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In this Sprouts video, we introduce seven ways to learn a new language.
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Drown yourself to swimming.
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Leave the comfort of your home, and go to the place where they speak nothing but the language that you want to learn.
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Then live there for the next six to twelve months.
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It might be painful and lonely at times, but you will surely learn how to speak the language and enjoy some memorable experiences.
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Immersion.
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Perhaps easier and also effective is immersion, or when you learn a new language through exposure and context.
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So, for example, if you are learning Italian, do so in a pizzeria.
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You can try to read the menu or maybe even go as far as order in Italian.
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Antipasti, pizza tonno, or gelato anybody?
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Mnemonics.
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Mnemonics, is a method to learn new vocabulary by creating an association that makes it easy to remember.
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For example, let's say you want to remember the French word "chou," which means "cabbage" in English.
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"Chou" is pronounced like "shoe" in English, so you could imagine putting cabbages on your feet instead of shoes.
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Then, when you need to remember "cabbage," your brain will think "cabbage; shoes; chou."
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Scriptorium.
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Scriptorium is an exercise in writing.
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Students write the language while simultaneously speaking it out loud.
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Before you write a sentence you should first read it out loud; second, say each word aloud again as you write it; and third, read the sentence aloud again after you have written it.
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The purpose of this exercise is to force yourself to slow down and pay attention to detail, and then review unknown words and refresh your grammar.
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Shadowing.
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Shadowing is used to learn vocabulary.
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You listen to new words through headphones and try to repeat, to "shadow," them out loud as quickly as you can.
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Inventor Alexander Arguelles, who speaks 50 languages, suggests that you do it while walking swiftly to maximise alertness and blood flow!
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Tech and apps.
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If you want to learn a new language, but you don't have anybody who can help, check out what's available online.
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DuoLingo, for example, teaches many languages entirely for free.
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It's fun and effective as they make you practice reading, writing, listening and speaking.
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Quizlet is great tool to study vocabulary.
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It allows you to explore audio-supported flashcards, so you can learn new words and get the pronunciation right.
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Get a study buddy.
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If you are not into technology and would rather learn with others, do what popular YouTuber Timothy Doner, aka Polyglot Pal, recommends.
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Connect with people from around the world to teach and learn from each other via Skype.
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It's one of the things that worked for him, and he already speaks 20 languages and he's not even 18.
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Thanks for watching.
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Also check out other Sprouts learning techniques, as they can complement the methods explained in this video.
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Please use the comments below to give us feedback or tell us which of the techniques is your favorite—if any!