Reading and Listening: PAY BETTER ATTENTION
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- Reading or listening to audiobooks to learn a language? You can focus better by using these tips. I learnt these things mainly by reading or listening to 10 books in a single month (in Swedish).
I am making 10 videos about reading and listening in a foreign language - see the rest of the videos here:
• 10 Lessons from Readin...
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One of my favourite language learning apps is called SPEAKLY. Get 40% off any premium membership and help me make better videos by using the appropriate code (6 months or more include all languages no matter which you choose, though you still need to use the appropriate code to the language you click on):
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www.italki.com/i/CHfEEb?hl=en-us
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OK if you've reached the end of the description then you need something to do. This is my first video that was completely filmed on the new set up (with the lights in the background and the shelves etc) - let me know what you think! (I am genuinely interested in your opinion, but don't be rude!) - Навчання та стиль
Can I just say the thumbnail of this video is great xD
Thanks Lindie! 😆
I've written off audio books completely, even in English, cuz I just could never focus on them, my attention would quickly drift off to everything but the book. But this actually makes a lot of sense, I'll have to give it a try! Thanks!
So all those years listening to English books and lectures whilst playing videogames wasn't a bad idea after all... thanks Days of French 'n' Swedish.
😆 Probably depends on the game!
Russian UA-camr NFKRZ learned English while playing video games in English
Yep, it definetely depends on the game. Minecraft is always good because you can just chill, listen and do stuff like building your house or whatever you want. William Hancock pointed Undertale out here. Well... it depends. It can be useful if you play it in your target language, however, with all these textboxes, I wouldn't recommend it for listening to audiobooks. I mean, you can play it again for a second time and a third time etc. without paying attention to these textboxes, but imo Undertale gets pretty boring after you made some runs. I would definetely not recommend doing it with games like Portal, because, well, I think it's obvious that puzzles will get in your way when you try to listen to audiobooks simultaneously.
@@noahgamer4942 just playing COD or battlefield with no sound is what I did. I will say though that the images absorbed whilst listening become glued to their corresponding audiosegments, so that if you listen again, those images flash in your mind whether it's from a game or from a walk or a drive... at least it does for me, which suggests to me that television, i.e. moving images combined with related audio is the ultimate language acquisition technique, up until the point were you are able to read and/or listen at a C1/C2 level.
@@run2fire his English is mediocre
In the past weeks I noticed the exact same thing! When I do chores or work while listening to podcasts it easy to pay attention but when I only listen I start to think about something related to the topic they are discussing and I have to keep rewinding every few minutes because my mind is wandering off 😂😂😂
You are spot on about just sitting and listening to a book versus having a little distraction. I listen to Radio Sweden in the car or while doing the dishes. Shorter "story lines" in news or podcasts are easier to follow in this mode as well. Very helpful. Thanks for the inspiration and tuning of the approach.
I like the panda in the background.
The only time I can do "static listening" is when I lay down in the bed at night, eyes closed, and making an effort to picture the scene in my mind. This is for fiction only. It works even better for the "audio drama" types, where it's not just someone reading a book but more of an audio experience with sound effects and multiple actors. (Spanish has many of these for some reason). At some point the full immersion kicks in and it's great.
I literally had the same exact thought about listening while doing other activities yesterday while I was cleaning my room. I was surprised when I was immediately able to repeat the phrases I was listening to and remember them as apposed to having a difficult time while listening while commuting.
This is game changing... forcing myself to sit and listen was always so difficult and I would naturally start doing other things. It’s wonderful to hear that I can let myself do that and it won’t be terrible 😄
It's my experience too, and it was shocking, but great, because when I'm alone cleaning the house I can listen to things I'm interested in without any guilt. And honestly with little kids I don't really have time only listen to something without neglecting my duties and feeling myself bad. Btw I listened to this video too while I cleaned the house. :-D
Huh, I never thought about it that way, but it also perfectly explains why when I feel a little unfocused, turning on subtitles on English videos or even my native language's videos helps me understand it better, even though language comprehension was not the problem. Cool video!
I like all three ways of listening you mentioned. It depends how much I can understand of the spoken audiobook. If it’s something totally new I need to sit down, listen 🎧 and repeat 🔁 and take notes. If I am quite familiar with the text then I like to listen to it while I cook or iron 🤣🤣
thumbs up for the categorization approach. very systematic and clean.
i say that because you dont see a pattern (or categories) for a long time, but suddenly recognize it's there and then you can name it. this subconscious recognition takes a long time, so thanks for pointing out how you came to think about these things :)
hope that makes sense.
same experience i got. i'm basically learning russian and norwegian while working monotonous work and doing sports (jogging, biking etc.) also monotonous, but only when i feel like it!
cant stand learning focused and with explicit efforts
great thumbnail haha! i barely finished watching your swedish conversation, it feels satisfying 😊
Glad you liked it!
