I have recently had two experiences which have vindicated my decision to adopt the Lingq approach to learning, and I thought I would share them in case anyone else is wavering and in need of encouragement.
Previously I have studied languages such as Japanese and Esperanto trying to memorise grammar patterns and vocabulary using text books and flash cards, trying to remember everything ‘perfectly’. This has led to much frustration and less than ideal results. After several months of ‘hitting my head against a brick wall’ with this method for Chinese I came across Steve’s videos on youtube (especially the “Seven Secrets of Successful Language Learning”) and the Lingq website, which completely changed the way I studied. I read and listened extensively without worrying if I didn’t understand everything (which I rarely did). I found texts that were interesting to me. When I came across sentences which didn’t make sense grammatically I would either keep reading or briefly consult my electronic dictionary for key words, especially particles. What still didn’t make sense I left and moved on.
I enjoyed this method so much more than my previous language study, but somehow felt anxious that it might not be as effective. Then came two moments of vindication. Firstly, I travelled to China on holiday and, whilst finding it difficult to communicate in some instances, noticed a significant change from my time in Japan previously. When trying to speak, words and sentence patterns would just drop into my head. I didn’t have to (indeed I couldn’t) logically try and think of the grammar rules. This was a liberating experience and made conversing with native speakers much more enjoyable.
Secondly, upon my return I read through one of my as yet unopened grammar books and discovered that I knew roughly 70% of the content intuitively from my extensive reading. Consulting the book simply helped clarify some key points that I had already noticed whilst reading and listening.
I am now excited about the journey ahead, confident that I have found a method of language learning that suits me. As members have mentioned here, with language leaning you have to enjoy the journey, as there really is no ‘finish line’.
Have other members here had similar experiences?