# Methods for Learning Languages



## BasedowLives

I wasn't quite sure where i should put this but i'll ask here.

What do you think is the most effective way of learning a foreign language?

i have taken spanish for 7 years, and it was really formal.  we learned how sentances are formed, why verbs look the way the do, all the tenses and drilled vocabulary, and from there we learned how to formulate our own sentances.

i'm taking french right now and it's like this total immersion thing.  he speaks to us in french and teaches us phrases rather than dissecting the sentences and telling us why we are saying what we're saying.  like teaching us phrases with past participle even though we know nothing about it.  this way teaches you more useful information faster than the preceding method, but is it better?

i dunno.  i was just thinking about this earlier today.


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## VenusEnvy

I, personally, can't learn simply by hearing/listening to it. I need to learn the structure first. Then, I can move on. In fact, I think one of the most effective ways to solidify knowledge of a language is immersion.

One of my French teachers "immersed" us as well. Only, we were at such a _basic level_, we couldn't understand a thing she said! It's a shame that we didn't learn much that semester.   

How to learn a language: For polyglots.


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## leenico

BasedowLives said:
			
		

> I wasn't quite sure where i should put this but i'll ask here.
> 
> What do you think is the most effective way of learning a foreign language?
> 
> i have taken spanish for 7 years, and it was really formal.  we learned how sentances are formed, why verbs look the way the do, all the tenses and drilled vocabulary, and from there we learned how to formulate our own sentances.
> 
> i'm taking french right now and it's like this total immersion thing.  he speaks to us in french and teaches us phrases rather than dissecting the sentences and telling us why we are saying what we're saying.  like teaching us phrases with past participle even though we know nothing about it.  this way teaches you more useful information faster than the preceding method, but is it better?
> 
> i dunno.  i was just thinking about this earlier today.


In my personal opinion, I believe the informal way is the better way to learn. As a child you weren't thought sentence structure, nouns, verbs, etc; that all came later when you attended school. Once you are able to communicate in a language, it is much easier to understand the grammar of the language. Learning the grammar should be secondary. Just my opinion.


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## pajarita

BasedowLives said:
			
		

> What do you think is the most effective way of learning a foreign language?
> 
> i have taken spanish for 7 years, and it was really formal. we learned how sentances are formed, why verbs look the way the do, all the tenses and drilled vocabulary, and from there we learned how to formulate our own sentances.
> 
> i'm taking french right now and it's like this total immersion thing. he speaks to us in french and teaches us phrases rather than dissecting the sentences and telling us why we are saying what we're saying. like teaching us phrases with past participle even though we know nothing about it. this way teaches you more useful information faster than the preceding method, but is it better?
> 
> i dunno. i was just thinking about this earlier today.


 

I would say that the latter approach is more effective for language acquisition.  I would go a step further and add that if you have the opportunity to visit a French-speaking country or surround yourself with native speakers with whom you can speak and who can offer corrections, the learning will be accelerated even more.


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## Mariaguadalupe

It has to be fun both for the student as well as for the teacher.  I believe it should be a combination of both, useful phrases as well as grammar.  However, I would start with the acquisition of  useful phrases and vocabulary, oral language, and once the student is "verbal", is able to use those phrases, I would then introduce a bit of grammar.    Formal grammar or advanced grammar should be left for intermediate or advanced courses.  But as Venusenvy said, there are many people who cannot learn by just listening, so the teacher has to be quick to notice what helps the student the most.   I totally agree with complete immersion in the desired language.  I would stay away from translating UNLESS it is absolutely necessary.  But above all, MAKE IT FUN!


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## astronauta

I believe that most people are visual learners.
So a combination of visual methods and theory would be ideal coupled 2 or 3 months living it the country where the language is spoken.

I had the misfortune of attempting to try to learn German at the Goethe Institut and there they utilize the 100% inmersion, that's right, the teacher would only speak in German and nothing else. Not only I flunked but it felt that rather than learning anything I was surviving each class. Got nothing out of it and I had to pay for it on top of that!

