If you’re wondering about how to learn languages successfully and with a good accent, then you need to refrain from trying to speak the new language at the onset and instead spend your time listening to it.

Trained Ears Create Perfect Accents

Dr. Alfred Tomatis founded a therapy program called The Tomatis Method to train ears to hear sounds they didn’t previously hear. Tomatis discovered that the reason people have accents in other languages and have trouble replicating sounds is that they simply don’t hear the sounds of the other language correctly. Their ears have grown accustomed to processing sounds from their mother tongue.

This why you absolutely MUST listen to your target language to get used to how it sounds or else you won’t be able to produce foreign sounds like the rolled “r” in Spanish, Italian and Russian or guttural sounds in Arabic and Hebrew.

Tomatis created a training program with an electronic ear that filtered new sounds to the ear in order to train ear muscles to react and process new sounds. He also encouraged his patients to listen to the music of Amadeus Mozart because the music had a wide range of low and high pitched frequencies.

Even Listening to Mozart Can Help You Train Your Ears to Listen

Researchers studying the “Mozart effect” played Mozart’s Piano Sonata in D major (K.448) for their subjects to see if listening to the music stimulated the brain. Some studies show that people became temporarily more intelligent after listening to the music and could concentrate better. Whether or not you espouse Tomatis’ theories, I suggest listening to classical music regularly to calm their bodies and minds and sharpen their ears. This would be especially beneficial before language lessons and conversation practice.

Though the listening stage in how to learn languages may seem obvious to you, I was never taught listening skills in any language class and I’ve studied 10 languages!

The Research Is In On How to Learn Languages Well

Dr. Paul Sulzberger, did his PhD thesis in linguistics in New Zealand about how people learn Russian. He had one group of students who got to listen to Russian speech before formally learning Russian. The other group had no exposure to Russian at all.

Those who spent time listening to Russian before studying it, had an easier time than those who had no experience listening to the language when it came to recognizing individual words in speech when they were formally learning the language. Therefore, the exposure to listening to the language to pick up the melody and sound patterns before learning words and grammar was advantageous to the students.

Photo By: Dean Shareski

If you want to know how to learn another language, you need to know how to listen both actively and passively.

I thought that I spoke Portuguese like Tarzan because I had mostly taught myself the language and had only taken two basic classes in adult school. For years, I listened to Rádio Comercial Portuguesa, the Portuguese radio station in San José, California. The radio station served the Portuguese immigrant community from the Azores Islands.

Listen On Your Way To Work

While driving and being stuck in traffic, I listened to their local advertisements for Portuguese companies that ranged from plumbing contractors and construction supply companies to Portuguese padarias (bakeries). I could care less about construction companies and their wonderful supplies, but I listened to the announcers just to get a feeling for the rhythm of Portuguese and to learn vocabulary. Since the community was very religious, the station broadcast Catholic mass in Portuguese. I am not Catholic and was not keen on learning the “Our Father” prayer in português, so I sometimes paid attention and sometimes was too focused on driving to really focus on the liturgy.

Learning By Listening

The result was that, despite the fact that I had few opportunities to speak Portuguese, I was passively learning it for years. To be honest, when I started with the Luso tongue, I already knew three other Romance languages (French, Spanish and Italian) so I could understand a fair amount without straining myself. However, I did acquire many new words without realizing that I was learning. When people ask me how to learn another language, I tell them they have to start by listening and spend much of their time listening to their target language in order for it to sink in.

Surprise! You Can Speak

In 2006, while living in New York, my Brazilian roommate Carla invited Silvia, her friend from Brazil, to visit during Christmas. Silvia barely spoke English. I had to speak in Portuguese, even though I was embarrassed of what I thought was my Neanderthal-like command of the language. To my and everyone else’s surprise, sophisticated words and long sentences came out of my mouth with ease. Carla and Silvia commented that my accent sounded like it was from Portugal. I found out that I knew much more Portuguese than I thought. All those years of listening to fishermen’s songs and Catholic masses paid off. I spoke Portuguese! I had been reinforcing the vocabulary and sentence structure rules that I had learned by just listening to the radio. The music was inside of me for years.

