Accelerate Your Speaking Skills with Speechling: In-Depth 100% Honest Review

Speaking in other languages is harder than it looks at first. You can read books and study flashcards, and still choke when you speak to a real person.

It can be difficult to practice pronunciation and have conversations on a regular basis. Tutors are awesome, but your lesson time is limited. And many apps and bots make us feel detached.

Speechling claims to have cracked that problem. This new app offers speaking skill training, attractive design, and the most convenient access to a real person tutor that I have ever seen. No scheduling, no exchange of Skype names.

Sounds good, but does it work? In this review, let's take a deep dive and find out.

How does Speechling Work?

Speechling's courses use sentence repetition, a premise that you may know from fellow Fluent favourite Glossika. But there is a twist: Speechling includes feedback on everything you record, from an actual human.

After repeating the sentence you see and hear on the screen, you have the choice of listening back to your pronunciation, or to save it for coaching. After you save your recording, you will receive feedback and tips from a Speechling coach.

How I Tested The App

Speechling's six language options gave me the chance to test ot for at different levels:

• Advanced (French),
• Confident Beginner(Russian)
• Absolute Beginner (Chinese).

The Advanced Learner Test: French

In French, my language level is around B2-C1 on the CEFR. I can navigate most conversations without hiccups, and I know for a fact that speaking French is what I need the most.

So for my level, saying a few sentences every day at my own convenience was perfect.

The live feedback here was eye-opening. I have an optimistic blind spot to my own weaknesses in pronunciation and word choice. I always learnt French in academic environments, so I produce great grammar. But in reality, my spoken French sounds textbook and a little uncomfortable. The coach feedback made me more aware of my little mistakes without discouraging me completely. I felt encouraged to try again, to fix what I was saying and carry on.

Describing a picture using Speechling's Freestyle mode

With the freestyle mode, I got to practice free speech instead of repeating pre-written sentences. In the dictation feature, I added listening comprehension at natural speeds.

The Confident Beginner Test: Russian

Russian is a language I studied about two years ago and I was able to have very basic exchanges (“what did you have for breakfast?” - “I had porridge”, that kind of stuff). I pronounce words correctly, and can read Cyrillic. So with this language, I wanted to see

1. if Speechling can teach me something new and
2. if my pronunciation is accurate.

The module I chose was “Beginner (A1)”, which was a great entry point after a few years off. With each repetition, I felt like I was learning. The examples were well pronounced, came at a speed that felt like a suitable challenge, and soon I was improving.

I also felt that pronouncing each new word immediately helped me remember it, especially when I added a recording. The accountability of recording and coaching (“someone will actually hear this”) helped me link the phrase with a strong emotion. For more about how emotions amplify memory, check out my interview with Gabriel Wyner from Fluent Forever.

With a language like Russian, you need regular exposure to stay comfortable with the alphabet and pronunciation. Speechling surprised me here because it felt like the perfect tool. There were so many sentences I had never said before, and so many opportunities for me to improve.

Best of all, I was speaking Russian right there and then without any hesitation.

Of course, exposure to lots of sentences won't teach me more than lots of sentences. If I wanted to get back into Russian and start making steady progress, I would definitely use Speechling and I would add a textbook, dictionary, grammar explanations, and lots of input resources.

The Absolute Beginner Test: Chinese

Chinese is the only language out of Speechling’s range that I have never studied, so I decided to go for the “simplified” version. Does that mean easy Chinese? No idea, but it's worth a try. The module I chose was “Beginner (A1)”, as there was no way of picking anything even easier.

My Speechling Audio Diary

With Chinese, Speechling shows the sentences in Hanzi (Chinese characters). There is also the option of viewing the sentence in pinyin. Good job - it was the only way I could even start to guess at repeating the sounds I was hearing.

For a complete beginner like me, the sentences were interesting. I had to repeat the audio input 4-5 times before I dared to repeat the sounds. Surely, any Chinese speaker would be impressed?

