Friday, March 27, 2020

Poplar Tent - Learn to Succeed at Sports and Business

Poplar Tent - Learn to Succeed at Sports and BusinessPoplar Tent provides many different types of programs such as tennis, golf, basketball, soccer, volleyball, and many others. It was once a company that only provided school programs for children but now offers all types of services. They also offer tutoring, business development, travel, and much more.Poplar Tent provides many different programs for children, especially in the sports arena. Tennis is their most popular sport which they are very well known for. It is important to keep your child on track in tennis so that they learn correct techniques and all that is required to compete in the game. Even for beginners, it is important to learn all that is needed to be successful in tennis and this is what Poplar Tent provides.Tennis is a sport that you can learn from anyone at any age. This is a great sport for both adults and children because it is fun to watch. So why not try it out today? Poplar Tent will help you get started and make your child's tennis dreams come true.Soccer is a very popular sport for children. There are many kids who have been playing this sport since they were little and have learned everything that it takes to be successful in the game. Soccer is one of the best loved sports and Poplar Tent has been providing all types of programs to help players succeed in the game.Now you can get instruction from professional soccer players so that you can get help with anything that you need. Poplar Tent will provide you with everything that you need for soccer and this includes uniforms, balls, soccer shoes, and training gear. These items will all be provided to you will have everything you need to be successful.You can also learn how to become a good kicker, punter, or even a quarterback for your football team. If you want to learn how to make a field goal, you can find that out on the internet. You can also find tutors who will help you learn everything that you need to know for all of your nee ds in the game.Tutoring can help you find the perfect way to succeed in whatever you decide to do. There are so many sports to choose from and it is up to you to find the ones that you like and the ones that you will be successful at. The decision is yours and it can help you in so many ways.

Friday, March 6, 2020

Would you do this if you got robbed A listening exercise.

Would you do this if you got robbed A listening exercise. What Julio Diaz did after being robbed in the subway is courageous, compassionate and perhaps a bid dangerous. What do you think? Have you ever been robbed? Julio has a great bronx/Spanish accent. Youll notice sometimes he elongates his e sounds. This listening exercise uses audio from StoryCorps.Click here to go to the audio version of the story. It will open in a second window.Answer the questions below in comments, and well reply.1. Where did the robbery happen? What weapon did the teenager have?2. Why does he give him coat?3. What does he invite him to do?4. What happens at the diner? What does the young thief think about Julio?5. What questions does Julio ask the young thief?6. Who pays for the bill?7. Why does the thief give him his wallet back?8. What does Julio give to the thief and what does the thief give to Julio in return?9. What is Julios view of the world?Check out some of our lessons  about getting robbed:https://cal.skypeenglishclasses.com/lesson/lucky-thief-55-minute -lessonhttps://cal.skypeenglishclasses.com/lesson/reading-and-conversationthe-car-thief-25-minute-lessonHave you been robbed? What was your situation? Were you scared?

