If an adult fails to learn a foreign language (and most do), most of us assume they simply don’t study hard enough or just aren’t good at languages. It’s certainly true that some learners are lazy, and given the same methods, certain folks tend to pick up languages faster than others. But neither of these is the real issue; both are but symptoms of the underlying problem:
- Crappy Methods
- Crappy Materials
- Crappy Attitudes
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An earlier version of the this presentation was entered in a SlideShare contest in 2009. I have since updated the presentation to better match my current views on effective language acquisition.
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To do lists seem like a good idea in theory, but they have one major disadvantage: there is an infinite number of potential to do items. With this in mind, Timothy Ferriss, best-selling author of The 4-Hour Workweek (and a speaker of 6 languages), recommends “not to do lists” instead. Since they isolate a finite set of behaviors that are getting between you and your goals, they are far more effective than traditional to do lists. This tool applies perfectly to language learning, where most learners waste a lot of time on ineffective methods and bad materials.
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You are free to download and use this presentation in language classes, professional development courses, or first dates (okay, maybe that last one isn’t such a good idea). Please just make sure to leave in the attribution and copyright pages.