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Learning Hebrew by speaking around a table in a co-working space and not progressing? Here's why


Spoiler alert - speaking alone will not help you learn a new language.

Recently, all kinds of Hebrew courses have popped up offering new immigrants to Israel a quick fix: “This is how you will succeed in learning a language without reading and writing if you just speak.” It’s a nice idea, but you’ll likely not advance at the pace you hoped. Here’s why.


Let’s start with a story, as usual. Recently, a new immigrant from South America joined us, after learning at a Jewish day school. He was enrapt by marketing from one of those aforementioned Ulpanim that offers a magic bullet: Come learn Hebrew without writing or reading, rather learn by speaking around a table. The same student, who already knows sever