Top Lessons and Thoughts From Fluent Forever

Below are the highlights from the post I just published. To read the full post with highlights from the book go here

Summary

Below are the most important points from the book, IMHO. For more, check out the highlights below, especially the Key Points paragraphs.

THE THREE KEYS TO LANGUAGE LEARNING:

Learn pronunciation first.
Don't translate.
Use spaced repetition systems.

We recall images much better than words because we automatically think conceptually when we see an image. Image-recall studies have repeatedly demonstrated that our visual memory is phenomenal. So when learning new words you need to bind them to images.
Rote repetition is boring, and it doesn't work for long-term memorization. Take the lazy route instead: study a concept until you can repeat it once without looking and then stop. After all, lazy is just another word for "efficient."
To maximize efficiency, spend most of your time recalling rather than reviewing. Use Anki for that.
Memory tests are most effective when they're challenging. The closer you get to forget a word, the more ingrained it will become when you finally remember it. If you can consistently test yourself right before you forget, you'll double the effectiveness of every test. Again, Anki will help with that.
This is painful, but a necessary one. Do flashcards yourself. Only you will have an emotional connection with images and words.
Use writing to test out your knowledge and find your weak points. Use the example sentences in your grammar book as models, and write about your interests. Submit your writing to an online exchange community. Turn every correction you receive into a flashcard. In this way, you'll find and fill in whatever grammar and vocabulary you're missing.

My Thoughts

I think this is a great book. It re-introduced me to the concept of the SRS and Anki. I have encountered those before, but haven't used them much. Admittedly, I'm not very active about using those now either, but this is more of a discipline problem. The ideas laid out in this book are simple and effective. You just got to want to learn a language enough to actually follow through.

Learning a language is hard, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, but once you are equipped with tools from this book you are much more likely to succeed in your endeavors.