I am now doing better with a cd that I bought and I'll be going to Germany soon.


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## Merlin

astronauta vegetariana said:
			
		

> I believe that most people are visual learners.
> So a combination of visual methods and theory would be ideal coupled 2 or 3 months living it the country where the language is spoken.


 I agree. In the Philippines alone, Ive been in many places and learned 2-3 dialects. It's hard to learn it if you're not in the place where the dialect or language is not spoken everyday. You'll learn fast if you see and hear people speak the language. You'd be able to apply it to your daily conversation speeding up the learning process. However if it's not possible for us to be in the place, some learning medium will also help us. It may take some time to learn the language fast. But if you're really determined, it could also speed up the process.


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## Amatus

The way one learns a foreign language will vary from person to person; acquisition depends largely upon how the student's mind works.  

One can use the 'back translation' method, which is to write a line of, say German, and then translate it back into one's own language.  That's one method.  Grammatical analysis of the sample is of great value.

My own technique is to read a text line by line; I read one line, then repeat it to myself in my mind, then compare what I think I've remembered with the text.  Pretty good results.  But analysis of the text is very important.  

When it comes to language courses, I don't bother with the eg English-Italian exercises, but go straight to the key and read a line and copy it, comparing my effort with the text.  

It pays to try different techniques to see what works best.


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## natasha2000

I think that the best way of learning a language is to mix all above suggested. 

You cannot base your learning only to immersion, giving the reason: Well children do so. Why? Simply because you are not a child any more. the brain of a child and brain of an adult function in different ways. A child does not ask why is something as it is, does not look for a logic, and adult does. So, starting from the zero, you must first have a teacher who will explain you the basics of a language you want to learn, and its grammar. 

You also cannot base your learning on grammar, because in the end, it'll be theoru 10, practice - 0. And the final aim is practice, i.e speaking of the language.

In the process of learning, I consider of almost the same importance:
1. grammar and exercises 
2. listening-comprehension
3. speaking exercises
4. immersion

1. Grammar - it's obvious - do as much exercises as you need and can. You'll need a good teacher or a good grammar book.

2. Listening/comprehension - you must be exposed as much as it is possible to the targeting language, which means, see movies, TV, listen to radio on that language. There is no need to be always concentrated, is is ok if you sometimes just listen to the radio in the background, or see movies in original version with subtitles in your own language...

3. Speaking exercises - the teacher must make you speak, at hte beginning to start to make your own sentences, first simple ones, then more and more difficult ones. Read aloud, practice the pronunciation by imitating the native speakers (on the TV, films, radio). Imitate them. Repeat after them until you get the as similar result as possible.

4. Immersion - this comes when you're at some intermmediate/advanced level. Then you go to the country where the language is spoken as a mother tongue - ALONE! - with no contact with your mother tongue, and you simply immerse, using your knowledge you acquired until then... This is not obligatory, but very desirable. But if you cannot do this, then you should be in a daily contact with the language, such as this forum for example...


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## roxcyn

leenico said:


> In my personal opinion, I believe the informal way is the better way to learn. As a child you weren't *taught* sentence structure, nouns, verbs, etc; that all came later when you attended school. Once you are able to communicate in a language, it is much easier to understand the grammar of the language. Learning the grammar should be secondary. Just my opinion.



Just one correction.


