Two Thai Immersion Learners Discuss the Automatic Language Growth Process

Learning Thai with ALG

In this transcript, Beth and Katrina discuss their experiences learning Thai using the Automatic Language Growth (ALG) method. They talk about how they got started, the challenges they faced, and the benefits of using this approach.

Starting from Scratch

• Katrina recently hit 2,000 hours of input using ALG to learn Thai.

• She started learning Thai in December 2021 with no prior experience.

• Katrina used pure ALG for her language acquisition.

The Benefits of Immersion

• Both Beth and Katrina believe in immersion as a way to learn a language.

• Beth went through French immersion school as a child and believes it wired her brain towards immersion.

• As an adult, it can be tough to intentionally put yourself in a position where you don't understand everything.

Managing Input

• Katrina found that having prior experience with passive acquisition made it less frustrating for her to use ALG.

• Being in Thailand most of the time while learning Thai created outside pressure to speak and use the language.

Conclusion

Beth and Katrina both had positive experiences using ALG to learn Thai. They believe that immersion is an effective way to acquire a new language but acknowledge that it can be challenging at times. Overall, they recommend giving this method a try if you're interested in learning a new language.

Understanding a New Language

In this section, the speaker talks about their experience of learning a new language and how they were able to understand it.

Learning Process

• At first, the speaker had difficulty understanding the language and found it hard to process the sounds.

• After eight hours of watching videos, something clicked into place and they were able to follow what was going on most of the time.

• The shift that helped them was getting used to the process and non-verbal cues. They also had to start mapping out what those non-verbal cues meant.

• Once they figured out that Thailand uses two measures of year, everything started clicking into place.

Sound Nuggets

• The speaker talks about sound nuggets which are bits and pieces of a language that start sounding familiar over time.

• In the beginning, they couldn't distinguish word boundaries but after 30 or 35 hours, some things started sounding more familiar.

Coping with Language Barriers

In this section, the speaker talks about how learning a new language has helped them cope with language barriers in real-life situations.

Work Trip to Japan

• The speaker went on a work trip to Japan where they had to interact with people who spoke little English.

• They coped by using context and non-verbal cues. They also used a whiteboard and pen to communicate complex issues.

• Despite not knowing any useful amount of Japanese, they were still able to talk through sensitive issues because of their ability to cope with language barriers.

Sound Nuggets

In this section, the speaker talks more about sound nuggets and how they help in learning a new language.

Thailand Language

• The speaker talks about one of the first sound nuggets they had when learning Thai.

• They also mention that anyone who has been in Thailand for a week will ask what "ka" means.

Learning Thai Language

In this section, the speakers discuss their experience learning Thai language and how they progressed from relying heavily on visuals to recognizing sounds and words.

Early Stages of Learning

• The first sound that the speaker latched onto was "Ron".

• The speaker also quickly recognized some concrete colors.

• There was a moment when the speaker realized a unique sound at the beginning of a word.

• At first, the speaker relied heavily on visuals as scaffolding for every video.

Progressing in Learning

• Over time, the sound system started becoming its own scaffolding.

• After 75 to 100 hours, the basics of scaffolding were in place and reliance on visuals decreased.

• The sounds became part of the scaffolding and word meaning was added over time.

• Eventually, reliance on visuals decreased significantly.

Recognizing Thai Language

• There was a moment when it suddenly started sounding like language to both speakers.

• This made it easier to study more or study longer because they could passively listen.

• The speakers began listening to Thai radio as their ears heard it as language.

Passive Language Learning

The speakers discuss the benefits of passive language learning and how it helped them improve their language skills.

Passive Learning

• Inundating oneself with a language, even if not fully understood, can be helpful for language learning.

• Listening passively to content like radio or TV shows can help expose learners to new vocabulary and grammar structures.

• After 400 hours of listening passively, one speaker was able to understand intermediate topics fairly comfortably.

• At around 600 hours, both speakers had exhausted free resources on the internet and needed to find native content.

Finding Native Content

The speakers discuss how they found native content after exhausting free resources on the internet.

Running Out of Resources

• After 600 hours of assisted immersion content, one speaker had maxed out all available resources online.

• They started looking for other types of content on YouTube such as TV shows and podcasts.

• One speaker also started taking private lessons at an advanced level with a language school.

Types of Content

• Cooking videos or other "how-to" videos can be good for ALG-type content because they are visually oriented.

• Podcasts with structured discussions between two people were helpful for one speaker in improving their listening comprehension.

Learning Thai through Native Content

In this section, the speaker discusses how he learned Thai through native content and shares some tips on how to make it easier.

True Crime and Spoilers

• True crime podcasts and shows are emotionally intense, have a narrative arc, and good pacing that makes them accessible for learners.

• Movie spoilers and drama spoilers are also good because they retell the story while showing it on screen.

Finding Content You Like

• If you already like something, finding it in Thai is helpful. The speaker watched anime dubbed into Thai since he was interested in anime.

• If you have an area of interest, finding content around that will be easier to understand because you already have access to the ideas in your mind.

Supplementing with Private Lessons

• The speaker supplemented his learning with private lessons at his level as well as more native content.

• Over time, the native content felt more interesting and accessible even though he did not understand everything at first.

Watching Native Content Together

• The speaker watched Korean dramas dubbed in Thai with a teacher who was also interested in them. This helped them both improve their listening skills.

Learning through Native Content

In this section, the speaker talks about how they used native content to learn a new language. They discuss their experience with different types of media and how it helped them improve their language skills.

