Building Good Study Habits

Successful language learning is a lot like successful dieting: it requires discipline, tenacity, and the need to build good daily habits. Unsurprisingly, the typical excuses we make for not following a diet are also very much like the same excuses we make for not studying a foreign language, e.g.:

• "I'm too busy"
• "I'm too tired"
• "It's too hard"
• "I'd rather be doing something else"

Sound familiar?

Especially during the holiday season, it's easy to fall off the bandwagon, as we say, and let these thoughts and feelings completely derail our language learning plans, making "start over" part of the new year's resolution list. So how can we keep this from happening?

One of the most important habits to build is to find time every day. This doesn't have to be 30 minutes or an hour. It can be five minutes, even two, as long as it's consistent. Of course, to make more solid progress it is helpful to have longer, more focused study sessions, such as 20-30 minutes at a time. But what is most important is to do something every day.

A helpful strategy is to keep a simple daily log sheet. Put it somewhere you are guaranteed to see multiple times every day, such as on the bathroom mirror or refrigerator door. (Don't forget to leave a pen or pencil nearby!) Just write the date, and a couple of words about what your language study effort was for the day. Your effort could be 3 minutes of studying flashcards on the train, watching three or four television commercials on the foreign language channel, or even simply making up sentences and talking to yourself in that language while jogging on the treadmill or preparing dinner.

The idea is to not let too much time pass between sessions. The log sheet will hold you accountable to yourself and give you a sense of accomplishment when you see that you have been diligent in studying virtually every day.

"How to Learn a Foreign Language Online"

I just read this article on cnn.com and it has lots of good advice and suggestions for online language learning websites. Here's the link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/24/language.training.online/index.html

It compares free and paid programs, such as LiveMocha, Rosetta Stone, and Lang-8, plus lots of others. It also looks at a bunch of iPhone apps as well: AccelaStudy and Byki. They're all different, so you need to read up on their focus and approach to find the one that's best for you.

For example, Live Mocha uses basic grammar instruction with lots of vocabulary and simple exercises, but the best part is giving and receiving feedback from other users who are native speakers of the language you're studying, and want feedback from you on their English.

Rosetta Stone, on the other hand, is strictly immersion-- don't expect to see one single verb conjugation chart or explanation; there's not a drop of English. See my earlier blog post for more description of the pros and cons of RS.

Lang-8 focuses mostly on writing as its niche. And Byki - owned by Transparent Language - has both web- and iPhone- Apps. AccelaStudy seems mostly focused on vocabulary.

But check them out for yourself, along with the rest of the programs in the list. Need help figuring out which is right for you? Send me an e-mail and I'll be glad to help you find the right fit!

Learning Strategies and Short Term Language Goals

My official Arabic efforts are now about 2-1/2 weeks underway, and I have come to realize the value of three learning strategies in working towards my short-term language goals:

1. Learning language "chunks" instead of grammar patterns
2. Using online language resources to fill in some gaps and answer questions, and
3. Getting positive and negative feedback on the accuracy of my speech.

Since I'm only going to Egypt for a week or so, I need basic survival phrases to help me get through the airport. I need greetings, I need to ask for directions, I need to explain my reason for being there, I need to ask how much something costs, etc. And of course, I need to understand some basic answers. As such, learning all the intricacies of grammar is probably overkill, so to speak. I need a well-recognized phrase that I can memorize in a "chunk", which will convey the basic meaning easily without needing to pick and choose words, worry about order, etc. Is it important to be sensitive to social context, follow rules of politeness, etc.? Of course. But most people will realize I only have about six words in my repertoire, and will likely forgive any non-egregious breaches of etiquette. And for that matter, most people will also appreciate my efforts to use any Arabic at all, rather than assuming (as we Americans are reputed to do) that we don't need to learn other people's languages and expecting them to speak in English right from the start. Hopefully they will appreciate my effort in language-diplomacy and then kindly help me find someone who speaks English!

