Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann Grammar drills won’t make you fluent. Here’s what will
Sep 25, 2025
Explore the fascinating role of noticing in language learning. Discover the three essentials: attitude, time spent, and noticing patterns. Steve shares insights on how the brain naturally recognizes sounds and word boundaries, even before learning meanings. Delve into how returning to material reveals new vocabulary and structures. He emphasizes the importance of massive meaningful input over drills and cautions against overwhelming explanations. Trust your brain's ability to absorb language through exposure and natural noticing.
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Noticing Is A Natural Pattern Process
- Steve Kaufmann argues noticing is a natural brain process, not only a deliberate act.
- The brain constantly recognizes patterns and gradually integrates them into knowledge through exposure.
Disagreeing With The Noticing Hypothesis
- Steve contrasts his experience with Richard Schmidt's 'noticing hypothesis' from learning Portuguese.
- He says deliberate effort to notice didn't match his own gradual, haphazard noticing during language learning.
Early Signs Precede Meaning
- Early noticing includes segmentation and frequency patterns before meanings emerge.
- Recognizing common words and changing endings builds a foundation for later comprehension.