I took French exam to see if language acquisition really works | case study

▪ In this video I test how efficient is language acquisition method that I use for learning language.
This video provides full case study that I did for my method of learning languages.
Please stay until the end and you'll see what are the amazing benefits of language acquistion on your skills in the target language.
Enjoy the content and let me know what you think about it bellow.
Regards.
0:00 Intro
0:34 Disclaimer
0:39 Case study
01:44 Why DELF?
03:28 What I did?
06:02 Evidence Review
06:26 OC
08:03 WC
09:05 WP
10:33 OP
11:53 Conclusion
12:36 Outro
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💫 If you want to watch some of the most popular videos on the channel check out the links bellow:
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💫 If you want to watch videos about DELF B2 exam that I mentioned in video check out the links bellow:
▪ DELF B2 list of videos: • DELF B2 production ora...
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▬▬▬▬▬▬ Who am I ? ▬▬▬▬▬▬
👋 Hey, I'm Djuro. I am just an ordinary guy from Serbia who is passionate about learning foreign languages and reading.
Besides Serbian, I speak English, Italian and French, and I am trying to acquire Portuguese (Brazilian), Turkish and German.
Yes, acquire! You read it well, the process of language acquisition is a natural way of learning foreign languages, which is fun and stress free.
I'm pretty much self-taught and will share my experience with languages on this channel, considering that I myself use KZbin as a tool for learning languages.
If you like my channel, or have any advice or book recommendations feel free to write me.
Thanks for watching.

[@Merriam68]

I think this proves that only learning grammar doesn’t get you anywhere. Immersion is definitely the best way to learn a language - have reached near native level in Germany myself that way. And I’m a German teacher now. Any class-taught language needs to be supplemented by reading, listening and speaking the language as much as possible for best results.

[@polyglotsjourney]

So true. Thank you for pointed it out 🤗 Especially because you're a teacher 😊

[@EnglishwithJoe]

speaking as much as possible will depend on their level.

[@Phylaetra]

I am not aware of any language teachers suggesting that their students "only learn grammar".

[@Merriam68]

@@Phylaetra Unfortunately teachers often spend more time on grammar exercises than on listening and speaking, which is a mistake in my opinion. A basic grasp of grammar is important, but that is all.

[@Phylaetra]

@@Merriam68 do they? Not in any language class I've been a part of in the last 25 years...

[@raquelbarbosadasilva704]

You had a great result! Congrats. My approach is the classic 80/20, I would take 80% of comprehensible input and 20% of speaking practice and grammar. I believe you would get even higher scores with a little bit of structure just as we do in schools for formal education. At the end, I totally agree that having fun in the process is the most important factor.

[@polyglotsjourney]

Great! We all have our own approach 😁 I believe that speaking and grammar can be fun, as well. However, I do focus on input most of the time 😊 Thanks a lot 🤗

[@philipdavis7521]

Thanks, this is so interesting and well presented. I've been using the immersion method in French and Japanese and I'm pretty sure its the best approach, but I am surprised that you could do a writing exam without every directly studying writing or speaking. Its an impressive demonstration that Krashen is correct. Now we just have to persuade pretty much the entire language teaching industry of this fact....

[@polyglotsjourney]

That's exactly my mission. Just as you noted there is a whole industry against language acquisition and ignorance of the learners. But I believe that the truth will eventually win 😁

[@Florita111]

This is so impressive! Thanks for sharing.

[@thedavidguy01]

Congratulations! I’m very happy to see your results because I have had no luck convincing anybody that comprehensible input is the best way to learn a language. I went to a language school for foreigners in France for 2 weeks after spending a year of 2 hours per day of comprehensible input. I just started speaking French a few weeks before school started and hadn’t done any writing. I took the school’s evaluation exam (not DELF) and my results were just below B2. After 2 weeks I tested as B2. One of my teachers said that she had never seen anybody improve their speaking and writing so much in such a short period of time. I felt that everything just came easily but that it was the result of all the comprehensible input. So I believe totally and completely that you are correct.

