The Best Way to Learn a Language, According to Science

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Unlock the secrets to mastering a new language with our science-backed strategies! In this video, we explore the most effective methods for learning a second language based on cutting-edge research and expert insights. We dive into cognitive science principles and practical techniques to help you understand the best ways to learn a language. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to refine your skills, this video offers actionable tips to boost your language learning journey. Like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more research-based tips on achieving fluency!

Written, Produced, and Edited by @TheLingOtterBackground
Thumbnail by @art_imperioIrregular

0:00 Intro
0:51 The Basics
1:17 Output Theory
3:22 Sponsor
4:48 Input Theory
5:19 Acquisition-Learning
6:06 Comprehensible Input
7:08 Monitor Hypothesis
8:00 Natural Order
8:10 Affective-Filter
8:35 Input in the Classroom
9:13 Criticisms
10:46 Interaction Theory
12:44 Conclusion
13:52 Outro

#italki #lingotter #languagelearning #linguistics

[TheLingOtter]

Personalized 1-on-1 language lessons with native teachers on italki Buy $10 get $5 for free for your first lesson using my code THELINGOTTER.

Corrections: I say "theory" in this video by mistake, but these are actually just hypotheses!

[crazyboutferrets]

The only Norwegian phrase i know is asking if you speak English
'snakker du engelsk?'

[IkkezzUsedEmber]

Reading a book you know well is amazing for comprehensible input. It basically makes it so you can read i+2 or 3 with just as much ease as i+1, because you already know the context of the story and you can verify if you read something correctly by simply using your own knowledge of the book.

I did this when learning Latin; after reading Lingua Latina Per Se Illustrata to get a good foundation in the language's grammar, I started reading the Hobbit in Latin which after like 3 or 4 chapters I just didn't need to consult a dictionary for anymore. Sadly Latin word order is so flexible that when translating English into it you can basically keep the English word order in tact, which didn't prepare me for actual Latin literature, but the vocabulary boost that reading that book gave me really skyrocketed by Latin capabilities so much that it didn't even really matter.

Another great thing about the Hobbit specifically is that Tolkien wrote it for his kids, and I noticed while reading that he actually introduces words in a mario level design-esque way; where he first introduces a word that's a bit more difficult than the rest on the page with lots of context so you can fill in the meaning with context, and then later because you already know the word, he uses it normally without any context. So it's like he wrote it with i+1 specifically in mind

[leonaise]

Speaking with natives is a surprisingly great way to boost your language fluency. I remember speaking with Spanish natives for the first time & I didn’t get to speak much due to anxiety. But after a while(in like a week or so), I can now engage in conversation & most importantly voice my confusion & learn from them themselves.

It’s critical cuz your brain will notice you don’t use your input irl, & thus wouldn’t care much to remember it if it can. Memory recall is a separate skill from simply memorizing.

I recommend putting pressure on yourself(safely). What I did was put my ego on the line by talking to some Spanish girls. It was embarrassingly hilarious & fun.

Note: I was intermediate when I started talking to natives but I wish I started earlier!

[Choojermelon]

As a fellow scarf-wearing otter who adores languages and linguistics, I've been loving what you make! Thanks for all the interesting, well-presented content <3

[PKLooove]

The language learning to mongolian farmhand pipeline is real.

[Everettalla]

I’m taking ASL right now and the things explained at 8:36 are already kind of built into learning the language. Because my teacher is deaf, there is at all times a no voice policy. If you can’t express something in ASL, you can use a whiteboard to write down what you want to say, but if you say anything at all it’s deemed disrespectful. This method is absolutely possible, you just have to make important distinctions and guidelines.

[liaolii]

This video is great! A lot of videos say that you "only need input". While I agree that input is probably one of the most crucial parts, I always felt like traditional learning 1 or 2 times a week at least helps out a lot.

[goldmund]

I started "acquiring" greek a year ago. I never learned a grammatical rule or conjugation table. I now had the chance to go to Greece 2 months back and it was magical. Never before have I spoken with another person but suddenly I was able to understand ~60% of what I've heard. I've had a 10 min conversation about the son of this woman who is a musician, studied in Australia and now tours Greece as a successful Lyra player. It definitely was not a "beginner conversation".

I now am certain that within the next year I will reach a point at which I can call myself a greek - speaker.

I have basically only read using lingq. At the moment I am reading Harry potter in greek and am enjoying it because of the story. A year back I knew basically nothing.

[loxi]

As someone who fucked around and very inefficiently learned 4 languages, it's kinda nice to see certain concepts I've come to understand intuitively being formalized. Thanks for all of your hard work providing such high quality content for free.

