Czech immigration blog

Learning a foreign language is not difficult. If it is concocted by the author, it is easy to learn a few foreign languages as long as you are interested. First, we should get out of seven misunderstandings, then eliminate five excuses, and finally implement three stages seriously.

First, seven misunderstandings in learning a foreign language

There are more than 6000 languages in the world. Some languages are more important than others, not better or more advanced, but more important Why? Because the more important language is used by more people in more countries. This does not mean that Finnish is not important to Finns and Maori is not important to Maori, but these languages are not so important to the rest of us.

In addition, more than 1 100 million people are speaking Mandarin. 60% of Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese words come from Chinese. Knowing Chinese will also help you learn these languages. That's what I am. For thousands of years, China culture has influenced the world in art, philosophy, technology, food, medicine and performing arts. With China's booming economy today, Chinese seems to be worth learning.

Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese are essentially different dialects of the same language. If you study one subject, you can study other subjects. That's what I am. If you learn Spanish, you will open the door to culture, music and history, and also open the door to doing business with 800 million people in 60 countries, including the United States and Canada.

If you are ambitious, you can try Russian. I have been learning Russian for the past two years. Once you master Russian, you can communicate with Slavic speakers.

But, stop here! Before getting dizzy, let's take a look at the current situation of Chinese teaching. A survey in Canada shows that there are French classes every day. 12 years later, only 1 person (0.67%) among 147 high school students will reach the medium proficiency level. Another survey of American immigrants learning English shows that "classroom teaching time" has little effect on progress.

If we can't even teach our own official language in North America, what hope is there to teach other languages such as Chinese or Spanish? Not to mention Russian, Arabic or Hindi.

As a person who can speak 10 languages, I know the benefits of multilingualism. We just need to change the way we teach languages. First of all, we need to correct seven common misunderstandings in language learning.

1. It is difficult to learn a foreign language.

Learning a language is difficult only when you don't want to learn it. Learning a language takes time, but it is not difficult. You mainly need to listen and read. Trust me, it's as simple as that. I have learned it many times. Soon you will feel the satisfaction of knowing another language. You'll say it before you know it. It is this universal language teaching method that makes language learning difficult to like.

You must have a gift for learning languages.

No, you don't need to have a gift for learning languages. Anyone who wants to learn a language can learn it. In Sweden and Holland, most people speak more than one language. They can't all have a gift for languages. Foreign athletes in North America usually learn to speak English faster than those in a more formal learning environment. In the process of language learning, it is attitude rather than talent that determines success.

You must live in the environment of the foreign language you are learning.

Some immigrants to North America learn to speak stuttering English at best. However, we have met people who speak fluent English in other countries. From 65438 to 0968, I learned to speak fluent Mandarin when I was in Hong Kong, where few people spoke Mandarin. With the Internet, everyone who owns a computer can get language content. You can download the content to your iPOD and listen to it. Where you live is not an obstacle.

Only children can learn a foreign language well.

Recent brain research shows that our brains will remain plastic in old age. For example, blind adults must learn a new language-Braille. Adults have a wide range of vocabulary in their mother tongue and have an advantage over children in language learning. I have learned four foreign languages since I was 55 years old. Adults just need to be willing to try like children, eager to communicate, and not afraid of ridicule. Learning a foreign language requires formal classroom teaching.

This is the crux of the problem. Taking classes can be economical and a good place to meet other people. Class has historical and traditional values. Unfortunately, the classroom is not an effective place to learn a language. The more students there are in the class, the lower the efficiency. Language is not taught, it can only be learned. Theoretical grammar explanation is difficult to understand and remember, and even more difficult to use. Training and practice are boring for most people. Most children will not be able to communicate in the language they have learned 10 or 10 when they graduate.

If you want to study, you need to talk (I have no one to talk to)

Speaking a language is usually the goal of language learning, but you can wait and speak. Once you learn this language, you will find a chance to speak it. Listening is more important when you are learning a language. Trying to choose only some "at hand" phrases may only bring you trouble. If you meet a native English speaker, you will inevitably spend most of your time listening unless you already know the language. You don't need to talk to learn, you need to learn to talk.

7. I really want to learn, but I have no time.

How about the time you spend waiting in line, commuting by bus, doing housework and walking? Why not take some time to listen to the language you downloaded to your iPOD? Once started, even if it is 10 minutes or 15 minutes per day, it will soon increase to 30 minutes per day or 1 hour. If you believe that you will achieve great success, and if you like doing it as much as I do, you will find time.

Five (unconvincing) excuses for not learning a foreign language We all have the ability to learn to speak more than one language. Throughout history, as long as there are different language neighbors, people will naturally try to communicate across language boundaries. They have to do this. This is still the case today. Where different languages collide, people have no difficulty in learning and using another language, whether they are children selling souvenirs in the market or businessmen attending international conferences. This is true in Asia, Africa, America and Europe. We don't need a special talent for language learning. Learning a language is a natural thing for all of us. Today, in the Internet and information age, we are no longer isolated from each other, whether from the perspective of language or culture. There are more opportunities to contact other languages than ever before.