Speaking Chinese to a Chinese Native After 5 Minutes

Well, I do know a Chinese speaker so I was ready to shine. Having newly acquired the sentence 今天很温暖 (“it’s warm today”), I asked my co-working buddy to listen to my Chinese and tell me if it’s correct. And he did understand what I was saying, although “impressed” would be stretching the truth a bit.

I also sent my recorded sentence to the Chinese coach, who drew my attention to the specific parts I got wrong.

Learning mass sentences as a complete beginner isn’t ideal. It leaves you without a sense of what each word means (which one out of jin tian hen nuan huo is “warm”, which one is “today”....and what do any of those symbols mean?). Learners don't get to understand what any of the rules of speaking are. But that’s okay, as Speechling not designed for that. This tool is a great confidence builder and accent sharpener. I could imagine it as a fantastic basis for tutoring, sending students away with homework on a topic.

Multilingual Usage

If you have studied more than one of Speechling’s range of languages, you can view translations in any of the six languages. This means you get to practice two languages at once, and it’s one of easiest ways to train your polyglot muscles.

Downsides of Speechling

On several occasions, my recordings were too long to be saved for feedback. This is understandable, but it was frustrating particularly in the freestyle mode. It’s disappointing when you say a complex sentence to send to your coach, and then get a message saying “file too large - cannot save”. It would be great if Speechling could include a guide on how long I can record for.

For languages where I knew nothing at all, I’d also like to see a primer module so I understand what I'm doing. But this is a tiny point, especially since Speechling is not aimed at complete beginners.

In Conclusion: Speechling is Great

All in all, I found Speechling a great addition to my studies. It was challenging and helped me improve my pronunciation and speaking skills in three languages. I was most excited about what Speechling could do for my Russian language skills. I improved both my vocabulary and accent, and the process was efficient and fast.

Speechling is free from robot voices and works with male and female voices (native speakers, of course). Its interface looks great and it gets you into the action immediately.

I love the record-feedback cycle, because it prompts you to re-record a better version of what you said. You get feedback, and you improve pronunciation, confidence, and speed.

The coaches were great for all the languages I tried. They recorded speedy corrections. At the very early levels, feedback is not rich, because they are native speakers and they use their native languages. But even so, it was clear where exactly I was supposed to change something. The more you learn, the more you will get out of these coaches.

If you work with a tutor that you don’t see every day, definitely try adding Speechling to your language routine. You will be speaking your target language more, you'll build a better accent. And best of all, pronouncing all the new words will help you remember them faster.

How to Get Started (+ Speechling Discount)

Create a free account and start speaking at Speechling.com, or by download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store.

Speechling is currently available in six languages: French, German, Spanish, English, Russian, and two types of Chinese.

It’s a freemium app, and you get 15-20 minutes of feedback for free every month. I would recommend checking out the paid plan (see below for 10% off) if you want to

• get a speaking boost, especially when there’s a deadline
• learn more than one language at once
• keep track of your progress with the audio journal.

The unlimited plan is open to Fluent readers at a 10% Lifetime discount: Make sure you use the code FLUENT when you sign up.

Good to know: Speechling is a non-profit company and also has a classroom version called Speechling for Education. I have an existing relationship with Speechling as they are a sponsor of my podcast. This only influenced the amount of attention the product received, not the verdict. It is a cool app.

Have You Tried Speechling?

Are you a pronunciation master now? How did you like the coach feedback? Leave a comment below and share your story.

***hello from the future!!***

Since my original review of Speechling in February 2018, these folks have been hard at work and have just emailed me to share the following new developments.

1. A new module called "Speechling Foundations", which will teach newbies from the very beginning. This start from zero module covers teaches the most essential words in context.

2. New listening options: Speechling now offers listening comprehension, multiple choice, fill in the blank, and flashcards. It's all available for free without login. All of this works on mobile too.

3. More language! They've more than tripled our content collection.

4. Offline mode!! Premium users can download a huge chunk of Speechling’s sentence collection (~10k sentences) and even audio books and Anki decks .