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## sdr083

I learnt Spanish during an exchange in Costa Rica.  In six months my vocabulary went from zero to rather impressive, but since I did not take Spanish classes I knew absolutely no grammar.  I found this to be a very inspiring and efficient way to learn the basics, but it was also a bit frustrating.  I could not find words in the dictionary because I did not know the base form or the spelling and I could not express anything in past tense...
A year later I started studying Spanish at the university in Norway and I absolutely loved it.  We had one lecture of pure grammar on Mondays, and then four days of working with practical exercises (including grammar) in smaller groups.  I really learnt a lot that semester, but I don't think it would have worked that well if my vocabulary hadn't already been rather good.  Mondays were in Spanish only, which I loved, but it was a problem for a lot of my friends.
I had German in school for five years and learnt infinate details of German grammar (which I have now forgot), but not to speak the language.  Being a bit of a perfectionist, I don't like making mistakes, and if I could avoid opening my mouth in class, I did.  I have the same problem with Italian and Catalan.  The only reason I find it easy to speak Spanish is that in Costa Rica I was forced to start speaking it to communicate with anyone around me.  I still think the best way to learn a language is to go somewhere it's spoken, but combine oral practise with some grammar.  If you can't go there, try to listen to the language as much as possible (like Natasha2000 says: music, TV, movies).  When I started studying at the university I found that it was a lot easier for me to follow the lectures, than for the people who had studied Spanish in school for 3-5 years.  I was used to understanding native speakers in everyday situations, they were used to a Norwegian teacher - it's not the same...
However, I think language learning differs a lot from person to person.  I also think it depends on what/why you want to learn, and if you already know a related language.  I want to learn French because of the huge amount of books/articles I want to read in that language, but for now I will not learn to speak it.  My plan is to get a book and a dictionary and start reading...


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## Dission

Moderator Note:  This and the following posts have been merged from the super-English-training-scheme thread.


Hi 

I´ve been living in the UK for nearly 5 months as I am studying here at UNI (3 years course), and obviously there is a huge difference between my english level before coming here and right now, though I have felt the latest weeks that my progression just got stuck, I mean, I can have any kind of conversation with anyone (teachers, friends, girlfriend...) but I feel like I still don´t speak as good as I´d like to, and I am not even sure if I wiill ever reach that level, I might be here living for ages and ages and I would keep the same level if my progression is the same. So that´s why I have decided to carry out this plan in order to enhance my progression, there it is:

1- Learn the language as a kid, and that means that I will watch childish films, cartoons (such as Bob the builder)... etc. which language is clear and simple. This way I want to improve my base of the language.

2- I´ll keep going to my classes in english (around 6 hours a week) at Uni, but apart from that I¨ll go now 2 hours a week to english classes for dummies, (listening and oral)

3- I´ll watch TV, even if it´s not an interesting program, I´ll leave the telly on so I can keep listening and practising the language when I´m home.

4- I´ll keep watching my favourite tv shows such as House, Lost, Prison Break, Little Britain.... in english, never in spanish.

5- If I have to look up informaton on the internet, it´d be better be in english, always in english.

6- Keep talking to my girlfriend (obviously), and friends, get in contact with more people with different accents, voices, ways of speaking... and so on.

What do you reckon of it? 

my purpose is basiclly have a "native" english level, I know it´s difficult, but I´m confidence in myself and in my skills, I can put on any kind of spanish accent and normally I pick them up off people around me, and that´s even happening to me in english, people say that my progession has been absolutely amazing for just 5 months, but I´m not happy with it, as I just said, I feel like i´m stuck because I´m too used to my girlfriend´s language, my friends´, my teachers´... etc. that I´m not learning anything beyond that.


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## judkinsc

I suggest watching movies in English, for the common language. But much more important to your development in the language would be reading. Read novels, or something else that is both complex, well-written, and interesting. You're looking for development in the intellectual form of English, academic and proper English, it seems to me. Literature is the best place to find it. Poetry would also be a good bet, although the good poetry (my opinion here) is mostly older, and has some archaisms in it. Victorian poetry is not too archaic, though. 
A list of famous poets that I like, from various periods, includes: Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Keats, Shelley, Byron, Shakespeare, Milton, Donne, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Tennyson, Blake, Whitman, Longfellow, Yeats, Poe, Dickinson, ... and others.

