Language Learning Consultant?

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DoubleLive78
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Language Learning Consultant?

Postby DoubleLive78 » 2014-05-19, 3:10

I'm wondering if any other language learners would ever seek a language learning consultant. I don't mean a tutor or a teacher, in the traditional sense of classes, etc, but someone who can guide you on how to learn a language on your own. If you would be interested in this kind of service and interested in paying money for it, what would you expect from the consultant? I'm considering this as a possible business opportunity and would like to hear some feedback from other language learners. Thanks!

melski
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby melski » 2014-05-19, 7:17

Are you familiar with Luca Lampariello? He's a famous polyglot on the web and is now working as a language consultant
................Native: French (fr) French
................Fluent: English (en) English , Italian (it) Italian
.........Intermediate: German (de) German, Brazilian Portuguese (pt-br) Portuguese
.........Conversational: Catalan (ca) Catalan, Spanish (es) Spanish
....................Learning: [flag=Wallisian (East Uvean / faka'uvea)]wls[/flag] Wallisian (topic here)

DoubleLive78
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby DoubleLive78 » 2014-05-19, 14:36

I discovered him a while ago and really liked his stuff, but I honestly didn't know that he was working as one right now. He doesn't post too often anymore, because he seems to be much busier now. Do you know what he does as a consultant? What does he offer to his customers?

melski
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby melski » 2014-05-19, 17:14

I think he offers lessons on Skype. I've also seen this 8 hour course he sells:
http://www.howtobecomeaprofessor.com/luca
................Native: French (fr) French
................Fluent: English (en) English , Italian (it) Italian
.........Intermediate: German (de) German, Brazilian Portuguese (pt-br) Portuguese
.........Conversational: Catalan (ca) Catalan, Spanish (es) Spanish
....................Learning: [flag=Wallisian (East Uvean / faka'uvea)]wls[/flag] Wallisian (topic here)

DoubleLive78
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby DoubleLive78 » 2014-05-20, 1:43

Yeah I've definitely taken a look at his 8-hour course. It looks really great, but is out of my price range at the moment. Especially considering there's a handful of stuff in the course that I wouldn't find too useful anyway. However, I'm now very interested in hearing about the Skype lessons you say he does. I never knew he offered them. Is there a link somewhere on his site that I overlooked? If not, what do you know about the lessons?

melski
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby melski » 2014-05-20, 9:17

I guess the best thing for you is to send him a message, cause I don't know much about Luca Lampariello.
His website: http://www.thepolyglotdream.com/
................Native: French (fr) French
................Fluent: English (en) English , Italian (it) Italian
.........Intermediate: German (de) German, Brazilian Portuguese (pt-br) Portuguese
.........Conversational: Catalan (ca) Catalan, Spanish (es) Spanish
....................Learning: [flag=Wallisian (East Uvean / faka'uvea)]wls[/flag] Wallisian (topic here)

DoubleLive78
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby DoubleLive78 » 2014-05-20, 15:10

Ah ok, thanks for the help! But, I have one more question. If you were going to look for someone like this to help you, what would you want out of the consultant?

melski
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby melski » 2014-05-20, 19:52

Well, I'll ask a language consultant about the culture of the country where the language is spoken, so that I can get in touch more easily with native speakers; I'll ask about where to find the best resources (especially for minority languages which resources are scarce); for languages close to the ones I already know (Romance languages for instance), I'll ask what are the most important changes from my language to the one studied so that I can read the target language easily (e.g. using French to understand Catalan).
I wouldn't want him to teach me grammar (maybe basic vocabulary if I know nothing) since a language consultant is not a teacher. I prefer to learn on my own, chatting with native speakers.
................Native: French (fr) French
................Fluent: English (en) English , Italian (it) Italian
.........Intermediate: German (de) German, Brazilian Portuguese (pt-br) Portuguese
.........Conversational: Catalan (ca) Catalan, Spanish (es) Spanish
....................Learning: [flag=Wallisian (East Uvean / faka'uvea)]wls[/flag] Wallisian (topic here)

DoubleLive78
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby DoubleLive78 » 2014-05-20, 21:26

Thanks for all of that! You made a lot of great points that I think are easy to overlook, especially because a large amount of learning another language is the nuts and bolts of that language. I agree with you about not teaching grammar; in fact, I don't think it's necessary to ever teach it. I also agree with you about learning on your own. The point of the consultant would be to encourage this self-study. Rather than tell you what to do and how you "should" do it, the consultant would give you tips, advice, materials, resources, guidance, etc. for you to then have for your own self-study.

I'm particularly interested in your suggestion about having the consultant discuss the culture with you, though. What kinds of cultural information would you look to learn? Also, what if the consultant provided you with resources that could be useful to you both from the language and cultural sides simultaneously (i.e. learning the language through culture-based material)? Would you like to see more of this type of material accessible to learners, particularly learners who teach themselves?

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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby Lauren » 2014-05-20, 22:56

Professor Alexander Argüelles offers language consultation by Skype. He's cool. :D
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DoubleLive78
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby DoubleLive78 » 2014-05-21, 4:01

Lowena wrote:Professor Alexander Argüelles offers language consultation by Skype. He's cool. :D


Wow, again that's another polyglot I've known of for a while but never knew offered that service. Have you ever done a Skype consultation session with him?

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Lauren
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby Lauren » 2014-05-21, 15:37

Nope!
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby BaoKieu » 2014-05-27, 9:59

He is very busy. He has not posted anything on his Youtube channel for some months now. I don't think he has time to do personal consulting.
However, you can always learn from his Youtube channel or his website http://www.foreignlanguageexpertise.com/
千里之行,始于足下
A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step
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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby MJP » 2017-09-21, 3:03

I am also very interested in this topic. My native language is English and I speak intermediate Korean. Does anyone have any contact with the original poster, DoubleLive78?

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Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby vijayjohn » 2017-09-21, 3:09

Highly doubtful IMO, I'm afraid. So probably not.

Karavinka

Re: Language Learning Consultant?

Postby Karavinka » 2017-10-01, 4:11

No. I highly doubt language learning is something one needs a consulting for. Unless the case is so severe that it is a learning disorder that requires clinical assistance, most learners who have difficulties have either of these two problems.

1. They think the task is going to be too daunting and they can't muster up the courage
2. They think the only way of learning a language is what they were taught to do in school classrooms

Both of these problems, once directed to the right place, will be answered by many sympathetic people online, free of charge. Create a new account and say you have these problems right here on Unilang; you'll get answers. And what remains is the motivation to keep going -- and this is something that cannot be done by consulting. If motivation can be consulted, people wouldn't have as much trouble losing weight or staying fit either.

If anyone promises more, that borders on selling snake oil. Completely bogus and irresponsible promises.

Personally, I think a lot of online "gurus" have fallen from grace exactly because they started consulting and made it their business. I'm not going to name anyone in specific, but if that person is a known figure among language learners for their polygluttonous achievements, and has a consulting business built around that, I probably have quite a few criticisms that may sound... well, to put it mildly, brutal.


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