Hot off the e-presses: Activities and Strategies for Everyday Language Learners

Hot off the e-presses!  It's Activities and Strategies for Everyday Language Learners by Aaron Myers . 

I've been following the Everyday Language Learner blog for the past nine months or so, and it has had a profound effect on how I view the language learning process.  Aaron has a seemingly endless well of new ideas to improve language learning and to keep the drive to learn going strong.   As a subscriber to his regular emails and posts, I was offered an early opportunity to check out his new ebook Activities and Strategies for Everyday Language Learner on the Kindle.  It just released today live on his website and you can get the PDF version for FREE - yes, for FREE!  Check it out here. 

Aaron has compiled 55 tips, ideas and activities to help the self-directed language learners.  About a third of these ideas are for solo learning, another third will require the help of a native or expert speaker, and the remaining third are a combination of some general tips to create a language learning plan and stick to it, as well as some tips to take you out into the community and learning. 

The timing of this book could not be better for me.  I have been evaluating what I need to be doing to take my Turkish to the next level, and I recently decided to sign up for some private lessons with a Turkish tutor.  Now I am armed with 20 activities that I can bring to these lessons with a native speaker and get the most out of my para ($$).

The best part is, it doesn't matter if you are studying Turkish, Arabic, Spanish or French - these lessons are for anyone studying any language and they can work for many different levels.  Aaron's ideas and tips are universal, but his strong background in Turkish is definitely a bonus for us Turkish learners.

I know that it can seem overwhelming to put all that effort in, to really take hold of the reigns and lead yourself through a new language.   However, I think Aaron has that covered as well.  Here are some of my favorite posts of his related to making the time, finding the motivation and sticking with a plan.

Don't we all wish there were 25 hours in a day?  Well, unless the earth starts spinning slower, we're stuck with just 24.  Aaron has some ideas for making more time with the time we think we don't have enough of:

• The 25th Hour: 6 Ways to Find More Time

I just love the face of the kid on this post, he really does not want to read that book!  I feel that way sometimes.  I scowl at my Turkish textbook as it taunts me from the top of the dresser.  Some days we just can't do it - but here are some ways we can still keep touch with the language, even though we may not dare open a book:

•  12 Strategies for Reluctant Language Learners

I don't do resolutions, but I guess my goal this year is to really improve my Turkish so that I can finally have a real conversation with all of H.'s relatives.  I try to make myself accountable with Google calendar, but I think these three might work a little better - Ask Me Everyday, Lift, and Language Learning Log:

• Three Resources to Help You Stick With Your Plan in 2013

  I let most days go by without a word of Turkish, yet after reading Aaron's new ebook, I've realized I have no excuse to offer anymore.  He has many, many ideas for filling the small gaps in our days with language learning and with a little up-front effort, creating loads of materials to keep improving.