For novels, just read anything contemporary. They'll probably be more interesting; and the language will be more accessible and useable; although you could always see what a translation of Don Quixote is like.


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## Dission

judkinsc said:


> I suggest watching movies in English, for the common language. But much more important to your development in the language would be reading. Read novels, or something else that is both complex, well-written, and interesting. You're looking for development in the intellectual form of English, academic and proper English, it seems to me. Literature is the best place to find it. Poetry would also be a good bet, although the good poetry (my opinion here) is mostly older, and has some archaisms in it. Victorian poetry is not too archaic, though.
> A list of famous poets that I like, from various periods, includes: Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Keats, Shelley, Byron, Shakespeare, Milton, Donne, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Tennyson, Blake, Whitman, Longfellow, Yeats, Poe, Dickinson, ... and others.
> 
> For novels, just read anything contemporary. They'll probably be more interesting; and the language will be more accessible and useable; although you could always see what a translation of Don Quixote is like.



That´s another aspect I´m interested in too, but I think It will be the last one since appears to me as the most difficult one.

What I really want to get with this is the "native" thing, that native speakers do and that depends on I think 2 thing, 
the learninng method for children and practise practise and more practise, and obviously time, so what I want is to take advantage of the time, squeeze it to the maximum.

I don´t think I´m ready to read at that level, but I think the way to end up being able to do it is what I just said, once all that, all the base is perfect, native, would not take me any effort, but right now I don´t see myself capable to do it, though I agree that would be my last step.


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## Cracker Jack

Congratulations Dission.  I hope you achieve all you train your guns at.  Just to assure you, the capacity to speak like a native could not be achieved overnight.  It demands that you invest more time than just doing formal schooling.  I noted that you are really hell-bent in learning the craft.  I for one, I have been in Spain for over 2 years and I could say that I have progressed by leaps and strides from day one.  However, I still don't speak like a native.  I know the slang and argots but when I am speak I still cannot achieve the fluency that I envision.  Probably I may never be able to make it but at least I can now deliver lectures.  Well that's because the register is much higher.

I can now also understand sit-coms and soaps without getting to know the meaning of every word spoken.  Suddenly, they don't seem to talk at speeding bullet rate.  I still have problems with prepositions though and I still bungle with masculinos y femininos, however I can now do self-correction.  When I write, I use a dictionary to vary vocabulary with synonyms.  I concur with judkinsc.  You should read ciontemporary bestsellers to keep abreast with novelty in lexicon.

I also read Spanish bestsellers like those of Javier Sierra, Cesar Vidal, Matilde Asensi, Julia Navarro, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, etc.  Believe me, the first bestseller took me 3 weeks to finish. That's because I had to look up the meaning of every word that sounded alien to me.  Sometimes, they are just repeated but habitual reading makes an impression on the mind and the meanings are retained.

Also please depart from the concept that in Spanish there are only 5 vowels.  Do not be restricted y it. Once you learn a foreign language, you must be open-minded and listen, be receptive to the way words are pronounced.  Turn your Spanish phonetics off when you listen to English dialogues.  Try to imitate them.  It would be best to have a native buddy of in your case a gf just to correct you.

The phonetics department is something your colleagues are having a hard time with.  But since you are undergoing a total immersion, nothing else tops that.  It would take between 3 to 6 months for you to get the gist of the story in original version.

Also get hold of copies of bilingual books.  Versions of Spanish and English available juxtaposed, obverse side one language and reverse side the other language.  It will increase your word power in no time.  There are also graded reader's books with cd.  It is also an excellent way to enhance your phonetics.  Imitate the sound and in one year will be a high riding English speaker.

I wish you all the luck you will ever need.


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## Dission

That was a great post Cracker Jack, I´m quite grateful for those tips. Your situation about it is exactly the same as mine, from what you just said.