Try It!

Turn on the music while driving, doing household chores, cooking, gardening, etc. Even if you are just passively listening to the music, the rhythms of the language will become more familiar to you. Exposure is key.

When you first start listening to radio broadcasts, the announcers may sound like they are emitting a stream or storm of sounds and not individual words. In time, you’ll hear familiar words repeated and will learn to distinguish them. The process of listening and figuring out what words mean is a natural process in how to learn another language.

Photo By: Sean MacEntee

“I want to learn a new language. What’s the first thing I need to do?”

LISTEN!

Yes, I might sound like your mom scolding you, but seriously, you have to learn how to listen to a new language in order to learn how to speak it.

How to Listen to a Foreign Language to Learn It

Watch this video with free language learning tips to understand how to listen to a foreign language to learn it. This five minute video can save you many hours of painful work later on to polish your accent.

If you listen first to your target language, before speaking, you have a better chance of having good pronunciation. However, If you launch into speaking from day one, you are likely to be speaking with a poor accent and it will be hard to rewire your brain later on to produce different sounds after you have solidified your incorrect speaking patterns.

Tune Your Ears

Free language learning is more than just finding free online programs and software. Really learning a new language means you have to change your key and tune. Dancing the cha-cha to waltz music is like speaking a new language while still using the rhythm of your mother tongue. Let yourself take in the sounds of the language as though you were listening to a new piece of music. You can find free music in the language that you’re trying to learn online, at the library, on the radio in your car.

Pay Attention to How People Speak

Even if you are just a beginner and barely know any words, you can still learn by listening. Does it seem like they are reading a phone number or rattling of a list of numbers? Are they angry? Happy?

Listen to the words spoken to you and listen to your own intuition. Free language learning means that you have to shut off your brain and inclination to interpret and analyze. You have to learn to get a feel for the language so that it becomes natural for you to listen to and speak the language.

Music Engages Your Brain Differently Than Language

Relax and listen to music in the language you are learning Free language learning involves listening to music and having fun. Music engages more parts of your brain than language does. That’s why you get commercial jingles stuck in your head! You’re more likely to remember new words if you hear them in a song than if you just read them in a book or hear them spoken.

Find Music That You Like In Your Target Language

It doesn’t matter if at first you don’t understand the lyrics. Pick music you like. You may start singing along without even knowing what you are singing. That’s fine. You are not only learning the rhythm of the language, you are learning new vocabulary.

Don’t Try to Understand, Just Enjoy It First

Relax and close your eyes. Turn off the lights. Lay down or sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and listen to the music. Don’t try to understand the words, just listen. You might fall asleep or day dream. Give yourself the time to simply listen and not do anything else. Your mind needs to be calm in order to absorb the sounds. Your ears need no other distractions to let them properly hear all the high, medium and low frequencies of the language. Do this regularly.

Looking For Some Language Learning Music Resources?

Here are some Internet resources to find foreign language music:

• YouTube Just do a search for the language of the music you are looking for. It’s best to write the name of the language as it’s spelled in the language, like español for Spanish.
• LyricsTraining is an easy and fun method to learn and improve your foreign languages skills through the music videos and lyrics of your favorite songs.
• Foreign Internet Radio and Online News Radio: A directory of foreign language radio stations online.

What Are Your Favorite Listening Tips

Have you got a favorite listening tip? Radio station? or Type of music? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!

Photo By: Sydney Miller

If you’re keen to learn Spanish, but find that often all you want to do is relax with a good film, then there is a solution – try watching your various films and TV shows in Spanish! Surprisingly, many find that this a particularly useful way to further their understanding of this language, and one which can be much more enjoyable than reading through grammar textbooks in an effort to master speaking Spanish.

