How to Set S.M.A.R.T Goals for Language Learning
Goals we set ourselves are the major reason why we fail in language learning. In this post I explain how to fix your goal in S.M.A.R.T. terms and ultimately crash it.
Alina Kuimova
Narrow Listening: How to fix your “I don’t understand natives” problem
Narrow listening is a top strategy for improving your aural skills. This post will provide you with guidelines to start practicing it on your own.
Essential apps for learning French in 2019
In this post I share what apps I find indispensable for learning French fast and how I optimize them to achieve best result.
Readlang And What Makes It The Best Language Learning Tool Ever
“Whenever I am asked how I was able to succeed in many languages in a relatively short period of time, I always make a bow in spirit to the source of all knowledge: books. My advice to learners can thus be expressed in one word: read!” This quote originates from one of the most famous … Read more Readlang And What Makes It The Best Language Learning Tool Ever
How Tequila Helps You Speak Foreign Language Better
Speaking a foreign language is one of the most ego-threatening situations you can get into. All your self-confidence suddenly dissolves in the toxins produces by your struggling with conjugations brain, and there you are: feeling small, stupid and useless. And if you’ve ever found yourself in that situation, you probably know that about the escape … Read more How Tequila Helps You Speak Foreign Language Better
Foreign language effect: how thinking in L2 slowly turns you into s**t
You are standing on a footbridge and enjoying the stunning view of a railroad running below. Suddenly, you notice a train sneaking towards – oh, Heavens – a peaceful group of absentminded retirees-hikers taking a promenade along the track. Another second, and they all will be killed – unless you do something. In despair, you … Read more Foreign language effect: how thinking in L2 slowly turns you into s**t
How to pass The DELF B2: 15 Key Dos and Don’ts
Taking a language proficiency test is like proposing a marriage: it shows that you’re serious about the relationship. I was as all hell serious about my relationship with French so the idea to pass the DELF B2 loomed on the horizon for quite a bit. I passed it on the first attempt which was quite … Read more How to pass The DELF B2: 15 Key Dos and Don’ts
Incidental Learning: How to learn vocabulary automatically
Imagine that you’re reading a novel – in French – say, Citadelle by A. de Saint-Excupéry. As time passes, you slowly crawl your way through a forest of unfamiliar French words, conjugations, and expressions. You can say that you’ve read more of your French-English dictionary than of the novel, but I bet that was Exupéry’s … Read more Incidental Learning: How to learn vocabulary automatically
5 creative ways to use Wikipedia for language learning
One day I was at my bike mechanic’s in Toronto, trying to initiate an intelligent conversation about an awful screeching that was emerging from the heart of my bike. It was a bottom bracket but the word “bottom bracket” wasn’t a part of my vocabulary at that point. In Russian, this piece of metal is … Read more 5 creative ways to use Wikipedia for language learning
How to learn another language in 2019: Getting S**t Done
The first week of January is the perfect time to reassess your life goals, notice that little “learn Italian” task in your Someday/Maybe list and maybe make it happen within the next twelve months. Brave goal. Now, how do you put your good intentions into action and actually learn another language in 2019? What are … Read more How to learn another language in 2019: Getting S**t Done