Second, there are TONS of web-based langauge programs available for free. Most of them have "deluxe" versions that require payment but the free basic services are often quite good, and more than enough for a beginner like me. Though I have found a slightly different application of use: Skype. For those of you who don't know, Skype is like videoconferencing over the internet, and it's FREE! I have found a wonderful Tunisian tutor, Olfa, who is in North Carolina, while I am in Pennsylvania (about 800 miles away). We meet once or twice a week on Skype, face to face, and she teaches me the "chunks" as necessary, answering my questions as we go. Of course, it's not perfect and sometimes the sound quality is a little fuzzy, but overall it's a great way to build relationships with people in a way that is much more personal and concrete feeling than simply on the phone. It's interesting, because I often use Skype to coach my own private clients... but this time I'm on the receiving end of the service. And I'm just as happy with it!

Finally, get feedback on how you're doing! I study my Arabic lessons each day (well, almost every day), but then I practice the routines with Olfa during our online sessions, and she corrects me when I am unclear, or confirms when I have communicated clearly. It's so helpful for me to listen to her pronunciation - especially rhythm and stress patterns - and then try to emulate her. Then she tells me how close I get or what I need to change. I try to take notes on our discussions so I don't forget what she tells me, and this helps me build good language habits from the start. So find someone who is either a native speaker or otherwise a more advanced learner than you are and ask them to give you feedback whenever possible!

The sounds of Arabic have been particularly challenging for me, so I'll talk about some of my pronunciation strateges next time.

Learning Arabic

I have a new short-term goal: to learn a few travel-essential phrases in Arabic for my upcoming trip to Cairo, Egypt for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). 75 countries around the world will be participating, but here's the link for the Cairo site: http://www.unleashingideas.org/egypt .

I will be leading a half-day workshop on cross-cultural communications issues in global business. And since language and culture are at the root of it all, it is only fitting that I make an effort to do a crash-course in Arabic language and related culture before I go! I have 5 weeks before my departure so it doesn't leave much time. I've been doing a lot of reading on Egyptian culture, and now I will be looking online for good self-study sites for language learning. I'll be sure to report any particularly useful findings. Do you have any suggestions? If so, please share!

Of course, I'll also need to follow my own advice from previous blogs. Wish me luck and stay tuned!

Thinking in a Foreign Language

A huge milestone for us as language learners is the point at which we can finally start thinking in a foreign language (L2) instead of relying on mental translation from our first language (L1). Why does it seem to take so long to get to this point, and how can we get there faster?

The short answer is that it's generally a question of the amount of time and frequency with with you actually practice using the L2. If you want to be able to speak with ease, then obviously you need to practice putting your ideas into words and saying them out loud. If you want to be able to write e-mail to friends or coworkers, then you need to practice putting your thoughts down on paper (or on screen, as it were.)

Of course it's great to read, memorize vocabulary, and do workbook-style grammar exercises in the other language, because that adds to your blocks of language knowledge with which you can build your statements and express your thoughts. (And they feel "safe" - we know how to do them, and we do them silently in our heads.) But the skills needed for these activities won't do much to help build oral or written fluency. For the most part, this is all "input," or reception, and somewhat passive learning. You need to specifically practice "output," or the productive skills, that you want to master.

If you can find a person with whom to speak in that language - whether native speaker or another learner - try to have some casual conversation or write e-mail to each other a few times a week. But what if you don't know anyone who speaks that language?

Alternative: Keep a language journal - speaking or writing. Even if it's only for 5 minutes a few times a week, use the simple recording software that's available on every computer, or start a written document or notebook where you just say or write your thoughts. Don't think too much! Perfect accuracy is not the point here: it's training yourself to think and speak quickly in the other language. Even if you repeat the same idea many days in a row (e.g. talk about the weather, your family, your job, your health, your favorite television show...) the repetition will help make certain phrases "stick" more easily and become reflex after a while. Build your "reflex phrase" vocabulary.

You can also target certain vocabulary words or grammatical structures that you want to try to use at least once in your journal that day, and try to use those target forms for a few days in a row until you get used to them too.

You'll be surprised how soon some phrases become "natural," and how much you can say without thinking in the L1 or translating into L2 if you actively practice using them enough!

Reading Aloud and Pronunciation

Recently I was asked: "when we read aloud aren't we just reinforcing bad pronunciation patterns?" What a great question, especially since students in language classes spend a lot of time reading dialogues and other exercises together. The truth is that reading aloud can be a mixed blessing.