[Secretzv]

Easy, switch your system language/game to whatever language you want to learn. Hearing my character talk with subtitles on while doing stuff in context-sensitive situations skyrocketed my comprehension. I played games like Overwatch (lots of voicelines from many different characters in specific situations) and Dead by Daylight (hundreds of perks with descriptions of what they do). Those 2 games alone made me fluent in Spanish over several months just by playing and occasionally looking up a word.

[TransPlantTransLate]

In my experience, these are all more "yes, and..." than "no, but...". I think Stephen Krashen is correct in that input is the *necessary and sufficient* component of the language acquisition process, as even the output theory relies on eventual input. You can't learn something without observation of some kind. But if you only rely on input, it's going to be a very slow process.

Active learning (mainly of grammar), output, and interaction are all massive speed multipliers for the process of language acquisition, even though the core of the process is input.

What I tend to do is get a rough overview of basic grammar, then a lot of bilingual input where I try to decide and reword the translations, then back to more advanced grammar, then input again and some interaction. Eventually, I'm just using the language regularly and I've internalized it to the point of automaticity.

[EchoThePinoyOtter]

Never clicked on a notification that fast

[gandolfthorstefn]

It would take a huge volume of reading material to learn a language's grammar by context alone. Just the different combinations of expressions for a particular subject such as asking the time would require reading 50 books or more.
• What time is it?
• Do you have the time?
• What time do we have to be there
• What time do you have?
•What time does it start?
• Do you have the starting time?
• Is that the right time?
• Time to go or we'll be late.
I could think of another 50 examples. In another language they might require different conjugations, auxiliaries or some other grammatical device to make a different sentence. Not a fan of reading alone with translation.
Learn the Grammar and make it interesting. When you build a house you need the materials (vocabulary) and the schematics or architectural plan(grammar) of the house. With just the building materials you can have a go at building the house but it will take longer and probably collapse.

[KoraOSRS]

Never thought I’d have an otter and a penguin as language gurus lmao, sounds like an anime plot 😂

(For context, the penguin is another YouTube channel called Trenton, he recently ‘popped off’ with a video on combining immersion learning with supplementary study using a specific set of tools, including Anki- for learning Japanese. The video was presented really well and has been a great help, as have all his videos since then (the Anki deep dive video is invaluable, 100/10 worth watching if new to Anki)

[Protogen_Labs]

Love your work man! Gave me the motivation to take Spanish II. I hated taking Spanish I because I didn't understand the language . With your videos, I can start to understand why a language is a language and how it works.

[ntatenarin]

Great video! The best way for me was speaking Spanish to my students and Tagalog with my family. If I mess up, I don't really get embarrassed, and my students appreciate the fact that I'm learning their native language. Also, I concentrate only on speaking and listening. I feel it is faster for me, and it motivates me to continue. I now read here and there, though.

[Alpheus_C]

I learned my 4th language through input ALONE. i didnt even know that i knew the language until way after learning it. So i know which method works for me now. I wanna learn a lot of languages

[modalmixture]

I think Krashen is right in every way, except for the idea that input alone is sufficient. It may be sufficient for a child learning their native language, but for an adult L2 learner, the amount of input you would need to truly acquire your language is massive. The downside of being an adult is your brain is no longer plastic and you no longer have parents to give you comprehensible input for 8 hours a day, every day, for years. The upside is that your adult brain is capable of studying the grammar, shortcutting and accelerating some of the acquisition process.

The output part is also indispensable for identifying the gaps in your abilities. When I'm listening to a podcast, I'm not always thinking about whether they used the right form of a verb, I just hear that verb and understand the meaning from context. It's only when I go to use that verb myself that I have to both remember it and know how to use the right form of it.

[eibhlinniccolla]

I think the different methods are good for different stages of the learning process. Understanding the basics through traditional instruction is good for the early stages because it can serve as a springboard into input. Input is good starting at the advanced beginner stage, and on through the rest of the stages, and it's necessary to build a robust internal model of the language via input so that when you're outputting, you can "feel" when something doesn't sound quite right. Writing-based output becomes useful at the high-intermediate and low-advanced stage, for the reasons you mentioned that it allows you to take your time and double check your grammar, and it's easier for a native to correct. Lastly, speaking directly with a native speaker is highly useful at the low-advanced to advanced stages, because by that time you have a well-tuned internal model of the sounds and grammar of the language, you've started to formulate thoughts through writing, and you're ready to start to speak and build a sense of ease and automaticity in your output.

I don't think any of the approaches necessarily CAN'T be done at different points, but that there are times where they are more effective and you'll get more bang for your buck. Trying to speak before you've really spent hours and hours listening isn't going to really do much for you, and traditional study of grammar isn't as useful for helping you getting comfortable speaking.

Just my $0.02 after having learned french and now learning Gaelic.