Have you watched the short film that the thumbnail photo was originally taken as part of? (The actual thumbnail ended up being different but I took a series of photos for it.) Easily my best video:
ua-cam.com/video/ZlS6gifpzz8/v-deo.html
I find I’m very similar, just trying to listen alone I find my mind wanders. Great video 🙏🏻
That makes sense! I always multitask, so I don't think I could just listen to an audiobook.
I heard (on the Huberman lab podcast, I think) that people are on a spectrum of how much side-activity is their optimum for focus. Worth experimenting, what _your_ best distraction level is.
I, e.g., can't stand working in a coffee shop, because I get too distracted.
For anyone interested in reading and listening to advanced Swedish I recommend on the one hand the "Under strecket" section in Svenska Dagbladet. Always very interesting topics dealt with also. You have a vocabulary and grammar bath and simultaneously learn something new about something you probably never heard of.
Listening to Leif GW Persson is for me always pure joy. This man is THE Swedish speaker. No one I can think of puts together more fascinating and intrigueing sentencies so casually. Complicated yet oh so intelligible!
And yeah, the dude is a professor of criminology, which vouches for interesting subjects as well. Plenty of clips with him on UA-cam. I'm sure he could be found in the SvT öppet arkiv also.
These videos are so well thought out
Thank you!
For me walking while studying has been my most productive time for learning, even if it's just a reference sheet of notes without audio. Really helped me ace some exams at uni :)
See the most recent video!
I've had a similar experience to you, I find I can pay the best attention when I'm walking or running. However this doesn't always work and I generally listen to audio books while cleaning/cooking etc. The other option with reading/writing notes at the same time definitely is also good, however it's not something I enjoy as much (just personal preference)
Yeah writing notes is more intense and I can't do it for as long, but I think it's probably got the most LL benefit.
@@daysandwords Yeah when I have the mental energy I definitely like to write notes or even try to transcribe something, and it's definitely beneficial. It's just for me audiobooks are something for the dead moments of the day, I prefer to read a physical book if I have the time. Just what works for me. Thanks for your reply!
I think it’s a common occurrence that some minor activity helps us to focus - keeps us “in the zone” or something. I remember hearing that drawing, for example, was useful for remembering what you’re listening to in a college lecture, etc.
Awesome video! Thanks for sharing your experience and also got explaining a bit about the different kinds of listening. I feel like I’d struggle to do something as intense as solving a Rubik’s Cube while listening though 😳🤯, haha
Oh it's only cos I've done it a million times and I never try to go faster or improve on my time. It would be hard if I was trying to do one of the algorithm style ones.
Once again, your theory on why our mind wanders off when we listen to our 2nd laguages is spot on. How can you be making so much sense?
It's my super power. If I was crowned king in the 12th century they would have called me "Lamont the Sensemaker". 😆
This is SO true!!! For example I listen the best when I’m driving lol
You are much further along in your language learning than I am but this has been my experience as well. Listening to swedish radio while I walk or drive has turned out to be perfect for me.
Yeah I think at first, when you understand very little, the task has to be VERY passive - and after that it can turn into something a bit more intense like a puzzle or jogging or something.
@@daysandwords Walking is easy to stay focused. The main reason I get distracted during walks is trying to repeat interesting sentences that I hear, which I think is a useful language activity in its own right (is that a heretical idea in these parts?), so it doesn't quite qualify as full-blown distraction. I can generally focus at the gym too - it's a great way to use the time between sets rather fiddling with your phone like 99% of people - but of course I will lose focus while actually lifting the weights (duh). I'm not at the level of being able to focus on listening during video games though, and I'm honestly surprised that anyone could. (Then again, I'm not a neuroscientist either, so who knows...)
I actually find that I can concentrate on the words without distraction if I close my eyes. Then the words paint a picture in my mind.
I'm trying to learn russian, and I've noticed that I can stay really focused if I play Tetris while listening. Works a lot better than just listening.
Yeah I often do a Rubik's cube on repeat.
No idea wtf you did around 0:54 or if there was some reference but I love it even more for that 😂
The reference is from one of the earlier videos in this series... I forget why but I did a Yoda impression for it.