Using a Private Tutor A Short Rationale

Using a Private Tutor A Short Rationale Improving Academic Performance MyGuru students seek private tutoring for a variety of reasons. Some are “A” students today, but striving for the best grade in the class through focused tutoring sessions in “problem” areas. Others are “D” students, looking for long term help to improve their general conceptual understanding. Some are already scoring above the 90th percentile on a standardized test, but realize that getting into an Ivy League university or one of the top graduate, MBA, Law, or Medical schools is only getting more intense, and thus seek private tutoring to squeeze out a few extra points on the test. But, others are truly struggling, scoring well below average, and in desperate need of the confidence to perform at or above average. For some students, the key issues are knowledge-based â€"meaning the students don’t know certain facts or understand certain concepts that they need to master to perform better. But, in more cases than many people might realize, the issue is more emotional or psychological â€" the student just needs a private tutor to help them build confidence, relax, and perform in the classroom or on a standardized tests. The benefit of customized, private tutoring is that the particular situation, strengths, and weaknesses of the student can be understood and addressed by the tutor, thus improving performance. The problem with a high school classroom, an ACT, SAT, LSAT, MCAT, or GMAT prep class, or a college lecture hall is that the teacher is teaching a standardized set of materials to everyone. The teacher simply can’t pick up on queues provided by individual students regarding what’s hindering their understanding, and thus some fall behind. Or, because the material is meant to address the entire class, the teacher can’t help the fact that some of the students understand everything perfectly, and need to be challenged with more difficult material. In other words, a classroom is “OK’ for the average student, but a private, customized experience is better for everyone, and if you happen to be particularly below or above average, then a private tutor is much more effective than a classroom experience. One great way to determine whether you need a private tutor is to ask yourself why it is that youaren'tperforming as well as you’d like. If the answers are something like the following: I don’t do my homework I haven’t been to class I haven’t been listening well in class Then, you probably don’t need a private tutor. What you need is to start doing the above things first, and see how you do. Most likely, your performance in school will start to improve. It might sound crazy, but truly attending class and completing the assigned homework will work for most people. The homework is specifically designed to complement the classroom learning experience. However, if your issues are things such as: I don’t understand the laws of triangles (or economics, biology, etc.) What the professor is saying doesn’t make sense to me I get so nervous I freeze during tests This is all too easy for me Then, a private tutor is probably a good thing to consider.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Jam and Learn Passive Listening Language Learning with Music

Jam and Learn Passive Listening Language Learning with Music Passive Listening Language Learning with Music It’s a demanding world out there.How many times have you heard the following cries for attention?You’re just not listening.Everything I say goes in one ear and right out the other.Aren’t you paying attention?What did I just say!?Yes, after a while, actively listening can just be exhausting. Itd be nice to get a break.But you’re a language learner. Don’t you have to keep your ears open and your mind actively engaged when you’re trying to learn a language?Luckily, theres another option: Theres a way to use music for passive listening to learn a language. What Is Passive Listening?The auditory part of language learning is dominated by active listeningâ€"making an effort to hear the sounds of the words, trying to figure out which words you’re hearing and trying to translate less-familiar phrases.So, what on earth is passive listening? And can it actually be useful?Sleep learning  is probably the ultimate in passive listening, but even having music or television playing in the background can count. Basically, any time you hear media and you’re not directly paying attention to it, that can be considered passive listening.Somewhat controversial in language learning, passive listening is a learning technique that relies on the subconscious processing of background audio for more natural or effortless language acquisition.The Universe of Memory cites several reasons that passive listening can help you prime your memory for more active learning.On the other hand, noted language learner Benny Lewis of Fluent in 3 Months fame did some personal experiments with passive listening  and found the results much less than satisfactory.He describes the chances of mastering another language through passive listening as not a hope in hell, and the benefits of passive listening for language learning as barely better than nothing.And Benny’s not alone.Donovan, an applied linguistics graduate who runs The Mezzofanti Guild for fellow language learners, declares that passive language learning is nonsense. There are ongoing debates about it among language learners on Reddit and Quora.Why Use Music to Passively Learn a Language?Given all the controversy about learning a language through passive listening, you may be wondering what magic music holds that could help you overcome some of passive