Students often ask me how they can improve their English. My advice is almost always the same: you need to review new vocabulary a lot. Everyone knows this, but it can be difficult to get motivated to actually do it. Research shows a student needs between 3,000 and 5,000 words in order to understand an unsimplified text. Making it more difficult, it takes between 5 and 16 exposures to a word before it can be learned.

So how can you even begin to recycle so many words, that many times? Flashcards are great, and many students already use them, but it can take a long time to make good sets, and they can be lost easily.

Luckily, there is an app for you, and it is free and popular. Some students already know about Quizlet (https://quizlet.com). You can use it on your smartphone or tablet, or play it on your computer through any browser.

To get you started you can find and use any number of word-sets such as TOEIC words, for example. Even better, you can make your own flashcards, or adapt ones that have already been made.

You can choose to have the meaning of the words in English or any language you choose. You can write the definition yourself, or use ones supplied in the app. You can even add pictures to help you remember.

Once you have some flashcards, there are various ways to play. You can do the traditional flashcard way of looking at the definition and trying to recall the word; you can listen to the word and practice your spelling; you can drag and match the meaning to the word, and you can even play a game of Asteroids. Finally, you can also play live games against your friends, which is very motivating and fun.

I have used this app with many students over the past 4 years and it is always very popular, so please do check it out. It is not magic - you will still need to put in the time, but it should make it easier for you to learn new words.

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Quiz

Q1. How many words does a learner need to be able to understand an authentic text?

a)    Between 3,000 and 5,000 words

b)   Between 4,000 and 6,000 words

c)    Between 2,500 and 4,500 words

Q2. How many times do you need to review a word before you can remember it?

a)    Between 12 and 18 times

b)   Between 10 and 20 times

c)    Between 5 and 16 times

Q3. Do you have to make your own flashcards in Quizlet?

a)    You can, but you can also use sets that have been made by other people

b)   You need to buy them online

c)    You can borrow them from a friend or classmate

Scroll down ↓ for the answers

A1. a

A2. c

A3. a

The ability to understand and evaluate the various claims we see on the news, in advertisements, and on social media is an important life skill. Similarly, being able to weigh up conflicting arguments and assess whether they are adequately supported by facts is part of academic work. Although we are all entitled to have an opinion, not all opinions are equal. Some are well reasoned and logical. Others may sound believable, but actually be built on shaky foundations.

Being able to see the logic of an argument is a very good way to help determine whether it is something you should take at face value or be a bit more careful about. Arguments that are based on faulty logic are called “logical fallacies”. They are surprisingly common, but being aware of them will make it a bit easier for you to see when arguments don’t quite make sense. Here are just a few of the most common ones:

Ad populum

This refers to an argument based on popularity. It may sound convincing at first, but just because many people believe something does not make it right. In the past, many people believed the Earth was flat, but we now know it is round. Similarly, the popularity of something does not prove its quality.

Ad hominem

This is the rejection of a point of view because of who said it. It often takes the form of an attack on someone’s skill or character. For example, saying “You can’t take John’s point about management seriously. He’s never run a business,” would be dismissing John’s opinion because of his (lack of) experience, not because his argument was weak. People often use this kind of argument when discussing politics—but even a politician you dislike may say something you agree with occasionally.

Straw man

The straw man fallacy involves misrepresenting someone’s point of view to make it easier to attack. Darwin’s theories on evolution were once attacked for saying humans evolved from apes. This idea was easy to make fun of, but it was not actually what he said. You may have seen this kind of tactic in the run-up to the American election when the candidates try to influence public opinion about their opponents.

False dilemma

This kind of fallacy presents a problem as having only two (usually opposing) solutions. The statement, “If you’re not for me, you’re against me” is an example of this. Another example would be “The Tokyo Olympics should either go ahead as planned or be cancelled completely.” While these are two possibilities, they are not the only two. (The Games could be postponed again, for example, or held with no audience.)

A little knowledge of these kinds of fallacies can make discussions more interesting and give you greater confidence in your own ability to assess the way others present their opinions. Making informed decisions about the information and views we see is even more important now that ideas spread so quickly online: we all need to develop the skills to separate fact from fiction.

Photo Credit: Pixabay@Pexels.com

Blog Quiz

1. A logical fallacy is …

a. an argument you disagree with

b. an argument which is logical

c. an argument that is based on faulty logic

d. an argument that is based on inaccurate facts

2. Which of these is an ad hominem argument?

a. I don’t think this is right: Donald Trump never says anything I can believe.

b. I agree with this. Most of the people I discussed this think so too.

c. I can’t decide until I’ve researched it more thoroughly.

