kangmi | Studying Korean

Studying Korean

Hello Korean fans!

강미 and I have been occoasional chatting partners since she was one of the first backers (as well as a constructive critic) of the new “Let’s Speak Korean” format. I always recommend her site to new learners ~ it’s one of the best resources out there.

Anyway, I’m here because she’s invited me contribute, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Here is a tip you won’t usually hear. People always tell you that when you’re studying a language that you should study a little bit every day, right? Wrong. Don’t bother. By the end of the month you’ll forget what you learned at the beginning of the month.

Here’s the thing - Learning builds on itself. I was really into salsa dancing a few years ago. I had a one hour group lesson every Friday for a year. By the end of that year, I still sucked. Then I got serious. I studied with a group every Sunday for 3 - 5 hours, and then I took private lessons. I was also going to salsa clubs a couple of nights a week. Within only 5 months I was pretty darn good. Nowadays I won’t go for 3 or 4 months, but I’m still fine (although a bit rusty of course).

The point is that instead of studying 20 minutes a day for six months, study two hours a day for a month or two and then take a break if you have to. You’ll learn more in that short two months than you would in the entire six months of short study stints.

And as always ~ study things that you are interested in! No one studies stuff that bores them for very long. There’s a million ways to study a language. Find one you enjoy.

Might I also recommend this fun book called “Survival Korean.” I think it’s a really fun way to study Korean, but then I’m a little biased since I wrote it.

Good luck everyone!

Stephen Revere

Posted by on April 28, 2005 at 10:41 AM8 comments

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왕음치 28 Apr, 2005 11:04 PM	That's almost the exact same advice I give my students learning English.
ylsul 28 Apr, 2005 11:57 PM	Wait! What about Lisa?! We want Lisa....Leee-saa, Lee-saaa :)=
tanstaafl 01 May, 2005 12:30 AM	Congratulations on your awesome book. I hope you don't mind me putting the audio on mp3, more user-friendly than cassette. Is there a second book on the go?
왕음치 01 May, 2005 12:54 AM	That's a good idea. I don't even own a cassette player and do not know anyone who owns such antiquated technology.
invidia 01 May, 2005 04:25 AM	I use Steven's book now (fantastic!), and watch Arirang's program in internet. I study by myself two to four hours a day! Was so glad to read that deep immersion works better than small bits. Had to buy a tape player, but it's a small expense compared to the pleasure of learning good pronunciation. I'm waiting for the second book!!
invidia 01 May, 2005 04:45 AM	Gaa, misspelled Stephen's name, sorry. My boyfriend is Steven with V, that's why.
Ed Poor 20 Jan, 2007 05:36 PM	Wow, the first foreigner to get a master's in teaching Korean! And I personally know Jason "Mr. Low Key" Howell from Long Island. I should write an article about Stephen Revere for Wikipedia . . . :-)
kangmi 21 Jan, 2007 09:28 AM MSN: kangmi	When you do, be sure to mention that Stephen is actually the first Westerner (not foreigner) to get a master's in teaching Korean from a university in Korea.