Restarting from ‘beginner’ for the 4th time isn’t failure… it’s a symptom of this timing mistakeI didn’t expect learning a language to change how my brain feels day to day.
You’ve tried to learn Italian four times. Maybe five. Each time, you think: “This time will be different. This time I’ll stick with it.” And each time, you make it 3-6 weeks on Duolingo before you give up. You blame yourself. You think you’re not committed enough. Not disciplined enough. But here’s what’s actually happening: […]
Your 127 day Duolingo streak died for a reason that has nothing to do with discipline
Your 127 day Duolingo streak died for a reason that has nothing to do with discipline You had a 127 day streak on Duolingo. And then one day… you just stopped. You tell yourself it was because: But here’s what actually happened: You hit the cognitive ceiling. Let me explain: Every language app is designed […]
The gap between closing your laptop and opening Netflix is actually a 12-minute Italian opportunity you’re burning
The gap between closing your laptop and opening Netflix is actually a 12-minute Italian opportunity you’re burning You just closed your laptop after an 8 hour workday. Your brain is not working You walk from your desk to the couch. You open Netflix. And in that gap the 12 minutes between “work is over” and […]
Your phone’s screen time report knows exactly when you could’ve been conversational by now
Your phone’s screen time report knows exactly when you could’ve been conversational by now Open your phone’s screen time report. Go ahead. I’ll wait. Now look at the number next to “Social Media.” For most people, it’s somewhere between 90 minutes and 3 hours per day. Let’s be conservative and say you’re at 90 minutes. […]
5 Things NOT to Do When Learning Italian
5 Things NOT to Do When Learning Italian Language learning apps like DuolingoLook, I used Duolingo religiously. BUT immediately after I closed the app I forget every single word I had learnt.The problem is that apps don’t work for me. I ended up feeling like I was wasting my time and never making progres Anything […]
Forget Duolingo: Here’s How to Actually Learn a Language
Forget Duolingo: Here’s How to Actually Learn a Language Written by Sophie Bouali. Hands up if you’ve spent months on Duolingo and all you can say is ‘John is eating a croissant’ – but nothing that’ll actually help you when you’re lost at a train station trying to find your platform? Same. Learning Italian was […]