Mate this thumbnail is bloody good champion
Yeah I've found the same thing. When I listen to dialogue just laying down or sitting, my thoughts get in the way. The best has been to listen while doing dishes, sweeping, claiming my room, or going for a walk at my local track. 👍 After listening a lot, I'll go back and study some of the words, and since I remember the audio, they stick more.
Lol cleaning
I figured it you meant reclaiming it after Vikings had occupied it or something.
@@daysandwords shhh...exactly that.
You and Matt vs Japan are my favourite language people.
P.S. I like how sad you always look
Our brain primarly evolved to coordinate muscle movement, and every mental processes is built on top of that.
when you are physically doing something you are using more parts of you brain than just watching or listening to something.
So when you're trying to memorize something or "learn" anything, if you do any kind of activity that requires some part of your body to move in a coordinative fashion, like rubix cube , dishes or any type of exercise(the best way) you'll greatly increased your learning.
Mostly unrelated to your video, but I didn’t know they’d made a new version of the Freestyler video until I saw those clips and my brain went, “hey you’ve totally seen this before”, the brain is a fascinating thing!
Yeah, that came about because I was just trying to find a clip of someone with headphones on not really reacting or anything and it's actually kinda hard, so I just typed in Freestyler, and I saw the 2019 version, which I also didn't know existed! I know what you mean though, when you've seen something before even though you haven't.
the setup is pretty good ngl
Thank you!
Jag är precis likadan 😂 tack för tipsen 🙏
Brother, can you make a video about delayed gratification. Langauge learning is a delayed gratification. You get to see results later on.
So, you ask this on every video of mine. Here's the thing: You've just explained the whole concept there in two sentences. It doesn't need a video, but if you really think it does, then why don't you make it? You don't need a licence to upload videos.
@@daysandwords brother, I usually do not upload videos at all. It's going to take me a long time to learn to edit videos which is a skill I do not currently have. However, if you upload it many people will be able to see the video and realize that too.
Well taking a long time to learn to make videos would be your delayed gratification principle coming in to play.
I appreciate that you're being polite, but here's the thing:
You're asking me to take the channel that I've built over two and a half years, and make the content that YOU want. That's not my job. That's your job.
@@daysandwords alright, no need to be rude. I was just giving you one idea only. It is only one video but thanks for letting me know that you did not appreciate that idea. Anyways, I still enjoy your UA-cam Channel. You offer Amazing advice that helps me and other language learners out.
Yeah I didn't feel like I was being rude. 🤔
Research actually indicates that doodling during meetings or lectures or similar, actually makes people remember more. Researchers think it might be because you are not being entirely passive, so you keep your body and mind engaged instead of just dozing off, as well as giving your brain a kind of "break" from monotonous listening.
Also, writing notes by hand during lectures also turns out to make it easier to remember the lecture than typing it on a laptop. There is likely some benefit the brain gets from doing whatever it is doing when moving your hand around.
the best way for me if I want to remember details of an audiobook is to paint what they read in my mind while walking so I dont fall asleep (:
That even happens in our native. language.
You know, it makes sense. There is a so-called "default network" that is a pattern of brain activity observed when you are idle... That's exactly when the internal monologue kicks in. When you are doing a simple task, this activation changes and the parts activated instead are those related to the task.
As you say, if we try to listen while doing something that will suppress our inner monologue, it might work better than what you call static listening.
This hypothesis could be tested in a lab 🤔
However this also reminds me of people with ADHD, who find difficult to focus their attention. Maybe people without ADHD could be better at static listening than people without it. Anyway, interesting video!
PS: I studied for the neuroscience exam while playing OSRS doing afk activities, so I can relate with your experience
In theory I'm supposed to have ADHD but that was diagnosed in the era that it was being diagnosed like the common cold.
I've been binge watching through all your videos on this channel and am very confused with what language learning "philosophy" you prefer (it seems you change your mind a lot). Could you make a video about how you would approach a new language if you were to learn one?
This video and its two sequels are what you want:
ua-cam.com/video/Jl2qJxZOxBc/v-deo.html
*listening to this passively*
Hi Lamont, I really like your new setting! Your face was highlighted very well. The only thing I didn't like was the shadow your cap would make due to the lighting. Maybe you could try not using a cap...
Hi, thanks for your feedback, but actually no, that doesn't work. For starters, I am wearing my hat because my hair is excessively short and just looks weird - so any benefit of seeing my eyes would be negated by how dumb my hair looks.