The practice of reading aloud can help build linguistic reflexes, helping the tongue adjust to the sound combinations, and getting the brain used to word patterns, etc. This latter piece is also the case with reading silently, but reading aloud can help it "sink in" more for some people because (a) you have to pay more conscious attention to the words to have them register in your speech, and (b) speaking creates auditory input - even if it's your own voice - which is useful for auditory learners. So reading aloud can have real benefits for language development.

A drawback, however, can be the reinforcement of what the person called "bad" (presumably foreign-sounding) pronunciation. To improve the accuracy of your pronunciation, there are several steps you can take.

First, see if you can find text that also has an audio track, either from a textbook, online, or even if you can get a fluent speaker to record the excerpt for you. Then you can listen to the pronunciation while reading along, and try to imitate what you hear.

Additionally, it is very helpful to record YOURSELF as you read. You will hear things on the recording that you don't notice while you're actually speaking in the moment. When you notice something that sounds too "foreign," try to work on it until it sounds like what you think it should be.

Finally If you can get someone to give you some corrective feedback - confirming what is clear and giving suggestions for what could be improved - on not only your free speech but your voice recordings (so you can listen to them together, objectively) that would be the most helpful.

One way or another, since reading aloud won't likely change your pronunciation, but not reading aloud also won't change your pronunciation, you might as well practice reading aloud for the other benefits it can produce. And if you can follow some of the suggestions I've given above, you can then add the pronunciation benefits too. So keep practicing, and good luck!

Read-Aloud Dialogue Practice

We're all very familiar with the model dialogues that are written in textbooks and other materials. They are supposed to demonstrate ways to use new words and phrases in context and conversation. These dialogues have the potential to be very useful, but they don't usually have the best results. This is not because of the dialogue, but because of how we use it.

When working by yourself or with a partner, don't just read the lines of dialogue aloud, the way you would read a paragraph out loud to the class or read a story to a child. When we do that, we tend to worry more about "sounding fluent" in public, which usually means reading as quickly as possible. When that happens, it is almost as if the words on the page are only processed in two places: our eyes to read them, and our mouths to say them, bypassing our brains completely! So the question is, how can we really make these dialogues as useful as possible for maximum learning?

For me, there is one simple rule: when practicing a model dialogue, you cannot read (with your eyes) and speak at the same time. Here's how that works:

First, since it is a dialogue, consider the conditions of real conversation: we make eye contact with people when we talk to them. You can't do that if you are both reading from a page, right? So when it is your turn to read, take a moment to look at the next phrase, try to memorize it - even if just a few words - then cover the paper with your hand and look at your partner, then say as much as you can remember.

If you forget, that's okay! Your partner can help you, or you can simply look at the page again. But if you look at the page, you must not speak again until you have stopped reading and are making eye contact with your partner.

That also means that the listener's behavior must change. When your partner is speaking, you must make eye contact with him or her, and really listen to what he or she is saying. You cannot be planning ahead, reading your next line in anticipation of your turn. That's not conversation, is it?

Of course, this takes a lot longer than simply racing through it the old-fashioned way. But it's an investment of time. It will really help with overall conversational skills because you are truly thinking about the phrases as you go, which helps with memory and application. Don't rush, and don't be frustrated. Learners - take your time! And teachers - make sure to give your students enough time to do it!

Finally, I recommend practicing the entire dialogue (or parts of it, if it is very long) four times. Why four? Because the first time the speakers are just getting used to the words and phrases. The second time is more fluent and gives the material a chance to "sink in." The third and fourth time learners will change roles, with the same experiences as in the first two times, but they get to experience all the lines from both perspectives. You'll be surprised how important that is, and what a difference it makes!

So give it a try, and then come back and leave us a comment about how it works for you and/or your students!

Teacher Tube

I just found out about an interesting resource: "TeacherTube."
http://www.teachertube.com/
It's a YouTube channel, but everything is for and from teachers. There are a variety of foreign-language and ESL-related videos as well.

Here are some pros and cons:

PRO:
The sheer quantity of videos is impressive, and is likely to have something related to whatever you are looking for. The majority of the videos seem to be videos of students performing different activities, skits, etc. It's good to see what students/kids are capable of doing, and it gives you ideas for things to do in your own classroom.

