1. Learn as if You’re (Really) Young

像孩子般学习

When I start to learn languages, I often approach it through the eyes of a child. Children’s books and learning materials start with the basics and break them down into small fragments—and when you’re pressed for time, that can be much easier than getting into a dense workbook.

当我开始学习语言时，我总是用孩童般的眼光去学习它。孩子们的书籍以及学习资料都十分基础，还分成了很多的小单元——如果你时间紧张，这会比你翻一本厚厚的笔记本简单多了。

When I first started learning Korean, I learned my numbers in 10 minutes with the Korean Numbers Song. Later, I used children’s books and music videos to help gaugewhen I was ready to move past an introductory level. When I got to Korea, I gained confidence by speaking to nieces and younger students—they understood my basic words, and I wasn’t so worried about messing up. These conversations gave me the foundation to learn “formal” Korean later.

我最先开始学韩语时，十分钟就学会了数字，这多亏了韩语数字歌的帮忙。接着，我用孩童的书籍和音乐视频为标准，来检测自己是否已度过了初级阶段。当我到了韩国，和侄女们以及学生聊天让我充满信心——他们能听懂我的基础词汇，我也不需要担心说的乱七八糟。这些对话是我后来学习正式韩语的基础。