Dean Dunbar
June 07, 2025 - 04:10 PM
Dean Dunbar is a newly transferred rising junior at UCLA, pursuing a Linguistics degree. Before transferring, he took full advantage of the course offerings at Mt SAC, taking American Sign Language, German, Korean, Japanese, Spanish and Linguistics.
Dean's language journey:
I have been interested in foreign languages since my middle school days. Back then, a friend introduced me to German, and I was fascinated by the different spelling and huge compound words. In high school, I learned it primarily through Duolingo, which provided me with an avenue to study multiple other languages. I briefly explored Dutch and Swedish as well, alongside my high-school Spanish classes. My exploration of foreign languages has allowed me to communicate with co-workers and strangers that I otherwise would not have. I have made new friends this way, and I am grateful for that. My passion for languages has inspired me to pursue either interpreting or language education.
The main challenge I often face while learning a language is improving my listening comprehension. Since I generally learn online, my reading and speaking skills quickly outpace my listening skills. Immersion is the best method to improve this; traveling and living abroad is an invaluable experience, but is not always the most realistic. I have found that listening to music and watching videos, shows, and movies in the target language are the next best options to gradually improve listening comprehension. But as with everything, it takes time.
Nowadays, I naturally practice translating words and sentences in my head while going about my day. If I don't know or remember how to say something, I look it up. This is not necessarily the best way to practice, but I am not surrounded by German or Japanese speakers often. At some point in the future, I would like to teach English as a second language abroad in Japan, which would be a great opportunity to improve my Japanese skills!
I have been told multiple times, "I wish I were good at learning languages too." Yes, some people are naturally gifted, but it simply comes down to practice and dedication. I know what I know not because I am better than anyone else, but because language is what I love. I have poured countless hours into my language journey, and with time, anyone can learn the language(s) they want to learn too. I enthusiastically encourage Mt SAC students to learn a new language - it is so rewarding!
Inspired by Dean's story?
Check out our German Program Check out our Korean Program
Check out our Japanese Program Check out our Linguistics Program
