Expect to work with new material for an extended period of time:

• Read, watch, or listen to the media multiple times. YouTube and podcast/music apps often have an option to slow down the audio, which you can use as needed.
• First try to understand as much as you can without consulting a dictionary or other resource.
• Then consult other resources as needed.

Check your comprehension:

• Create a reverse outline of the material: What is the main idea or message? What are the supporting details?

Reread or re-listen to the material, focusing on the areas that are unclear.

• What is most difficult about that portion?
• Is the language too advanced?
• Is the speech too quick or in an unfamiliar accent or dialect?
• Is there not enough context?
• Is there anything that doesn't make sense if translated literally?

Look up new vocabulary in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or concordance (e.g. Netspeak) and add it to your memory system. 

Look up unfamiliar grammar or constructions in a textbook, grammar, or online resource and add it to your memory system.

• You may also be able to understand the meaning from context without referring to an outside resource. If so, still record what you have learned.

Practice using the new vocabulary and constructions in writing and out loud.

Make note of anything you would like further clarification on.

• For example, if you know another word with a similar meaning, do you know the distinctions, context, etymology, level of formality, etc.?

Read the material or a portion of it out loud.

• If audio or video, practice talking along with it and imitating the speakers.

Practice verbally summarizing the material:

• Use the 4-3-2 technique:
  • Describe the material for 4 minutes, pause, then do it again for 3 minutes, pause, then do it again for 2 minutes.
  • Each time, try to ensure you are still sharing the essential points and getting clearer and clearer in your explanations as you go.
• Practice giving a presentation about the subject to different audiences:
  • Friends
  • Small children – how would you need to simplify the language?
  • A classroom or office – how would you make your language more formal?

Write questions about the selection and practice asking and answering them.

Think about alternative positions or perspectives on the material and practice representing them as though you are in a debate.

Record yourself doing one of the above activities:

• Listen to your recording and critique yourself:
• Do you need to fix grammatical, pronunciation, or vocabulary issues? How is your intonation and emphasis? 
• Re-record yourself and see if you've improved.

Practice with a partner:

• Choose a conversation preparation guide and complete the roleplays.
• Go to a zoo or museum and talk about what you see in the target language.
• Choose an issue you’re passionate about and try to convince the other person to support your cause. 

Keep a journal in the target language:

• Write a paragraph or dialog using the new vocabulary/expressions/grammar you found in your listening and reading that week.
• Write out a detailed description of characters or speakers from the material.
  • What can you say about their physical appearance, their clothing, the way they speak or move? 
  • What words can you use to talk about their personality, mood, emotions? If you know basic words like sad/angry/happy, challenge yourself to learn new words: is the person agitated, anxious, ebullient? 
  • Compare and contrast one character or speaker to another.

Create a reference guide for the material(s):

• Create a flow chart:
  • On the left side of a piece of paper or digital document, list the sections of the material as they occur one after the other. You may also include how long these sections are (1 paragraph, 2:30 minutes, etc.)
  • On the right side, list what happens or is said/written in those sections, as well as anything else you find notable.
  • This is an excellent way to understand the structure of different types of spoken and written material.
• Draw a timeline of events.
• Create a family tree or a similarly structured graph showing the people involved in the material and their relationships to one another. Use arrows and labels.
• Create a map or floor plan related to the material and label it. 
• Practice presenting the reference guide to someone. 
  • What are the major landmarks? Can you give directions between them? 
  • What is the historical significance of the events?
  • Who are the main characters? What is the nature of their relationships?

Build on the material:

• Write your own recipe using similar ingredients to a food you read about. Record yourself narrating the preparation and cooking process. 
• Imagine yourself taking the same trip as a character in the media you studied. Where would you go? What would you like to see? Where would you sleep or eat? Who would you meet? What tickets will you buy?
• Imagine what happens next in the media you studied. Write out a dialogue or scene where the characters decide what to do. This can be a complex reaction to a difficult situation, or it can be as simple as planning where to go for coffee. Use as much future-oriented grammar as you know (e.g., future tenses, conditional clauses).

Find material in the target language about the topic, such as YouTube videos, podcasts, music, or Instagram reels.

• You can do this by searching online using a format like “<keywords in target language> <type of media, such as video, music, etc>”.
• Listen or watch, and then follow this process:
  • Note down any moments that were difficult for you, including their time stamp. 
  • Write out what you understand after your first listen or viewing. Then listen again and see if you can add more or make corrections to your first effort. 
  • Look up any unfamiliar words or constructions.

Learn about the background of the material:

• Who made it? Are they famous? In what context? Who would recognize their names?
• What are their biographical details? Who were their contemporaries? 
• What are other seminal or popular examples of that genre?
• What are other historical or contemporary works in the genre?
• See if you can find other works in the same genre.

Interact with social media conversations in the target language about the material or related topics.

• You can find them by searching online using a format like: “<keywords in target language> <name of social media site>”. 
• Try to find out what social media services are popular for speakers of the target language.
• Find hashtags, popular pages, or influencers posting about the topic.
• Draft a post about the topic in the target language, your own or a response to someone else’s.
• Find and write captions for images related to the material.

Explore language-learning apps like DuoLingo or Mango Languages.

• Even app content intended for a beginning-level learner may help you review or learn vocab and grammar; and the audio may help reinforce accurate pronunciation, accent, and intonation.

Read/watch/listen to the material again:

• Are you able to understand the material better?
• Do you have new questions or insights?

Summarize the material out loud:

• Can you quickly summarize the material? Can you expand on or add to its content? 

Review your vocabulary and grammar flashcards. Make sure to use both new and old flashcards.

If there are other students in your session, read through their contributions in the Collaborative Outline.

• Practice responding to their discussion prompts.
• What new questions do their contributions raise for you?
• Look up the grammar or vocab they want to review. 

After your session, repeat some of the activities you did this week. See where you have improved.