Ex-Professor Reveals Way to REALLY Learn Languages (according to science)
Matt Brooks-Green・22 minutes read
Dr. Jeff McQuillin emphasizes the importance of language acquisition over learning, focusing on comprehensible input for effective language development rather than rote memorization. Research supports the idea that exposure to rich language content through reading and listening aids in incremental vocabulary acquisition and overall language comprehension, promoting sustainable language learning.
Insights
- Language acquisition is more critical than learning in second language acquisition, emphasizing the importance of subconscious understanding of messages for effective language acquisition.
- Encountering unfamiliar words in various contexts leads to incremental knowledge gain, with repeated exposure to new words being crucial for vocabulary acquisition, highlighting the inefficacy of explicit word memorization without comprehension.
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Recent questions
What is the difference between language acquisition and language learning?
Language acquisition involves subconscious knowledge, while learning is conscious knowledge of language rules. Acquisition is more crucial than learning in language acquisition, focusing on unconscious knowledge of the language.
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Summary
00:00
"Acquisition vs Learning: Language Expert's Insights"
- Dr. Jeff McQuillin is an expert in second language acquisition with a PhD in Applied Linguistics and extensive experience in language learning.
- Dr. McQuillin has published numerous articles on language learning and runs the ESL podcast for English language learners.
- Language acquisition involves subconscious knowledge, while learning is conscious knowledge of language rules.
- Acquisition is more crucial than learning in language acquisition, focusing on unconscious knowledge of the language.
- Acquisition comes from understanding messages in a comprehensible way, aiding in language acquisition.
- Resources for language learning should provide rich, comprehensible language rather than short memorization exercises.
- Effective language learning materials should emphasize visuals, clear speech, and interesting stories to aid in comprehension.
- Grammar, often focused on syntax, should be acquired through understanding messages rather than conscious study of rules.
- Monitoring grammar rules while speaking a new language is less effective than focusing on acquiring language naturally.
- Vocabulary acquisition occurs through comprehensible messages, with a high level of comprehension aiding in acquiring new words incrementally and incidentally.
15:31
Effective Language Acquisition Through Contextual Exposure
- Bill Nagi, a researcher at the University of Illinois in the 1980s, discovered that encountering unfamiliar words in various contexts leads to incremental knowledge gain, with each exposure resulting in a 10-15% increase in understanding.
- Trusting the brain's ability to subconsciously absorb meanings, Nagi emphasizes the importance of repeated exposure to new words for effective language acquisition.
- Memorizing vocabulary lists without context or comprehension, as commonly seen in beginner textbooks, proves to be ineffective in enhancing language understanding, as studies show explicit word memorization does not significantly improve comprehension.
- Vocabulary instruction shifted in the 1980s towards rich or deep instruction methods, focusing on comprehensible input rather than rote memorization, as the latter is time-consuming and inefficient.
- Research indicates that spending time on flashcards for vocabulary memorization is less time-efficient than reading and listening to comprehensible input, which aids in acquiring not just vocabulary but also syntax, morphology, and overall language knowledge.
- To sustainably and effectively learn a language, it is crucial to lower expectations, understand that language acquisition takes time, and prioritize finding enjoyable comprehensible input to maintain motivation and progress.