[@polyglotsjourney]

Thanks! You're my new best friend!😂 I created the channel so I can share my knowledge about language acquisition that's so many times proved as the right approach. But it's difficult to change the opinion and bias of language learners, because the skill building approach is standard for the contemporary world. However, Iet's continue fighting and questioning both 🤗

[@thedavidguy01]

@@polyglotsjourney I belong to two different groups of French language learners. And I get asked by people in the groups frequently why I speak French so well. Then I explain about comprehensible input and they nod their heads and go back to the skill building approach. And a few months later after not improving they ask me again and we repeat the conversation and they go back to more skill building. It’s beyond frustrating. Some of the members have been trying for years with nothing to show for it, but they almost never listen to French except during a grammar class.

[@gandolfthorstefn1780]

How much reading did you do? How many books before the context of some Grammar makes sense?

[@user-zd2jl1ys9i]

@@thedavidguy01 I’d love to try it but I didn’t get how to choose material for A1, should I listen and read and watch everything or filter it for my level?

[@thedavidguy01]

@@user-zd2jl1ys9i It’s hardest at the beginning because you can’t have “comprehensible” input when you don’t understand anything. You have to find very simple stuff to watch and listen to and repeat it until you can understand it. It gets better and enjoyable as you understand more.

[@tommybinson]

Interesting and inspiring video. Thanks! Comprehensible input in the internet age is a fantastic experience for language learners. Best wishes!

[@polyglotsjourney]

My pleasure 🤗

[@1langueen100jours]

Bravo, cher ami ! C'est la preuve qu'avec les bonnes méthodes, on peut apprendre une langue "difficile" rapidement ! Svaka cast, brate!

[@polyglotsjourney]

Merci beaucoup, mon ami! 😊

[@EnglishwithJoe]

Congratulations! and thank you for making this case study. I prepare English learners for tests and the main focus is the test format, how to complete the tasks and how they grade you so you know what to produce. Basically, it is not a very realistic test and it is based on the traditional method of 'learning'. Most traditional 'learners' would have completed many multiple choice type exercises so will be more used to that style. Luckily, in the real world there are no multiple choice questions.

[@REGDTRES]

Very good! I've tried to learn English for a long time, but I've never was succeed on it, but, last year I decided put all my efforts and dive in English content. Now, I able to get a conversation, and I've already did some interviews in English. I got C1 in some tests online, but I know that I have some lacks in my vocabulary. I've learning everyday to get more vocabulary and improve more. In September 2023 I started to learn German, because I love this culture, and I intent to move there soon. I got A1 with VHS support, and now, I working on get more immersion in this language.

[@gandolfthorstefn1780]

... something lacking in my vocabulary... English is my native tongue.👍keep going.

[@gandolfthorstefn1780]

I'm learning more vocabulary everyday for greater improvement. Not..I've learning...That is short for I have learning..which is still incorrect for the past tense..I have learnt/learned. Also try not to repeat words in English so I used greater instead of repeating 'more'.

[@tommybinson]

Well done, and thanks for sharing. You inspire me in my learning French and Italian. Best wishes!

[@Iskoj210]

It’s a really nice achievement, congrats mate! Pls tell about how you’ve been working for getting that high comprehensibility level up to 75% being as you said literally at the beginning stage. I mean dealing with all that reading of B1 / B2 literature, watching videos and listening to the radio for natives. Usually it is a misty fog thing for most people wanting to follow the CI way from scratch but they quite simply cannot manage, it is too difficult or/and incomprehensible and they quit soon or move towards more «traditional» explicit approach. Any tips?