3. What kind of logical fallacy is contained in the following statement? Gasoline causes too much pollution, so all cars in the future will be electric.

a. Ad hominem

b. Straw man

c. False dilemma

d. Ad populum

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

A1. C

A2. A

A3. C

Polyglots are people who have learned many languages. The most famous polyglots can speak over 10 languages. Some of the current famous polyglots are Richard Simcott, Steve Kaufmann, and Luca Lampariello. You can look them up on the internet to find out in detail how they study. They might study a little differently than your teachers have told you, but it is hard to argue with their success. This article will summarize what I found out from researching polyglot language learners.

The first thing to know is there isn’t one way to learn a language. Polyglots used a lot of different methods. Some of the methods they recommended were the opposite of what other polyglots recommended. The lesson here is to research what others recommend, try many different methods, and when you find one that works for you personally, use that method. Despite there being many opinions on the best way to learn languages, there were some main themes that emerged.

Maximize Comprehensible Input

Most polyglots were big fans of the American Linguistics Professor Stephen Krashen. Krashen recommends learners expose themselves to as much of the target language as possible. This input should ideally be just above your level and interesting to you. This includes reading easy books, watching videos, and listening to music. The key is to listen and read as much as you can in your target language. Some people call this the immersion approach. Use the time you have such as when you are traveling to school, doing housework, or winding down at the end of the day.

Review Words, Phrases, and Sentences from the Input

Most polyglots advised reviewing what was learned from the input using a Spaced Repetition System (SRS). This is similar to studying from flashcards, but the software tells you when to study the information again just before you forget it. There are many computer applications you can use but the most famous one is called “Anki”. When a word or phrase repeatedly catches your attention, make a study card, and review it until you can recall it easily.

Practice Speaking and Writing

Although most polyglots advise to focus on listening and reading at the beginning stages of learning a language, speaking and writing can help to reinforce and solidify language already learned. To practice writing, the most obvious example given is to write a diary. For speaking, the most obvious thing to do is to speak to others in the target language. If this is not possible, recording yourself can also be good practice.

Learning a language should be fun if you follow the polyglot language learners’ advice. Immerse yourself in as much interesting content in your target language as you can. Pick out bits you want to learn and review them with a spaced repetition system like Anki. When you have progressed beyond the beginner level, use speaking and writing to reinforce what you have learned through listening and reading.

But most of all, make sure to have fun!

Photo Credit: Skylar Kang@ Pexels.com

Blog Quiz

Q1. What is a "polyglot"?

Q2. What is the first piece of advice from polyglots?

Q3: According to the article, what is the name of the most famous SRS flashcard application?

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

A1. A person who speaks many languages well.

A2. Maximize comprehensible input.

A3. Anki.

When I tell people that I came from California, various famous locations frequently come to their minds. Of course, you’ve probably heard of Silicon Valley being the innovation heartland of the world and about the beaches around Los Angeles where surfers gather. Maybe you’ve also gotten the chance to visit Yosemite National park and appreciate its beauty. But I can guarantee that you’ve never heard of my small hometown of Auburn, located 20 minutes east by car from the state capital Sacramento.

Truthfully, Auburn is not a town that I recommend going to, and yet it has provided me with the inspiration to be curious about the international world. For Americans who never want to experience culture shock in their lives, Auburn is the perfect little town for them. Its population is just over 14,000 residents, which is shockingly small compared to cities like San Francisco. Its diversity is also minimal with similar like-minded Americans who have almost no contact with the international community. Every time you go to the grocery store, you are guaranteed to run into at least one person you know. Growing up in this environment makes one believe that the world is small.

Fortunately, I received my first cross-cultural experience upon graduating from high school and entering university. My college’s student demographic was significantly diverse, and it felt like I was thrown into a whole new world. It was almost like experiencing culture shock within my own country. Additionally, my professors taught me that the world is quite vast, with many perspectives and interesting people and places. I quickly understood that I wanted to pursue international knowledge as my life passion. Eventually, this led me down the road to studying Japanese and finally moving to Japan six years ago.

Looking back at my experiences, I can honestly say that Auburn helped me understand my path and what I wanted out of life. But instead of providing me with the foundation for cross-cultural knowledge, it deprived me of what I truly wanted. And once that barrier was lifted, there was no chance of me ever going back. Therefore, without this background, I would not have been motivated to seek the unforgettable experiences that have come from me pursuing an international career.

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Blog Quiz

Question 1: What is the author’s hometown? 

Question 2: Why did the author move to Japan? 