listening’s potential weaknesses.Here are a few of the reasons why music shines as a passive learning delivery systemâ€"even if you share in the skepticism about passive learning.Music catches your attentionâ€"on some level.Have you ever sat at a restaurant in the middle of a conversation with someone and noticed the song playing in the background muzak?You may be very intensely involved in the exchange with your dining companion. Nonetheless, a familiar tune will catch your ear.Even if you’re listening passively, music subconsciously gets your attention.The sound of music lets you hear native pronunciation.Listening to music in a target language can help you get more familiar with the language’s sounds.Sure, if you’re just starting out with the language, you probably won’t pick up on specific words or their meanings yet. But, on a more fundamental levelâ€"a phonemic level, if you willâ€"your brain will start to familiarize itself with the sounds that make up the language.Whether it’s the uvular Rs of French or German or the rolled R found in Spanish, Italian, Polish or Russianâ€"or any of these not-so-alien sounds from other languagesâ€"the music can expose you to the proper pronunciations of the basic auditory building blocks of a language.Music is entertaining.Whether it’s soothing or energizing, music entertains our brains. And, when we’re feeling entertained, we tend to feel happy and relaxed.According to linguistic expert Dr. Stephen Krashen, language learners have an affective filter that can impede language acquisition when the learner is stressed or anxious.So, doesn’t it make sense to listen to music you enjo y in the language you’re trying to learn, bypassing the affective filter with some groovy tunes and a catchy chorus or two?Music makes words memorable.As we listen to the same music repeatedly, becoming more familiar with it, we’re actually activating an important part of our brain that governs the storage of long-term memories.Deep inside the temporal lobe of your brain, the hippocampus controls both emotions and memory. So, when you make yourself happy by finding enjoyable music in your target language, you’re also stimulating the part of your brain thatll improve your memory.Both musicians and non-musicians alike can remember melodies and lyrics. We’ve all had the experience of learning song lyrics from repeatedly hearing a hit song on the radioâ€"even if we’re making no conscious effort to commit the words to memory. The music itself makes the lyrics more memorable.This may be why advertising jingles stick in your head forever. Although earworms  can be annoying, you c an use your brain’s natural tendency to remember songs by focusing on songs in other languages… which can passively lead to your learning more of those languages.In addition to strengthening our long-term memory storage, listening to music also sharpens our ears. It makes us better able to distinguish between different language sounds.Music travels well.You can take music wherever you go. And it’s perfect for multitasking!Fit it into your workout, your chores and your commute. Listen to it as you drift off to sleep.While you’re otherwise occupied, part of your brain can get funky with your favorite songs.Music is personal.Whether it’s techno, adult contemporary, country, hip-hop or opera, there’s music that suits your personal taste.Listen to whatever styles you enjoyâ€"you’re almost certain to find them in your target languages.Once you start recognizing tunes and lyrics from passively listening to songs in other languages, they’ll take their rightful place on the p ersonal playlist within your mind. You’ll associate them with times and places in your life, just like you would with music in your native language.In this way, the sound cultures of the language you’re trying to learn will profoundly become part of you. They won’t seem foreign anymore; they’ll be an important part of the soundtrack of your life.Passive Listening Language Learning with MusicHow to Make Passive Music Listening Part of Your Language Learning RoutinePassive listening can become part of your language learning strategy. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of it.Don’t rely on passive listening alone for language learning.Truth be told, you’re not going to learn a language from the ground up by passively listening to music, radio, podcasts, or television programs in the target languageâ€"no matter how much you love the genre or how boring the task you’re performing while listening is.If you’re serious about learning a language, it’s best to c onsider passive listening as a supplemental part of a largely active language learning program.Passive listening, while controversial in language learning, may have a few benefitsâ€"especially when paired with the toe-tapping, memory-stimulating power of music. But language learning by passive listening alone is probably little more than a pipe dream. It needs to be integrated into a more active language learning program to really help.For example, you might try listening to music videos while you’re doing something else… then go back later, watch them carefully and look up words as needed.Beginners: Try passive listening to help you recognize the sounds of a language.Fill your ears with the native pronunciations of a language. Then, use a resource like FluentU’s music videos to match the sounds to the written language. (We speak more in-depth about FluentU later in this post so stay tuned to learn more!)Early on in your language learning, you won’t be familiar with all the sounds of the language. Passively listening to music can help your early language learning by filling your ears with the native pronunciations