[@polyglotsjourney]

Great question. 👏🏻 Everything you wrote is truth. Consistency is the key I would say. To create a habit. Something that probably differs me from the big rest of the language learning community is the primary goal that I have when I decide to learn a language. It's almost never to speak that language. I am never in a hurry with that. This is something that usually creates frustration for people and they eventually give up. Primary goal vary between the languages I learn, but the basic principle I have is to be able to understand (my goals are for instance to explore the culture, learn about mentality of the people, history, read Guillaume Musso in French, and similar). However, when you're at very beginning and don't speak any similar language to the target language, I would always recommend the combination of visual and sound input (reading and listening at the very basic level). What helped me with French are comics and great YT channels (here are some that I recommend for French language: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH7bemRoaaqmq8k). And of course I used as well literature written for A2 level. But like I said literature written in Easy French, even at B1/B2 level is very easy to understand. Thanks for the question and probably good topic for some of next videos, because it takes a lot to explain and give clear guidelines with one comment. 🤗

[@Iskoj210]

@@polyglotsjourney Yeah sure. It’d be good to get firsthand knowledge from someone who could.💪 Your experience is a clear example of the implicit acquisition efficacy whilst we may here every now and then on and off the internet that CI has been proved as wrong or demystified or insufficient to learn a language. So yeah, any helpful insights are most welcome.

[@Tal2024-er6hh]

Hvala na velikoj motivaciji i potvrdi da je ovo najispravniji način za savladavanje nekog stranog jezika. Pozdrav iz Hrvatske! 😊

[@polyglotsjourney]

Nema na čemu. Zadovoljstvo je moje 😊 Veliki pozdrav 🤗

[@daktilo_]

Thank you very much for your video. Firstly, when you watched the videos, did you watch them with English subtitles also? Secondly, did you keep a vocabulary book and repeat the words? Or did you just watch videos and read books?

[@polyglotsjourney]

You're welcome! 1. No, I always use subtitles in French when I watch French YT videos. 2. I never use vocabulary lists, sometimes I check words in the vocabulary. But I try to do this as little as possible, since it is a sort of distraction for the process of the language acquisition. I have never repeated the words or reviewed them intentionally for the period of case study. But the point is that the words, even those unknown repeat themselves after a while when you read/watch videos. At least those that we use in every day speech and that are frequent so to say. Best regards 🤗

[@daktilo_]

@@polyglotsjourney thank you very much for your answer 🙂

[@milanhrvat]

I went to a French immersion school for years. I'm scared to do B1 exam even though I'm advanced fluent

[@polyglotsjourney]

That's a common feeling when it comes to exams I would say 😁 I hate tests, but I know that people very often need them for variety of reasons (diplomas as proofs). That's why I suggested to use language acquisition, enjoy the process and test yourself afterwards. However, if you don't need the certificate for some specific purpose why testing yourself at all 😁 Just enjoy your time with the language 🤗

[@WeShallOvercome_]

It’s interesting that your lowest score was in listening comprehension. Given that much of your comprehensible input involved listening, I would expect us to achieve our highest score in that test. From your experience, it would appear that their testing method presents an additional challenge that we wouldn’t encounter in real life and that is unfair of DELF.

[@Learninglotsoflanguages]

Idk how this one was exactly, but listening is hard with testing. I did a similar test in Korean and you hear the question once and you have about 10 seconds to look at the four options and answer before the next question starts playing. It was playing on a cd player that all 50 people in the room had to listen to. If I could’ve even just had headphones and the ability to click play after answer the previous question it would’ve made a world of difference. So I think with listening it’s due to the testing practices.

[@polyglotsjourney]

Exactly. Thanks for the comment so much! I share the same opinion. I am pretty much sure that my listening in French is the best skill that I possess. But the fact is that DELF is simply too difficult in this part. First, you don't see persons while listening (no facial input). Second, you cannot always discern sounds from the speakers. Third, classroom might be noisy at some points and you cannot listen to the audio more than once/twice, depending on the exercise. Four, it would be better if we could use headset while listening. Five and the most important I was not expecting to fill in the answers and simply I was not ready for that sort of test (only half an hour in total to do everything). I believe that all these things affected my score. Thanks once again🤗

[@polyglotsjourney]

Bravo 👏🏻

[@alchemist_one]

Great job! It would be really interesting to see you try this with Mandarin, using traditional characters and Taiwanese books, TV and social media as your input.