And added in March 2020

1. Speechling now includes Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese.

2. The recording time has been upgraded to 15s as Standard! It’s quadrupled to 30s for paid users.

3. There are now over 10k recordings (male + female combined) for each language, from words to complex sentences.

4. Speechling now includes word hints where you can mouse over words and get pronunciation tips and definitions. 

I love it when an app listens to its users, this alone makes it worth checking out!

Click here to try Speechling for free, as long as you want.

Interlinear Books Review: a Powerful Language Learning Tool

Remember the recent podcast about reading in other languages? We talked a lot about how difficult it can be to find original literature in your target language that is actually comprehensible too.

In today's post, I've asked Fluent contributor Victoria to take a look at an intriguing offer...Interlinear books - they're like original subtitled literature. Say what! Victoria is both Norwegian and book-obsessed - no better candidate to review the books we examined in this post.

Read on to find out if the promise of Interlinear books delivers:

When I was asked to review Interlinear Books, a language learning literature tool, I was intrigued - I'm always looking for new reading experiences, and this certainly was unlike anything I have read before!

Short version of verdict: Interlinear Books are a great supporting language learning tool for intermediate learners to infuse some foreign language literature into their lives.

This review is based on no previous knowledge about Interlinear products, and all comments are based on my first-hand experience of trialing the Swedish Interlinear book.

What are Interlinear Books?

Interlinear are bilingual books that include the original and an English translation below. The English is in a smaller font, so that it doesn’t distract too much from the original language. Each word or phrase is translated below the original one, and the books are classic literature from the language it is teaching. In Interlinear Books’ own words: it’s like subtitles for books.

Click here to view all Interlinear books

Does it work?

Initially I was intrigued by the idea of learning language by reading quality literature – as a literature graduate and a book lover at large there could hardly be anything more fitting! I chose the Swedish title, Skatten: Herr Arnes Penningar (The Treasure: Sir Arne’s Money) and dived into it.

As a native Norwegian speaker, I was already fairly acquainted with Swedish as a language and feel that I was already somewhere between advanced and fluent level. However, I find that reading books in the language you are learning is always useful to broaden vocabulary, regardless of your fluency level. I wanted to feel more confident reading Swedish and thought this would be the perfect tool to do so with some guidance.

The story is not the most compelling and the language is fairly poetic for a novel, which I thought was a slightly strange choice. However, Interlinear does ensure that this poetic language carries through into the English translation, which I appreciated.

Not Your Usual Translation

Since each word is translated in the word order of the original text, I found that the English text could sometimes be strange to read. As a consequence of the word-for-word translation, the English sentence structure is sometimes quite unusual. However, this appears to be an effect of Interlinear’s aim to make you read sentences, rather than single words; the intention is for you to be able to grasp the meaning of the sentence without looking up every single word, just the ones you don’t already know. The text is translated and proofread by humans, which sets it apart from other translation language learning services.

Personally, I found the layout of the pages slightly hard to follow; the translation may be in a smaller font, but it is nonetheless very existent on the page and can be distracting at times. The result of the text appearing twice on one page is often that there is very little white space. You do get used to this as you read, however it may throw you off slightly at first.

I did, however, very much enjoy reading the text, and found that my reading skills improved throughout reading the text, as well as adding new words to my vocabulary. I also enjoyed the fact that Interlinear Books allow you to explore the literature of the country whose language you are learning and consequently get an insight into the cultural specifics.

Intermediate Learner? Look to Explore Interlinear

Interlinear really works best if you're an intermediate learner, as the concept of understanding the meaning of a sentence from understanding a few key words is unlikely to be effective at a beginner level. For this same reason I would also suggest that the Interlinear Books are a great tool for bridging the gap between beginner and intermediate; it allows you to put your language skills to the test with the translation to fall back on when necessary.

The key question you're all probably wondering about right now – can the Interlinear Books support your language learning experience? The answer is: absolutely.

So Should You Give Interlinear Books a Go?

If you're an intermediate learner, the short answer is: yes – but be aware that it cannot replace more conventional language courses or classes. It works best as a learning supplement.