of a language.Even if you don’t know what the words mean yet or how they’re spelled, you can get a subconscious grasp of how the language sounds when spoken (or sung).To leverage this passive listening experience, though, you’ll need to take your language learning to the next level by seeing how the words you’re hearing correspond to the written language… and, in your early learning, how they translate into a language you know well.How can you match the music to the written word? Captions on YouTube tend to be auto-generated, so they’re not always reliable.The music videos on FluentU are captioned by language experts, though. And the captions are interactiveâ€"so you can select any unknown words on the screen to find out what they mean.You can also use any of the numerous lyric websites available online to find the words to practi cally any song!Intermediate and advanced learners: Supplement your language learning resources with passive listening.For more experienced learners who want to branch out in their learning with culturally relevant resources, passively listening to music can be a great way to amp up your language learning.Passive music listening exposes more experienced learners to culturally relevant materials and opens the door for  active language study with music.Once you have a solid grasp of a language, you can recognize many more words and phrases. You’ll be much more likely to learn the words of songs playing in the background, just like you would if you were listening to songs in your native language.Learners of all levels: Use repetition to reap the benefits of passive listening language learning.Repetition helps beginners recognize the language’s sounds; more advanced learners can passively learn and retain lyrics, just as they might in their native language.Create playlists and play t hem often to give your brain the chance to pick up on lyrics.Keep yourself guessing by playing the songs in random order. This can prompt your subconscious to pay a little more attention since you won’t know exactly what’s coming next.Where Can You Find Music for Passive Listening Language Learning?Spotify:  Stream pre-made playlists, provided by other users.Whether you’re into a particular artist or a set of genres, Spotify has plentiful passive listening resources for your musical language learning.Once you create a free account and log in, you can access loads of different genres. You can build your own library of playlists, filled with music that interests you.Similar to Netflix, Spotify will plug your choices into an algorithm, generating a Made for You section that guides you to new musical favorites.FluentU: Enjoy curated videos with personalized suggestions.Use your favorite portable device (or browser) to play music videos in your target language as you complete other tasks, letting FluentU supply a steady stream of background music. FluentU will build a list of suggested videos that are based on your target language and learning level, offering you the most useful musical resources.FluentU is about more than just music videos, offering many different authentic content types like news, movie trailers, inspirational talks and so much more.When you want to switch from passive listening to active language-learning mode, you can take advantage of the exercises and activities associated with the videos.Capture the subtle nuances of each songâ€"just touch an unfamiliar word or phrase as you’re watching a music video, and FluentU will show you the definition in context, with several real-world examples. Want to save it for later review? Just add it to your flashcard deck with another touch.YouTube: Find a wide variety of songs to enrich your passive listening language learning.With a vast supply of music in dozens of languages and styles from many di fferent eras, YouTube can introduce you to a wide variety of songs to enrich your passive listening language learning experience.YouTube’s search engine is run by its parent company, Google. That means it does a fairly good job of finding similar material to your searches, which it uses to populate an Up Next playlist.When you’ve done multiple searches for music in a particular language and you have Autoplay switched on, you’ll automatically get unending hours of passive listening material.iTunes: Apple iOS users can take a bite out of the global music scene.Stream international music in dozens of genres to your iPhone or iPad. Choose from tens of thousands of songs.iTunes selections are neatly categorized by an extensive range of cultures, styles, and languages, such as Dangdut, K-Pop, Chinese Regional Folk, Guaracha or Thai Country.Google Play: Music for your favorite Android device.Unlike the smorgasbord format of iTunes, Google Play tends to localize its offerings to your location… which can get frustrating when you’re trying to open your musical horizons.A simple hack for finding music in your target language is simply looking for an artist you already know in the Search box at the top of Google Play’s Music section.Not only will you see a short bio of that artist at the top of the screen, but you’ll also get a selection of similar artists and songs.Amazon: 50 million songsâ€"and counting.The online retail giant has a large selection of music from around the world.Amazon offers streaming music as well as music on physical media like CDs. Some of it comes from 3rd party merchants, though, so the prices and delivery speeds can varyâ€"and you may pay more than you expect on shipping for some items.If you already have an in-home gizmo like Alexa, you can simply ask her to find you music in your target language(s), in the genres you most enjoy.Online radio stations: Marconi