James Hutchinson

You don't have to 'love' language learning. You just have to enjoy it enough to keep going for enough time to get 'good' at it to some extent.



And when I say 'good' I mean you have evidence or proof that the stuff that you're learning you can actually use in real life.



Once you feel that feeling of being able to communicate in a different language, you will feel good about yourself and about the journey and that will motivate you to keep going.

6 days ago | [YT] | 1

James Hutchinson

Given that there are so many apps/tools/websites and resources available to help with learning a language, it still seems incredibly difficult for many people.

What's working for you, what do you feel is your biggest challenge? Keen to hear people's thoughts.

1 week ago | [YT] | 1

James Hutchinson

Many people say that they don't have time to learn a language. While this can be correct if you've got a full-time job and many kids, or you have many hobbies and interests outside of work, you might just have a small amount of time even to go to the toilet.

However there are ways in which you can change your approach to language learning as part of your routine.

Many people think that they need an hour or a big block of time to sit down on a particular day on a weekly basis to learn language but actually that's not true.

You just need some exposure over time and if you can break it down to maybe even five or ten minutes per day, maybe while you're waiting for the kettle to boil or you're on an ad break while watching TV, those little moments scattered here and there are perfect to do a small activity related to your target language.

These add up massively over time. You don't need a massive block to study a language, you just need little segments of it within your current routine.

This is actually the core of the book I've written which is based on my 13 years of language learning experience. It's also designed to help busy people learn any language: gtlk.link/qyHrE0OI

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

James Hutchinson

The truth is there is no 'best' way to learn a language. If you're surrounded by language, for example if you live in the country where it's spoken, that's the very best way to force yourself to learn it because you're immersed in it.

If you want to go to the supermarket, you have no choice but at least try and speak the language to get the things that you want.

However there are many courses and different ideas going around that there's a very best way to learn a language but honestly it's like fitness or having a routine.

If you do a bit over a time period you get further than doing nothing at all. The main blocker that I see a lot of people having is that they don't know where to start so they just don't do anything at all.

If you even do 10 minutes per day of using a language app for example or listening to a podcast in your target language, that's better than nothing and that will add up massively over time.

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

James Hutchinson

It's a weird concept to have tried learning a language in school, disliked it, and then as an adult you think that you can't learn languages because of your bad experience you had in school.

When in reality there are so many reasons why learning a language in school is not set up to actually make you a successful language learner.

A few reasons behind this are that normally in school you're in a group setting. Everyone learns at different places and in a different way so you can't expect it to be the perfect method for you to learn a language if you're also trying to learn it with other people with different abilities.

If someone learns faster than you, you feel bad because you're being left behind. If you're a fast learner, you're dragged back by the rest of the class who's slower than you so you get bored.

On top of this some people learn in different ways.

Some people learn by reading and writing. Some people only learn by speaking and listening if they're not that good at reading and writing. And schools can't accommodate for this because they have a class full of maybe thirty people to teach so they can't cater to every person.

The bottom line is if you did well or did badly at school, that is completely irrelevant to how good you are as a language learner as an adult because you understand more about yourself and the best way that you can learn.

Treat it as a clean slate. Don't let a bad experience at school put you off.

If you were good at school but you can't even have a conversation, even though you're good on pen and paper at school, you can use that understanding of yourself to speed up your learning process as an adult.

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

James Hutchinson

My book 'No Bullshi*t Language Learning' is now #2 on Amazon in the Adult & Continuing Education category (free section, because I have setup an offer so that the kindle version is free to download).

I wrote it to help busy people learn languages, and it's based on my 13 years of language learning experience. It's not designed to teach a specific language but more tools and techniques to help you learn any language from a psychological perspective.

Here's the link to download it, and if you want to leave a review, that would help massively: gtlk.link/qyHrE0OI

1 week ago | [YT] | 1

James Hutchinson

Many people think about language learning in the wrong way, that's based upon how we were taught at school.

It can feel like doing homework. However the real process of learning a language is fun and that's how some people can learn multiple languages because they genuinely enjoy it.

This is what I've written about in my book, which is based on my 13 years of language learning experience.

Here's a link: gtlk.link/qyHr...​

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

James Hutchinson

Some people love the process of learning a language, whereas others can't stand it.

You're far more likely to actually reach your language goals if you love the process because you won't give up. You'll keep going because you enjoy it.

The thing is you can learn how to enjoy it, and be that person who can learn any language they want. Here's how:
https://youtu.be/hRfgzlpJFvU?si=f-w2x...

1 week ago | [YT] | 1

James Hutchinson

For any of you on the fence about reading this...it's free on Amazon just for today if you get the eBook version. Basically it's a promo day that I've setup with Amazon tools.

Available for anyone to download and read:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GX3DLKHW.

It's been my side project over the past 2 years and it's based on my 13 years of experience with language learning, as native English speaker who speaks Spanish and Italian.

Enjoy!

1 week ago | [YT] | 2

James Hutchinson

Summer is approaching and many of you have holiday plans. Maybe to go abroad with family or friends. You've been putting of learning a language because you 'don't really need it' or 'had other priorities'...

However the process of 'how' to actually learn a language is very misunderstood. People think that they need to 'set aside' time to sit down and study the language. Like memorising grammar or something. That we done in school but it's not the best way.

Rather than constantly postponing it because other things are in the way, integrate it into your existing routine. Find moments of time (even 10 minutes) when you are free or doing something else.

Then use these moments of time (for example commuting to work for half an hour in the morning) to expose yourself to your target language in some way. Even listening to a podcast spoken entirely in the language you're learning. You don't have to understand it all, but you brain learns patterns and understands it better over time.

So start now, a few minutes here and there. While you're waiting for a bus, get on a language app. You get the idea.

That way, your summer holiday will soon arrive and you'll be further than you'd be otherwise. You might even be able to surprise your friends by having a conversation with a waiter.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 1