CON:
As with YouTube, the site is rather chaotic. Yes, you can use search terms to reduce the number of videos to look at, but in the end, much like doing a regular Google search, it is very possible to look at a dozen videos and never really find what you are looking for. It would also be nice if there were more videos directed specifically to other teachers, as resources.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
If nothing else, teachers who post videos to TeacherTube should somehow give a narration in the beginning or at least write a description of what the video is demonstrating, so the viewer can decide quickly if it is what she wants or not without wasting a lot of time.

WARNING:
While I think it's a great idea for teachers to share their successful activities with each other in this way, I DO worry about the legality of having all these children's faces online. Do their parents know that their teacher has put the video on the web? Did they sign a consent form? A warning and recommendation to anyone considering posting a classroom video: PLEASE get permission slips signed by the parents of any student who is not legally considered to be an adult. Then you are safe, and can just blot out the fact and/or voice of any student whose parent does not consent to their child's image being on the web.

Happy viewing!

Hot Topics in English Language Learning

Today, instead of answering questions, I'd like to ask one:

If you could go online (using a computer or mobile device) and download mini-programs/applications (apps) that just focused on one specific topic, what would it be? E.g.: maybe you want help learning English articles, learning TOEFL vocabulary, or improving your pronunciation of the sounds "L" and "R".

What are the first topics you would search for, and why?

I hope this will be the start of a very interesting discussion!

You want feedback? Record yourself!

It's been a while since I've had a chance to post, mostly because the semester recently ended and I'm finally out from under the mountain of papers, etc. But back to language coaching tips and strategies for everyone!

A lot of people are interested in improving their overall oral (speaking) accuracy in a foreign language, and especially their pronunciation. But it's hard to get honest feedback and assistance. For this reason I offer a very simple but incredibly powerful strategy: Record yourself!

It is amazing how much you can notice (strengths and weaknesses alike) in your speech when you record yourself and then listen to the recording, compared to simply trying to be careful when you speak and catch your mistakes in the moment that they occur. Think about how you feel when you listen to yourself on voicemail for your telephone. Don't you think to yourself, "Wow, my voice sounds like that? It's so weird!" or "Oh my gosh, why did I say that? I should have said ___ instead!" The simple fact is that by recording yourself, you gain the advantage of objectivity, i.e. the chance to objectively hear and evaluate yourself as if you were listening to another person. You don't have to concentrate on making language; instead, your brain can pay attention to simply evaluating the finished product.

I have been working with student recordings for years, whether beginners, intermediate or very advanced speakers. I have had students and clients read words, sentences and paragraphs aloud, and speak freely. But the miracle occurs when I have them listen to themselves. Sometimes I leave it open and see what they notice for themselves, and they will catch grammatical, lexical (vocabulary) or phonological (pronunciation) mistakes, either asking me how to fix them, or - even better - saying something like "I said X, but I should have said Y, right?" Amazing! Completely independent self-correction! Yes, I am a native speaker as their instructor or coach, but a non-native instructor could guide students in this way just as well, and the truth is that they really didn't need my help; the recording helped them catch and correct their mistakes for themselves.

Alternatively, I may be able to direct their attention to a particular point when they are overwhelmed by too much speech. Either way, the same result occurs. For example, I might pause at part of a recording and say, "Listen to that sentence again; what do you notice about the grammar (or stress, etc.)?" Then usually after one or two more focused listening opportunities, the person will again say, "I said X, but I should have said Y, right?"

We'll come back to recordings and other ways to strategically use them for fast and successful language learning another time. But for now, try some simple recordings for yourself, and see what YOU notice. Then post a comment here and share your experiences with the rest of the community. We all look forward to hearing about your success!

Fluenz (TM) Language Software

Hello again! Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I have a really interesting website to share with everyone today. Fluenz (TM) software http://www.fluenz.com/index.html is an introductory language learning program offering training in Italian, Spanish, French, and Mandarin. Pedagogically (i.e. it's approach to instruction), it is essentially the antithesis to Rosetta Stone. (See my previous blog on Rosetta Stone.) This is what makes it interesting to me.

The program uses a video recording of instructors teaching each of the principles of a lesson, with an overview, leading examples, breaking down phrases into smaller units, explaining grammar and pronunciation points, etc. NONE of these features are available on Rosetta Stone (TM) for the simple reason that Rosetta Stone is an immersion program, i.e. you're supposed to do everything in and through the target language, and figure it out for yourself.

