Saturday's Self-Study Language Learning Tip: Use Trial and Error to Determine How Your Brain Likes to Learn
Many language learners spend years searching for the "best" method. In reality, the most effective method is often the one that matches how you learn. For example, how do you remember vocabulary best? Do you remember a word because you saw it in print? If so, extensive reading may be your superpower. Books, newspapers, websites, blogs, and subtitles may help vocabulary stick because your brain is naturally attentive to written forms. Or do you remember words because you hear them? If that sounds like you, podcasts, conversations, films, YouTube videos, songs, and audiobooks may be more powerful than vocabulary lists. Some learners can recall the sound of a word long before they can spell it. Some people need to write new vocabulary. The physical act of taking notes, making word cards, copying examples, or keeping a journal creates another pathway into memory. Others find this tedious and gain far more from repeated exposure through reading and listening. The same principle...