How Should You Start Learning a New Language? Beginner Methods Compared – S02E01

How should a complete beginner start learning a new language? Should you find a teacher immediately, use an app, follow an audio course or simply immerse yourself in the language?Gav and Em return for Season 2 with two new language-learning projects of their own. Drawing on more than 40 years of combined English-teaching experience, they compare different ways to begin learning a language and consider how those methods feel from a student’s perspective.Em explains why she wants to build some basic knowledge independently before working with a teacher. She discusses using Pimsleur and Duolingo, combining listening, repetition, reading and short daily activities without putting too much pressure on herself.Gav takes a more immersive approach. He listens to recordings from 101 Languages, even when he cannot understand everything, and supplements this exposure with the FunEasyLearn app. Is listening without understanding useful—or is it simply passive learning?They also discuss whether teachers should use only the target language with beginners, the anxiety of attending a first lesson with no prior knowledge and how a negative early experience can discourage someone from continuing. Gav recalls a memorable French lesson at school in which one pronunciation mistake shaped his feelings about language learning.Other topics include gamification, motivation, learning little and often, the differences between child and adult learners, time pressure, cognates, translation and the repetition techniques used by Pimsleur and Michel Thomas.Whether you are beginning a new language yourself or teaching students from beginner level, this episode offers practical ideas and an honest look at what starting from zero really feels like.☕ Support Gav and Em:https://ko-fi.com/howtoenglishpod🌐 Find more practical TEFL ideas, episode guides and teaching resources:https://howtoenglishpod.comReferences and resourcesPimsleur:https://www.pimsleur.com/Duolingo:https://www.duolingo.com/101 Languages:https://www.101languages.net/FunEasyLearn:https://www.funeasylearn.com/Michel Thomas Method:https://www.michelthomas.com/Qualities of a Good Teacher:https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2017/12/qualities-of-a-good-teacherChapters00:00 – Welcome to How to English00:21 – Gav and Em return for Season 200:56 – Why the podcast is changing to monthly episodes01:43 – Catching up and introducing the topic02:22 – Gav and Em begin learning new languages03:09 – Setting realistic language-learning goals03:27 – Em’s self-study plan04:12 – Why beginning with a teacher can feel intimidating04:36 – Can a student arrive with absolutely no language?05:08 – Learning with Pimsleur05:36 – Repetition, translation and the target language06:29 – Gav’s memorable first French lessons07:37 – Why first impressions matter08:13 – Em’s experience with Duolingo08:47 – Advertising and language-learning apps09:18 – Combining written language with audio09:23 – Planning to work with a teacher12:38 – Gav’s immersion-based learning method13:07 – Listening with 101 Languages15:35 – Is passive listening effective?16:03 – Using the FunEasyLearn app17:40 – Do adults and children learn differently?19:00 – Time pressure and adult language learners20:17 – Learning little and often21:46 – How Pimsleur and Michel Thomas use repetition22:55 – Cognates, associations and remembering vocabulary25:31 – How much support do beginners need?26:08 – Could a graded podcast help language learners?27:17 – Good teachers are good learners28:00 – Final thoughts and goodbye