Learning Tips from the Language Doctor

Hi, I'm Stavroula, the Language Doctor. I have a PhD in Linguistics and I've been studying, researching and publishing in Linguistics for over ten years.

My aim is to help you learn languages more effectively.

In a regular series of articles, I will cover a wide range of topics related to language learning and teaching including effective ways to accelerate your language learning on FriendsAbroad. So come back and see me regularly!

To see the full article in each case, simply click on the heading or the more link at the end of the article summary.

Articles

Too old? Not so clever? Not enough time? Excuses, excuses...

We review and evaluate ten popular beliefs about language learning which, not surprisingly, are also among the commonest reasons people are putting off language practice. Read on, then think about starting out in a new language or even reclaiming your abandoned language skillls ...more

Discover your needs

Try out our Needs Analysis Questionnaire. Discover what you really need to achieve by learning a foreign language and adapt your learning practice accordingly. This way, you make the most of your learning experience. more

Language Learning and 'Immersion'

Practicing your foreign language with a native speaker is undoubtedly beneficial - especially in a casual environment like FriendsAbroad.com, where you access the colloquial, 'real' speech, the kind of language used in daily life and often not found in books. But you may be wondering: is it a good idea to not use your own language in order to learn? Or would you rather practice with someone who speaks a bit of your language? You may have heard of the word 'immersion' and be confused as to what it is; or you may be wondering whether it's any good at all. Here we have the answers for you... more

Why dictionaries are necessary

As you are learning a language, you'll find sooner or later that you can't live without a dictionary. Whether you are reading or writing, looking up words in a dictionary is often the only way to feel in full control of the foreign language. Bilingual or two-way dictionaries are probably the handiest for all levels of language learning: Say you are reading an email from your friend abroad: You won't understand everything they say, so you'll need to translate some words in your language. Likewise, if you are writing an email in a foreign language, you'll need translations into that language to make sure that what you want to say gets across accurately. more