Dig and delve

Learning a language takes time, no question about it. And so it is going to take time to notice much improvement, unless . . .

 

Unless you cheat a little. Unless you help yourself out. 

So lend yourself a helping sleight-of-hand. Turn yourself into an instant expert. (Well, not ‘instant’ exactly. But certainly short-order.)

Here’s how to do it:

Reduce your target. Focus in on a subset of the whole, but not by dealing with limited vocabulary to do with ‘shopping’, or ‘visiting the doctor’. And not by focusing on a single grammar point (as in “today we’ll do the present perfect”).

What I mean is this: take one subject area, or biography (for nonfiction) or a well-known story (fiction) and get to know it inside-out.

Pick some famous story of which there are various versions for adults and children, and for which cartoons, movies and musicals have been produced. The more, the merrier. Collect ‘em.

Begin by getting to know it in your own language first. Then go over the easiest 2^nd language version. Then read, listen, watch, sing and dance along to each version. The content will remain familiar, but the grammar that is used in each case will vary subtly.

Try Heidi, Cinderella, Pinocchio, Dracula, Little House on the Prairie or whatever your fancy.