Game changer moment in resources for learners

[Gaccha]

I've waited for this for at least 10 years. I have always compared the pathetic availability of learning resources in Thai compared with the resources for learning Japanese as far back as 20 years ago.

 

As is always the case with learning foreign languages, most of the materials are for beginners to advanced-beginners, because that is where almost everyone learning gives up.

 

At the intermediate level, there are considerably different challenges, and new resources in Thai have been very poor. Until now...

 

YouTube has had Thai automatic captions available for a few years now, but almost all Thai TV dramas and other major channels have resolutely kept switched off the caption option. But I have noticed this is no longer the case...

 

Combining this fact, with some superb (free) caption Apps (such as Lingovotube) is a game changer. By watching the YouTube Thai programmes through these caption breakdown Apps allows you to listen and check normal, everyday Thai language.

 

Here is an example when a new Thai drama is played in the App:

 

 

The App takes the captions fed from YouTube, and then 'curates' a smoothe delivery of Thai with English.

 

So how should you use this?  You may not be sure the best way to learn foreign languages as an adult. The key is to listen to a roughly two or three minute segment. And then listen to that segment repeatedly until you have got every word that you think you can get; this may require listening even 20 times.

 

Then check against the Thai captions to see what your ears did not catch. Any new words should then be added to Anki or whatever vocabulary learning device you are using. This system of learning is widely regarded as one of the best ways.

 

Do not, and I mean this most strongly, listen and at the same time read the Thai captions. This is a waste of time because your mind will not develop an ear for the vocabulary, even though you will feel like you are learning. It is even worse to read the English captions as you listen to the Thai.

 

Good luck!