The Valqui Method
The Valqui Method has a single objective: to provide the brain with an enormous amount of auditory and motor experiences in a very short time, in order to accelerate the discovery of regularities.
The 8 techniques I will present are not a collection of unrelated exercises. They are variations of a single idea.
Almost all of them share one defining characteristic:
- they increase the speed and volume of information,
- in order to force the brain to predict what comes next, reducing the time available for conscious thought.
In this way, they train the brain to operate in automatic mode.
The method focuses on pronunciation, because those who pronounce something correctly are also better able to understand it when they hear it.
The Three Groups of Techniques
- Pronunciation techniques: Live-Shadowing, imitating videos, imitating sports commentaries.
- Speed techniques: Double, triple, and quadruple speed listening, rapid reading.
- Production techniques: Jazz-a-Minute and simultaneous translation.
The Valqui Method can be summarized in three pillars:
Turbo-listening · Turbo-pronunciation · Turbo-translation
If I had to recommend one technique to start with, it would be Remedeo or Live-Shadowing. It is the foundation upon which all the others can be built.
The Minimum Remedeo Routine
To get started—whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced learner—I suggest building a minimum daily Remedeo routine of five minutes a day for five weeks.
This is the minimum time and frequency I have calculated for the Inner Voice to emerge: the sensation that someone is dictating the chosen text or audio directly into your head.
What do you need?
- A pair of headphones.
- A platform such as YouTube.
Steps to Follow
- Choose a video: In the language of your choice, one that includes subtitles or a corresponding transcript.
- Duration: Choose a clip of 20 to 30 seconds. You can trim it using YouTube’s built-in tools.
- Verbal flow: Choose a clip with no pauses in the verbal flow, in order to optimize the training effect.
- Remedeo: Repeat each word approximately a quarter of a second after you hear it. It will not be easy at first, but your brain will be learning without you noticing.
- Discipline: Practice every day (except Sundays) at the same time and in the same quiet place. Protect your routine from interruptions.
Additional Tips
→ Don’t get discouraged:
At the beginning, you will make many mistakes. It is like learning to ride a bicycle: at first the brain focuses entirely on not falling; gradually, it will master the finer details without you even realizing it.
→ The awakening:
Around the third week, your brain will begin to emerge from its apparent dormancy and small «miracles» will start to happen. You will gain control of the speed, and the brain will take care of accent and precise pronunciation on its own.
→ The resonance:
The text will begin to echo in your head like a song. It will feel as though someone is «whispering» everything to you through invisible headphones.
Have fun.
Your brain will reward you with its own internal prizes.