7-Day Language Learning Technique of Twins Fluent in 10 Languages

Do we really need to travel to another country to learn a language? A pair of twins who are fluent in 10 languages ​​challenged themselves to learn a new language in a week in Berlin. What can we learn from their approach?

Multilingual German twins Matthew and Michael Youlden set themselves the challenge of learning Turkish in a week. They tried to free themselves from the distractions and responsibilities of modern life to devote eight hours a day to studying.

Matthew and Michael Youlden set themselves the challenge of learning Turkish in a week.

Here are seven things they learned from observing some of the fastest language learners in the world.

1. Define your goals

Lesson learned: It is important to define clear goals at the beginning and then map out a specific roadmap towards those goals in order to succeed.

The twins set themselves the challenge of learning a new language in a week to add to their language repertoire. The question was: which language should they learn? They eventually chose Turkish because there are around 300,000 Turkish speakers in the German capital. There are also many Turkish shops scattered around Kreuzberg and Neukölln.

To understand the people around them, the twins knew that the first thing they needed to do was understand their language - Turkish.

2. Stick sticky notes around

Lesson learned: Draw a map and stick sticky notes around your home as soon as you start learning a new language. You will automatically memorize and passively imprint the words on the sticky notes.

The twins’ first step in learning to read was to decorate the entire house with sticky notes, which was done after looking up the names of household items in the dictionary in Turkish. For about an hour, they were not allowed to do any task, whether it was making coffee or turning off the lights, without using at least three different words related to the action.

3. Find someone to study with

Lesson learned: You’ll be more motivated to study with someone who shares your goals. Whether you’re motivated by competition or a sense of mutual accountability, having a partner around you will help keep you on track.

The importance of a companion was evident as Matthew and Michael shared the task of decorating the room with sticky notes. They then took turns quizzing each other with exercises or quizzes.

In fact, sharing different topics helped each become a source of knowledge for the other. The surprising result was that by the weekend, the twins were able to share simple everyday stories in Turkish, such as asking each other if they wanted tea or coffee, if they were ready to cook dinner, or when they would leave the house…

4. Break down your goals

Lesson learned: You need to set milestones to gradually move towards your goals. Each milestone is a small challenge, for example, you are forced to learn vocabulary in a specific area and have to overcome them. The satisfaction of completing them will motivate you to achieve higher goals.

For each new word, use 3 different words to combine with this word.

Matthew and Michael had many challenges throughout the week. On the first day they were visited by a Turkish friend who complimented them on how quickly they learned words and phrases. They then learned the names of fruits and the numbers from 1 to 1 billion so they could visit the Turkish market in Kreuzberg. After their first day of shopping in Turkish, they were extremely proud of their achievements.

5. Live with the language

Lesson learned: Find ways to force yourself to learn. Even when you are surrounded by food, music, movies or doing nothing, keep your mind on the language you are learning so that you can expand to many areas.

Dozens of Turkish snacks are available in the twins’ apartment. Like children staring at the back of cereal packets, they read the nutritional information and product benefits on the packaging. There is no downtime during the twins’ eight hours of language study.

6. Use what you know

Lesson learned: Finding similarities and differences between known languages ​​and new languages ​​will help you remember them longer.

One of the twins’ most commonly used phrases is “Ah, is it something like…?” They constantly use their existing knowledge to support their Turkish learning. This not only helps them remember root words and word progressions, but also ensures that new words are never forgotten.

Even if you are learning another language, you can still apply the same root development as your mother tongue.

7. Variety is the spice of life

Lesson learned: Even if you have a roadmap and an idea of ​​your preferred learning method, remember to try new things.

The twins spent a lot of time reading, surfing the computer and eagerly doing their homework. Besides, they were busy searching for Turkish radio broadcasts or Turkish football match reports on the web.

There is no set method to learn a language, nor is there any tool or teacher that can make you fluent in a new language. Language consists of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Each of these areas has countless ways to develop.

People often attend weekly classes to converse with their teachers, but have little contact with other native speakers or media broadcast in the language they want to learn. Try something new every day. Listen to a good song, read an article from a newspaper that is politically different from your own, write a story for children, try improvisational theater, and talk to yourself while cooking.

Spice up your language learning!

According to VNN