Using Native Content to Learn

• The speaker used native content such as dramas and novels to learn a new language.

• They watched a Thai drama series called "Five Brothers" which helped them bridge the gap into being more comfortable with native content.

• By focusing on their interests, they were able to define their own curriculum and find private teachers or friends who could help them learn.

• The speaker hit a ceiling in their learning and had to supplement with their own native content but still needed a teacher's help sometimes.

Crosstalk for Language Learning

• The speaker found crosstalk helpful for learning. They hired tutors on Italki for conversation lessons where they spoke in two languages.

• They also met Thai people in their local community for crosstalk in Thai and Norwegian which was beneficial for everyone involved.

• Crosstalk allowed the speaker to have conversations at their level of understanding without being limited by their lack of ability to speak the language fluently.

Overcoming Language Barriers

• The speaker worked in Thai companies where English was not always the main language spoken. Crosstalk helped overcome language barriers when discussing complex topics.

• Crosstalk is underrated because it allows you to have interesting conversations even when your ability to use the languages is almost nil.

Challenges of Cross-Talking

In this section, the speaker discusses the challenges of cross-talking between languages and how it can be difficult to switch back and forth.

Cross-Talking Between Languages

• The speaker talks about how cross-talking between languages can be challenging.

• There was a discussion about how many hours it takes to output like a native using ALG, but there was no good definition of what it means to be fully fluent or native.

• The speaker argues that being native is not just about natural fluency but also includes a set of knowledge and formality that comes with education level.

• The Thai government's proficiency levels go up to high school, then the next one is "native light," which the speaker argues should actually be called "University ready."

What Does It Mean To Be Native?

In this section, the speaker discusses what it means to be native in terms of language proficiency.

Levels of Proficiency

• Being native means having natural fluency, but there are also different levels of literacy and formality that come with education level.

• The speaker gives an example where her partner's mother handed her the phone at a hospital because she felt that she would be more equipped to understand and converse at that level due to factors such as education level.

• Even though the speaker has an accent when speaking Thai, sometimes taxi drivers don't realize she's not Thai until they see her face.

Learning Thai Pronunciation

In this section, the speaker discusses how they learned to speak Thai with a native-like accent and the role of Automatic Language Growth (ALG) in their language learning journey.

Learning Thai Pronunciation

• The speaker learned to speak Thai with a native-like accent by listening carefully to different accents and not forcing themselves into bad habits.

• Having a good ear and an ability to mimic also helped the speaker learn Thai pronunciation.

• The speaker listened more than they spoke early on in their language learning journey and did not force themselves into bad speaking habits.

• The speaker believes that input in general, rather than just comprehensible input, is important for learning pronunciation.

• ALG was a part of the speaker's study regimen but it is not exclusive to ALG. Results may vary depending on individual factors such as having a good ear or amount of input received.

Speaking Thai Fluently

In this section, the speaker talks about when they started speaking Thai fluently and how unintentional hours of input can contribute to language learning.

Speaking Thai Fluently

• Around the 1200 hour mark, there were situations where the speaker could have said certain words if needed but their pronunciation would have been poor.

• The speaker now says some words and phrases in Thai when interacting with people in their local community.

• It is hard to determine when someone starts speaking naturally because it can start with saying words one at a time or being able to converse fluently.

Unintentional Hours of Input

• Unintentional hours of input, such as being in a community with Thai people, can contribute to language learning but are not always counted as part of calculated intentional hours.

• Real-life input can have a big impact on confidence and belief in one's ability to apply the language.

• Personal experiences and places of input where someone might be getting input can also contribute to their learning curve.

Emotional Experience in ALG

In this section, the speaker discusses the emotional experience in ALG and how it differs from other language learning methods.

Emotional Experience in ALG

• The emotional experience is a focus in ALG that is not necessarily present in other areas of language learning.

• There is no further content for this section.

Comprehensible Input Theory

In this section, the speaker discusses comprehensible input theory and how it relates to adult learning.

The Core of Comprehensible Input Theory

• The core of comprehensible input theory is raising the level of difficulty and stretching oneself.

• To grow, one must get n plus one input and put themselves in a layer of discomfort.

• Steven Krashen is the guy who came up with comprehensible input theory.

Applying Comprehensible Input Theory

• One should approach language learning with Native or actual language instead of a carbon copy.

• Expose yourself to more difficult input while making sure you can understand enough.

• Everyone learns differently, so what works for one person may not work for another.

Words vs Experience

• Language isn't just a string of words; it's about getting the message that was trying to be communicated.

• Early on, topics have to be concrete because scaffolding won't support abstract or complex stories.

• Even when you get to native fluency, misunderstandings can still happen due to high context languages like Thai.

Learning Thai through Immersion

In this section, the speaker discusses their experience learning Thai through immersion and how they progressed from a beginner to where they are now. They also talk about what they plan to do next in their language learning journey.

Progression through Immersion

• The speaker shares that they learned Thai through immersion and talks about the process of progressing from a beginner to where they are now.

• They mention that even at their current level, there are still words and concepts in the language that they don't understand.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of using the language to continue learning and improving, rather than just aiming for fluency.

• They discuss how ALG (Automatic Language Growth), which is essentially learning a language through immersion, has been powerful for them.

Next Steps

• The speaker mentions that they will continue taking classes with Understand Thai, but not as often due to scheduling changes.

• They share that they have started learning how to read and write in Thai, even though it's not necessary for immediate use.

• The speaker talks about listening to audiobooks as a new way of practicing their listening skills.

• They also mention getting more involved in their local community and making using Thai part of their daily life.

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