Learning a Language by Ear

When you’re not improving as much as you’d like to, it could be that you’re practicing wrong! Let’s take a step back and reevaluate the language learning staple: flashcards. Find out how you can maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of your flashcards using evidence-based techniques and software.

Transcript

1. LEARNING A LANGUAGE BY EAR LENA MORITA
2. @mirka Raised bilingually in Japan
 (Japanese/English) Co-Director at
 Women Who Code Tokyo Software Engineer at Automattic LENA MORITA
3. @mirka Uruguay United States Spain (living in UK) Slovakia Romania Japan Philippines MY TEAMMATES BY COUNTRY
4. @mirka NAMING THINGS WEB+DB PRESS VOL. 110
5. BAD AT LANGUAGES?
6. SCHOOL DIDN’T WORK
7. TEXTBOOKS DIDN’T WORK
8. 2017 READY TO TRY AGAIN
9. @mirka THINGS I WAS “BAD” AT Piano Mastering Piano Technique
 by Seymour Fink
10. @mirka THINGS I WAS “BAD” AT Programming AppleScript 1-2-3
 by Sal Soghoian JavaScript:
 The Definitive Guide
 by David Flanagan
11. @mirka I’M PROBABLY JUST DOING IT WRONG BAD AT ____?
12. @mirka LANGUAGE SKILLS Produce Understand Written Writing ✏ Reading Spoken Speaking Listening $
13. @mirka LANGUAGE SKILLS Produce Understand Written Writing ✏ Reading Spoken Speaking Listening $
14. BUILDING VOCABULARY WITH TEXT-FREE FLASHCARDS LARGELY INSPIRED BY GABRIEL WYNER’S “FLUENT FOREVER” METHOD
15. @mirka “SRS” SPACED REPETITION SYSTEM We forget new information very fast The “forgetting curve” flattens out
 with each successive review Each review can be spaced out
 in longer intervals OSMOSIS.ORG
16. @mirka APPS.ANKIWEB.NET ANKI Open source Cross-platform Has more features than you will ever use
17. @mirka WORD 㲗 TRANSLATION TYPICAL FLASHCARD consecutive Front ʢதஅͳ͠Ͱʣ࿈ଓͨ͠,
 Ҿ͖ଓ͍ͯى͜Δ Back
18. @mirka WORD 㲗 TRANSLATION TYPICAL FLASHCARD Hard to memorize Associates imperfect translations
 rather than concepts Ignores pronunciation consecutive ʢதஅͳ͠Ͱʣ࿈ଓͨ͠,
 Ҿ͖ଓ͍ͯى͜Δ
19. @mirka — GABRIEL WYNER PRONUNCIATION IS IMPORTANT
20. @mirka PRONUNCIATION IS IMPORTANT Necessary to understand spoken words
 → Minimal pairs: rock/lock, cut/cat, den/then, etc. Repetition on a bad foundation
 reinforces bad habits Learn it first!
21. @mirka AUDIO 㲗 IMAGES TEXT-FREE FLASHCARDS Front Back
22. COMPREHENSION
23. PRODUCTION
24. LET’S
 MAKE OUR
 FLASHCARD
25. @mirka ENCOUNTER STEP 1 Keep track of new words you encounter
 in a note app like Evernote
26. @mirka LEARN STEP 2 When back at your computer,
 pick a word from the list Learn what it means
27. @mirka ILLUSTRATE STEP 3 Google Image Search is your friend Find an image that resonates
 with you Images for abate
28. @mirka PRONOUNCE STEP 4 Download an audio clip,
 either from a real speaker or
 a text-to-speech (TTS) system forvo.com — Real speakers soundoftext.com — TTS % %
29. LaunchBar
30. Return spoken string as audio file
31. Return spoken string as audio file
32. @mirka HOW MUCH DID I LEARN? 1800+ words/phrases 93% are mature
 (in long-term memory) Average review interval is 1.6 years
 (will likely remember for at least that long)
33. @mirka
34. @mirka MORE WAYS TO LEARN BY EAR Pimsleur — Basic grammar, building reflexes italki — Conversation practice
35. THANKS
 FOR LISTENING