Of course, in order for this technique to work, you will already need to have a basic understanding of conversational Spanish. The best way to begin with this technique is to choose a film or TV show which you have already seen, and which you know well. Ideally, in fact, it should be one that you almost know off by heart. Most modern DVDs will have a the option of changing the language in which the dialogue is spoken, as well as simply adding foreign subtitles. Of course, if you want to practice reading Spanish then you could use the subtitles feature, although you could just as easily play online games such as Partypoker in Spanish, or read a novel in this language in order achieve the same effect. However, if you want to develop your ability to understand Spanish when spoken aloud, then you are better off opting for a dubbed version.

Learning Spanish in this way is also great for developing your knowledge of conversational terms – as much of the speech which is included in theory books tends to be a little more formal. If you want to further develop your vocabulary, you should also be prepared to pause what you are watching in order to look up any words which you do not understand. Once you are able to more clearly understand the spoken dialogue within films and TV shows with which you are familiar, you should then try to watching something new.

photo by: Jason A. Cina

Most people will tell you that learning anything is pretty dull. In a lot of cases that is certainly true, and if we are talking about square roots, historical dates and chemical symbols then I’ll be the first to reach for the door.

However, learning a language is something different altogether. Perhaps it is partly because it is something which you know from the outset can be used in fun ways and will be a tool which you can use in many situations throughout your life. Ok, so learning can be fun but what we will check out here is even better; what you can do with the language once you learn it.

Sing a Foreign Song

Have you ever wanted to sing along with Julio Iglesias or understand just what on earth “Non, je ne regrette rien” is all about? Singing in a foreign language is an amazing and liberating experience. Who cares if you get a few of the words wrong the first couple of dozen times? Actually, singing in your new language is a fantastic way to cement your knowledge and pick up some new words too.

Eat Something New

Are there any foreign restaurants where you live? The chances are that you could learn your second language and then try it out in a number of local eateries. If you live near a fairly big immigrant population then you will probably be able to try out some incredible dishes done the authentic way and in a place which is filled with people who have been eating this stuff all their lives. Sounds better than getting a fast food burger, doesn’t it? For example, if you are talking Spanish lessons Houston has a tremendous choice of Latin American and Spanish restaurants which will introduce you to a lot of new dishes you might never have even heard of before.

Take a Trip

Of course, one of the most exciting things you will want to do with your new found language skills is travel and use them in the right setting. Can you imagine going from your French classes Dallas setting to using the tongue for real in Paris or Morocco or Haiti? Even if you are learning a second language for less interesting reasons such as work then there is nothing stopping you from enjoying the benefits as well. You can even do this before you get a good grasp on the new language, as it can give you extra inspiration and the motivation to carry on learning new words.

photo by: Stuart Anthony

Learning Spanish is now easier than ever with the advent of computer software that makes the learning process very accessible and easy to follow. However, there are a lot of different educational tools out there and finding the right one may be tricky at first, a bit of research will be needed before you can make an educated decision. The internet is full of valuable resources for you to find the best learning Spanish software for you, but you certainly can’t trust everything you read. There are a ton of reviews out there and knowing which ones to trust will save you lots of time and money.

Essentials

When searching for the right software you need to be conscious of exactly what it provides and whether the price truly reflects its usefulness. Any reputable review will mention that the software includes certain key elements that no learning Spanish program should go without, so be wary of reviews that do not cover the essentials. Be on the lookout for the following things:

• Fundamentals

  All software should be covering the areas of reading, writing, vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation. You must build a solid foundation by using the language in all of its forms.

• Teaching Tools

  Learning Spanish is a process that requires certain techniques to yield results. Look for tools like videos, interactive lessons, flash cards, learning progress, and self-tests.

• Accessibility

  The biggest roadblock for most people when learning a new language is the sense of information overload and over-complication of simple concepts. Inadequate software can present lessons in a haphazard way that ends up hurting your overall comprehension. Look for seals of approval, professional recommendations, and user-friendly presentation.