makes his mark on passive listening.Some music stations stream their audi o online, often for free. Use your browser to stream audio from radio stations across the world.Radio List is a gateway to streaming radio from around Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. The best selection is for European countries. Find free radio programming in languages such as:French German (from Germany or Austria) Italian Portuguese (primarily from Portugal) Spanish (primarily from Spain) Russian PolishStreema has a generous selection of radio stations in Spanish, originating from such diverse locations as Argentina, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela and New York City.Streema also covers Asian languages well. Filter by language or country to find radio stations broadcasting in languages such as:Chinese Hindi Japanese Korean Tamil Thai VietnameseYour local library: Score international music resources.For little costâ€"and frequently for freeâ€"you can often find music resources for passive listening language learning through your local libr ary.Many public libraries have ongoing sales of used CDs. You can wander into almost any public library to purchase cut-rate used CDs, even if you don’t have your library card with you.If you’re willing to kick it old school and get your music from physical media, you’ll often get the bonus of liner notes with lyrics for more active language study… all while paying a fraction of the cost of a brand-new CD.Also, many local libraries offer free membership to media-sharing sites like Hoopla.In Hoopla, you can enter your target language into the search box at the topâ€"it’s usually better to use français for French, for example, to avoid getting unexpected results.You can also filter by language using the checkboxes on the left-hand side of the page, although you may need to complete at least one search before these filters appear.When you want to take a little break from active listening and employ some passive listening language learning, don’t feel like all your language learning progress will be lost.Just turn up your speakers, hum a little tune and let the sound of music transport you to another linguistic world.Michelle Baumgartner is a language nerd who has formally studied seven languages and informally dabbled in at least three others. In addition to geeking out over slender vowels, interrogative particles and phonemes, Michelle is a  freelance content writer and education blogger. Keep up with her latest adventures in language and learning on  Twitter.

Why Secession Petitions are Good and the Death Star is Bad

Why Secession Petitions are Good and the Death Star is Bad starwars.wikia.com In the past weeks, petitions have sprung up for a variety of clearly ridiculous proposals. The most notably absurd of these is the request for the government to build a Death Star. I assume its safe to say that people dont actually want the government to begin planning for the construction of a fictional intergalactic warship, which means there must be some other motive behind this petition and others like it. The most likely reasoning is the belief that by signing a Death Star petition people are protesting the existence of secession petitions by highlighting the fact that using the White House website to advance a cause does not make it legitimate. But in fact, all this does is cheapen the relevance of White House petitions in the first place. There are people who would argue that the petition policy should be done away with, but for those who still believe in the First Amendments right to petition, this should not be satisfying. Ill be the first to tell you that secessionists, even in my home state of Texas where secession talk is nothing new, are being illogical, divisive, and un-American, but the existence of petitions which express seriously-held political views does not justify a backlash against this entirely beneficial White House policy. I may not like it and you may not like it, but some Americans feel that their state should leave the Union, and the great thing about that Union is that it offers them a way to make their voices heard by the highest authority in government himself. But now, due to political disagreement, people have taken to disrespecting and defiling the system which is meant to be used for petitioning the White House. You might get a chuckle out of the request to deport all secession petitioners, but signing something like this without genuinely being in favor of the cause is equivalent to voting for Bruce Wayne in a presidential election. You may not be doing anything inherently ba d, but you cheapen the legitimacy of our democratic system by doing so. President Obamas petition policy could be a great thing. Sure, well have to weather the occasional ludicrous request, but a simple no from the White House is as far as those petitions will get. In exchange for that small annoyance, as few as 25,000 people can now bring any issue they wish to the attention of the federal government. Serious pending petitions on the site right now range from a request to support Catalan independence from Spain (an issue where the president has no tangible power, but can exert influence by expressing an opinion) to support for finalizing standards for gluten-free labeling. These are issues that matter, brought by citizens who care about their causes, and by getting the required number of signatures they are at least able to secure a response from the White House, symbolizing a first step in the political process. For many Americans, secession petitions represent the worst kind of political action, but the real enemy are the ones who make a joke of the e ntire system.