[@polyglotsjourney]

I love the idea 😊

[@user-vb1om8xv3j]

Congratulations mate 🎉 Actually I believe that the way we all learned our language through is the best, that what makes Stephen Krashen a genius person, he didn't look at the difference between people like IQ level, he looked at the similarities like how we eat, how we see and how we learned our mother tongue so it's great to see someone tried this method and it worked especially you didn't practice any written or spoken French, such a big surprise!! Congrats again mate I'm really happy seeing you made this great progress but just exposing yourself to the language with only Comprehensible Input and immersion, you gave me the passion to try this method, thanks a lot and hope you use this method again with another language 👏❤️✨

[@user-vb1om8xv3j]

I wanna try with Japanese but all my problem is the writing system, it's hard to read something isn't written by the Latin Alphabet (A,B,C ..) but I hope I can deal with that

[@polyglotsjourney]

Haha. Actually this is something I am working on, as well. Trying to find way to acquire Chinese 😂 But it will be the topic for some of the next videos. 🤗

[@polyglotsjourney]

I will definitely try with another language as well 😊 Thanks for your comments 🤗

[@stefan_popp]

Good to have these data shared. I love your writing/oral results but am surprised that you didn't score full points in that which you have practiced. You give the fault to the test format, which says that the DELF isn't a good indicator of one's language skill (but the best we have, I guess?).

[@polyglotsjourney]

For oral (listening) comprehension part I indicated that I was not ready for the format (not only checking the answers, but fill in as well). Second, my opinion, it is very difficult to do it for us non-natives. Very difficult concept (especially the part with only one listening), lack of time, speakers (but be better if we could use earphones), fast pace audios, etc. Hence, it doesn't mean it's not good indicator of the proficiency. Rather, I would say that 10 points on this part worth a lot. For written (reading) comprehension I would say that the problem were tricky questions. Some of those had double meaning. And someone has written in the comments that those are difficult even for natives. Thus, for this part, I believe as well that it is a good indicator, but sometimes it's difficult for non-natives. For me, result on this part was the most surprising, since I believe it is the easiest part of the exam. 😊

[@stefan_popp]

​@@polyglotsjourney I think, what you describe exactly reinforces my point: If native speakers don't always get C2 (or at least C1), it doesn't test for language proficiency. It's rather a test that mainly shows how well you can take that test, indicated by the fact that you can become better by just getting used to that specific format (and hardware, etc.).

[@frenchchallenge8]

Génial et merci beaucoup pour partager! C'est possible pour faire en video en français?

[@polyglotsjourney]

Merci beaucoup! Probablement dans le futur. J'ai parlé un peu français dans cette vidéo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5Ddq4l-lp2ea9E 😁

[@kirstylambert2021]

Nice keep up the good work 👍🏾👍🏾

[@polyglotsjourney]

Thanks, will do!😊

[@amilaploskic]

Congratulations on your success,I'm very happy for you 😊

[@polyglotsjourney]

I was the happiest to prove that my method really works 😁 Thanks a lot 🤗

[@YogaBlissDance]

Not to be difficult but just for clarity. I don't think Krashen meant that you can't do some of the things you mentioned. Things like talking to natives etc...you have a very strict defininition of CI. When babies and children learn they talk back...so just saying not sure why you would leave off things like speaking...as it's enjoyable right?

[@polyglotsjourney]

It's totally up to you whether you want to speak or not. Of course sometimes it might be difficult to find an adequate partner for speaking. Especially if it is for free (not hiring tutor) and in long term. But the point is that speaking itself won't make you better in the language. You might learn some phrases here and there by hearth, but the key is in input (reading and listening). However, I agree that speaking for vast majority of learners is the final goal and of utmost importance. 😊 And yes, it is enjoyable 😊

[@jasonmacm]

Thanks for making this video! I've been learning French for 6 months now (2 hours per day) and I do not have many opportunities to speak with someone. It is good to know the importance of reading and listening. This video gives me confidence to continue and I am definitely enjoying the process!

[@polyglotsjourney]

Speaking matters only to boost your confidence, so that you can see that you're capable of doing it 😊 But it is the result of our proficiency in the language, not the cause 😉

[@baladadisidenta8219]

Čestitam! I ja pokušavam isto sa srpskim jezikom - ali nisam uvek dosledna. Onda razumem emisije na televiziji i radiju, tekstove, ali još uvek ne govorim ni pišem dobro na srpskom.

