5/17_Language learning (sophia) Flashcards
** If you have any trouble understanding me due to my pronunciation or accent, please let me know. Don’t hesitate, ok?
Let’s talk about this week’s topic. I’ll start with a question. **
- What methods or strategies do you find most effective for language learning, and why?
(어떤 방법이나 전략이 언어 학습에 가장 효과적이라고 생각하시나요? 그 이유는 무엇인가요?)
“There’s no way to win the steady” 꾸준함을 이길 그 어떤 재주도 없다. That’s my motto.
The key to learning anything effectively is consistency, which I believe is especially crucial for language learning. I started studying English later than others and I’m getting older, so I need lots of time to learn. There are tons of contents available for learning English, but most of all, repetition is crucial for memorizing anything, as learning English requires memorization too.
In my opinion, the most important thing is spending time learning a language.
- How do you stay motivated and consistent in your language learning journey?
(어떻게 하면 언어 학습 여정에서 동기부여를 유지하고 일관성을 유지할 수 있나요?)
I actually run a group chat room on KakaoTalk called the ‘Everyday English Study Room.’ There are 20 people in the group, and we’ve been studying English in our own ways and have proved it. We have a kind of obsession with studying every day, which I believe is important. Additionally, we often share our experiences as immigrants, which is definitely crucial because we learn a lot from others’ mistakes.
Lately, I’ve received a lot of encouragement from this group chat. Speaking Korean with English can be awkward, but I’ve realized that many people living in Korea are trying to improve their English skills and have a high level. Even though I live in an English-speaking country, without putting in effort, I won’t make any progress in English. If I don’t challenge myself and try anything, I won’t be able to change.
- Do you prefer learning languages through traditional classroom settings or using online resources and apps? Why?
(전통적인 교실 환경을 통해 언어를 배우는 것을 선호하시나요, 아니면 온라인 자원과 앱을 사용하는 것을 선호하시나요? 그 이유는 무엇인가요?)
To be honest, I moved to Canada in my mid-40s. I know it may sound like an excuse, but I had to work every day, sometimes three part-time jobs a day as the head of the family, and I never didn’t get the chance to attend ESL classes. Only one, I went to the Adult high school in order to learn English, but unfortunately, the school closed after just a month due to the pandemic. I personally prefer traditional classroom settings because people of my generation have many memories associated with them, but in fact, I don’t have time to attend a traditional classroom because I’ve been working as a full-timer. So, these days, I rely on various online resources and apps for learning English, such as YouTube, podcasts, and group chat on KakaoTalk.
- How do you incorporate language learning into your daily routine, and what challenges do you face in doing so?
(일상 생활에 언어 학습을 어떻게 통합하고 있으며, 그 과정에서 어떤 어려움을 겪고 있나요?)
I’ve been reading “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” since last October. Lately, I’ve been making lecture notes while reading the book for the tenth time. Every morning, I spend about 30 minutes studying English and then do a 10-minute workout with my wife, like stretching or aerobics and stuff like that.
I believe that teaching is the best way to learn, so my wife and I study English together using “Diary of a Wimpy Kid.” We started this two weeks ago.
I used to think that living abroad for 3 or 4 years would make me speak English like a native speaker, but now I realize that’s not true.
Let me get something straight, you will be sure that my environment is the best for learning English, but without actually speaking with others, my English won’t improve much. Some days, I don’t even get a chance to talk to my coworkers during my shift.
My biggest problem is that I’m a introverted and don’t like to talk unless my sentence is perfect.
- Have you ever experienced a breakthrough moment or significant improvement in your language skills? If so, what led to it?
(언어 능력에서 중요한 향상이나 전환점을 경험한 적이 있나요? 그렇다면 어떤 요소가 이를 이끌었나요?)
Even though I work at a Canadian company, I don’t need to speak English much in my job. Many of my coworkers chat during work, and sometimes they don’t finish their duties on time. Surprisingly, they don’t get any penalties from the company. Sometimes, it makes me feel like I’m the only one working hard.
About five years ago, when I worked at a factory as a forklift driver, I got kicked out of the position within about a month because of my poor English skills. If I think about it, I know I need to improve my English, but it’s not easy in practice.
- What role do cultural immersion and real-life interactions play in language learning, in your opinion?
(문화적 침범과 실생활 상호작용이 언어 학습에 어떤 역할을 하는 것으로 보시나요?)
I’m sure that cultural immersion and real-life interactions are incredibly valuable in language learning.
Immersion in the culture of an English-speaking country provides a deep understanding of how language is used in real-life situations. Interacting with native speakers helps improve communication skills such as listening, speaking, and understanding different accents. This is crucial for communication in everyday life.
But the most important thing is to build confidence and overcome shyness when talking to others.
- Do you have any tips or advice for someone who wants to start learning a new language?
(새로운 언어를 배우고 싶어하는 사람에게 어떤 조언이나 팁이 있나요?)
It’s been said that it will take around 10,000 hours of exposure to become comfortable with a foreign language. Nowadays, as you know there are millions of free resources for learning languages, and even if you don’t live abroad we also have many opportunities to practice speaking with foreigners. So, I’m sure that the only thing we need to do is invest time in learning.
Somebody said in shorts on youtube “Consistency is the most reliable trait that all of the successful people that I’ve been around have got. Like, no one is successful who isn’t consistent. Consistency won’t guarantee success, but not being consistent will guarantee that you won’t be successful.”
- How do you track your language learning progress, and how do you celebrate your achievements along the way?
(언어 학습 진행 상황을 어떻게 추적하고 있으며, 어떻게 하면 성취를 축하하나요?)
I’ve read “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” ten times and wrote a summary in my notes. I run a study group chat on KakaoTalk to track my progress. When I achieve goals like 100 days or 1 year of studying English, I reward myself with a small gift or a short trip with my wife.
