Episode 9: Good Advice Gone Wrong, Round 1

In this first episode of "Good Advice Gone Wrong," a segment in which I highlight some really good language learning advice that can also go wrong, I talk about watching kids' TV in your target language. I've heard this recommendation so many times in my years as a language learner, and I can't deny that it's a good, potentially fun way to gain immersion-like input. When I tried this with Italian, however, it was a big flop. I couldn't understand anything, and no matter how hard I tried to make it work, it just wasn't for me. As an early language learner, though, I felt like I was failing when this piece of good advice didn't work for me. Was I really learning the language if I couldn't even understand a kids' show?

There are countless methods for learning a language, and I believe that all of them are good, but they aren't all good for everyone. Instead of just giving language learning advice, this recurring segment focuses on reasons specific pieces of good advice may not work for everyone. Watching kids' TV in your target language is good advice, and in this episode I explore some of the reasons it can be useful for listening input and gaining vocabulary. Just because it's good advice, however, doesn't mean it's good for everyone, so I also explore reasons why this method may not be for you...and that's okay. I also brainstorm some ideas for how we can mold this advice and shape it into something that does work for us, if desired, and I hope to inspire you to discover your own creative, personalized language learning journey.