[@polyglotsjourney]

Samo tako nastavi 😊 To se zove "tihi period". Počećeš da pričaš i pišeš sa vremenom, samo ostani fokusirana na sadržaj koji voliš i uživaj. Ako treba pomoć, javljaj 🤗

[@baladadisidenta8219]

@@polyglotsjourney Hvala Vam puno!😊

[@MarAdriatnePC]

Idk if it's because for me is very dificult to learn how to write words properly even in my native language that the part most unvelibable for me is your score in writing. French has so many silent consonantas/vocals which make it even more difficult than Spanish, my native language. It's hard to belive that just by reading you knew it how to write quite good without a deliberate practice...

[@polyglotsjourney]

That's why I made the video 😁 And put the disclaimer part 😁 Believe it or not, that's truth 😊

[@RossBolinger]

Awesome, man! I've been learning on my own for a year but only doing practices with a little bit of reading. I plan to add in a TON of reading and listening moving forward to finally take the assessment by end of summer. Congratulations, again!

[@polyglotsjourney]

Thanks 🤗 Good luck and enjoy 😊

[@joseeallyn9950]

I know there are detractors for 'Language Aquisition' , but surely it is how we all learn at a very basic level, to ask for what we need or want from our earliest cries and demands? Presumably the examiners will understand that aquisition of the language depends on what you use it for and where you live. For instance I can go to the shops and communicate and understand what I am buying. I can understand some basic theology because that is what I have been exposed to.I would hope that the examiners are multi cultured enough to take that into consideration. Knitting and sewing has marny similar words in most western culures. We buy Burda Moden and use it though most of us don't speak German. I can chat to my neighbour about the sort of things that women talk about with ease and at length. The other neighbour speaks French, but it is interspersed with a local language Occitan and I don't understand very much . People near the South in Aude speak French that owes more to Spanish than French. The border near Italy, likewise bleeds Italian over into French. The EU is never the greatest authority on anything, certainly not on an 'invented language', French that was imposed on France in order to try to unify 'All Gaul" . It is amazing that the old accents and languages still exist in spite of the multinational companies who advertise, package and promote their ware uniformly throughout the world. EU spawned exams are a stupid and peculiarly academic way of assessing a persons language skills . It would be better if they simply escorted people to carrefour with their weekly shopping list and listen to how they cope in the local language, in this case French.

[@TheGoatConnor]

Congratulations!

[@polyglotsjourney]

Thank you!

[@chandie5298]

2 hours per day of focused comprehensible input results in approximately B2 level. Amazing!! This gives me hope.

[@polyglotsjourney]

If you do more comprehensible input per day, you're there even sooner. I am sure of that 😊 But we all have different schedules and obligations. So it's up to you 🤗

[@chandie5298]

@@polyglotsjourney I want to thank you for your channel and especially this video. I've been studying all wrong for a long time.... exerted so much effort with very little results to show for it. I now believe there is hope. I will re-double my efforts but use this new approach.

[@tomco5973]

I should asmit that as a native speaker, questions are really hard in the reading section. Actually it's nat THAT hard but c1 level.

[@polyglotsjourney]

Yeah, you're probably right 😊

[@portraitofalion]

Great but please calm down the pop text

[@polyglotsjourney]

LOL. Roger that 😂

[@adrianobertolini2300]

I'm all for reading, watching or listening to foreign-language material without subtitles. But that's not the best way to learn the basis of a language; it's nice for practising your comprehention once you've reached a certain level, even if you can't practice speaking. As for learning to write by reading books, that's never helped me. If you focus on the overall content (as you should), you won't pay attention to any individual words, let alone how they're spelled. And you won't acquire the grammar rules of a language this way (unless you read grammar books, but they aren't “fun”).

[@dong4617]

I can't place your accent. Eastern Europe?

[@polyglotsjourney]

You're right. 😊

[@dong4617]

@@polyglotsjourney Did you learn English the same way? I learned enough French to get back to my ship in Nice. I took it for a few years in grammar school. We used to look at French magazines, and the teacher was from Paris.