Searching for Reviews

Some places on the net are more reliable than others for certain types of information. When you are looking for learning Spanish software reviews, or any type of reviews for that matter, you are going to come across some bias that can influence your choices as a consumer. For example, you may search a general term like “best Spanish educational software” and web designers are aware of this, so many create sites with these keywords in mind that feature “reviews” that are really just sales pitches in disguise to earn them commissions. Only trust reviews that are written by real language students who have used the program.

One of the right places to look is online shops that feature reviews from consumers. These are often genuine experiences that people had with the software, and they usually mention its weak points as well as its strengths.

Oftentimes the most popular and well-reviewed products on reputable websites are the best choice, but when it comes to learning Spanish there are sometimes cases when different programs suit different learning styles better, so be sure to shop around.

Don’t be fooled by advertising and exposure alone, sometimes the big-budget software with lots of publicity isn’t up to par- Rosetta Stone is an example of this.

Make sure to thoroughly research any learning program that you look into. Your best bet is to find authoritative information from Spanish teachers and students who have some experience with software learning tools and find one that fits your learning style.

photo by: Uros Velickovic


]]> http://www.languagewrangler.com/what-to-look-for-in-learning-spanish-software-reviews/feed/ 0 http://www.languagewrangler.com/what-to-look-for-in-learning-spanish-software-reviews/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LanguageWrangler/~3/r-s_-PV7B7w/ http://www.languagewrangler.com/fun-ways-to-learn-spanish-for-free-offline/#comments Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:20:45 +0000 Asia Bird http://www.languagewrangler.com/?p=1580

In the past, I’ve talked about how to learn Spanish for free online. From online flashcards to word-of-the-day websites to podcasts, (and all web destinations in between) there are just mountains of resources out there waiting to be explored. But what if you want to learn Spanish for free offline? I mean, we’re not always connected to our computer or iPhone (although sometimes it sure feels like it).

Today I’m going to show you some creative ways to learn Spanish for free without using your computer or mobile device. It almost sounds scary, doesn’t it? We pretty much use the Internet and software programs whenever we want to attain information.

Well today we’re keeping it de la vieja escuela! (old school!)

The Library … Remember That Place?

Remember when you were a kid and your parents or classroom would take a trip to that wondrous place called “The Library.” It had books and photos and games, OH MY!

Well, you’re never too old to take advantage of the incredible resources a library has to offer. You can check out Spanish books, audio tapes/cds, magazines, textbooks, and dictionaries. Heck, they may even have some amazing software courses you could use when you are online.

Volunteer

Find ways to volunteer with Spanish speaking people in your neighborhood. You could volunteer to be an assistant at a local community college, nonprofit, homeless shelter, and more.

A great place to find these kinds of amazing opportunities is to visit Craigslist.com (OK, so we’re cheating here a bit and using the Internet to find offline opportunities) or check out message boards at the places you’d like to volunteer at.

Language Exchange

Have you thought about exchanging your talents for someone who can help you learn Spanish for free? A pretty easy place to start is by helping someone with English; in return they can help you with Spanish.

Don’t limit the trading of services to just languages though. I know a guy who is a massage therapist and he trades messages for Spanish lessons. Be creative!

Ratón de Biblioteca (Book Worm)

If you’ve ever joined a local book club, you know how engaging and fun it can be to share opinions over a novel everyone has just read. Why not join a Spanish book club then? Not only will you be able to speak and listen to Spanish, but also you’ll read some true classics in the original language. Como Agua para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate) is one of my personal favorites.

