Learn What's Useful, Not Everything!
- Ilya Kuperman
- Mar 27
- 2 min read
A Series of Helpful Guides on Effective Language Learning - Part 1
Picture this: You've spent months diligently attending classes, memorizing vocabulary, completing assignments, and paying close attention to your teacher’s explanations. Yet, when you find yourself in a real-world conversation, you freeze. You've put in so much effort, so why is speaking still so difficult?
The truth is, the problem often isn't with you—it's with how your language course is designed.
Most language courses follow an old-fashioned approach: teachers decide beforehand what topics and grammar you should learn, select exercises, and incorporate some conversation practice. It might seem comprehensive and engaging, but unfortunately, this method doesn’t always translate into real-life fluency.
In modern language education, we start with a crucial question:
What practical skill will you have after today's lesson?
It’s not just about knowing more words—it's about being able to:
Ask how much your coffee costs.
Understand basic responses.
Introduce yourself and say where you come from.
The true goal of language learning is practical application—being able to confidently use it in everyday life, whether you're shopping, traveling, or simply chatting with new friends.
Common Mistakes Teachers Make
Many language courses begin with the teacher determining what is essential based on their own preferences or expertise. They share plenty of interesting facts, grammar rules, and examples—and only later attempt to determine what exactly you have learned. Imagine a chef cooking all their favorite dishes, then afterward deciding what might suit you for dinner.
This approach creates two significant problems:
You end up with a lot of irrelevant information.
You lack essential skills that truly matter.
After months of studying, it can be unclear what you can do with the language you've learned.
How Should Language Courses Work?
Effective language teaching starts with one straightforward question:
What should the learner be able to do by the end of this lesson?
Then, teachers carefully select only the vocabulary, grammar, and exercises necessary to reach that goal. Everything else gets set aside.
This targeted approach keeps your lessons clear, engaging, and effective—crucial for language learning, where thousands of words and rules exist, but your time is limited. You should learn only what's genuinely helpful in speaking.
How Can You Recognize a Good Language Course?
It's simple. After every lesson, ask yourself:
What new things can I now say, understand, or do in the language?
If you have a clear answer, you're on the right track. If not, chances are you've been overloaded with information that's not helpful.
What Makes LingvoGo Different?
At LingvoGo, our Hebrew course starts with practical goals. We first decide precisely what you should be able to do after each lesson. Then, we provide only what's necessary to achieve that goal—nothing extra.
Every lesson moves you forward clearly and confidently without overwhelming you. After each session, you'll know precisely:
A helpful phrase you can now say
A simple question you can now understand
A new word you're ready to use correctly
This approach transforms language learning from a tedious chore into a practical, enjoyable experience. Language becomes your tool—not just another list of vocabulary and rules.