Steve Kaufmann grew up in the English speaking part of Montreal, Quebec. Although he was taught French in school, he could not communicate in that language. It was only after he left high school that he became interested in learning French and was able to make himself fluent. This experience inspired a life-long interest in the discovery of languages and other cultures. Today, he is fluent in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Swedish, Russian, Portuguese and English and is working on Korean. Kaufmann is the founder LingQ.com, which is dedicated to teaching foreign languages to people around the world.
Tell us why you started LingQ.
I had a Chinese employee, a recent immigrant from China. He had lots of trouble with English. The local ESL schools were ineffective. I was learning Cantonese at the time and realized the power of listening and the power of the MP3 player. We decided to create a system that combined the many advantages of the Internet as a source of content, as a place to form communities, and the ability to manipulate audio and text.
We grew from a method for learning English, to a community of learners and teachers, with a common interest in languages. We now offer ten languages.
How are you different from other online language services?
LingQ differs in a number of ways. Ours is the only system that offers a systematic approach to learning from input. Language learning requires three elements, motivation, time and attentiveness. Our system works on all three. We stay away from drills, multiple choice exercises and most of the staples of other systems.
LingQ offers interesting content, easy and fun tasks, and lots of listening that people can do anywhere. In addition learners get great support from the other members of our community,
Our community is also unique in the sense that we only have serious language learners, which is different from some of the other language exchange sites on the web.
Your linguistic ability is well-known. What’s your secret?
I accept incertitude in a new language. I accept that things will only gradually get clearer. I do not expect to remember anything, or even learn anything at any given time. I am not disappointed when I stumble or forget. I focus on massive amounts of listening and reading, with timely vocabulary study, and the occasional survey of grammar. I always seek to enjoy, and not to nail anything down.
What would you say is the most beneficial second language to study?
The one I am studying at the time. The one I am committed to. And that is important to success.
Millions of people around the world are studying English. Why should native speakers study a second language if they don’t plan to live abroad?
There is no obligation. However the joys of discovering another culture, of enjoying its movies and books and customs, of talking to people from a different background, are immense. For me it has also been good for business. You just have to experience it to understand the joys of language learning.
It’s estimated that 100 million people are studying Mandarin Chinese. Many say they are doing so because of China’s economic rise. Does second language acquisition always guarantee a job?
No. It increases opportunities. You are better to develop an interest in the language and culture for its own sake, or you will not succeed. That is true of any language. Chinese is no exception. You do not have to love it all, but in every culture there are things to enjoy.
What are some of the obstacles for Westerners who are studying languages like Mandarin and Japanese?
The writing system and the lack of common vocabulary are big hurdles. But the biggest hurdle is the perception that the language is so strange that we cannot learn it. We need to imagine ourselves as Chinese or Japanese. I did it twice for Asian languages. When I speak Japanese I am Japanese. The same is true for Chinese.
Are K-12 foreign language programs in the U.S. effective?
I can only speak for Canada where they are mostly very ineffective, although there are exceptions. There is far too much emphasis on producing the language and on producing it correctly. That is simply not possible without a lot of input. Let kids enjoy the language first.
Online education is booming. Do you foresee the end of traditional bricks-and-mortar classrooms?
Classrooms will not disappear. They fill a social need. However, online learning, and mobile learning, using the iPhone and similar devices, will change the parameters of learning languages. Language labs are already essentially obsolete. Classrooms will no longer have the monopoly of language instruction. Teachers unions will fight it. Governments will be slow to figure it out. The benefits, however, will be more effective learning, for more people, and for much less money.
For more information: LingQ
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