Chungdahm Learning

Chungdahm Learning Chungdahm Learning Aclipse recruits adventurous university graduates to teach English in Asia. Aclipse is currently recruiting forChung Dahm Learning. Chung Dahm Learning is Koreas foremost leader of English education withover 180 locations throughout Korea, 40,000 students and over 1,000 trained and certified instructors. Chung Dahm is also recruiting for locations in Vietnam. The locations include: Thanh Hoa, Vinh Phuc, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Cam Pha, Vinh, Thai Nguyen, Bai Chay. Chung Dahm Learning provides a comprehensive research-based English language curriculum for its teachers that prepares theirstudents to successfully use English in both academic and business environments. Teachers and students utilize the Chung Dahm 3.0 platform where smart tablets and flat screen monitors are used to enhance the educational experience. Chung Dahm Learning has proven itself to be more than just a teaching job. Our high salaries are a reflection of the premium value with place on our instructors.

3 Bold Language Study Techniques That All Lead to Victory

3 Bold Language Study Techniques That All Lead to Victory 3 Bold Language Study Techniques That All Lead to Victory We all get wrapped up in figuring out  how to learn something, right?With so many language learning resources available online and off, its easy to get lost in a sea of questions about  different learning methods.Should I practice speaking right away, or should I undergo a silent period?Is  reading  more important than speaking?How could I possibly learn a language through native materials?It can feel overwhelming.But heres the thingâ€"theres no right way to learn anything!Whether youre just now picking up a new language or whether youre one of those seasoned language learning warriors, you can always switch things up and find what works and is most comfortable for you.While some people are drawn to books and traditional study, others are drawn to conversation partners and language exchange. One is not better than the otherâ€"the only thing that matters is how well you respond to whatever learning technique or study approach youve picked.And as you progress in your studying, youll fi nd you need to borrow from other methods to improve certain skills.The learning system or study technique you choose doesnt and shouldnt represent everything you need to learn a language. It instead helps define how you spend the majority of your time, and helps prioritize the aspects of learning that are most important to you.So, are you looking for a main language learning technique that fits you? Or are you looking to spice up your studying life by trying something new? If so, keep on reading!3 Bold Language Study Techniques That All Lead to Victory 1. For the Experimental and Devoted: Massive Input and SRSWhats the Deal with Massive Input and SRS?This language learning method is for those people with a strong devotion to their target language. Does that sound like you? Well, massive input is a language learning method inspired by the blog All Japanese All The Time and  Dr. Stephen Krashens  academic research into language acquisition.Essentially, you learn the language almost t hrough osmosis, through 18-24 hours a day of input. That means listening to and reading native media and tons of it! The principle  is that, much like how a baby or young child learns, you learn the language by hearing the same vocabulary and grammar structures over and over and over.Of course, unless youve chosen a language very similar to one you already know, youll want to have context with that input. That means using translations of books youve read before, dubs of cartoons and movies with which youre already familiar and even textbooks and translations as needed.To seal all of that freshly gained knowledge into your head, try using a spaced repetition system (SRS). An SRS is a flashcard app that presents you with the cards youve made based on an algorithmâ€"youll get cards youve gotten wrong sooner, and cards you find easy later. Because an SRS presents you with the same cards over and over, youll find that the repeated timed exposure helps you retain all that information your e absorbing through media.SRS works even better if you enter in sentences and translations of those sentences (from textbooks, or from novels and comics where you look up words you don’t know). That way, youre exposed to grammar, verb conjugations and noun cases right along with that vocab.How Do I Get Started and Keep on Going?First of all, you need to acquire media and an SRS.For DIY-ing your SRS input, theres Anki and Mnemosyne, both of which work great and have wonderful communities to help you get started.As for media to feed that input, try  Amazon third-party sellers for books and DVDs in your target language. You can also try Project Gutenberg for free older novels in your L2.  Podcasts are great, often free resources for native listening, so set your iTunes store  account to a country in which your target language is spokenâ€"that way, youll get suggestions for popular podcasts. Use TuneIn  for plenty of target language talk radio and music.For super convenient learning, subscribe to  FluentU  for a personalized SRS program with built-in media for massive input.  