[@Phylaetra]

Oh - and what is the difference between 'acquiring' a language and 'learning' a language? This seems to be a distinction without a difference.

[@polyglotsjourney]

Great question! That's all this channel is about. I covered the glimpses of the differences between two in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2iTZXivZ9inn7s But I guess I can make one more comprehensive video on that topic. Thanks for the inspiration 🤗

[@Phylaetra]

@@polyglotsjourney well - one thing I want to know is how you can tell from the outside if someone has 'learned' or 'acquired' a langauge.

[@derekofbaltimore]

I find it very hard to understand how you, as a complete beginner, was able to start off with books written for b1 and b2??? How would that be "comprehensible"

[@polyglotsjourney]

Very good resources, I would say. Of course I used A1/A2 books, as well. Have you ever read anything on easy French ("en français facile")? Take a look of the books (photos, easy stories, very compelling, limited vocabulary that is repeating, etc.) and you'll figure out it is very comprehensible.

[@derekofbaltimore]

@@polyglotsjourney ill check it out

[@Phylaetra]

So - contemporary research and studies actually show that a lot of what is being done in classes _works_. You seem to imply only about 1 minute in that it doesn't. I'm not interested in debating how well Comprehensible Input works - most people into it seem to have more of a cult mentality than one interested in what other research might have to say - but I will point out that there is not just one way to learn a language, and however well this method might work for you, it does not work for everyone.

[@ArtiomFranich]

On the one hand, I learned English through a lot of input. On the other, you've guessed it, I had lots of grammatical exercises. Input is great, his result shows that it kinda works. But, if you only read, you learn to just read. It doesn't make you automatically speak, as his result kinda shows too. I started actually speaking good in English after I started, well, speaking in English, surpassing what's known as a language barrier. The same thing with writing and typing in English.

[@EnglishwithJoe]

Can you please cite the research that you mentioned?

[@Phylaetra]

@@EnglishwithJoe here are two sources (with additional citations within): www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/resources/paul-nations-resources/paul-nations-publications/publications/documents/foreign-language_1125.pdf and sealang.net/archives/sla/gurt_1999_07.pdf To be clear - input _is_ absolutely important, but to learn _optimally_ you want more than just input. Exactly what balance depends both on your goals and your available resources. There is also a strong indication that to reach a given level in a language requires a certain amount of time, which can be sped up through experience in learning languages and in learning a language closer to one you are already fluent in - but is longer for more distant languages. I hope the references help.

[@Phylaetra]

@@EnglishwithJoe I thought I had responded to you - but I don't see the comment, so maybe I forgot to hit 'post'. sealang.net/archives/sla/gurt_1999_07.pdf and www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/resources/paul-nations-resources/paul-nations-publications/publications/documents/foreign-language_1125.pdf

[@genevaconventionsviolator3994]

I respect the results but calling this a case study seems egregious. Using scientific terminology to describe what is essentially a single point of data doesn't seem appropriate to me but whatever.

[@donkeyhota.dontflamingo9294]

Fine, you barely passed an upper-intermediate test. Congrats. But you perfectly know there's no way you can pass the C1 exam by just comprehensible input and passive immersion, no matter how many years you put into it. Let alone the C2

[@polyglotsjourney]

Sounds like a challenge to me 😁

[@thedavidguy01]

I know people who have spent years studying grammar and taking classes and studying with tutors and they can’t pass the C1 exam either. In fact one of my friends can’t pass the B2 exam after spending 5 hours a day for many months with traditional language learning methods. One year is not a long time for language learning.

[@robbradley3610]

Lol why so passive aggressive. B2 is crazy impressive within a year. To be honest it’s a fairly linear journey so I don’t see why you wouldn’t reach c1 in another six months to a year or so depending on effort.

[@donkeyhota.dontflamingo9294]

@@robbradley3610 it's crystal clear you've never taken a C1 exam

[@Carlos-pd6hv]

But i think if he gets 1 year more or 2 doing this method he will get c1