readingclaw

[readingclaw]

Do you know these times when you’re sitting in front of your textbook, trying to learn these boring af vocabs you’ve seen 1000 times but still can’t remember and just wish to do something different (or hoping that the world explodes so you can at least stop)?

Well, there are more ways to learn a language and I think because we just learned how we “should” learn a language at school, we’re limited in creativity. Thanks to school it’s hard to think outside of this “textbook, vocab lists, tests, etc.” stuff but there are ENDLESS things you can do to learn a language. Remember: everything you do in your native language, you can try to do in your target language!

This is for all the people who are tired and exhausted, who are thinking about quitting or don’t have fun with their target language anymore. DON’T YOU DARE TO GIVE UP! YOU’VE COME SO FAR!

_____________________________________________ Examples for different ways of learning a language:

write a diary

summarise an article about a topic you like (cooking, fitness, etc.)

listen to a podcast/radio

listen to music (while reading the lyrics)

try to sing along with music

read out loud while reading a book/magazine/blog/etc.

watch movies/series/videos

record videos in your target language or about how studying is going (progress, problems, etc.)

write a blog (well hello there :))

use apps that make it more fun (duolingo, memrise, lingodeer)

chat with native speakers

actually talk to native speakers ( I know what a crazy idea)

read websites about things you’re interested in

use social media only available in your target language

change the language of your smartphone

change the language of your pc

change the language of your life

play games in your target language (like not necessarily for learning it, I mean just playing a normal game IN your target language)  

take online lessons with teachers that make you forget you’re learning

do a challenge! (I love this one so much)

find a learning group

be active in forums (no matter about language learning or a forum in your target language)

find a language exchange partner. (You should, seriously.)

watch lessons on youtube

read a (children-)book (with audio)

talk to yourself 

think in your target language (a fun way is to tell a story about your life while it’s happening like “I went down the road with a stranger always behind me, who could it be? What does he want? It got quite… too quite. I tried to keep calm but was it really a coincidence? All in the middle of nowhere?” I know I’m bad at this but I hope you get what I mean, think of it like reading a book.)

learn vocabs with pictures, type in the word you want to know and ONLY look for pictures, try to feel the word. If you google for “strawberry” (in your target language and don’t know what it means) look at the pictures, the colours, how could it smell? Make a sentence with the new word. When was the last time you ate it? How was it?

Write a story/book online or just for yourself.

Make a mindmap

Use a topic jar (a jar where you put in notes with different topics on it, you take one every day and write/talk about it)

use social media to find groups interested in learning a new language or your target language

translate texts and act like you’re a famous translator who’s the only person on earth who can translate your target language (for example if you’re reading articles about historical stuff, act like you’re the only one who can find out what happened back then and the whole world is counting on you!)

try to solve random online tests

listen to a song/audiobook/whatever and write down what you hear

search for words you want to learn and build up (funny!) sentences with them or even whole stories

read comics/mangas/etc.

search for receipts  in your target language and pray to god you’re doing it right… if not, well you won’t forget the vocab again. Win-win situation. :p

search for language learning groups near your living place and actually meet them (stay safe and check everything before)

listen to children songs (I still remember the first children song I learned in English lessons… like… 11 years ago in 5th grade) these songs are supposed to stick… *cough* head shoulders knees and toes knees and toes *cough* sorry where was I?

connect with language learners over Skype (useful groups of course like German trying to learn French, Frenchman trying to learn Turkish, Turk trying to learn German)

write a list (you know… like I do right know so I don’t forget English)

describe things you see (more fun with a partner)

teach your target language to others

listen to audio while sleeping

take notes in your target language (I don’t mean for grammar rules or something like that, I mean notes you would take in your native language anyway)

write a letter (so much better than an e-mail)

write an e-mail (who has time for letters)

learn rimes 

learn jokes (it’s also useful for social interaction)

talk to your pets (at least if they listen to you, if I start to talk to my cat she starts yelling into my face)

translate songs and learn the vocab of it so you have more fun listening to it later

think about a topic and write down every word you can think of and then translate them into your target language

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me learning a language: wow! this is so easy!

verb conjugation:

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current mood: i’m gonna prove everyone wrong and study hard to be better than the people i hate

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A Few Helpful Videos

Step 1 and Done.

I don’t understand how some people can straight read First Aid and retain. Here are a few videos I found to be very helpful for understanding and memorizing concepts. With the plethora of YouTube videos out there, I feel like there should be a database of worthwhile ones somewhere (please tell me if there is already). Feel free to add any you’ve found particularly helpful. 

Anatomy

Brachial Plexus Speed Drawing

Brachial Plexus Explained

General Anatomy Overview Channel

Anatomy Figure Drawings - Helps visualize muscle actions

Biostats

Watch these a couple of days before your exam for a refresher. Many of his review questions are based directly off of UWorld questions.

Practice Questions

Cardio

General Cardio Overview  

JVP explained with relevant path correlations 

S3/S4 - the simplest of explanations (the accent does’t hurt) 

Antiarrhythmics - follow up with SketchyPharm 

Antiarrhythmics - Refractory Period Explained 

Embryology

This cardio video is amazing. He explains the cardio congenital defects in context of what causes each defect during development. This makes recall much easier as you’re learning the process and can work out each one even if you forget the small details. (make sure to watch both parts)

Heart Embryo Derivatives - mnemonic 

Intestine Development - Overview

GI Development - Foregut, Midgut, Hindgut Orientation

Embryonic Folding 

Pharyngeal Arch Mnemonic (die)  

Microbiology 

Algorithm/mnemonic for viruses. Pure gold.

YouTube Channels of Interest

Armando Hasudungan 

Anatomy Zone

Dr. Najeeb (my hero)

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just keep going — it’ll be worth it.

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She should have a statue. Not those confederate MFs.

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Use this comprehensive list to reference common compounds and ions conveniently.  I made this especially to give a lump sum of practice problems for drawing Lewis Structures.  Suggestions and comments appreciated, thanks!

Revised simpler edit (1/9/15) with elements sorted, and I changed everything to structural formula. 

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Some details from my room.

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“Got the morbs” should be a thing.

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old notes, new filter 😋📝 studygram: acadehmic

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[ taken from my instagram: @emmastudiess ] a selection of my 2017 bullet journal spreads! 

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100517 ;

“even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” honestly can’t wait for this school term to be over i need my holidays へ[ ���́ ‸ •̀ ]ʋ but here’s a reminder that i’m strong enough to push through (and so are you)!!!! 

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this was a quote I relied on when I was working on my great issues paper

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To follow with @keepyourstudyup‘s request on black & white motivational quotes, here is one set of black & white quotes. :) 

Hope you lovelies are all having a marvellous week and start to the second month! And to those who celebrate it, Happy Chinese New Year! 

[readingclaw]