1. The first thing that we've got to do is to take a very deep breath and relax, then to make mistakes.
The reason for it is because our entire lives, we're taught how to do things right. From the moment we were born we're taught what things we should do, things we shouldn't do, and how to do things properly.
When it comes to language learning, the golden rule of learning learning is to get things wrong, to make mistakes, and that is the first rule.
When we've known languages, we know a whole collection of sounds and a whole collection of structures, which combined make what Ilike to call our "language database".
Our language database will contain all the sounds and structures that we know. However, there is a whole family of sounds and structures that are beyond our database.
For us to be able to embark those and to be able to explore those, there is nothing within our database, nothing within our knowledge that will tell us when we're getting the structures right, nothing to tell us when that sound is precise.
2. Take notes! You must know there is nothing useful about using that foreign alphabet when you're trying to learn a langusge.
The foreign alphabet will give you wrong signals. At this spot, we allowed ourselves to break through our database and to make mistakes, to go into that uncharted territory of a new language. And then we figured out how to take notations in a way that information is actually meaningful.
We learn how to take notes and how to make sure that we can take notes in a way that we can replicate those sounds and structures later.
3. Find a stickler.
Finding someone who's detail-oriented and won't let you to get away with the mistakes. It's more about establishing the right sort of relationships.
Relationship with someone where they'll correct you, and feel comfortable correcting you and making sure that you're getting to that spot you wanted in a language. At the same time, someone who will encourage you to get things wrong and to make those mistakes in the first place.
4. Shower conversation.
The beautiful thing about the shower conversation is that it allows you to find wherever you have a gap in your knowledge, because you're having a conversation on both ends.
The shower conversation forces you to have both side of the conversation. You don't need to have them in the shower, you can have them anywhere. You don't depend on anything or anyone to get you practice.
5. Follow the “Buddy Formula", to find a conversation buddy.
This is a way that you can make sure that your incentives are always aligned to use the new language.
After these 5 steps, we get to a truly beautiful place, where learning langusges is no longer something stressful, difficult and boring, but rather, a world of possibilities. A world where each one of us has the opportunity to explore new cultures and all the different ways of lives.
The greatest reward from this, is that we end up learning more about ourselves!
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