So why don't more people learn another language? Especially in North America. Part of the reason is seven common misunderstandings in language learning and five common excuses for not learning a foreign language. But do these five excuses hold water?

1. I'm not interested in languages. I don't need them.

Is it true?/You don't say. /You don't say. What if you can learn a language without spending money, spending money and working hard?

Almost 50 years ago, I went door to door to sell encyclopedias. My secret to opening the door is "If you can get a complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica for free, will you be interested?" . This method usually gives me a chance to get in. Parents will imagine an encyclopedia in their minds that can be shared with their children. Once I explained that it wasn't free, "but the charge won't exceed the cost of drinking coffee or smoking …", and I was usually kicked out of the house.

I asked the same question to hesitant language learners. "Are you interested if you can learn to speak another language without studying hard?" The answer is usually "yes".

Many people who say they are not interested actually want to speak another language. Some people even hear that learning a language can stimulate the brain. But they see too many boring learning scenes. They have no experience of speaking another language, and they can't imagine the satisfaction they get from it. So many times, there is interest, but it is just a question of learning.

I want to learn, but I can't seem to start.

Sometimes, the goal of speaking a language fluently seems too far away. If you have never achieved it, it is hard to imagine it. Maybe it is better to set a short-term goal to start your study, and "get your feet wet first" to overcome this inertia. In French, "L' estate Viet en mange ant" means "The more you eat, the greater your appetite". You just need to find an incentive to take the first bite.

Why not make a plan to travel abroad? The purpose is to learn enough languages before you go, so that you can communicate and really enjoy your trip. If you can't do it, or you can promise yourself, you will read a book or watch a movie, the original version. Maybe you have a friend or relative, and you want to surprise them with their language. If you can take the first step inspired by short-term goals, and if you study in a pleasant way, you will be surprised to find how fascinating and satisfying language learning will be.

I tried before, but I gave up.

If your language learning is meaningful and enjoyable, you are more likely to continue. For most people, language classes at school are boring, and few students can speak the language they have learned when they graduate. Now you have more choices.

As long as you log on to Google and retrieve many podcasts and online courses about language learning, you can also find blogs, forums and social networking sites, which are all aimed at languages. Once you learn the language well, you can search your iTunes index and display podcasts and blogs in different languages, travel, technology, modern culture, or anything you are interested in. You can also buy audio books in different languages through the Internet. In many cases, texts can also be downloaded from websites like Fort Gu Teng.

With MP3 player, you can listen to what you are interested in again and again, and at the same time you can understand the language. I suggest you use resources with both audio and text. Then you can read and use the online dictionary to understand what you are listening to. Don't stick to grammar and training, you will be surprised how fast you learn when you are happy.

I am not self-disciplined enough to teach myself.

Then find a tutor to help you learn behavior anyway. You can find tutors in most major languages online. A good personal tutor can provide you with feedback and encouragement, which may be the best investment you can make.

You don't need to spend hours with your tutor every day. A few hours or even an hour a week may be enough to get you on the right track. You can arrange a convenient time to talk with your tutor in the most convenient place through the online chat function. You can avoid the fatigue of going back and forth to class. On the Internet, it is easy to change tutors at any time. I can't afford it, so I don't need to spend so much.

You may already have an MP3 player and Internet access. You can find audio and other materials in the library, and there are many language learning materials available for free download on the Internet.

Some people spend more than $65,438+0,000 a month in language schools, which is unnecessary. You can teach yourself, save money and start the learning journey you promised yourself.

Third, the three stages of language learning

"Man is like his food" —— A popular proverb

In the era of global information, perhaps this sentence should be said to be "people as they say." Language with different expressions is the most typical achievement of human beings, and language is also our characteristic. Language can be social, political, technical, practical, entertaining, erotic, philosophical and so on. In the feast of life, every language is a dish. The better you can use your mother tongue and other languages, the more you can enjoy this feast. At least that's my experience.

I have achieved different degrees of fluency in 12 language, and I look forward to learning more languages. For me, there are three natural stages in the development of language ability, and I will summarize them here. Billions of dollars are wasted on ineffective language and reading and writing tutoring courses, which ignore these three natural stages.

The first stage is to establish contact with foreign languages-60-90 hours.

My goal: to be familiar with unfamiliar languages. My quantitative standard: learn to read 1000. Main task: listen to the short content repeatedly. My target languages: Czech, Arabic, Hindi and Turkish.

At first, I needed to establish contact with this new language and overcome my resistance to its strange pronunciation and structure. I don't need to speak, understand any grammar, and get anything "right". I am not interested in mastering some phrases or simple greetings. I want to get used to this language and find a feeling for it.

The following is Ferede Genesee of McGill University's description of the primary stage of language learning.

When learning behavior occurs, it promotes neurochemical communication between neurons, in other words, a neural network is gradually established. At first, the brain marked unfamiliar pronunciation as undifferentiated neural activity. With continuous reception, listeners (and brains) learn to distinguish different pronunciations, even short pronunciation sequences equivalent to words or word parts.