I quite agree with "turning my spanish phonetics off", as I have had some difficulties because of that, such as for example pronouncing words like "Odd, jog, wood.." little details about the phonetic that I haver never borne in mind, people could understand me though, but I know it´s not the way they are pronounced, but since I noticed I try not to make the same mistakes anymore.

And that´s exactly what I want to achieve, be able to hold all the phonetic issue as a native speaker, then the fluency, accent, vocabulary... will come with the time.

Good luck with your spanish too.


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## Cracker Jack

Thanks.  One thing that retards my Spanish is that I am learning Catalan simultaneously.  However, I find it rewarding and I must say I am really enjoying the best of both worlds.  That is because their respective grammar and vocabulary of are interrelated.  And for me, the phonetics of both is not a problem at all.

Other boobytraps you have to be on the look out for in English phonetics:

wo = pronounced as uo not as boo or gwo
yo = io and not jo
vowel + g (word terminal)  ex. dog, bag, rig = not vowel + k, not dok, bak, rik
vowel + d ex Maud (word terminal) = d is always pronounced, not Mot but Mod
mix = not mis but mix
th = pronounced like z

Also please learn by heart the long and short vowels.  I hope this helps you.


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## ernest_

Dission said:


> 1- Learn the language as a kid



Too late. You already know to read and write. In order to learn the language like a child, you should've learnt to speak first, and later to read and write. Then you would do the same "mistakes" natives do when speaking, like saying "the idea r of" or "law r and order".

Since Enlgish spelling is very different from its pronunciation, I suggest you to learn the two separatedly. That's what I did. First you read a lot of books, so you know all the common expressions, phrases, a lot of words and verbs. Then you completely FORGET about spelling, and start learning phonetics. You need to learn English phonetics, but also Spanish phonetics and find out the differences. For instance, the voiced 'th' in Spanish is an allophone, while in English is a phoneme. If you don't know that, chances are that you'll be saying things like "da thifference" instead of "the difference".


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## agliagli

judkinsc said:


> I suggest watching movies in English, for the common language. But much more important to your development in the language would be reading. Read novels, or something else that is both complex, well-written, and interesting. You're looking for development in the intellectual form of English, academic and proper English, it seems to me. Literature is the best place to find it. Poetry would also be a good bet, although the good poetry (my opinion here) is mostly older, and has some archaisms in it. Victorian poetry is not too archaic, though.
> A list of famous poets that I like, from various periods, includes: Robert Browning, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Keats, Shelley, Byron, Shakespeare, Milton, Donne, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Tennyson, Blake, Whitman, Longfellow, Yeats, Poe, Dickinson, ... and others.
> 
> For novels, just read anything contemporary. They'll probably be more interesting; and the language will be more accessible and useable; although you could always see what a translation of Don Quixote is like.


 
This is the method applied in my school, but I feel a bit overwhelmed by the "spoken part".   I cannot utter a single English sentence without stammering in front of my English speaking teachers, or my English-speaking schoolmates. Therefore, I end up talking to myself in English, hoping that I am not making to many mistakes...  (and sometimes some passers-by, hearing that I am whispering to myself in English, look at me as if I were a lunatic...  )


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## afabafa

It´s really difficult to say a way to learn a language. I have tried to learn english fluently for 2 o 3 years, I live in México and it´s very difficult say if I have learned very well, i don´t know, I think the best way to learn is if you can go to other country and learn, just talking and learning all the things that you hear. hear how the native people talk is the best way I think.


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## Grosvenor1

I like vocabulary flash cards, either bought or made by myself out of blank cards. 

_One can use the 'back translation' method, which is to write a line of, say German, and then translate it back into one's own language. That's one method. Grammatical analysis of the sample is of great value._

This is quite an old technique. In her childhood, Elizabeth I of England was taught by her tutor to translate a text into English from another language - Latin, Italian, Greek, perhaps others - and after a little time had passed, to turn it back into the original language.