Question 3: How did the author’s hometown create the opportunity for a global life? 

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Answer 1: The author’s hometown is Auburn, California. 

Answer 2: The author experienced diversity in university and learned that there are many perspectives and people to meet in the world. 

Answer 3: Growing up in Auburn deprived the author of cross-cultural knowledge and experiences. The author discovered this after entering university. 

I have been reading a lot recently, now that I have more time stuck at home… I have been wanting to be a better person and make good use of the time I have now. I am sure my old self would have been stuck in front of the TV watching Netflix or locked on the computer screen, stuck on the latest YouTube videos. A book that is changing my life is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. I recommend you pick it up, it is an easy read, but it can change your life.  Here are a few of the many good ideas in the first chapter, but that is just the beginning… 

Everyone has habits, and did you know that the habits that you have now, whether they are getting up early, or turning off the lights when you leave a room came to you without effort? Of course, your bad habits, like procrastinating or eating an unhealthy meal come very easy too, but did you know that those little decisions make up who we are? These little decisions, good or bad add up. These “1% decisions” are not noticeable but are very meaningful. As you repeat and do small things, day by day, those habits will have an impact on the way your life will be heading. If you stay up late and finish up work you were putting off, sure you can survive on three or four hours of sleep that next day, but one day in the future, you will wake up late and miss something important or make a mistake because you were sleepy. The author says, “Success is the product of daily habits – not once-in-a-life-time transformations.” 

You might be thinking that you need to change every little thing in your life… no… start with one thing that will make your actions successful. Just like when you chop a tree down, you pick up your axe, and start swinging, you cannot cut down a tree with one blow, it takes many strikes at the tree to bring it down. Just like starting a new habit, it takes many times of doing something to start a new habit, or stop a bad one. At first, it is exciting to start something new and you can see wood chips flying, but after a while you get tired and you hit and hit but you do not see change. When you finally fell that tree, the whole world will look at you and say how great your achievement was, but you know it was the work that you did when you did not see any results was the work that made things possible. Fighting on through hard times will make future success. “All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision.” 

It is a new year now and people talk about “New Year’s Resolutions” (新年の抱負) . More than making a goal this year, plan on making a “system” that will make your goals, reality. Just like every Olympic athlete has the goal to win the gold medal, if you improve the way you train and make the environment easy for you to get better, improve your training system… you will have a better outcome. Also, achieving that goal will be good but the result of meeting that goal is nothing if your life is not changed. If you diet and lose those kilograms you wanted to lose but go back to eating as you did before the diet, you will just rebound back. You need to change your eating and exercise system so you will have those great results (lost weight and fitting into those jeans) for the rest of your life. These are just some of the great ideas waiting for you in the book. Please read it and come to the BBP and let’s talk about it. Everything counts. 

Reference: Clear, J. (2018) Atomic Habits. Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

Go to jamesclear.com

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Blog Quiz

1. What did the author do this past year?

a- watch a lot of TV and YouTube videos

b-sleep a lot

c- read books

2. What is the book "Atomic Habits" about?

a-making good habits

b-studying atoms

c-a boy named "Tom"

3. The book's author said, "All big things come from ___________"

a-big things

b-small beginnings

c-once in a lifetime events

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. c

Q2. a

Q3. b

Would you like to be able to write faster and more freely in a language you are learning and perhaps in your native language too? Students have often told me that they find writing to be a slow and tedious process, mainly because they worry so much about spelling and grammar rather than just getting their message across on paper. Today, therefore, I would like to introduce the concept of freewriting, an easy writing activity that can be done at home and can make writing practice fun.

So … what exactly is freewriting? Basically, it involves grabbing a piece of paper and a pen, setting a time limit, choosing a topic of interest to you, and then writing as quickly as possible without stopping and without worrying about spelling or grammar. Let’s go through the steps one by one.

First, after securing some paper and a writing tool, you will need to set a time limit. Most people I know who practice freewriting set a limit of 10 minutes, although some people write for 15 or 20 minutes. Next, you will need to choose a topic. Many people just choose to write about whatever is in their head at that moment: recent experiences in their lives or specific interests such as sports, books, movies, or music. However, my favorite way to practice freewriting is to link it with video material. This means watching an enjoyable YouTube, movie, or TV program and then writing about it. Whatever topic you choose, freewriting is a good way to get facts, memories, and personal feelings down on paper. Last, take a minute of silence to think about what points you would like to write about and then start the timer and write, write, write very fast, without stopping. Just enjoy the process of getting words down on paper rather than on style or grammar. If you always write in the same notebook, it will act as a kind of a personal journal, and you will be able to see your progress.

