From Omniglot , from language learning advisor and from foreign language expertise.

Finding the time to study languages can be a problem for independent learners. Most independent learners do not live where the language is spoken. Most cannot afford the time to attend classes

Finding the time

. Most have professional, family and social obligations and routines. What to do?

1) Develop the ability to rely on listening as your major language learning activity. Develop the ability to listen while doing other tasks. This will give you at least 30 minutes, and usually much more every day, that you can devote to language learning.

2) Devote some of your reading time to reading in the language you are learning.

3) Devote some of your TV, video watching time to doing so in the language you are learning.

4) When you have the chance to speak do so, but don't worry if you don't.

5) Most of all decide that learning the language is important. We all find the time to do things that are important to us.

  
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Blue words.mp3 (2247 KB)

The simplest explanation of what you have to do at LingQ is that you have to convert blue (unknown) words into gold. That  gets you started learning them. The more you see them, as gold words in other texts, or in flash cards, the sooner you will know them, understand them and use them. And of course you can track your activity and achievements by following your gold words.

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Grammar 2.mp3 (9268 KB)

Here is the podcast

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Grammar.mp3 (11830 KB)

To move our discussion of grammar along, I have done a little podcast on the subject, since I am too lazy to write it all out. I will produce a transcript later and put it into the LingQ English library.

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Speak to fluency.mp3 (9272 KB)

For those who might use these for language learning or prefer just to listen, here is the podcast.

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Benny1.mp3 (17302 KB)

Let two long-winded, loquacious language lovers lock horns, laying out their litany of  language learning logic, and there is no limit to the likely length of the palaver, and both linguistic pugilists are left with the lingering loathsome sense of lots left to say. We went on for almost 40 minutes and had to stop or we would still be talking. Here is the podcast. It will be in two installments. Here is part one.

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Benny2.mp3 (18016 KB)

Here is part two.

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Sean.mp3 (16603 KB)

How much can we learn in two months? What does "speaking a language" mean, and more. A discussion with Sean of Edufire.

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Speaking.mp3 (9240 KB)

For those of you who prefer to listen rather than watch videos, here is the podcast on the subject of when to start speaking when we are learning a language.

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Language teacher.mp3 (12263 KB)

Here is what I would do if I were a language teacher. This is in response to Jacob who wanted some more constructive comments on how to handle language teaching in a classroom environment.

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The three keys to language learning.mp3 (17090 KB)

When I attended the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages ) Convention in San Diego, I heard the following wise words from Mary Ann Lyman-Hager, Director of the San Diego State University Language Acquisition Research Center.

"Language learning success depends on the attitude of the learner, the time spent with the language and noticing what happens in the language".

Here is a podcast on that subject, which I will have transcribed over the next few days. I will divide it into short segments and put it all into the Library at LingQ.

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Effective self-learning

Here is a discussion of reading as it relates to language improvement. I also touch on who is responsible for the apparent decline of reading skills in our society.

  I did a video about the importance of an open mind to success in language learning. A perfect example is Moses McCormick, who also did a video on this subject which you can find by searching for Moses at youtube. I am rushing out to the airport so I will not say more now.

Here is a video summarizing the recent Wikpedia dust up, and some thoughts on how much time to spend on flash cards.

Rather than trying to cultivate critical thinking, or "higher order thinking" in language students, I think teachers should focus on finding ways to get students to like the language in some way, and let them follow their own interests and inclinations.

It started with a question about whether I confuse similar languages, which I, of course, do from time to time.I decided to do a video where I answered the question and went on to talk about errors.

The gist is that the brain can only deal with the massive amount of information and experience that it receives by sacrificing accuracy. It looks for similarities, metaphors, patterns.

I am my brain. I prefer to cover more things, more languages, more content, and sacrifice accuracy. I would rather listen and read more in the language, than try to nail down my errors. I also made a few errors in the video.

Remember to place the tip of the tongue between the teeth and try to pronounce "f". The key is the tongue between the upper and lower teeth.

