Most students think their biggest problem is grammar. Some think it is vocabulary. Others believe they simply need more practice. After more than twenty years of teaching languages, I have become increasingly convinced that the real problem is often somewhere else. Many students do not struggle with language. They struggle with fear. Recently, I worked […]
Tymur LevitinMany years of teaching have convinced me of one uncomfortable truth. A large number of people believe they cannot speak English. But very often English is not the real problem. The real problem is that they struggle to express themselves in any language. That may sound harsh. It is not meant to be. It is […]
Tymur LevitinA strange thing happens in language learning. People spend weeks, months, or even years thinking about what they need to improve. Then they finally start studying. And discover they were solving the wrong problem. Not because they are careless. Not because they are lazy. Not because they are incapable of understanding their own situation. But […]
Tymur LevitinMany language learners believe that listening is about hearing every word. For years, students have told me: “I cannot understand native speakers because they speak too fast.” Sometimes that is true. More often, however, the real problem is different. They are trying to understand language one word at a time. Native speakers rarely do that. […]
Tymur LevitinMany years ago, I noticed something that kept repeating itself in lessons. A student would know every word in a sentence. They would know the grammar. They would understand the literal translation. And yet they would completely misunderstand what had actually been said. At first, this seemed strange. Later, I realized the problem was not […]
Tymur LevitinOne of the most interesting things I have discovered after years of teaching languages is that students often believe they are learning grammar when they are actually learning meaning. The grammar is only the visible part. The real question is always: What exactly are you trying to show? A simple sentence can demonstrate this better […]
Tymur LevitinThere is a sentence I have repeated to students for many years: “Your problem is usually not that you do not know the language. Your problem is that you do not know what to look at.” At first, many people are surprised by this idea. They come to a lesson expecting another explanation of grammar, […]
Tymur LevitinReal Language Learning Begins Where Performance Ends There is a dangerous illusion in modern language education. People believe that the more rules they collect, the closer they become to fluency. But in reality, many students spend years inside systems that train recognition instead of reaction.They know grammar terminology.They know tenses.They recognize structures in exercises. And […]
Tymur Levitin
(Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — Levitin Language School / Start Language School by Tymur Levitin) Choose your language https://levitintymur.com/#languages The Language of Reason — Why Calm Logic Wins Every Conversation You don’t need a loud voice to be heard.You need a clear mind. Calm logic cuts through noise better than pressure, emotion, or speed. […]
Tymur Levitin
Author’s Column by Tymur Levitin — Founder, Director, Senior Instructor, Levitin Language School / Start Language School by Tymur LevitinGlobal Learning. Personal Approach. Choose your language • English (current)• German• Russian• Ukrainian What We Call “Respect” Often Doesn’t Start Where We Think Most people are taught that respect grows from agreement, politeness, or pleasing others.But […]
Tymur Levitin
