How to Learn a Foreign Language: 7 Hacks for Making the Daunting Doable
Motivational and Practical Tools to Get You on Your Way to Learning a Foreign Language
David Durham has been speaking and/or teaching multiple foreign languages for over thirty years. (He's currently working on learning his seventh foreign language.) Over that time he has come to understand just about all of the different learning styles people have, as he has learned his languages in different forms and formats. But he has also identified some common pitfalls that actually prevent people from reaching their full potential with the language they are trying to learn.
How to Learn a Foreign Language begins and ends with mindset. As most of us are aware, mindset makes up a huge portion of any endeavor, especially where the brain is involved! In between the modules on mindset, David provides some practical tools that will help any student -- whether high school, university, or adult learners -- overcome many of the obstacles that make language learning seem so daunting.
This course is a must for anyone setting out on the adventure of learning another language -- or perhaps for those who have already tried and become discouraged. The truth is that if you are reading this, you are capable of learning to speak another language!
The seven hacks are broken up into 14 video modules that average six minutes in length, so you can take this entire mini-course at your own pace.Total time, excluding recommended action steps, is approximately 85 minutes.
Your Instructor
David Durham is a student of the world. Born in the United States, he has also lived seventeen years of his life outside the US, and views the world through an international lens. He has been a language language learner all his life, is conversant in six foreign languages and currently working on his seventh.
In addition to being a language freak, David is the creator and host of the World to the Wise podcast, where his guests tell compelling stories about crossing cultural bridges of various kinds. He and his wife also lead cultural tours to Europe. You can read more about the podcast and the tours, as well as read David's blog, at DavidDurham.org.
David and his wife Rebecca are the proud parents of three sons, three daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren, and live in Nashville, Tennessee.
“After taking your course, I am actually considering asking my Hispanic friends to take me on as a student! Your tips encouraged me to believe that learning a new language does not have to be a chore, but can be especially enjoyable with the right attitude.” – Melodie, Tennessee, USA
“I LOVED hearing your thoughts & learning from your insights!! As an American who has lived & worked in multiple countries, I have found that learning the language of the people where I am (or even TRYING to learn the language 
has opened doors into their hearts & has helped me to understand them, learn from them & therefore grow. Thanks for giving simple, easy to apply tips that help open windows & doors into other cultures!” – Liz, Bosnia
“The tips aren’t just lessons for learning a language: they’re tips for living life well. This course provides a framework for learning a language, without pinning you down to a particular method.” – Russ, The Netherlands
Like Russ said, this course is not about advocating a particular method — there are hundreds of them out there, and most of them work well, depending on your goals and your learning style. THIS course is to PREPARE you for whatever language you undertake by adjusting your MINDSET — where every learning process begins — as well as providing resources for you to pursue your target language in your own way and at your own pace.
Course Curriculum
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PreviewIntroduction (10:15)
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StartPreface, Part 1: Your "Why" (4:26)
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StartPreface, Part 2: Excuses (4:54)
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StartTake Aim at Your Target, Part 1 (5:10)
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StartTake Aim at Your Target, Part 2 (5:26)
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StartTake Aim at Your Target, Part 3: Become Like a Child (2:57)
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StartImmerse Yourself, Part 1 (3:07)
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StartImmerse Yourself, Part 2 (6:53)
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StartSpeak Badly English. Part 1 (4:24)
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StartSpeak Badly English, Part 2 (9:28)
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StartThat's Just the Way It Is (11:37)
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StartUse Your Powers of Deduction (9:34)
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StartBecome an Eavesdropper (6:57)
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StartKeep Your Eye on the Prize (5:06)