Download Theo

Thoroughly thrifty Theo was a thoughtful soul. Theo thought about other people. He also thought deep thoughts. That is because Theo was a student of theology, a rather thin one at that.  He was always thinking. Most of all Theo thought about his money, because Theo was thrifty.

Whether he liked it or not,Theo needed a new coat. His coat was threadbare. There were holes in the elbows. Anything he put in the pockets just fell through the pocket and onto the ground. And the weather was bad. Therefore, something had to be done. He could not go to the theater with that coat. And that night Theo was supposed to go to the theater with his girl friend, the thoroughly scintillating Cynthia.

'Let me think this through" he thought. " I do not mind my threadbare coat, but what will Cynthia think if she sees me in a threadbare coat?"

Finally, thoroughly thrifty Theo thought the unthinkable, " I will have to spend the money", he decided without enthusiasm, and off he went to the clothing store. 

This sound file is for him and anyone else who has a similar problem. I read it once slowly and once quickly. I am asking him to listen to both, over and over. We'll see if he improves. I am also putting this into the Pronunciation section of the English Library at LingQ.

Remember to pronounce the "v" with the lower lip pressed against the upper teeth. With "w"  there is no contact with the lips or the teeth.

Vivian, a very vivacious woman, is a waitress at a very well-known Vietnamese restaurant in Vienna. The well known one with the violet window shades.

Vivian usually wears a tight fitting Vietnamese dress which reveals her very voluptuous figure. The dress shows her figure to full advantage. Obviously I am very much attracted to vivacious Vivian.

Whenever I visit Vienna I visit the restaurant to see Vivian. I wish I could visit Vienna more often.

When I phone to reserve a table, I invariably have to leave a voice mail message requesting a reservation. When I call  back to verify my reservation, it is invariably vivacious Vivian who answers . Then I get shy.  "I wish to make a reservation" I usually say, although I really want to tell her how beautiful she is. This has been going on for a very long time.

Will I ever get the will power to tell her how I feel? I very much doubt it.

Let me begin my saying that I have never used Rosetta Stone. My son, Mark, played professional hockey in Japan for a few years. His team gave him Rosetta Stone to learn Japanese. He tried it and found that it was boring and did not get him very far.

I decided to do some research on the net. Most reviews that I found seemed to have been done by people connected with Rosetta Stone. I am not surprised. Rosetta Stone are excellent marketers for which I salute them. They are not only promoting their product, they are promoting an awareness that people can learn languages on their own.

The best summary of the Rosetta Stone method I found was the following.

The most important component of the Rosetta Stone software-based method is what I call "a four squares screen". The user is presented with a page that shows four pictures of various objects or entities. A prerecorded phrase or word is played back and the user must click on the square that contains a visual answer to the question or best illustrates the concept. If the user answers correctly a little "ding" is heard, a check-mark appears on the screen and the program advances. That's all folks!

So, why does the Rosetta Stone method work? At the very center of the Rosetta Stone approach is the idea of constant encouragement. Every step of the way the user receives positive feedback from the program. Rosetta Stone takes you through a rapid succession of multiple choice questions. Given that there are only four options per question it is not difficult to answer every question even if you don't get it right away. This process turns into a series of gratifying experiences.

This was contrasted with the usual language learning experience where the reviewer felt that we do not know how we are doing.

As a result we have uncertainty, perception of poor performance and general lack of success. A user is much more likely to quit such a course, and it should be known that not quitting is probably the single most important requirement when learning a foreign language

My reaction to the reviews that I read was that I do not think I would want to use Rosetta Stone. Here are seven reasons.

1)  I do not like answering multiple choice questions at the computer. It is not communicating. I might do it once or twice but would not continue. I would not do it daily. I need to connect with a language I am learning daily, in order to learn.

2) Most of my learning activity takes place during dead time. I mostly listen while running, driving, doing the dishes, waiting line etc.. I also read while waiting or as a relaxing activity.  If I had to sit at the computer in order to learn I would not do a lot of studying. I just do not have the dedicated time.