FluentU  provides you with short clips of native mediaâ€"like cartoons, news, vlogs, music videos and interesting talksâ€"so you can get in those short bursts. It automatically keeps track of the words you struggle with, and lets you learn with multimedia flashcards that link up to different usages and context in various videos.As for keeping up a listening schedule, try to listen whenever physically possible. That could be while doing chores, while at work, while doing homework, while commutingâ€"anything! Theres no such thing as too much listening, so take a look at your day-to-day life and see where you might fit in some much needed language exposure.Passive listening can benefit your language learning, too, so dont feel bad if youre not always paying attention to your audio. Set a schedule for watching movies or TV showsâ€"an episode a day, or two movies a week, whatever is reasonable f or you.As for SRS, do reps every single day.  Believe meâ€"once you slip up a day or two, you build up quite the backlog of flashcards. And anyways, SRS works best when used consistently, over months and months. Make it a point to add cards every day, too. Theres no hard and fast rule for how many you addâ€"just be consistent! Adding a ton of cards in one sitting will only give you a mountain of work the next day, so think before you add. Ive personally had luck consistently adding 20 to 25 cards a day, but if you can do 10, or 50, that works, too.Theres no need to switch things up too much as you progress. Because youre learning through native-level media, your regimen will still be great for you at the intermediate and advanced stages. Basically, time is the key factor here. If you keep up your media consumption and SRS-ing long enough, youll progress!Pros and ConsIf youre thinking about traveling down the media-based language-learning road, keep in mind that conversational skills will develop later than with other learning methods. Youre not necessarily taking in the  most  important vocabulary at the beginningâ€"youre learning what interests you.But while massive input is definitely a slow burn, learners who have followed through on this method have achieved high levels of fluency. Some, like Khatzumoto (All Japanese All The Time) and Ramses (The Language Dojo), are even mistaken for native speakers!2. For the Analytical and Old-fashioned: Textbooks and WordlistsWhats the Deal with Textbooks and Wordlists?Those of us with Luddite-esque tendencies just want to sit down with a nice notebook and pencil and turn off the technology once in a while. Some of us find comfort in the step-by-step approach of textbooks and rote memorization of grammar. And of course, that is how people used to learn foreign languages!While these days learning styles trend towards making the most out of our globalized internet, that doesnt mean you cant stick to the tried-and-true way s of doing things. Especially when cleverly supplemented with modern tools, textbooks can take you farther than ever before!Wordlists are to textbooks what SRS is to massive input. User Iversen from the How to Learn Any Language forum created the wordlist memorization method. Basically, you take groups of 5-7 words (usually within a theme for context) and write them down by hand. You memorize the translation from L2 to L1, and vice versa! Its a great way to systematize your rote learning, especially if you dont like SRS. The context and the physical act of writing both boost your memory so that youre always moving forward.How Do I Get Started and Keep on Going?First, check out blogs, like FluentUs  language specific ones, to find recommendations for textbooks. User reviews are key to finding good textbooks that are accurate and use the learning style you like!If youre short on cash, use Google Books to hunt down older textbooks in the public domain.VitalSource is a great place to se arch for e-textbooks for your target language. You can get them for much cheaper than your average physical textbook, and they carry books for many modern world languages.Textbooks with supplemented audio are great, because us bibliophiles can sometimes neglect the listening comprehension side of things. Finally, wordlists are relatively simpleâ€"grab your  notebook and follow this wordlist tutorial to get the hang of things.To get the most out of your study, make sure youre consistent! Choose a doable number of vocab words you want to learn each day and commit to thatâ€"though you can change it up if its too much or if you can do more! Maybe you can complete half a textbook lesson everyday, or three lessons a week. However, if you find youre not retaining information, redo each lesson as many times as necessary to get a handle on the material.To top it all off, you might want to tear a page from the book of massive input and get in a little native-level listening every now and agai n. Listening and understanding the spoken language are important and can really boost your textbook-based learning.As you progress beyond the beginner stage, textbooks can become a little tricky. Most popular languages will have intermediate and advanced textbooks, but they can be harder to find. So, what to do? Readers (like this German one) are great, because they give you that native-level literature while also giving you the support of a textbook.More advanced grammar books also can take