or commuting etc.
Interesting thoughts! thx
Wait, Steve is Eric Kaufmann's dad?
Yup, their politics as terrible as the others
@@amber_rgs Not as terrible as your English abilities.
@@properpolymath2097 if you're gonna try and burn me at least make it good lol.
@@amber_rgsit took you two weeks to think of that? And you end a sentence with "lol"? And you are unable to recognize and correct your spelling mistake in the first comment? Very intelligent indeed.
See you in two weeks, take care
How does this man of 20
languages have an Irish accent 😂😂😂
It's a Canadian accent. You can tell someone is Canadian when they pronounce about like "aboot", & instead of pronouncing process like praw-sess, they say PROH-sess. Look out for those two words. 😄
Don't I why grammar Steve is important not know that say
I don't know why Steve says that grammar is not important
i have to say i like your channel but the cliffhanger intros dont help at all..
Fair enough. You've got to try these things
Five minutes in no useful information, just advertising and slagging off other teachers.
Thank you, @matt_brooks-green, for all your videos. They have helped me a lot in my language-learning journey.
Amazing. I'm so pleased. Thanks for letting me know too! It means a lot