Freewriting on a regular basis can help to promote writing speed, fluency, creativity, organizational skills, confidence, and overall enjoyment of writing. Although freewriters are not meant to worry about grammar, most of my students find that it naturally improves after several weeks. You can hasten this improvement by, for example, consciously practicing verb tense by writing about a past event one day and a future event another day. You can also focus on new vocabulary by making a short list of perhaps five words that you would like to use that day while writing.    

If you can spare 10 or 15 minutes each day, I highly recommend picking up a pen and trying some freewriting fun!

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Blog Quiz

Q1. According to the article, which of the following should students do when they practice freewriting?

a.    Stop writing and check how to spell a word

b.    Write quickly about a topic

c.    Spend at least one hour per day writing

Q2. What are the author’s preferred topics for freewriting?

a.    Television programs and films

b.    Books and comics

c.    News articles and podcasts

Q3. According to the article, what is one benefit of freewriting?

a.    Planning future tasks

b.    Improving test scores

c.    Gaining confidence

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. B

Q2. A

Q3. C

There are a number of good ways to develop your English language skills. Reading a lot of books, listening to news programs or interviews, watching movies, talking with native speakers, studying for the standard exams such as TOEIC and TOEFL, etc. are among the most common ways that are often recommended to the students who are studying English. I am sure that you are habitually doing at least one or more of these in your language training, and I hope that you will continue doing so. However, it is sometimes difficult to stick to routinized practices like these because it is easy for us to get bored with the same types of exercises.

Therefore, I would like to recommend something that helps to refresh your routinized approach. That is collecting good quotes in English as you encounter them in the course of your study. Quotes mean a group of words or a short piece of writing taken from a book, speech, movie, etc. and good quotes provide us with wonderful discoveries and new insights. When you are lucky enough to encounter a good one, I highly recommend that you save it and add it to your personal list of good quotes. I believe that good quotes provide 3 major benefits to your learning.

The first one is giving you good lessons on English vocabulary and grammar. In order to fully appreciate the meaning of a quote, you must accurately grasp the exact meaning of vocabulary as used in the quote, as well as comprehend its grammatical structure. Without accurate understanding of both, quotes would mean nothing to you, or even misguide you into a wrong direction. In other words, your English ability is tested by a quote. The second major benefit goes far beyond assisting linguistic training. Good quotes will give you profound wisdom about your life and may assist you in your struggle to overcome problems you may encounter in your personal life. They have the power of cheering us up in the midst of difficulties and hardships. These two benefits will inevitably lead to another benefit, that is, to motivate you to continue learning English. If your acquired knowledge on English vocabulary and grammar gives you the power of overcoming your life problems, you will naturally feel like learning more and more of English, which will put you on the steady path toward becoming an expert on the English language. Good quotes, in this way, will take you into the virtuous cycle of learning.

Here are some of my favorite quotes that I have collected in the last 30 years. Some are taken from books, others are from movies, and still others are from the professors of an American university I had attended in my youth. They still give me a great deal of encouragement to continue learning not only English but also how I should live my life. Please try to see how accurately you can understand the messages conveyed by these quotes and how much you can appreciate them as I do.

“Try not to become a man of success but rather a man of value.” (Albert Einstein)

“Asking right questions is far more important than finding right answers.” (President of University of Minnesota)

“Study for its own sake.” (Professor of University of Minnesota)

“To whom much is given, much is expected.” (The New Testament)

“Evil is ‘live’ spelled backward.” (Book “People of the Lie” by Scot Peck)

“There are no mistakes in life, only lessons.” (Book “Women Who Love Too Much” by Robin Norwood)

“Things you own end up owning you.” (Movie “Fight Club”)

“Love is like a language. It has to be taught and learned.” (Movie “Beautiful”)

“There is no remedy for love but to love more.” (Henry David Thoreau)

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” (Nelson Mandela)

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Blog Quiz

Q1 Which of the following language learning methods does the author not mention in the blog?

A Watching movies

B Talking with native speakers

C Using a language learning app 

Q2 The word ‘profound’ in paragraph 3 is closes in meaning to which of the following: 

A Distant or remote

B Very great or intense

C Useful 

Q3 What do you think the following phrase from Fight Club means: "Things you own end up owning you.” 

A We spend our life in soulless jobs working to buy things we think we need

B If you work hard and you can be rich and successful 

C Rich people are more attractive

Scroll down ↓ for the answers to the quiz.

Quiz Answers

Q1. C

Q2. B

Q3. A