3) I do not believe that I can permanently learn words, whether using pictures or other techniques. I know I am going to forget them. In a way I am not interested in learning the word for "red" or "house". I know that I have to be exposed to so much language content, in audio and text, that gradually it all starts to have meaning. I am not conscious of learning and forgetting specific words, but I know I am doing it. I know I have learned words because I can understand more and more. I know I am forgetting because I am constantly unable to remember the most elementary words.

4) I find it difficult to learn words and phrases that are divorced from a larger story or context. Isolated words and phrases do not connect with my brain. I remember words and expressions as part of larger stories that I remember. I often remember when and where I was listening to many of these stories.

5) When I start learning a language, the gratification that I experience comes from the fact that  I start to be able to tell when words begin and end, and then soon after start to make sense of short episodes that used to be just noise for me. That is all the feedback that I need. I do not find the uncertainty a problem. It is the feeling of the "fog lifting", the uncertainty turning into more and more clarity, that is so satisfying in the study of another language.

6) I learn languages with the goal of being able to communicate, to understand what is said, and to be able to express myself. That is a long road. I have the impression that Rosettta Stone only takes you a very short way. I do not see it as a useful or necessary step.

7) I feel that a lot of listening to interesting content is a better start than doing multiple choice questions. I am in a hurry to engage with the language, real language situations, and to let my brain get used to it.

What has been the experience of others? I know that I am not impartial, but I have tried to be honest. I do recommend the "Teach Yourself" series and the "Colloquial" series. I would not recommend Rosetta Stone.

How much deliberate study of grammar, and word review, and output is necessary. Who knows? Do what you like. And making mistakes does not matter in most situations.

I refer in my talk today to a debate at How to learn any language., and a web site with an interesting perspective on the importance of language schools written by Amorey Gethin. This paper was first written in 1991. A lot has changed since then. For a view on how much has changed check out this video.

Stephen Krashen is controversial. I do not agree with all of what he says. But there is a lot of common sense there, backed up with research. This list of comments about reading is worth looking at. Here he talks about the connection between reading and spelling. Here are some studies that talk about the importance of listening. Here is a discussion about to "teach" listening skills.

I believe that we waste a fortune in training teachers in various skills related to teaching reading, listening, spelling etc,. We should be looking at how to enable learners to spend more time reading and listening to things that they find interesting. As Manfred Spitzer said in his book, the brain is a remarkable learning machine, much better at forming its own rules and recognizing patterns, than absorbing theoretical explanations. Reading and listening should be fun. If we like it we will do it.

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I believe that language learning and literacy learning are closely related. I am sure that I will get criticism over the following but I welcome it. I want to learn.

Here is the podcast

" In the USA at least 30 million, and arguably 93 million, adults would benefit from
additional literacy instruction, and that the system today can only serve
approximately 3 million adults through combined federal, state, and
philanthropic funding.”  according to ProLiteracy, a major US organization devoted to improving literacy.

Their website sets the tone. "We need more funding" " Poor literacy costs the economy money" "Literacy education goes hand in hand with social change" and other slogans and exhortations. It appears there are many organizations committed to literacy learning, and they attract a lot of funding. "Advocacy" would appear to be one of their main activities. (See also the website of the National Coalition for Literacy.)

93 million people out of 300 some odd million or so Americans would benefit from literacy instruction. Wow! You cannot accommodate these people in class rooms. That has to be close to half of all adults in the US!

I suspect that most "literacy programs" do not have much of an impact. Based on my experience with language learning I suspect that literacy teaching is no more effective than language teaching.

I am convinced that LingQ would help, at very little cost. I have not been successful in interesting anyone in the literacy establishment because they are more motivated by advocacy than in finding solutions that can be more effective and less costly. I have asked them to look at LingQ to see if it could be adapted to the needs of the literacy campaign. I have told them that it could be used free of charge. I have been told in no uncertain terms that they are not interested because I am "for profit" and/or because I do not have the requisite academic credentials.

Pimsleur, Assimil, Teach Yourself, Michel Thomas,Colloquial, Berlitz, Hugo, Rosetta Stone and many more. There is no shortage of language learning systems. What do I think of them? Here is a podcast on Learning systems

Here are two videos.

1)