Originally posted on The Secret to Improved Critical Thinking: Language Learning Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning Learning a new language offers many unique benefits for improving critical thinking skills. Language learning involves acquiring and processing a large amount of new information, which helps develop and strengthen your cognitive skills, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving. It exposes us to unique cultural viewpoints and perspectives, leading to more open-minded and empathetic thinking. The cognitive demands of learning a new ..read more

Originally posted on Is it difficult to learn to speak Urdu? Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning Yes. And no. As someone who’s been speaking Urdu her entire life and now teaches it full-time, I believe there is no simple answer to this. Learning Urdu can be difficult or easy, depending on your approach.  Several things may make learning Urdu difficult. You might find it unfamiliar due to its script and grammar conventions. Perhaps the lack of good quality resources (that suit your needs) might discourage you. On the other hand ..read more

Originally posted on English words that originated from South Asia Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning “I was enjoying spicy kitchery made of sitting on a charpoy when a thug entered my bungalow in khaki pajamas and looted my buggy.” Despite being hilarious and tragic at the same time, this is just a normal English sentence. What if I tell you that there are six words in this sentence that originate from South Asia? Language is said to be a doorway to understanding a culture. But it is much more than that: It is our connections to the cultures that ar ..read more

Originally posted on How to use Kahoot for Language Learning? Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning Kahoot! turns language learning into a fun and engaging experience. What’s the single most important key to learning something new? Practice! And Kahoot turns practice into gamified experiences that help you stay consistent in your language learning journey. Learning becomes an entertaining and enjoyable process. No wonder over a billion people play Kahoot! every year! These gamified quizzes are called “Kahoots”. You can make your own Kahoot on any t ..read more

Originally posted on Ms. Marvel: A comprehensive guide to the meaning of Urdu words and Pakistani cultural references Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning Lo and behold, we have a Pakistani American superhero in Marvel! Why is that significant? More than 550,000 Pakistani Americans are living in the USA. Whether you or your family is from Pakistan or not, chances are that you would have met a Pakistani somewhere! Just like all other cultures, we Pakistanis are in some ways alike, yet somewhat different than the rest. Ms. Marvel showed a Pakistani ..read more

Originally posted on “Tu Jhoom”, Coke Studio – what do the lyrics mean? Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning For over a decade, Coke Studio has been pivotal in transforming mainstream music in Pakistan. Ever since its launch in 2008, it’s trending for showing the cultural diversity of Pakistan. People were skeptical when Rohail Hyatt left the reigns of the show after season 13, but boy, oh boy, season 14 started with a bang! Combining Naseebo Lal’s folk charm and distinctive voice with Aabida Perveen’s liberating spiritual ener ..read more

Originally posted on 3 easy steps to plan a last-minute trip to Pakistani North? Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning Step 1: Just do it! A stack of productivity books, videos and podcasts later, I am convinced Nike’s “Just do it” is the most effective tool to get things done. It takes away your brain’s evil decision-making power that is hardwired to prefer status quo and comfort zone over taking risks and ditching familiarity.  However, no one in the history of the world has ever had an experience of a lifetime from their comfort zones. And expe ..read more

Originally posted on About Urdu Language: Three Interesting Facts you didn’t know! Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning As we dived deeper into teaching Urdu Conversations, we became increasingly fascinated with the Urdu language. As we continued to read and explore more about it, suddenly, the roots of Urdu, its connections to other languages, and breadth of the Urdu-speaking community made our jaws drop! We realized that despite being an Urdu speaker, we don’t really know much about our native language. Have you ever wondered what the word “Urdu” mea ..read more

Originally posted on Best 3 Urdu Rhymes For Your Child Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning Do you know that learning a language through rhymes is an effective language learning method? The melody and the rhymes helps us remember the words. How many of us remember “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” or “Itsy Bitsy Spider”? Rhymes are an important pedagogical tool in classrooms and beyond for multiple reasons; building vocabulary, familiarizing with various sentence structures and sentence patterns, building comfort with new pronunciation, and improving speak ..read more

Originally posted on Well-being through coloring, is that a thing? Learn Urdu with Annie - Embracing the cultural roots through language learning If you’re here, you may be wondering if coloring can help us in any way, be it our well-being. Well, let me tell you coloring helps to lighten our mood, relieve stress, and calm ourselves and our brains in between an exhausting routine. I observed this from my experience and the reading content that I’ve consumed over the past two years. To share how coloring helped me, you’d need to know my background briefly to understand where I’m coming from. I w ..read more