[jonplackett]

Lots of things I learned quickly and easily because I found them fun - like coding.

But I always sucked at languages - I was in top class for everything in school and bottom class for german. As an adult i tried to learn spanish and failed miserably for ages. Tried all the usual suspects but despite wanting the end result I found the process so boring and frustrating that i gave up.

Then I discovered Michel Thomas. He made learning a language something to be figured out. Something with structure, and conscious thought, and fun, and fast - As well as being an amazing teacher he's an awesome dude (he was a frikkin' nazi hunter!).

The BBC made this doc about him where he goes into a school and teaches the 5 worst students GCSE french in only a few weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0w_uYPAQic

If you are struggling to learn a language, you need this dude.

Read more about him: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Thomas

[gregjor]

Great examples of what John Holt and Maria Montessori and Ivan Illich observed over and over: People learn easiest when they find the material relevant, challenging, and fun.

I learned programming on my own (decades ago). Almost everything I have ever learned and retained resulted from intense interest and exploring on my own, not from school.

[_benj]

Thanks for sharing Michel Thomas languages. Not too long ago I wanted to learn French and instinctively as well as aided by everything else I saw I took an academic approach, notebook, vocabulary list, repetition and whatnot, in short I recreated the stressful school environment, and unsurprisingly failed miserably.

I compare that with how I learned computers/programing/digital & analog electronic design/etc... and I can help but realize that even though both where driven by curiosity, one was an adventure while the other was an adventure, and exploration and discovery which was incredibly exhilarating!