The whole concept of Interlinear Books is to provide a tool that helps support your language learning, and the books should therefore not be the sole language learning you implement in your everyday life. Instead, you should use the books to replace some of your other English-language reading – read a chapter during lunch or during your commute, for example. The books are relatively short, so they are likely to feel easier to get through than a massive brick.

Interlinear Books currently have 10 books on offer, in 10 different languages. They're also continuously developing new books and languages, and you can sign up for their newsletter to be the first to hear about any new titles they produce.

View the Interlinear catalogue in full by clicking here

So, if you're looking to take that next step into reading books in the language you are reading, Interlinear Books is a brilliant place to start.

Inside The Tandem Language Exchange App: A Full Review

If you're new to a language exchange, the concept won't be hard to understand: You find a speaker of your target language. That person should want to learn your native language. When you chat to each other, you spend a little time speaking each language, and voilà...it's free, mutual, friendly practice.

Finding those other language lovers used to be a massive pain. Back in the day, you might have to strike up a conversation and exchange addresses with a tourist in the nearest town. Or if you're lucky, someone might put up a notice on a pinboard in the local café.

But what if I told you that right now you're only 10 minutes away from chatting about your dreams for the future in your brand new language...on your phone? Sounds mad, but that's exactly what the language exchange app Tandem is designed for.

How to Start a Language Exchange

Of course, language exchanges are not new. Good ideas start early and stick around. The language exchange concept has been around since the 1970s, named "Tandem" after the word for a two-person bicycle.

Here's an amazing quote from Tandem Fundazioa, explaining the bicycle analogy:

TANDEM is a bicycle designed for two riders both involved in getting forward. We have taken this word into our method of learning by exchanging languages with our motto: "In order to understand each other better I help you to learn and you help me to learn." TANDEM is therefore the bicycle among various language learning approaches - it is cheap, individual and ecological.

Check out this article for more inspiration about how language exchanges can make us happy.

Who'd argue with that... no one. So for free language practice, could the Tandem App be your step into the world of exchanges?

How Good is Tandem Language Exchange App?

You can download Tandem in the App Store for iOS and on the Google Play store for Androis. In this review, I focused on using the iPhone app on an iPhone 7. The app is completely free, with no limitations or premium memberships.

When I opened up the Tandem app, I was immediately taken in by the design and the personalised approach that they took. You open Tandem, connect your profile, and crucially you will tell the app a few things about yourself and your preferences.

There is an approval process, so you cannot join the app randomly and it's monitored by a staff member. I found this reassuring - after all, it's important that you keep your data safe online! Community is very important to Tandem, which has 1 million members from 150 countries.

There are three big sections in the app:

• The Community, where you can search for new people
• The Tutors section, where you can find and book lessons
• The Chats, where you can view all your conversations

Optimizing Your Language Exchange Profile

Before you can join Tandem you have to make an application and become approved by one of their staff members. Your profile will be linked to Facebook.

Once you're in, your profile won't be quite as protected as on other apps. I enjoyed the fact that I could see more photos of my new language friends and learn who they are before I chat to them. This can make it easier to find a good match, but be aware that you're also sharing more data with a big community.

Here are some tips for optimizing Tandem:

The "My Topics" section makes you an interesting exchange partner.

• Check out the Settings area in your profile to decide who should be able to find you.
• Select something fun you want to talk about in My Topics. The app offers lots of fun and inspiring prompts, or you can make your own conversation starters. These will be seen by others when they find your profile.
• Go into About Me to make sure you're happy with your profile picture and information.

Finding Language Exchange Partners

The partner search is the most important part of any good exchange app.

Tandem suggests people for you based on your language, but there's also a search bar. I had lots of fun on there, as you can search for anything. I tried

• Westworld
• hockey (nothing)
• Manchester United (SO MANY PEOPLE)

It was easy to find Welsh speakers on this app, as well as people learning each one of my interest languages. Remember not everyone needs native speakers.

