What I Learned Reading 100 Books in 100 Days in My Target Language
The short answer to the title is “heaps”, but the long answer is a little more complicated, which is why I wrote the book BLITZED: What I Learned Reading 100 Books in 100 Days in My Target Language. It gives all the gory details of what I learned after blitzing through over 3 million words in 300 hours.
MENTAL MARATHON
When I took on the ambitious 100-day challenge to read 100 books in my target language of Polish, I had no idea what the outcome would be. But as I dove headfirst into this intensive language learning experiment, which I call a “Blitzathon,” one key insight emerged: the impressive impact of bimodal learning.
BIMODAL LEARNING EXPLAINED
Bimodal learning involves engaging with content through two different sensory modalities simultaneously. In my case, this meant reading Polish books while listening to the matching audiobook narration at the same time. This dual-coding of information, through both visual and auditory channels, boosted my language acquisition. Increasing the audiobook speed and forcing myself to focus harder and read faster turbocharged the process.
By blitzing through books and audiobooks concurrently, I noticed my brain started to rewire itself to process Polish more efficiently. The constant exposure to native pronunciation alongside Polish text helped tune my ear to the language’s unique sounds and rhythms. Vocabulary words began sticking more readily as I encountered them in varied contexts, reinforced through both sight and sound.
Perhaps most exciting were the moments of “flow” induced by this bimodal approach. As my eyes traced the Polish words in sync with the audiobook narrator’s voice, I started thinking and visualizing directly in Polish, without consciously translating to English. This is a major milestone for any language learner — when the new language starts to feel intuitive rather than a puzzle to decode.
The efficacy of bimodal learning makes sense when we consider how the brain processes information. Educational research has long shown that engaging multiple senses enhances memory retention and understanding. By stimulating both visual and auditory pathways simultaneously, bimodal learning capitalizes on this cognitive advantage.
TRY IT YOURSELF
If you’re learning a new language, I recommend giving the Bimodal Blitz method a try. Challenge yourself to read a book in your target language while listening to the audiobook. It may feel overwhelming at first, but stick with it. Start with shorter, simpler content if needed and gradually work your way up.
The beauty of a Blitzathon is that it immerses you in authentic language content that interests you, so you stay motivated to keep going. With each book you blitz, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your language skills grow. The key is to embrace the intensity and make it a consistent habit.
To learn more about how I used the Bimodal Blitz approach to learn Polish, and the result of my 100 book Blitzathon, check out my book “BLITZED: What I Learned Reading 100 Books in 100 Days in My Target Language”. It’s packed with insights and practical tips to help you accelerate your own language learning through the power of bimodal input.
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