What if learning Russian could feel as natural as learning your first language?
What if you didn’t have to memorize vocabulary lists, study grammar rules, or stress about speaking too early?
The Automatic Language Growth (ALG) method offers exactly that—a radically different, surprisingly effective way to acquire a new language.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What the ALG method is
- How it works
- Whether it fits your personal goals in learning Russian
The Big Idea: Acquisition, Not Learning
Most language programs focus on learning: studying rules, doing exercises, speaking from day one.
ALG is different. It’s based on acquisition—the unconscious process children go through when they pick up their first language.
ALG asks a bold question:
If a child can acquire a language just by hearing it in context, why can’t adults do the same?
Spoiler: They can. The ALG method was developed to prove that.
“It took me 60 years to see that what really happens at puberty is not losing the magic to learn with.
It's gaining the ability to try with.”
— From the Outside In, Dr. J. Marvin Brown, creator of the ALG method
ALG treats language as a skill, not knowledge.
Just like you don’t need to study muscle anatomy to ride a bike, you don’t need to analyze grammar to become fluent.
What you need is input, understanding, and time.
The Three Core Principles of ALG
🎯 Comprehensible Input Is Everything
You acquire language through input—what you hear and understand. The more you understand, the more you acquire.
That’s why all my videos are built around comprehensible input. I speak slowly, clearly, and only in Russian, using:
- Visual cues and props
- Sketches, pictures, and screen sharing
- Gestures and facial expressions
- Real-life context and emotion
No translations. No explanations. Just meaning.
🛑 No Forced Speaking Until It Emerges Naturally
ALG recommends not forcing speech for hundreds of hours.
Why? Because early speaking often creates bad habits: translating in your head, relying on incorrect grammar, thinking in your native language.
Instead, let speech emerge on its own, when your brain is ready—just like it does in children.
⚠️ Important: This does not mean you should restrain natural speech.
If something comes out spontaneously, great! ALG simply says: don’t force it.
🧠 No Studying or Analyzing the Language
This may be the hardest shift—but also the most freeing.
No grammar charts. No drills. No memorized word lists.
Just listen, watch, and understand.
That’s enough. Over time, your brain builds the system from the inside.
It might feel strange—but this is what leads to real fluency, not just classroom performance.
What Does This Look Like in Practice?
Imagine a child learning Russian. They hear thousands of hours of it while being shown, told, and emotionally connected to what’s happening. No one explains grammar. No one drills them. But they understand more and more—and eventually, they speak.
That’s exactly what you’re doing with ALG.
You don’t need to be a child. You just need the right kind of input—rich, clear, and interesting content you can mostly understand.
You don’t need to speak. You don’t need to study.
You just need to understand.
A Quote That Says It All
“As a student, I'm basically lazy. If I can get something to happen naturally and get better results, then I will.
Now, the fact is, in terms of everything I've seen, I haven't ever seen anything that can produce long-term results better or faster.
[...] If you want to be fluent, nothing beats nature that I've seen, or even comes close—in terms of time, efficiency, and everything.
And then for somebody who doesn't like to study, that's the win.”
— David Long
(one of the first ALG students at AUA Thai Program in Bangkok, and the program’s director for over 20 years)
Will ALG Work for You?
Ask yourself:
✅ Do I want natural, long-term fluency—not just fast, shallow results?
✅ Am I okay with not speaking right away, if it leads to better speaking later?
✅ Can I trust my brain to do the work if I give it enough understandable input?
✅ Would I enjoy watching Russian videos and be okay with feeling a little lost at first?
If you said yes to most of these, then ALG might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
If you said no, that’s okay too. There are many valid paths to learning a language.
ALG is for people who want natural fluency, built through understanding—without pressure, study, or stress.
What’s Next?
In the next article, we’ll explore the mindset that makes ALG work.
You’ll learn:
- What to expect emotionally and mentally
- Why it sometimes feels “slow” but is actually faster
- How to trust the process—even when results aren’t immediate
Until then, remember:
Fluency doesn’t come from how much you study.
It comes from how much you understand.
And with the right input, your brain will take care of the rest.