Resources Galore

Check out some of the other posts on LanguageWrangler regarding how to learn Spanish for free. In fact, I’d love to hear some of the creative (and even crazy) ways that have helped you learn this amazing language. Please share them in the comments below!

photo by: American Red Cross


]]> http://www.languagewrangler.com/fun-ways-to-learn-spanish-for-free-offline/feed/ 0 http://www.languagewrangler.com/fun-ways-to-learn-spanish-for-free-offline/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LanguageWrangler/~3/-djj22AmKtU/ http://www.languagewrangler.com/how-to-use-classic-board-games-to-learn-spanish/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:15:15 +0000 Asia Bird http://www.languagewrangler.com/?p=1584

If you’re anything like me, you probably spent a good portion of your childhood playing classic board games like Scrabble, Monopoly, Candyland, and countless others. Even if you haven’t played one of these games in forever, I bet you’d still remember all the rules if you sat down and played them today.

That’s why using classic board games to learn Spanish is such a great idea. You don’t have to bother with learning the ins and outs of a board game you’ve never played before. Since you already know all the rules (Hey! Where’s my $200 in Monopoly money for passing Go!), you can focus your energy on learning lots of new Spanish words while you play these classics.

Let me show you the best board games to learn Spanish. I can promise you’ll be laughing and having a great time while improving your vocabulary and comprehension.

Scrabble

The Spanish version of Scrabble – and for that matter all the Spanish-version games I’ll be showing you – will require at least a basic understanding of the language. With that in mind, Scrabble is a great place to start. Even if you have a limited vocabulary, you can still enjoy the game by mixing Spanish and English words.

Operation

I don’t know about you, but the first thing that pops into my head when it comes to the game Operation is BUZZZZZZ!!!

But the reason I love the Spanish version of Operation is because it’s a fun way to learn the names of various body parts. And if you play this game anything like me, you’ll need to learn some Spanish commands to shout at the other players. My favorite (to unnerve my opponents) is “No la riegues!” (Don’t blow it!).

Guess Who?

Guess Who? is great practice for piecing together questions and comprehending the answers. Oh yeah, it’s also awesome for vocabulary focused on physical descriptions. The game is also an easy way to learn verbs that are paired with physical descriptions (er, estar, llevar, and tener). Forget just learning to say “hat” in Spanish; now you’ll know how to say ¿Está llevando un sombrero rojo? (Are you wearing a red hat?)

Apples to Apples

If you’ve ever played Apple to Apples with friends, you know how incredibly fun and engaging the game is. Manzanas con Manzanas – the Spanish version – is the game of comparisons and analogies that will really help you learn new vocabulary. Sometimes you’ll even have to stand up and defend your answers, so get your phrases ready. “Sé que estoy derecho!” (I know I’m right!)

Never Be Bored With Board Games

These games are all perfect for increasing your vocabulary, language retention, and improving your overall Spanish-speaking abilities. When it comes to most of the board games you enjoy playing, there’s pretty much a Spanish version out there for you to enjoy. So why not use board game nights to do a little bit of extra learning?

Oh, and don’t forget that you don’t have to go out and buy ALL of these games in the Spanish Edition. You can just as easily play the English versions in Spanish.

Do you play board games to learn Spanish? Let me know which games you play and how it helps you learn the language by leaving a comment below!

photo by: Michelle


]]> http://www.languagewrangler.com/how-to-use-classic-board-games-to-learn-spanish/feed/ 0 http://www.languagewrangler.com/how-to-use-classic-board-games-to-learn-spanish/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LanguageWrangler/~3/psx-9k9OOYM/ http://www.languagewrangler.com/learn-spanish-games/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:14:03 +0000 Asia Bird http://www.languagewrangler.com/?p=1588

If you’re excited to learn Spanish, games are a super fun way to help you understand and comprehend this beautiful language. There are tons of classic board games and even games you can play online by yourself during your free time. The options are pretty much limitless.

Today I want to show you a few online Spanish games that will help you learn and improve your skills. Some games are very educationally focused while others – such as hangman and crossword puzzles – are the Spanish equivalents of their English counterparts.

Let’s get gaming!

Ready to Learn Spanish? Games Focused on Vocabulary Rule!

I’m sure you can all remember playing El Ahorcado (hangman) during recess as a kid or maybe while camping as an adult. It’s super addictive and all you really need is a pen and a piece of paper.

