Learning a language doesn’t mean learning everything, but rather knowing how to choose the most important things first. This is what Tim Ferriss, a famous multilingual writer, said.
Have you ever wondered why some people can speak multiple languages while others find one language difficult enough? The answer lies not in talent, but in the right way of learning and focusing on what’s most important first, a technique shared by multilinguals around the world.
And focusing on what’s essential first is a technique shared by many speakers all over the world. In this article, we’ll dive into three key techniques recommended by Tim Ferriss and many other language learning experts to help you learn English faster, easier, and with more confidence.
Technique 1: Deconstruction (Separating important parts of the language)
Multilingual speakers often start by breaking down the structure of their language into its most essential parts, such as:
1.1 Basic Sentence Structure: You don’t need to understand all the grammar rules, just know how to form basic declarative, interrogative, and negative sentences, such as:
- “I work in marketing.” (narration)
- “Do you like coffee?” (question)
- “I don’t have time.” (denied)
1.2 Most Common Verbs: Learning basic verbs such as be, have, do, work, help will help you create a variety of sentences that you can use right away.
1.3 The most important vocabulary for daily life: Learn vocabulary related to daily life, such as greetings, telling time, or words related to work.
Examples of using Deconstruction techniques with AI: We can use AI such as ChatGPT to help recommend by extracting frequently used words or sentences related to your work, such as writing emails to respond to customers or partners, meetings, or giving presentations on various occasions or occasions.
Technique 2: Selection (select the most important things first)
Tim Ferriss suggests, “Knowing everything is not the goal. Knowing what is necessary for your goal is what matters.” This technique focuses on:
2.1 The first 625 words : such as words used in everyday life and at work, such as client, meeting, deadline, etc. If you want to know why 625 words, read more here. Did you know? Just by knowing 625 basic words, you can understand and communicate up to 80% in everyday life.
2.2 Situations you often encounter : Learn conversations in situations relevant to your life, such as:
- Introducing yourself in a meeting: “Good morning, I’m [name], and I’m responsible for [role].”
- Job description: “Our team is working on [project].”
- Inquiry: “Could you clarify that point?”
2.3 Focus on what is necessary at the beginning : If you do not need to speak in a complex situation, such as discussing business or scientific issues, you can skip it at the beginning.
Examples of using Selection techniques with AI: We can use AI such as ChatGPT to analyze vocabulary related to your career and suggest ready-to-use sentences that are appropriate for your context and job.
Technique 3: Sequencing (arranging appropriate learning sequence)
One of the secrets of being a multilingual speaker is learning in order, focusing on easy to complex:
3.1 Listen and imitate first : Practice listening to the correct sounds and accents before you start speaking, such as listening to everyday conversations through AI or through language learning apps.
3.2 Speak right away : Starting to speak from day one will help you build confidence right away and will give you motivation to continue learning the language. For example, introduce yourself or ask a simple question.
3.3 Practice reading and writing later : Once you get used to listening and speaking, learning to read and write will be easier, and you can immediately apply what you say to your writing.
Example of using Sequencing technique with AI: We can use AI like ChatGPT to simulate conversation situations and let you speak back interactively, with suggestions for corrections on the spot. This method can help speed up our language development.
Language training from an expert’s perspective: Less is More
When learning a language, polyglots often emphasize the concept of “knowing just enough,” meaning learning only what is necessary in order to communicate confidently:
- You don’t have to speak “perfectly”, but just speaking clearly and understandably in different situations is enough.
- Efficient training, such as using AI like ChatGPT to suggest the vocabulary or structures you need for specific goals, can help you improve faster than random or generalized learning.
Case Study: An Executive Who Changed His Life with This Technique
“Mr. Anan”, a production manager at an industrial factory in Rayong Province, once had problems when reporting situations in meetings with foreign customers. So he started practicing language skills with DSS techniques – Deconstruction, Selection and Sequencing.
- He uses AI like ChatGPT to help him find terms related to his field, such as “supply chain” and “production line.”
- He practiced saying commonly used sentences such as “Our current production capacity is…”
- Within 3 months of continuous self-training, he was able to confidently report to meetings and impress his clients and team.
Conclusion
Techniques that many speakers know (but you may not have tried) such as DSS techniques – Deconstruction, Selection and Sequencing.
- Help you start learning English on the right track, without wasting time on unnecessary things.
- Increase opportunities to develop communication skills in real-world situations such as work and social situations.
- It only takes 15-30 minutes a day to study but you will get visible results.
Therefore, learning a language is no longer difficult.