The search is automatically limited to those users who are some kind of match for your languages, so you save time.

Tandem feels a little like a dating app. The personality of every profile comes out so well through that deeper connection with photos, likes and information. And to top it all off, you can leave comments on a language partner's profile to recommend them and tell others how nice they are.

All in all, I would say 5/5 - well done Tandem for your search experience.

How to Chat With People on Tandem

Chatting to someone on Tandem is straightforward. You shoot them a message through your profile. This app has the closest experience to texting that I've seen so far. You can send texts and voice messages, phone them on VOIP or go all out and make a video call.

I like how Tandem has simplified the design of its chats to remove anything you don't need.

Unlike other exchange apps, there is no in-app dictionary, but you can correct your partner's sentences easily. Chats are a friendly experience , making languages a tool for connecting with people. And the community moderation made me feel more comfortable sharing pictures and voice messages, too.

If you find someone who looks interesting and you're feeling shy, you have the opportunity to follow their updates and maybe contact them later. I am not sure how useful this feature is in practice, though.

Make Language Exchange Friends Without Losing Interest

If you go ahead and partner up with someone on Tandem, here are a few tips for making the process easier for you both:

• Arrange a time to meet and video chat or send each other longer messages on a regular basis. If it's a calendar appointment, you won't ignore it as much
• Allow for each person to ask a lot of questions and answer in longer sentences so you don't run out of things to say
• Prepare some interesting and unusual topics to talk about, for example these ideas on the Tandem blog:
• Follow Up each new exchange session by reviewing vocabulary and making sure you follow the acquire-memorize-review technique (I describe this in detail in The Vocab Cookbook)

Language exchanges do come with a small cost, as it takes your time and energy to prepare properly. In a good exchange, you both have responsibility for making this a fun conversation, so get creative and make sure you put in a little effort.

I give the chat experience a 3/5 - personally I'd like more language tools, but the design was lovely.

Or if an exchange sounds like it doesn't suit you right now...

You Can Find Language Tutors in The Tandem App

The inclusion of language tutors in Tandem touches on a really important point: You cannot expect your language exchange partner to be your tutor. I love that this app gives you the option of deciding how you want to be supported in your language learning journey.

Sometimes we all need extra help. Language tutors can explain more complex concepts, tricky grammar rules and fix your pronunciation.

More about this in my article on what you can expect to pay a tutor.

I tried out the tutor process and was absolutely satisfied. There is a personal vetting process, so that tutors have to apply and show how they are qualified and experienced for offering this paid service. The profiles are also reviewed by other users, so you know what you're getting.

Some tutors offer a free trial, but to be honest I found the prices so low that most people should not have to think twice before paying. The app even takes Apple Pay, a testament to its great user experience.

One thing was weird. I know that there are currently no Welsh tutors on Tandem. But even so, the app showed me tutors for everything. I'm a language nerd, so this wasn't a low point. I found it more inspiring...I could learn Korean! American Sign Language! Polish!

I'm giving the tutors in Tandem a 5/5 - this isn't a language school, and the support level seemed perfect for the app purpose.

Conclusions: Should You Try Tandem?

When it comes to recommending Tandem, I'm giving this app a big thumbs up. 👍 It's perfect for aspiring polyglots, because the community is both enormous and very varied. The user experience in the app is the nicest I have seen so far.

Within minutes, you can start swiping and reviewing dozens of cool people's profiles. Who knows what could be uncovered...a new local friend, an exciting connection around the world? No need to leave your house - you can strike up a conversation halfway around the world without ever getting off the couch.

The tutors as a support network are a really smart idea because they keep you committed.

My one bugbear would be with the general lack of integrations - I dream of a language learning app that lets me connect to my flashcards, my other apps, and more. If it works with Facebook, surely it can be done with Memrise?

I am closing my review with a solid 4.5/5 for Tandem. This app is totally free and worth checking out.

You can download the free Tandem app right now

• on Android phones from the Google Play Store
• on iPhones from the Apple Store

3 Tutor-Approved Ideas For Learning a Language With Duolingo

Language learning was so boring before a little owl in a tracksuit came along.