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## MysieBlondie

Ok I'm like seriously trying to learn Spanish. We all know that music is an effective learning tool, but could art be as well? Does anyone think art would really help you to learn the language 'faster' and 'better'? I already do art a little and can draw a little. As I was looking up on tips of how to learn another language efficiently, I came across a couple websites about Accelerated Learning. 

Here's a link to get you familiar with what accelerated learning is.
Short and sweet explanation about Accelerated Learning. Don't forget to push the next button
http://www.onlinelanguage.org/uk/es/learning_style.htm

Ok so I obviously don't have enough money to buy the acclerated learning programs, not to mention my brother already purchased the "StudySpanish.com" program (very nice program). So I was thinking I could merely add some of the Accelerated Learning ideas to my current learning program.

I took a short online test, to test my learning style, and got the highest score in the physical learning style. 

For the visual style. How could I incorporate art into learning Spanish?
Here's some ideas I came up with. I would really like everyone to help me think of ideas.

1. Quickly sketch simple things like objects and actions and write the Spanish names by the pictures.
2. Draw images to reflect on the Mexican culture to help immerse yourself into the language.
3. Draw from life and be thinking the Spanish captions that goes with each sketch you draw and the captions for all the actions different people are doing.
4. Create Art to go with a Spanish song or poem and put the song or poem on your picture. This way you are combining the auditory and visual learning styles.
5. Close your eyes and Imagine all the ideas you could draw that reflected on the Mexican culture, and imagine ideas to go with Spanish songs. (Even if you never really have time to actually create the ideas)
6. Create abstract pictures for the nouns like to please, to excuse, to run.
7. Anytime you come across some obstacle, something that is difficult to stamp into your brain, difficult to remember, you draw something to help you remember it.

Anyways! So give me lots ideas everybody!


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## avok

Hi,

The ideas that you came up with seem already efficient. I just looked at the links you mentioned. So, according to the Accelerated Learning, you will have to find out what your personal learning style is. For example, I am more auditory. What is your personal learning style? As I can see, you are more likely to be visual. Once you have found your personal learning style, then you will have to work on it. If I were you, I would begin with small things like learning a new word in Spanish each day and trying to decipher the lyrics of my favourite songs in Spanish, not necessarily Mexican, though. 
I hope, others will give more ideas.


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## Horazio

I think you need to do things by the numbers:
basic grammar and simple vocabulary come first


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## Mariculi

I think the secret is the quality of the teacher. I think that if your teacher is funny and motivates you, then you're going to study by yourself after the class, and you'll try to approach the language in any situation. The teacher has to make you love the language! And if you don't feel like going to class, then you have to change the teacher. But if the class ends and you still want more, and you're really looking forward to go back, then you'll improve by yourself very quickly, because the teacher must motivate you, then the rest must be done by you, with a lot of effort and hard work, which won't seem that if you love what you're doing. So, the secret: an excellent teacher, a good method and hard work made by YOU. What do you think?


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## divisortheory

The best way to learn a language depends on the learner. Some people swear by the immersion method, but I personally can't stand it. It doesn't fit my personality. The most effective method for me is planting my face in a book and studying rules, vocabulary, and grammar until it is second nature to me. I ask questions to myself like 
- What does it mean if we change the word order here?
- How is word X different from word Y, which my XXX->English dictionary gives the same translation for?
- Is the -i at the end of word X because of rule Y that I previously learned?

To get answers to these questions I ask native speakers.  Sometimes people I know in person, sometimes people on this forum.  When I'm driving around, in the shower, eating lunch, surfing the web... basically anytime my mind is not occupied on something specific I try to think of sentences in my target language. I make a point out of playing with the grammar patterns to try to figure out the "boundary cases", and the exceptions. 


Immersion drives me crazy because I never know what is going on. I'm a very detail-oriented person, and I can't stand using a word or phrase without knowing every possible detail, nuance, and subtlety about that particular word or phrase.

