A friend was at my apartment on Sunday and we were talking about Duolingo.
(If you’ve never heard of it, it’s one of the many “learn a language for free” programs available online.)
He’s using it for German.
And he said it’s fun, but it’s slow.
Here’s why it’s slow.
It’s because he’s already intermediate – he already knows several thousand words – but Duolingo, and all the programs out there, are a one-size-fits-all solution.
What he needs is exactly the words that he’s missing.
He needs customization.
Here’s what I recommend to him and what I recommend to all my students:
1. Get a frequency list
(You can download mine at: httpssss://mrvig.com/super-words/; httpssss://mrvig.com/super-business-words/)
Why a frequency list?
A frequency list shows you the most valuable/the most frequently used words in English. When you know these words, you understand about 90% of conversation. And when you understand both lists – 97%!
2. Circle the words you don’t know
I’ve discovered that even intermediate and advanced students have gaps.
In school, they teach us word lists for vegetables and animals and family members. But “cucumber” and “cheetah” and “father-in-law” are not what native speakers usually talk about and are not on the frequency list.
3. Learn how to remember
Learning a word is the easy part (get a dictionary).
Remembering the word (and then activating the word so you actually use it in conversation), is the important part they don’t teach you in school.