Armed with addictive streak and modern technology, today's smartphone language learning feels more like a computer game than a language lesson. And in many ways, that's a great thing. Did you know that every month, the world completes over 6 billion Duolingo exercises? That's a lot of language learning done voluntarily - no school teacher forcing you, no boss breathing down your neck asking "where are you with that language tree?"

Is Duolingo Good For Language Learning?

On the whole, I'm on record as a Duo skeptic. I'm a tutor, I've used it and worked with app users, and it really didn't make them "fluent". But I've come to realize that making you fluent is not the point of Duolingo.

Duolingo mobile provides structure and training in several core skills. Plus, it's sort of a productivity app, with the streaks and bite-sized lessons designed to fit into user's busy lives with ease. All in all, you get a free language-based computer game, an addition to classic courses and tutors and most certainly not a replacement.

Chat bots are a recent addition to Duolingo's courses in more common languages. I haven't seen any in Welsh yet.

I could make a clear case both for or against using this app. On the one hand, I want you to ignore when Duolingo tells you that you are "now 53% fluent" because that is laughable. But on the other hand, I've been truly excited to see constant improvements in recent years.

This app might not become any more effective in terms of teaching you language. But as users, we're becoming better at fitting a language learning app into our lives. And if you've tried it, here are some invaluable tips for raising your Duolingo game.

1) Use the Web Version of Duolingo

Duolingo's mobile app is nice enough, but it lacks solid explanations. If you're a new language learner, you might find it difficult to figure out many of Duolingo's exercises by yourself. Sometimes you are asked to construct sentences, even though the app never taught you how to do these things. In other exercises, a new topic is introduced and can feel overwhelming for app users.

The Duolingo web app is a different story and comes with Personally, I don't use the web app much - Duolingo is a mobile experience for me and I enjoy learning away from the desktop (more about how I learn in my Welsh language updates). But if you're a committed user and want Duolingo to be your main resource, here are 3 awesome things you will find in the web version:

Explanations in Duolingo's web-based interface

• The web version offers a fun practice option called "Timed Practice", allowing you to challenge yourself against the clock.

• The ability to use the full keyboard and type out each of your answers, helping you to increase your spelling skills.

• Explanations 👏! Duolingo web offers an extended "Tips and Notes" section. There are explanations, tables, and even references to which textbook unit you can use to train the same exercise. The content isn't uniform and varies by language, because Duolingo courses are partly created by volunteer experts in each language.

2) Use The Duolingo Skill Tree as a Guide

The Duolingo Skill Tree

The skill tree is a the heart of Duolingo and structures it in a way that's quite similar to textbooks. So using the Duolingo setup as a guide, you can let your own questions guide you. Have a classic resource available to answer those questions - why not outside of Duolingo?

A few resources you could try are grammar books, textbooks, podcasts, online courses, language tutors, and even social media. You can read recommendations for more language learning resources in my Resource Guide when you sign up to the Fluent Cool Kids Club.

If you're wondering about the cost of extra books, I recommend checking out your local libraries and charity shops. You're more than likely to find resources for pennies.

Related: Watch My Talk "What You Need to Know Before Spending Money on Language Learning" on YouTube

3) Take Duolingo For What It Is

Duolingo is a language learning app, nothing more and nothing less. In many ways, this makes it perfect for casual users who want to fit in a few minutes of practice at different moments in their day.

It's certainly not a waste of your time if you work your way through a few lessons, and there are dozens of great advantages of using Duolingo. It's cute, it's a fantastic performing app, it's supported by language communities.

If you're a beginner and learning your first or second foreign language, I think that the web version can be your genuine "digital language textbook". But don't rely on it solely and start adding in other resources very early. A good language learning routine is built on habit, human contact and variation in resources.

Do You Use Duolingo?

Are you happy with the little owl? Or does it make you want to howl? I'd love to hear more from you in the comments - tell me which app version you're using!

