The Truth About Language Acquisition

[@MortalStudies_]

Tony! I had no idea you were on youtube. Years ago I sat down with you in Chicago to talk about language learning and to this day I still look over those notes and use your advice. "Learn a little, use it a lot." Ive learned Spanish, French, and working on Bulgarian. Thanks so much for your inspiration. Easiest subscribe ever.

[@LanguageMatrix]

That's excellent, the old Logran Square public library days perhaps?

[@MortalStudies_]

@@LanguageMatrix I think we were at a coffee shop. I mightve reached out to you like "how much for an hour of your time to talk about your methods?" but also I think you had a group meeting up in logan square to talk about language matrix. It was a good time and solid advice that definitely holds up. Happy to support.

[@LanguageMatrix]

@@MortalStudies_ Awesome, great to hear from you again, and if you ever want to talk methodology one-on-one just let me know

[@TheFiestyhick]

Krashen's theories were amazing for like 1983, but in 2024, we've learned there are other layers to language learning that we understand now.

[@mcwbrasil]

I agree 100% with this. I moved to Brazil from the UK in 2002 and spent my time trying to "pick up" the language just by listening and not formally studying the language. After 18 months I could understand most of the language spoken to me, but could hardly speak at all. Only when I was recruited by a local company and I had to start interacting with colleagues was I forced to speak (or lose my job). After a couple of months I was pretty fluent. You have to force yourself to speak, as well as listen and understand.

[@LanguageMatrix]

Right. You gotta speak if you want to speak. Practice how you play!

[@dylanv1994use]

Excellent content as usual, thank you for sharing valuable information Tony !

[@LanguageMatrix]

Thanks very much Dylan

[@ahakamaki]

Very good to sharpen the idea of ​​the comprehensible input. However, when we produce speech, we are closely listening what we are saying, so that too is important part of the comprehensible input.

[@bigwave1927]

Ouch. So true Marsh. I have hide behind comprehensible input. I am holding my self back on Duck Island. I want to have all of my ducks in a row.

[@reggietkatter]

I think you’re wrong, but it’s fine. I listened to Spanish for years before talking and I ended up speaking it well.

[@LanguageMatrix]

I don't doubt that ... but that's basically my point! Do you want to wait years to speak?

[@Emily.study.coffee]

@@LanguageMatrixI do. 😆 struggling through speaking is a pain in the ass. I’d rather wait years, get really good / mid intermediate with input before starting output / speaking and struggle a lot less

[@LanguageMatrix]

@@Emily.study.coffee To each their own! This method is simply a set of structural tools designed to facilitate conversation, for those who wish to speak.

[@reggietkatter]

@@LanguageMatrix given how pleased I am with how it turned out, yes. I’m willing to wait a couple years per language.

[@reggietkatter]

@@LanguageMatrix it’s certainly easier, more pleasant and sufficient.

[@Razboynik69]

You definitely hit the nail on the head. I have been learning Spanish through 'comprehensible input' and understand a lot, BUT can't really string a sentence together...

[@LanguageMatrix]

Right! It's like saying man I've been watching tennis matches on TV for years, why can't I get the ball over the net myself?

[@julesbaby47]

Truth is, I spend far too much time looking at videos on how to speak another language, then actually doing it 😮

[@deannaJesusIsLord]

Comprehensible output …. Good one … you might have coined a new term because that’s the first time I heard that. You should use that title in your next video … You are sure to get some extra views! But yeah… Comprehensible output, so true.

[@byronwilliams7977]

In an older video you asked if anyone wanted to do a video with you, if that offer still stands please respond. Love the posts all the same.

[@LanguageMatrix]

Let's do it Byron. Schedule here: calendly.com/tonymarshmethod/session I'll confirm after you schedule.

[@ibrahimmohammed227]

If i wanna elicit a certain phrase from my student over and over again until it stick in their mind , how should i go about that , should i devise a question whose answer is this phrase?

[@LanguageMatrix]

Yes! Exactly. And then you can further refresh the question by asking about various parts of the the question. For example, if someone says "I'm going to Cuba in May", you can say, "you're going where? in May?" "You're going to Cuba when?" You're doing what this spring?" Each time you probe, they have to repeat the question but to them it doesn't feel like repetition, it feels like they are communicating (creating comprehensible input).

[@ibrahimmohammed227]

@LanguageMatrix many thanks for taking the time to reply , I appreciate it

[@ibrahimmohammed227]

@@LanguageMatrix the distinction you're making here between the two kind of repetition is insightful it is a shift of perspective , thanks

[@LanguageMatrix]

@@ibrahimmohammed227 Excellent, Ibrahim. It's my pleasure, and I'm happy to hear that.

[@josebolivar4364]

I think your strategy is similar to the Callan Method.

[@matthewmullen1547]

Great video! Clip them nails brother 🫡

[@yarrowification]

i think you are strawmanning a bit the position of most ci people. Nobody thinks you dont need to practice speaking, they just think that that is most effective when it comes after a very high level of comprehension first. You aquire a language (through input) and then you practice the skill of speaking (which is indeed a skill and does indeed need practice) which tracks with my exprience and the exprience of many many others for reasons i wont write here but will be glad to put down if somebody is interested. i think most the people who agree with you simply A. underestimate how long it takes to really get to the level of listening that CI people recommend before really diving into speaking. B. overestimate their listening abilities (ive met many people who say they understand "almost everything" but cant speak and come to find that they understand only very little. C. (this one i think is completely valid) undersold on how much speaking you will need for it to feel comfortable. personally I find the CI theory virtually uncontestable but that does not mean you need to take a strict input only apprach tonyou language learning. in my third langauge i have started speaking more and earlier than i think is otimal for my long term growth because its fun and the fun keeps my wanting to learn. for my second language i had more time and more love so I was okay with my 10'000 hours but this is unrealistic for most people including me now. the other thing that ill say is that waiting that long can make it all the more daunting to start speaking because you know so well how bad you are. It also can lead to a toxic perfectionism that adds to social anxiety.

[@LanguageMatrix]

I'm a big fan of Comprehensible Input, all I'm saying is Comprehensible Output makes input more comprehensible. The only point I have direct objection with is that "you can't teach a person to speak", and that you shouldn't try because it's uncomfortable. Here Dr. Krashen has taken something that is true in pedagogy (for kids) and assumed it's true for adults (andragogy). CI improves you output, and CO improves your input. Where it goes awry is when people think to themselves 'great, I don't have to speak or even shouldn't, because it's uncomfortable'. That's like thinking ok awesome, I don't have to workout I can just watch exercise videos, or great I don't have to spar in the gym I can just watch boxing matches. Where my method steps in is providing visual structural supports that faciltate conversation / OPI training.

[@evansimmonsofficial]

Excellent video. I’ve done some CI, but more recently I’ve been doing speaking practice with a tutor and honestly I think speaking the language(Spanish in my case) has both improved speaking AND listening. I feel more connected to the words of the language. I feel like both input and out put are important like a bonded pair. You can’t have one without the other.

[@LanguageMatrix]

Thanks a lot. Yes, it's obvious right?

[@byronwilliams7977]

Did you ever do anything focusing on phonology and prosody in the various languages you speak?

[@LanguageMatrix]

I had Spanish phonology in college after the military ... prosody specifically no, however I've said many times euphony is my favorite thing in all of life.