So in short, the "best" method depends on the person.


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## MysieBlondie

avok said:


> Hi,
> 
> The ideas that you came up with seem already efficient. I just looked at the links you mentioned. So, according to the Accelerated Learning, you will have to find out what your personal learning style is. For example, I am more auditory. What is your personal learning style? As I can see, you are more likely to be visual. Once you have found your personal learning style, then you will have to work on it. If I were you, I would begin with small things like learning a new word in Spanish each day and trying to decipher the lyrics of my favourite songs in Spanish, not necessarily Mexican, though.
> I hope, others will give more ideas.



I scored the highest in the physical learning style. However I think everyone has  more or less of all the learning styles.

To add a 'physical' aspect to my learning I've started to do simple stretches as I respond to my Spanish Learning CD. Also (if the text fits) I get up and act out the text. So if the text is "Lo Siento Mucho" I get up and dramatize it as if I'm in a drama class.

Art I think would be a good way to personally get yourself familiar with the culture. Because before you create art you look for reference and what to draw. I also think for those of you that "don't/won't draw" looking at photographs and reading news from the country you are learning from would also help alot.

Ya I already know a basic vocabulary in Spanish and have deciphered the lyrics of songs. 



			
				Horazio said:
			
		

> I think you need to do things by the numbers:
> basic grammar and simple vocabulary come first
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think learning pronunciation of a small simple vocabulary is first. To me pronunciation is the very first thing. Because if you're pronunciation isn't presentable you are afraid to try.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mariculi said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I think the secret is the quality of the teacher. I think that if your teacher is funny and motivates you, then you're going to study by yourself after the class, and you'll try to approach the language in any situation. The teacher has to make you love the language! And if you don't feel like going to class, then you have to change the teacher. But if the class ends and you still want more, and you're really looking forward to go back, then you'll improve by yourself very quickly, because the teacher must motivate you, then the rest must be done by you, with a lot of effort and hard work, which won't seem that if you love what you're doing. So, the secret: an excellent teacher, a good method and hard work made by YOU. What do you think?
> 
> 
> 
> A good teacher would definately but a good way to go, but some people don't have the time or can't afford a Spanish class, and it probably would be luck if you had a good teacher in your local area.  But that's just me guessing.
> 
> *@Divisortheory* - Yes it makes sense what you are saying. I can see why some people wouldn't enjoy total emmersion first thing. However it may just take you longer to learn the language.
> 
> Click to expand...
Click to expand...


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## MysieBlondie

*This post is directed to the original posts.*

Immersion is not overrated it is definitely the way; however for some people going to another country is not possible. And wouldn't it be better to gain knowledge and confidence in the selected language before you go to the country? Also some people may find the little things unavailable like having a Spanish TV channel or a Spanish radio station. It's quite possible that there just isn't one where they are at. Here are some ideas for you who want to learn, but don't have the money or resources.

In my opinion pronunciation comes first, you NEED the confidence desperately. For this you can use:
1. Free Online pronunciation exercises. There are lots of websites with little audio files for teaching you pronunciation. 
2. Music accompanied by the lyrics. 
3. Children's books from you're local library with an accompanying audio tape. 

Listen to the music and/or tapes and read along, then listen and repeat (this will be hard at first). Then translate your text by using the help of a free online translator (There are many, but here is one. http://babelfish.altavista.com/). After you have struggled to translate with the online translator bring your work to the WR forums for help. Once you have translated your lyric or small book, then listen and repeat it a lot. Until you feel you are confident in speaking. Then when you have translated it and have an understanding of what the text is saying you can try just listening and see how much you can hear and understand. Oh and don't forget to do more than one song or more than one book, if you can, do both songs and books! 