And for more guidance on language learning apps, join our Fluent Language Learners Facebook group, where I've got a video in the archive for you.

The Book That Will Change How You See Language Learning (+ Clever Notes & Action Plan FREE)

One of the most common things I hear from language learners is

"what is the best way to do this?" You want to know how to learn a language, in as much detail as possible.

And it's hard to answer that question once and for all, for everyone. People are different, and no one's going to teach you good habits overnight. I know there are plenty of players out there telling you that their way of doing flash cards or listening to native content is the real answer.

But seriously, guys. What it really takes is that you learn to understand your own smart and capable self. That's where a book like Becoming Fluent comes in.

By the way, I've gone ahead and done a little bit of hard work for you guys. You can now enter your details below and download my book notes for Becoming Fluent along with a fab little action plan template so you know what to do next.

What Is Becoming Fluent?

Becoming Fluent is an impressive book in the field of language acquisition. It's written with the scientific background expected from academics. But that doesn't mean that language learners cannot apply it to their lives: Throughout the book, the authors mix explanations and practical tips. The book is written for adult learners who want to conquer another language, and goes into the following topics:

• What do you have to do to make sure you become a successful language learner?
• How can you choose the right target language to study?
• What are the best
• How important is it to know the culture and norms of people who speak your target language every day?
• How can you get better at memorising and remembering more?

Why It's Awesome

There are many language learning books out in the market that tell you all about how wonderful the author's methods are. Most successful polyglot-style books follow this system. The logic is that if following certain steps made the author fluent in another language, then you can do the same by copying the steps.

In Becoming Fluent, I detected none of this. The authors do work from their own experience in languages but never claim to know all the answers. Each chapter is based on a new aspect of language learning and gives a neutral summary of what the science says, followed by practical advice.

I've never used or endorsed the "copy a winner" approach, and I don't think it's quite how things work for language learners. Success in language learning is about more than just playing the game right. The more you learn and discover about yourself, your habits, your preferences and strengths in language learning, the more you will approach a real ability to learn any language quickly.

So for me, Becoming Fluent was an outstanding book about language learning because it doesn't tell you what exactly to do. This one is about empowering yourself to find your own perfect method.

What Wasn't So Great

Becoming Fluent is smart and thorough and scientific, which is a big rarity in language learning. It's great to read such a sensible voice in our field. The book comes at language learning from so many different angles that some great aspects get a little lost.

I would have liked the book's action-focused tips to be highlighted or separated from the main text, making it easier to find exactly how to put new insights into action. As it is, Becoming Fluent does require you to put in a few hours for reading, but this is time well spent.

My Favourite Parts

• All of chapter 2, which addresses the many lies and misleading beliefs that we hold in our heads before we even start learning. If you can only listen to/read one part of the book, this chapter is going to make a massive difference. It's a small window into how your brain trips you up.
• This sentence in Chapter 3:

"The REAL test of how well you speak a language is how easily you communicate when you are using that language, and the pleasure you derive from speaking it."

• The ideas behind common ground and the zone of proximal development, which are all about how you think of how good you are, how good other people are in comparison, and how you can get better step-by-step.
• The focus on learning and speaking a language like an adult, not a kid or teenager. This focus builds great insights, for example the understanding that it's more important to be yourself in another language than to sound "exactly like all the native speakers".
• The image of tutors and helpers as a Sherpa, i.e. Someone who's climbing the mountain with you, showing you the way, teaching you about the process as you're doing it.
• The concept of cognitive overload, which explains exactly why and how and when you get tired.

Overall, I am very happy that I read Becoming Fluent and recommend you check it out too. I ordered my copy from the local library and am very glad that it's in their catalogue now. You can get your own printed copy in the same way, or order it from Amazon (here's the US link and the UK link).

Don’t forget, you can grab my full book notes (9 pages!) by clicking the button below. They include your own action plan template and a checklist of books to check out, so next you can be prepared on your next visit to the library or to Amazon.

Don’t forget to sign up here to get the free notes and action plan.