Online hangman is just as addicting. I always suggest SuperKids to my friends because you can start playing right away. Did I mention it’s totally free? Well, I did now!

Elma Eagles is another hangman game that’s super in-depth. Whether you want to learn irregular verbs, future tense verbs, the irregular yo form, and many more this is the version you should check out.

Last but not least, you can always play Spanish hangman with a friend the old-school way with a pen and paper. Just make sure you both know you’re playing the Spanish version before you start guessing different letters!

Totally Crossed Out

Crossword puzzles have long stood the test of time. The New York Times version is still a part of many people’s morning routine. It’s a great way to test your knowledge and even learn new information all in an entertaining format. So why not use crossword puzzles to improve your Spanish as well?

EclipseCrossword is a pretty cool site to check out. You can make your own crossword puzzles. This allows you to use diacritical marks so you can include words with the ñ as well as accent marks on the vowels. Oh sí.

Word Search

I love word search games. Whether it’s English or Spanish, I could literally play them for hours. And if you want to learn Spanish, games like word search are probably your best bet. That’s because you can bring the game along with you wherever you are. Just visit a site like SoftSchools, fill out how many rows and columns you want, how difficult you want each game to be, and click “Generate PDF.” Just like that, you now have your own customizable word search game to play!

Games to Improve Pronunciation

One of the keys for improving your pronunciation is to speak words aloud and sound out the syllables. What better way to do this than with Spanish pronunciation games. Check out Gamequarium for a very comprehensive list of words for you to pronounce to your heart’s content.

Happy Fun Time!

When it’s time to learn Spanish, games are such a fun way to learn the language. You can do them online, with friends, and even by yourself. With so many options out there, I’m sure you can find the games that work best for you.

What are your favorite Spanish games? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

photo by: Nici Davies


]]> http://www.languagewrangler.com/learn-spanish-games/feed/ 0 http://www.languagewrangler.com/learn-spanish-games/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LanguageWrangler/~3/8C-xqyXMXKI/ http://www.languagewrangler.com/learn-a-foreign-language-by-enjoying-the-television-and-radio/#comments Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:47:18 +0000 Asia Bird http://www.languagewrangler.com/?p=1655

This post is by guest author Robert Bell. Robert Bell is a full article writer who writes on various internet sites about his experience in learning Spanish while traveling and working in Latin America.

If you want to learn a foreign language then there are a number of ways of doing it. The best way of doing it is probably a mixture of several different approaches; some formal classes, a bit of television watching and some traveling.

This blend of learning methods will ensure that you are kept on your toes and learn different kinds of thing from each way. The subject I am interested in covering here is the informal approach of learning using the television, films and maybe even the radio. If this sounds too difficult then don’t worry, as we will look at how you can build up to it gradually.

It is clear that you aren’t going to just switch on the TV and starting watching foreign language programs without any sort of base in the language. This part of the process comes when you have a limited vocabulary you want to increase and when you want to train your ear to pick up the words which you already know.

A good start is to look for something which is in the language you are learning but with English subtitle captioning. Trying to listen to what is being said and read at the same time may seem impossible at first but you will soon start to get the hang of it.

If the best you can get hold of is something in the foreign tongue and with foreign subtitles then this will do as well although it will be trickier for you at the beginning. In the long run this is actually the best approach for most people; as it makes you think in your second language rather than constantly translate from English.

Once you are ready to watch something with no subtitles or listen to the radio this is a big step. A good idea is to start with something easy such as a kid’s program or a documentary where the presenter speaks clearly and slowly. The radio is particularly difficult to listen to in a foreign language as you have no images to grab onto.

As I mentioned, this really comes after taking some more formal classes. Some professional Spanish classes in Kansas with a native speaker will get you going in this language. There are also good quality French classes in Kansas and other US cities, which will give you the grounding and the confidence you need to get you started on French films and radio.

photo by: Brian Snelson


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