Lesson Transcript

Hey everyone, welcome to the Monthly Review!
The monthly show on language learning.
Where you discover new learning strategies, motivational tips, study tools, and resources.
By the way, all the lessons and bonuses you’re about to see can be downloaded for free on our website.
So, click the link in the description right now to sign up for your free lifetime account.
Okay, today’s topic is:
Your First Steps to Learning a Language: The Fundamentals Welcome Pack
Is there a “the best” way to learn a language?
Many learners waste time trying to find the perfect resource… but never stick with any one long enough to make progress… because there’s always a new, shinier app.
But resources aside, is there a best way to learn a language? Well, there is. Keep watching this month's episode. You’ll discover:
Why you’ll learn faster by starting with the Fundamentals
The Trunk-Based Knowledge approach to learning
How to get our FREE Welcome Pack
And much more.
But first, if you’re looking for new, free language resources and downloads… Here are this month’s new lessons and resources. Be sure to download these now before we take them down in a few days.
First — The 24-Hour Survival Phrases PDF Cheat Sheet
Traveling and want to learn enough of the language to survive?
Then these Survival Phrases will help you get by in the first 24 hours.
Second — the How are You and How to Answer it Writing Workbook
With this printable PDF, you'll learn all the ways to ask and answer the question, “how are you.”
And, you’ll be able to practice your writing skills as well. Download it for free right now.
Third — 30 Music Words for Beginners
Learn how to say “song,” “lyrics,” “melody,” and much more... with this quick 1-minute lesson.
Fourth — Can you talk about roads in your target language?
Learn how to say ”road,” ”highway,” ”crosswalk,” and much more, with this quick vocab bonus.
And Fifth — Must-Know Father’s Day Vocabulary
Can you say “Father’s Day” in your target language? You will be able to, with this quick 1-minute vocabulary lesson.
To get your free resources, click the link in the description below right now. They’re yours to keep forever. Ok, let’s jump into today’s topic:
Your First Steps to Learning a Language: The Fundamentals Welcome Pack
So, is there a best way to learn a language?
You can download a shiny app and start learning words on day one… but is that the right way to learn the language?
Well, if you want to just know words, sure that works.
But if you want to learn a language from the ground up, understand how it works, be able to create your own sentences and speak freely, you’ll quickly realize that just learning words doesn’t help you do that.
What you need is… not the next shiniest app… but to start with the fundamentals.
Part 1. Why Starting with the Fundamentals the Best Way to Learn
What are the fundamentals of languages?
Fundamentals are the alphabet, pronunciation, Beginner Level Grammar Rules, and Core Words, and Phrases.
And this... starting from the fundamentals is also something called... Trunk-based knowledge.
If you imagine a tree, it starts from the roots, to the trunk, and to branches and then, the leaves. And the leaves are the details - the words and phrases. And the roots and trunk are the foundation of it all.
If you focus on the leaves - or learning just the words and phrases, you may get to know some of the language and be able to say some things… but you’ll struggle with coming up with your own sentences and speaking freely. And if you’ve learned like that for a bit, you’ll soon realize you don’t actually understand the language and need to backtrack and start over.
But if you start with the roots and trunk - the fundamentals - you learn to read, the pronunciation, the grammar rules, then everything else you learn later on… is built on top of these fundamentals… and will make mastering the language easier… than the other way around.
For example, if you learn the alphabet, then writing, reading and pronunciation become attainable. And with the proper pronunciation, you can start speaking. Skip it, and you’ll get nowhere.
So, starting with the fundamentals is the best way to start learning a language.. or anything.
Now you may wonder, “isn’t this obvious?”
If you’re learning in class, where a teacher took the time to plan out the curriculum… it is obvious and it’s done for you.
But if you’re learning on your own… it’s not. And if you’re using an app or watching videos that weren’t designed to teach you the right way, you’re starting off on the wrong foot.
Starting with the foundation is also, in a way, the faster way to learn a language simply because it saves you the extra time of backtracking to relearn the basics that you missed.
So, how do you start with the basics?
Let’s get into the 2nd part.
Part 2. How to learn the basics with our FREE Welcome Pack
Anytime you attempt to learn something new, your very first step should be to ask... “What are the must-know basics?”
If you’re learning in a class with a teacher who planned out the curriculum for you, it’s all done for you.
But, if you’re learning alone - as is the case with many language learners... and if you don’t know the right way to approach learning... then it won't be as obvious.
You might download an app or start watching YouTube videos, and you’ll quickly find yourself struggling to understand how the language works, how the conjugations work, how to create your sentences, and what’s right or wrong.
You’ll always feel like you’re missing something.
And that's exactly why we created the Fundamentals Welcome Pack… which you can get for free. Keep watching ‘til the end to find out how.
The Welcome Pack is a pack of PDF cheat sheets covering the fundamentals: alphabet, beginner grammar, conversational patterns, words, phrases, and culture.
You can also start learning with our recommended learning pathway...
But be sure to use this Welcome Pack at the same time.
And here’s how.
For the alphabet cheat sheet, you should spend the first 2 or 3 days practicing writing out the alphabet for 10 or 20 minutes a day or so.
If your target language uses a non-roman alphabet, then it may take you longer. For example, with Japanese, most language classes spend up to a week on the Hiragana and Katakana.
Next, you’ll find the Core Words and Core Phrases cheat sheets. These are all the words and phrases that a beginner must know.
Just spend a few minutes a day reading and saying these words out loud.
You can also practice writing them out... which will reinforce the alphabet as well.
Remember, you don’t have to memorize all the words all at once because you’ll see these words again and again later when you’re taking our lessons.
Then, there’s the grammar cheat sheet that will teach you simple grammar patterns.
Copy out the sample sentences and try to create your own sentences as well.
With the conversational phrases cheat sheet, you’ll learn some common questions and all the possible ways to answer them in the target language. And these phrases will use the same grammar patterns that you learned earlier.
And finally, there’s the Culture cheat sheet.
This will give you a better understanding of the language and the country and you can use these cultural tips as talking points... when you get the chance to speak to native speakers.
If you want to download our Welcome Pack, just click the link in the description and sign up for your Free Lifetime Account.
So, thank you for watching this episode of Monthly Review
Next time, we’ll talk about…The power of a teacher and the difference a teacher can make as you work toward achieving your speaking goal.
If you enjoyed these tips, hit the “like” button, share the video with anyone who's trying to learn a language, and subscribe to our channel. We release new videos every week!
And, if you’re ready to finally learn language the fast, fun and easy way and start speaking from your very first lesson, get our complete learning program. Sign up for your free lifetime account right now. Click the link in the description.
See you next time! Bye!

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