
How much time do you need to spend studying to learn a second language? How should you spend your time? What will produce the best results? What should you focus on as a beginner? As an intermediate student? What is the key to unlocking fluency?
Let’s be smart about this. For hundreds of years people have learned different languages. And today we know so much more, including the value of spaced repetition, retrieval practice, interleaving and cognitive load management. Let’s take advantage of this knowledge and make this happen!
So, take your time, look around, and identify a few nuggets of information that you can start applying today.
Mahatma Gandhi
Wyner, Gabriel. Fluent Forever: How to Learn a Language Fast and Never Forget It. Harmony Books, 2014. www.fluent-forever.com/book
from the book: “At thirty years old, Gabriel Wyner speaks six languages fluently. He didn’t learn them in school – who does? Rather, he learned them in the past few years, working on his own and practicing on the subway, using simple techniques and free online resources – and here he wants to show others what he’s discovered.”
takeaways: I read this book my first-year learning Spanish and continue to reread parts of it every year. There is so much important information in it.
#1 nugget: Don’t Review. Recall.
Lightbown, Patsy M., & Spada, Nina. How Languages are Learned, Fifth Edition. Oxford, 2021. https://books.apple.com/us/book/how-languages-are-learned-5th-edition/id1572630689
from the book: “Now in its fifth edition, the award-winning How Languages are Learned has established itself as an indispensable introduction to research in language acquisition and its relationship with classroom practice.”
takeaways: This is a book for second language teachers. Lightbown and Spada are researchers and educators that provide the latest information about second language research and applications to pedagogy.
#1 nugget: The path through language acquisition is not necessarily smooth and even. Learners have bursts of progress. (So don’t get easily frustrated.)
More to come ...
Karol G is a Colombian powerhouse in reggaeton and urban pop who has achieved historic milestones in the music industry. She has received multiple Latin Grammy Awards, including the prestigious Song of the Year and Album of the Year. She became the first woman to top the Billboard 200 with an all-Spanish album and was also honored as Billboard’s 2024 Woman of the Year.
Los Ángeles Azules are absolute legends of cumbia, originating from Iztapalapa and pioneering the vibrant cumbia sonidera sound that has captivated audiences for over four decades. Their cool factor lies in their ability to bridge generations, blending traditional tropical rhythms with modern electro-synthesizers and sweeping symphonic collaborations, making them relevant from neighborhood parties to elite festivals like Coachella.
Gaby Moreno is a pioneering Guatemalan singer-songwriter and producer renowned for her "musica sin fronteras," which masterfully blends blues, jazz, soul, and Latin folk into a bilingual Americana sound. She has redefined the Americana genre as its only prominent Latina figure and serves as a powerful advocate for immigrant rights and social justice. She was awarded the Presidential Order by Guatemala’s President in 2024 for her cultural contributions