At first, I listened to the passage repeatedly. At first, these fragments were 30 seconds long, and finally increased to one minute or more. In order to help form a new neural network in my brain, I have to listen to the same words 20 times or more. These short films are part of a longer "story", which is ideal, which makes the whole background meaningful. After listening to a new clip wholeheartedly, review all the old clips you have heard, so that you can digest the growing language accumulation. The Internet and my flash iPOD make this kind of article handy and portable, which is unprecedented in history.

Now, I have read all the texts I have heard on the computer. In this way, I can log in to the online dictionary, create my own vocabulary and phrase library, and review it in various ways. With my progress in language, mastering the words and phrases I encounter in listening and reading is my main measurement goal. The new words in a language seem strange at first, but they are similar to each other, so they are easily confused. However, through repeated reading of simple articles, commonly used words often appear in different contexts, and these words finally begin to take root in the brain. I usually associate new words and phrases with the fragments of these words I hear. The more I associate a word or phrase, the easier it is to remember.

Not much at first. My vocabulary is too small anyway. I practice repeating words and phrases to myself at will. I'm not worried about pronunciation. Once my brain becomes better at distinguishing pronunciation, it will be easier to continue learning.

I can say a little, just for fun, try what I have learned. Through the internet, I can easily find a tutor or language exchange partner who speaks my mother tongue. I didn't go to a foreign language class because I didn't want to be confused by other non-native speakers.

The second stage becomes comfortable in most cases 180-360 hours.

My goal: to understand everyday conversations and most everyday expressions. My quantification standard: the number of new words in most dialogues does not exceed 10%. Main tasks: listen to the normal conversation; Recite vocabulary; Gradually increase my target language: Russian, Portuguese and Korean speaking and writing activities.

Since I no longer feel strange to this language, I want to get in touch with what the locals usually say or write. Sometimes this is called "authoritative" language.

Conversation is the most understandable authoritative content, because the most commonly used words in a language account for 90-95% of the conversation. Similarly, these words usually account for 70-75% of formal written materials.

Now each study project is relatively long, almost 3 to 5 minutes. I listen to each item less frequently, so I listen to more materials in order to learn more words. I spend some dead time, studying piecemeal, listening while driving or running, over and over again. The more words I know, the easier it is to learn new words. Vocabulary is like money, "the more you learn", or "the rich get richer". I like to find some interesting and familiar topics while listening and reading, so I will immediately give up audio materials that I am not interested in or don't like. At first, it seems that native speakers speak very fast, but after enough repetition, my brain gradually adapts to this natural flow. When I don't understand "authoritative talk", I don't feel depressed; I felt very excited after I understood it.

Similarly, Professor Genesee's opinion is helpful. When students' vocabulary is embedded in the complex context of the real world they are familiar with, it can be strengthened.

Sometimes talking to native speakers online can help me find out shortcomings, missing words, unexpressed concepts and words with poor pronunciation. Then I can correct these problems myself. Through limited contact and contact with native speakers, I also write, especially on Internet blogs and forums. Writing is very important for learning. I have time to edit my thoughts and record my mistakes and problems.

At this stage, the focus is still on listening and reading, as well as increasing vocabulary.

The third stage of continuous improvement 180 hours-forever

My goal: continue to enjoy this language, learn more words and use this language better. My quantification standard: the number of new words in the articles I am interested in should not exceed 10%. My task: to do what I am interested in. My target languages are French, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, Swedish, German, Italian, Cantonese and English.

This is the most rewarding stage. I can travel to countries that speak this language, or meet people whose mother tongue is this language. I know I will enjoy this experience, even if I make mistakes. Even if I don't use this language for a long time, I can still master it.

This is the best stage of learning grammar. I have grammar books and audio materials for native speakers. Now that I am familiar with the language, I can use the style and manuals of native speakers through constant contact. But my personal interest is more inclined to history and culture. I find that reading and listening to audio materials, the theme of which is my own interest, is the most pleasant and effective way to improve constantly, or to boost my spirit and learn a language that I haven't used for a while.

I don't need to take any language proficiency test. If it is necessary for me to take the exam, I will prepare carefully at this stage. The key to the success of this exam is the ability to read and understand spoken English quickly and a wide range of words and phrases, which I have achieved happily and painlessly. Only when I reach this level will I take these exams, because I know I will get high marks. This is also the stage of learning special skills, such as making presentations, writing academic papers or writing business reports. It is easy to find information about the target language on the Internet and other places. The goal is to imitate the most admirable wording, word order and ways of organizing information in a particular language and culture. It is very easy to find a native-speaking professional tutor or teacher to learn these skills, or through the internet.

Conclusion:

I have done this many times, and I know that I can learn a new language or improve a language I already speak well, including my mother tongue. Anyone who wants to do it can do it. The key is motivation and enjoyment, not school or diploma. I also know that it is useless to pursue perfection in any language, so I am willing to make mistakes and really don't ask others to correct me. I just like language feasts, drinking, eating, tasting, chewing and digesting. Although I get a little intoxicated from time to time, I'm never full.