The best way to read in another language
When I start reading in a new language, I accept that I am not going to understand most of it. My brother compared it to mowing a lawn: if the grass is high, you set the blades high on the first pass ...
3 Sep 11min
Spain vs Latin America: how different is their Spanish?
Spanish is spoken across three continents, and learners worry constantly about picking the wrong version. But compared to English or Portuguese, the variation is surprisingly small. The vowels stay co...
27 Aug 18min
Why paper books beat screens for learning (backed by research)
I have somewhere between 60 and 70 shelves of books in this house, well over a thousand of them, in several languages, and I have finally started cataloguing the lot. Going through them reminded me wh...
21 Aug 6min
Why your reasons NOT to learn a language are just EXCUSES
I was with some Canadians recently who all agreed that French would help them professionally. Within a few minutes I had heard three reasons why they hadn't learned it: I can read but I can't speak, t...
13 Aug 6min
Why reading in some languages is harder than in others
Reading is a huge part of how I learn languages, but it is not equally easy in every language. In Spanish or Turkish I can sound out almost any word the first time I see it. In Arabic and Persian I of...
6 Aug 10min
9 habits that are KILLING your progress in a new language
Friction is what reduces our enjoyment of language learning, so in this video I go through the nine forms it takes and what I do about each one.
30 Juli 6min
How I learn grammar without studying grammar rules
Should you focus on words or grammar? Here's how I approach grammar as an input-based learner, and why most corrections never stick.
23 Juli 9min
How I'm getting my Portuguese ready for Portugal
In this video I'll you how I'm getting ready for my trip to Portugal by using point-of-view stories, circling questions, and AI to create custom lessons.
16 Juli 6min