Now let's say you are confident in your pronunciation, or at least more confident. Find a chat friend from the country of the language you are learning, many times you can find one that speaks your language and the language you are learning. If you find someone that knows both languages you can instant message. I've found instant messaging to be a very useful, and non-technical way to familiarize yourself with grammar, in a way you are "immersing" yourself. If they don't know your language, communicate through emails, and use the help of the WR forums. Ok so you're probably asking how do I begin to know how to say what I need to say to my new friend? The good free online translator! (You can buy the Systran translator software for your computer, but it's expensive, very nice program though.)

By the time you have done this you will have a feel for the language and can practice in whatever way is available to you. Continue your pronunciation practices and add things like reading online newspapers from the country with your language. Watching DVD's with captions if they are available, and just whatever is available to you. Don't let yourself be prohibited by your lack of resources. If you are reading this forum you obviously have access to the internet and a computer, but let's say you can't buy music online, buy a CD and put the music onto your computer. If you're young and your parents don't want you chatting to strangers, ask them if you can email a friend if you keep the content non-personal and involve your parents in what you're doing. If your parents still don't want you to personally chat to someone then use the WR forums ( I think you can do this because you're already here.) and continue to translate short stories, or news pages. If you can afford to buy programs they are a lot of help. I especially like ones that focus on immersion and don't say a sentence and then translate it, I like the ones that force you to think. Text books are another idea, or online learning sites that are similar to text books. However I wouldn't start with text books, I would start with the two things I listed above. 

Quick tutoral on How to use the translator:
Here's what I do I'll translate a simple text, using the Systran translator. The text will be, "How do you like this dress I made?"

English to Spanish: How do you like this dress I made? - ¿Cómo hacer usted tiene gusto de este vestido que hice?

Then go again from Spanish to English: ¿Cómo hacer usted tiene gusto de este vestido que hice? - How to do you have taste of this dress that I did?

Ok to me this doesn't translate clean enough so I must simplify it.

English to Spanish: What do you think of this dress I made? - ¿Qué usted piensan este vestido hice?

Spanish to English: ¿Qué usted piensan este vestido hice? - What you think this dress I did?

This is sounding better, but I didn't do the dress I made it. So now you can use a dictionary or a verb helper book or online website and try to find the right word for made, or maybe hice is the right word and the translator doesn't know it. You bring it to the WR forums and ask them to help you correct it. Or if you are Instant Messaging ask your friend if this is correct?

Another thing about using the translators while instant messaging is sometimes your friend won't put the accents on his/her words or won't put them in the right places. So when you translate his/her text and a word doesn't translate you will need a dictionary close by to see if maybe that word needs an accent or maybe she spelled the word wrong. Also when you're not sure if there is more than one meaning for the word the dictionary helps on that too.

*Edit:*Oh and don't forget flashcards! As you go you can great flash cards for your vocabulary, adding a word or two here and there as you go along. I would suggest being conservative on this at first. When beginning to learn a new language, less is more.


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## Sepia

astronauta said:


> I believe that most people are visual learners.
> So a combination of visual methods and theory would be ideal coupled 2 or 3 months living it the country where the language is spoken.
> 
> I had the misfortune of attempting to try to learn German at the Goethe Institut and there they utilize the 100% inmersion, that's right, the teacher would only speak in German and nothing else. Not only I flunked but it felt that rather than learning anything I was surviving each class. Got nothing out of it and I had to pay for it on top of that!
> 
> I am now doing better with a cd that I bought and I'll be going to Germany soon.



I've been advocating visualization in connection with learning - anything - for a couple of decades and am always met with the most ridiculous, constructed arguments against it by teachers who find it sufficient whan students leave school with two foreign languages they cannot really speak.

And now you are telling me about a CD from Germany! Could you PM me the title?


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## Etcetera

Grosvenor1 said:


> This is quite an old technique. In her childhood, Elizabeth I of England was taught by her tutor to translate a text into English from another language - Latin, Italian, Greek, perhaps others - and after a little time had passed, to turn it back into the original language.


That sounds really interesting. I think I'll try this technique. Thank you.


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