But also, the light has been moved down so as to light my eyes despite the cap, so yeah... it works fine.
@@daysandwords OK, I get your argument 😅
"one day I will" story of my life xD
Maybe it's just that when we're doing something else, our lapses in attention are less noticeable? Dunno. In any case, I also listen while doing something else. I put a podcast or audiobook on during my morning routine, so basically stuff like working out, taking a shower, making and having breakfast, etc. That gets me about 90min listening in one bloc, and I just couldn't afford to do that if I didn't multitask. The one thing I don't like about doing that is just when there's a word I want to look up. Coz then I have to juggle listening, whatever else I'm doing, and also trying to remember the word long enough until I can finally write it down somewhere lol ^^
When I do intensive listening, one thing I like to do is to write down the logical structure (works best for me when there's just one speaker and it's non-fiction). Really just the bare bones. I find that helps me get comfortable with higher levels of abstraction, which can then be useful in real-life discussions. i.e. if I miss some words, maybe even a lot of them, as long as I know what the structure is I can fall back on that and know where I'm at and what's being said. I figure that's why the upper-level CEFR descriptors include the ability to summarise. We're probably all doing that in our native languages anyway, at least to some extent, like prioritising ideas, recognising what is a detail, what is a core idea, the logical structure, etc. Dunno if I'm wasting my time doing that exercise, but I kind of figure that even if we do it naturally, it's also a skill than can be honed through practice. For me that's a big part of what Matt Bonder calls "tolerating ambiguity". I can tolerate a lot of ambiguity if I can just latch on to the basic logical structure. But if I can't do that, then I'm just completely lost. Anyway, I'll do that, and if I have time I'll practice output by reading through my notes and trying to summarise what I just listened to.
For the first point you made - hm, no, it definitely isn't just that I notice that I drift off whereas I don't notice if I'm doing something like driving or the Rubik's cube. I know because like I said, I can recount everything that happened in the story for like hours if I was listening whilst doing something light, and everything makes sense. Whereas if I just sit there listening, after 10 minutes I have no idea what was even happening and after 25 minutes I am wondering why certain characters are doing what they are doing, whereas I can always remember why they're in a given position if I've been doing a cube.
@@daysandwords Makes sense. Have you noticed any difference depending on the kind of content you're listening to? (i.e. is it the same thing if you're listening to fiction or to, say, a somewhat technical podcast on economics).
Hey Lamont, I recently found your channel and just been binging the videos, but I have a question(not sure if you will even see this). I started learning German in March of last year, but maybe only consistently did it for six to eight months~ and then kind of on and off with Duolingo + a College course(but I don't think I learned much from that) and just random stuff here and there basically. Sadly I think I'm still like A1 level, close to A2. Anyways was basically wondering if you could consider making like a whole video about your Swedish journey, and kind of like how you recommend people start learning a language, and then like maybe detailing the process you think works best from like Beginner, Intermediate, and then Fluent/Advanced if that makes sense. Sorry if this sounds like needy or something, I know its a lot to ask. Thanks for the awesome videos man, keep it up!
That video is actually somewhere on my list - so yes, it will happen sometime! Just be aware that I have a list of like 70 videos haha so a lot of them never get done. But yeah I should do that one.
@@daysandwords Thats awesome I'll look forward to seeing that sometime in the future! And again thanks a lot, your content is super helpful and informative(AND ENTERTAINING)! Have a great day :D
My attention drifts away from the content, even in my native tongue - So i learned that if i just listen to something I need to speed up the audio otherwise its ciao focus.
What are your thoughts on reading out loud? Do you think it helps with speaking skills?
Yeah I think it definitely can, but I haven't done it much so I can't say for sure. I think trying to copy the way a narrator sounds is probably great for your accent, and just reading out loud probably slowly improves fluency. But I'm obviously not sure.
I listen to podcasts most of the day while at work. That's 6+ hours of input every single day, and then more studying when I come home. I noticed an extreme improvement in just two months. And I work hard so I don't put my full attention to the podcast.
That's impressive! I wish I was allowed to listen to podcasts at work!
Uhhhh. I think you rubix cube may VERY WELL be a massive discovery. I tried doing Alexander Arguelles' shadowing for a while and realized it is absolutely worthless. I cannot multi-task, even with my native English. With me being outdoors walking, as soon as any unpredictable event occurs, my entire auditory input system shuts down. This means even when I listen to an English audiobook, if I come up to a stop light and need to wait for the walk signal to cross the intersection, I black out on hearing anything that is said during a 30 second period. I then need to rewind.
