Category: Study Tips

Before You Begin: 9 Things You Need to Know About Learning Chamorro in Adulthood

On By Schyuler LujanIn Study TipsLeave a comment

Learning Chamorro as an adult can feel intimidating—especially if you didn’t grow up speaking it or have never learned another language to conversational fluidity. You might wonder if it’s too late to start, or if you’ll ever sound natural. But here’s the truth: adult learners bring powerful strengths to the table—discipline, self-awareness, and life experience—that make progress not only possible, but deeply rewarding.

In this first post of the Getting Started series, I’ll share 9 key lessons I wish I had known before I began learning Chamorro. These ideas will help you build a strong mindset, prepare you for some potentially unexpected challenges, and approach your studies with confidence and patience.

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Tired of Feeling Stuck? 5 Tips to Escape the Chamorro Language Learning Rut

On By Schyuler LujanIn Study TipsLeave a comment

Ever feel like you’ve hit a wall in your Chamorro learning journey? Maybe you’ve been in and out of classes for years, but still find yourself saying little more than Maolek ha’ in conversation. Or perhaps you’re struggling to follow native speakers, and the syntax or vocabulary just isn’t sticking. It’s frustrating, especially when months or even years of studying haven’t gotten you to the level you aspire to. But don’t worry – every Chamorro language learner has moments of feeling stuck, and there are ways to break through it and re-invigorate our learning process. In this post, I am going to give 5 tips for getting out of a language learning rut.

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Studying Like It’s O-Chem: Normalizing the Effort Needed for Learning Chamorro in Adulthood

On By Schyuler LujanIn Study Tips1 Comment

When Jay and I taught our language reclamation workshop at PISACON in March, a young Chamorro said something that stuck with both of us: “It’s like I gotta study Chamorro like it’s O-Chem!” You could hear the exasperation in her voice as she shared what it feels like to learn Chamorro as an adult. Isn’t this something we’re just supposed to naturally “pick up”? And if we’re not picking it up effortlessly, are we doing something wrong?

In this post, I want to talk about why putting in the work to truly learn Chamorro—yes, with intentional study, repetition, notes, pattern drills, practice groups, awkward conversations, or flashcards—is not just valid, but essential for many of us. These tools aren’t shortcuts, and they don’t replace native speakers. But for those of us needing to learn in a very different language reality than the generations before us, they form a critical part of how we move forward to reclaim our language.

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4 Do’s and Don’ts for Learning From Chamorro Speakers

On By Schyuler LujanIn Study TipsLeave a comment

When I first started learning Chamorro back in 2020, my teacher at the time gave me this advice: “Find a Chamorro speaker to help you.” While this seems like great advice, for many learners it is easier said than done. Not only does speakership decline make connecting with speakers increasingly difficult, we are also given little to no preparation for navigating the complex dynamics that we may encounter when we approach speakers. Therefore, it is important for us as language learners to learn how to best interact with speakers because we want to give ourselves the best chance of making it a good experience for everybody. I had to learn all of this the hard way, so in this post I am going to share some key ground rules and the 4 key do’s and don’ts that I’ve learned for interacting with Chamorro speakers.

This is a written version of what we presented for our PISACON workshop when we were talking about practicing good etiquette for interacting with speakers. You can view our original presentation slides on Canva.

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Virtual One-on-One Chamorro Language Lessons Now Available

On By Schyuler LujanIn Study Tips1 Comment

Our Saturday practice group finished reading and translating I Derechon i Taotao this morning, which means there is no new story for this week. I have also noticed a huge spike in views and audio downloads on the blog – Un dångkulo na si Yu’os ma’åse todus hamyo! A big thank you to all of you! It is truly a beautiful thing to see so much activity on this blog, which shows how much people are wanting to learn and use our language.

There are also some people who have reached out to me directly, wanting to know how they can learn Chamorro. If you are interested in group practice and study, you are more than welcome to join our Saturday (PST) practice groups on Zoom. Just fill out the Contact Form to express interest.

But if you are looking for something more personalized, there is a new and unique learning resource now available: Individual Chamorro language instruction for adult language learners, offered by our friend Jesus Lujan. He is based on Guam but offers instruction virtually, which is an incredible opportunity for anyone off-island to receive personalized Chamorro language help from a trustworthy teacher. Whether you are needing more conversation practice or are starting from level zero, his sessions can be a great support in reaching your Chamorro language goals. And if you would like to learn with a group, he also offers group discounts. Contact him today to secure your spot!