Language Habit Toolkit Review (1 Year Later)
This Language Habit Toolkit review was written after more than a year of using it.
To make a long story short: it changed how I study languages. I swear by it and recommend it to friends.
But is the Language Habit Toolkit right for you?
This Language Habit Toolkit review is for:
- New language learners confused by how to learn a second language
- Seasoned language learners wondering the differences between the Language Habit Toolkit and other language learning products
Feel free to jump to the part of this review that makes the most sense for your question, or read the whole thing for a larger understanding of how the Language Habit Toolkit may or may not work for you.
For disclosure, the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you decide to purchase it.
I’m proud to recommend the kit to certain learners, but this is a totally honest Language Habit Toolkit review (including who I don’t recommend it for).
Language Habit Toolkit Review (Part 1/4)
Overview Review of the Language Habit Toolkit
Before I fully review the individual parts of the Language Habit Toolkit, here’s a quick video about what to expect when you open the kit.
What I love about the format: You can grab what you want and run with it, or dive back in for a refresher at any point.
What I don’t love: My Type A personality wishes it had steps laid out more clearly, but overall the grab-bag approach is a win.
In the next two parts, I’ll review the Language Habit Toolkit with my own opinions.
Language Habit Toolkit Review (Part 2/4)
Best Parts of the Language Habit Toolkit
There are a ton of things I want to review about the Language Habit Toolkit
But here are the 3 tools it gave me which I use on a daily basis, years after buying the kit.
1. Goal Setting Tools
The first thing I want to review from the Language Habit Toolkit is the first thing you’ll come into contact with: goal setting.
There are two different sections for goal setting and motivation, which really are two different things.
First, you’ll tackle your why for language learning, then build some how in.
What I love is that Kerstin approaches goal setting from a lot of different angles between various tools, so you can “take the best and leave the rest” once you figure out what does or doesn’t work for you.
AT THE END YOU CAN EXPECT: to more clearly define your language learning journey + have more consistent motivation.
2. Organizational Tools
Honestly, the resources tracking worksheet was one of the big wakeup calls in how disorganized I was early on in language learning (even though I was making progress).
But more than that, I also found myself making more clear progress with my languages and jumping around less. It’s one of the many features in the kit that makes you step back and wonder “why didn’t I think of that?” Simple and amazing.
AT THE END YOU CAN EXPECT: to spend less time planning and less money buying, and more time studying.
3. Habit Building Tools
My final favorite feature of this Language Habit Toolkit review are the tools that helped me build language learning into my daily routine as naturally as brushing my teeth.
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There are a number of different trackers and they’re all customizable, although I personally have found it more natural to copy them into my bullet journal with other language learning.
There are daily, weekly, and monthly trackers, as well as plenty of advice for how to find more time in your day to actually use the language learning resources you have.
AT THE END YOU CAN EXPECT: to get more study sessions in every month.
Language Habit Toolkit Review (Part 3/4)
Weakest Parts of the Language Habit Toolkit
Because this is an honest review of the Language Habit Toolkit, I also want to include the parts I’m not a fan of so you can make your own informed decisions.
1. Getting Started Instructions
Because the format of the kit is like a grab bag, it can be overwhelming to start.
The introduction does have a clear page explaining how to move through the kit, but I still found it confusing (and a little overwhelming) before I figured out how to use the kit.
My advice for starting the kit is:
- Put aside a free, relaxing day to use it. There are hours and hours of videos and worksheets, and they require time even if they’re super fun.
- Consider printing all of the worksheets first so you can do them along with the videos, but don’t worry about them *before* you watch the videos.
But as long as you have time and some patience, it really does come together in an order that makes sense.
2. Limited Options for Polyglots
In the 2020 update Kerstin added a dual language tracker (so you can study two languages at the same time), which was helpful for my language projects that year. But for people juggling 3+ languages, the tracker application is limited.
That said, I was able to customize the trackers in my own bullet journals and it did the trick. (Plus, the resource curation tools will still be helpful as heck.)
Language Habit Toolkit Review (Part 4/4)
Is the Language Habit Tookit Worth the Money?
In all, there are certain types of learners I strongly recommend the Language Habit Toolkit for, but some learners who I don’t think need it.
Here is who I think will (and won’t) benefit from this review.
- Is Duolingo good, or is it just marketing?
- Do I need classes, or can I just listen to Netflix until I’m fluent?
- Should I just get another textbook?
🛑 Anyone who has independently learned 2+ languages successfully (as an adult, without school) 🛑
If you’re good at language learning (say, Romance or Germanic) and have done so by yourself without a school or university, but find yourself frustrated with some new Slavic or East Asian language?
There’s not much here that you probably haven’t discovered on your own yet.
HOWEVER, if you’ve only ever successfully learned language in school programs, and are now frustrated by solo learning, it’ll likely be helpful.
Recommended alternative: Language coaching
✅ Learners who need more structure ✅
Like learning but frustrated with your own inconsistencies?
Can’t find time to study?
Keep forgetting for days on end?
You’ll find the worksheets super valuable.
🛑 Language learners who need hand-holding 🛑
If you want a teacher to walk you from A to Z and don’t want to experiment with your own language learning, you might not enjoy the Toolkit.
It’s extremely creative and will help you with structure, but it won’t check your homework.
✅ Learners considering language coaching ✅
If you’re considering language coaching for ANY REASON, the kit literally started off on the premise of “a language coach in a box”.
The majority of the most common problems you’ll want to tackle in language coaching can be solved in the Language Habit Toolkit for way less money.
I say this as a person who did both. I honestly think the Toolkit was more valuable than language coaching.
🛑 Students following a university program 🛑
The Toolkit is not going to help you study for a test, write an essay, or memorize verb charts on schedule.
However, if you want to go deeper with language studies after you graduate, it’s a great way to transition into adult language learning.
✅ Learners who find motivation sometimes disappears ✅
Like I said above, Kerstin’s goal setting has helped me in a ton of areas in my life. My motivation has been unwavering since I started with the kit, and I love all of the ways she helps you find true motivation.
✅ Learners on a budget ✅
As I said above, the resource organizing worksheets were wonderful.
Ironically, I’ve probably saved several hundred dollars more than I spent on the Toolkit because it helped me realize more resources do NOT equal more time!
So think of the Language Habit Toolkit of your responsible friend at the bookstore telling you that you DON’T really need to buy another workbook or app. Honestly.
Questions about my Language Habit Toolkit review?