the place of comprehensive intermediate textbooks, because they (obviously) introduce more complex grammar concepts, and even more complex vocabulary. But once youve reached the intermediate stage, it should feel natural to start nosing around some native-level books and websites to see what you can understand and where your learning gaps are!Pros and ConsTextbook learners will be  great at reading and grammar. Where other folks struggle with conjugations and noun cases, textbook learners will e xcel at them through natural interest. On the other hand, textbook learners will lag behind in speaking and aural comprehension, but thats no big deal. Once youve got the basics down, feel free to improve your skills through language partners and listening!3. For the Outgoing and Talkative: Conversation Partners, Tutors and Learning by DoingWhats the Deal with Conversation and Output?While  some of us are happy to stay inside with a textbook or movie for the day, other learners just love to talk! And talking and interaction can be a great learning methodâ€"check out Benny the Irish Polyglots techniques  to see how far you can get. By building in-person relationships with real people, this method helps you remember the language youre learning by tying it to fun memories and experiences.  Using the language helps to cement it in your mind.And, of course, making an embarrassing mistake might be awful in the moment, but you probably won’t make the same mistake again, right?If you dont live in a target language country but you still crave that conversational interaction, never fear! Set up language exchanges with folks in other countries who want to learn your native language. You can meet up with them on Skype and practice to your hearts content.You can also hire an online or in-person tutor to help you out. Tutors are great for people who just want to practice speaking, because you won’t feel pressured to teach your native language, and the tutor will likely force you out of your comfort zone and expand your working knowledge of the language. People who use this method definitely get to a conversational level faster than those who use other methods!How Do I Get Started and Keep on Going?Well, if youre in a country where people speak your target language, what are you waiting for? Get out there and socialize! You can find clubs and meetups online if you want a structured way to meet people.If you’re in a country where native speakers of your new language are hard to find, get a conversation partner through italki, Mixxer  or Conversation Exchange.You can also find an online tutor on italki and schedule regular lessons.  All you need to do to get started is to select your preferred teacher, then schedule your first paid trial lesson.If youre going the tutoring route, dedicated tutoring sites offer some big advantages as well and are worth checking out: You can use WyzAnt to find a tutor near you who meets your exact specifications, and Verbling for a streamlined online tutoring experience.Once you have your tutoring or language exchange sessions set up, be like Benny the Irish Polyglot and get your hands on a phrasebook and dictionary in your target language. Lonely Planet is a great phrasebook resource for a wide variety of languages, even including some regional variations and harder-to-find language options.Memorize some basic phrases and dive right in for your first Skype meeting! As you go on, try to practice the language regularly , and brush up on the basics with a phrasebook or online resource.And if no one is around for the time being, dont let your language skills fall flat! Sing along to music or read the language out loud to yourself. Practice conversations in your head, or even talk to yourselfâ€"no judgment! Down time is also great for supplementing with some L2 listening through podcasts or talk radio. After all, understanding the other person is half of the conversation.Even though this language method seems totally different from massive input, theyre really two sides of the same coin. Conversation-lovers are still getting tons of inputâ€"its just from friends and acquaintances in real time. So, progress with this method is similar to that of massive input: its a function of time. Keep on finding new people to talk with, look up the things you want to say, and watch yourself progress!Pros and ConsConversation-lovers will clearly reach  conversational level first. Theyll have an easy time talking na turally with native speakers! However, reading and grammar can fall behind if youre not careful, so pay attention to weaknesses and borrow from other methods from time to time to round yourself out.No matter your personality or preferences, theres an effective way to study the language you want to learn.Each technique has its own strengths and weaknesses, but you can balance those out as you progress.Cross-pollinate as much as you want.After all, as the Hindu proverb says,  There are hundreds of paths up the mountain, all leading in the same direction  The only one wasting time is the one who runs around and around the mountain,  telling everyone that his or her path is wrong.And One More ThingIf youre digging these techniques, youll love using FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like mov ie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.