Obviously this effect is MUCH worse when it is a new language. I have similar problems with cleaning the house. Sweeping mindlessly? Ok. Suddenly something laying on the floor needs put into trash or recycling? This "decision" shuts down my ears entirely. And hence why I don't listen to foreign audio while doing chores.
Anyway I found your rubix cube really interesting from the perspective that I've heard of brain science claiming your brain has multiple separate modules and if you are trying to just do 1 thing like listen to a lecture, the other modules can essentially get bored and distract you. Hence why it can be invaluable to doodle during a lecture, keeping those dead bored modules occupied so you can leave your listening comprehension brain module working at 100% without other brain modules trying to interrupt it.
My only problem with audiobooks is actually finding them. There's a tonne in Italian for classic books but for Korean there's not many around at all. They're quite expensive too the ones that are available. I know you tried to get through as many books as possible but did you ever try to read a book then listen to the audio book as passive immersion at a different time?
I spent close to a year reading and listening to one book over and over and in different combinations (sometimes listening, sometimes reading, sometimes both, and sometimes "studying" it). So yeah, I have done that!
@@daysandwords I'm guessing the answer is in the next video?
Did I not answer your question?
I talk about it briefly in the next video but basically what I'm saying it - yes, I have done what you're suggesting but in the month I mainly just listened.
Thanks for the video, Lamont. Are you planning on returning to French anytime soon?
I am going to make a plan about it so that it's not just on a whim... I doubt it will be this year, but it might be some specific date next year. Thanks for asking!
Should I have a dictionary beside me while reading to translate words I don’t know or try figure it out myself through context?
Just to check - did you watch the video? (Not saying you didn't, just checking.)
I listen and skim a chapter first, then read it , then go back and look for a few important words to look up if I can’t guess them. Try to guess through context first though.
Yoda was creepy
Yeah I didn't nail it as much this time. I actually had a bit of a cold which was messing it up. But from the old movies, his eyes sometimes go different directions. I had a better take than this and the stupid director of sound didn't turn the stupid microphone on.
Brake pads partnership coming soon?
So if I read and listen everyday consistently will I magically comprehend the language? Flash is not really my thing
I don't know you mean by "flash".
@@daysandwords flash cards
So hang on... You don't believe in the power of just immersing in the language (which would totally work for Portuguese), but you're also not willing to use flashcards which would also work excellently for Portuguese?
Just checking if you're willing to actually spend time learning the language?
Bättre och bättre varje avsnitt
Tack!
I want to learn French where should I begin?
Learn the 300 most common words and phrases (this would take a month in French), and then start reading kids' books and watching kids' shows.
@@daysandwords Okay thanks.
I like walking while listening if I am in the house then biscuits help
😆😆 Biscuits help with everything except health haha.
For the Americans reading: cookies.
Listening while walking is the best!
Hey quit stealing my ideas haha (video number 10 is coming...)
First 😉
Nice hat
It's my "my hair looks silly for three weeks after it's been cut" hat.
Penultimate
Lamont thinks about farting planes in his free time confirmed
Take that back! It's a helicopter!
Sox hat lol?
Um, yep. So?
@@daysandwords are you a fan?
Oh sorry, I thought you were making fun of it or something (because I wouldn't know if they'd just lost or whatever), but no, not really. Having not been to the States since 1991, I don't really feel any connection to a particular city or team - I bought this hat when I was looking for a black cap and my sister was living in Chicago, and it's actually kind of hard to find just a black cap that isn't a silly shape or some brand that is ridiculously overpriced, so I figured a proper MLB cap might as well get my money. I also have a Cleveland one but it's not a good shape (it's too shallow and sits high above the ears) so I mainly wear this one.
I have always wanted to go for a team properly but I have about equal reason to go for all of them. I mean, my favourite UA-camr lives in Minneapolis so maybe the Twins... but then I grew up watching Major League (the Charlie Sheen movie) so maybe Cleveland... I dunno.
@@daysandwords hahah yea sorry for that, just rare to see that hat outside of Chicago (lived here my whole life) and especially overseas… all the more reason to wear it, and that is awesome your sister lived here… keep up the good vids
I can't solve a rubix cube lol
Oh yeah, I didn't wanna get bogged down in the details of the fact that I've done it lots of times the same way, because I'm not trying to do it fast - so it's basically like popping bubble wrap for me.