Instructional approach aside, the production quality is outstanding. The sound quality, video, animation, etc. are all very user friendly, realistic and engaging without being too game-like or cartoonish, or alternatively too dull.

I have taken the "test drive" sample lessons and gone through the demos, and these run very well, but as I have not attempted to work through long stretches of learning, I cannot vouch personally for the efficacy of the product, or if there are any bugs in the programming, etc. The price is about the same for both, though I don't if either has significantly more lessons than the other.

Is either program better than the other? In the end, it's really a matter of personal preference. If you like clear instruction, information about grammar, translation of vocabulary, etc., then Fluenz is for you. If you prefer to 'tinker' and figure stuff out for yourself, don't want a teacher or anything resembling a classroom experience, go for the immersion experience in Rosetta Stone. Either is a great tool, as long as you find a way to use it regularly and make it work with your natural preferences. Take a look today!

Careers and the Advantage of Multilingualism

For those of you debating on whether or not to start learning a new language or simply continue to improve one in which you already have some degree of proficiency (including English, if it is not your native language,) here is a report with some valuable information - and motivation - for you.

http://www.tirfonline.org/TIRF_Plurilingualism_full.pdf

If nothing else, take a look at the executive summary in the beginning and the table of contents and jump to the sections that interest you most. The gist is that it is a research summary (in very reasonable, non-academic language) that identifies the role of English and multilingualism in the global corporation.

NOTE: While the primary focus is on the role of English in global economic success, there is plenty of direct and indirect discussion about the importance of native English speakers having a working proficiency in other world languages too!

The research questions that guide the study are:

1. What language requirements do global corporations have?
2. What are the economic purposes and benefits of these requirements?
3. How do global corporations assess whether workers meet their language requirements?
4. What have global corporations done to address the language challenges they face?
5. What is the impact of employees’ language abilities on individuals, firms, and economies?

If you want to be a part of the ever-expanding global marketplace and/or workforce, you simply cannot afford to take this lightly. This should be an excellent topic for discussion, so I look forward to seeing your comments!

The Language Learning Community

Hi everyone,

Given the speed at which information flows online, it's almost impossible to keep up with everything you want to learn about. If foreign language learning is an interest to you, I want to invite you personally to do three things to help stay current on tips, resources, and information:

1. Ask a question. The fastest way to get the information you want, rather than searching the entire internet for it, is to simply ask! Send me an e-mail at ForeignLanguageCoach@gmail.com with any language-related question and I'll do my best to answer it as quickly as possible. Let me be your very own language coach.

2. Follow this site. Just click the link in the lower right column and follow this post. (You can also follow me on Twitter for info on languages, language-related business and technology; just look for LauraSicola.) You can even sign up for an RSS feed which will send new posts right to you; you don't even have to come looking for new information. "Home delivery" of the information you want most -- what could be better than that?

3. Post a comment. When you read something here that really hits home for you, please share your experiences, suggestions, encouragement, and ideas with the rest of the community. We are all on the same journey, and we can all support each other. Don't be shy! You never know who will be touched by your story.

I hope you'll become an active member of our community!

Raising bilingual children

An interesting comment was posted regarding the value of raising children with two languages. I absolutely agree that the earlier a child starts to learn a second language the better, and even more so if it is possible to raise the child with both languages as "first" langauges.

Some people worry that the child will get confused. But in reality, as the commenter mentioned, it helps with cognitive development, and world view alike, as the cultural perspectives reflected in the different languages will broaden the child's understanding of people and situations around him or her.

Sometimes children raised with multiple languages from infancy start talking a bit later than monolingually raised children. This is not a problem and should not be cause for concern. It could be due to many things, including trying to sort things out in their little brains. But once they start talking, look out! They'll be babbling away in both languages before you know it.

There are many systems parents use for raising bilingual children, such as "one parent, one language" in which one parent speaks one language with the children and the ohter parent speaks a different language with them, so they learn to associate a language with each parent. This is easier, of course, if each parent has a different native language. Alternatively, they may have "language zones" of sorts, in which they speak one language in the home and another when out in public.

Regardless of the system used, it is valuable to have story books, video programs and music for children in both languages, so they become literate in both languages and learn to appreciate both for the cultural and artistic beauty they offer as well. Even the television program Sesame Street is available in dozens upon dozens of languages around the world!

For parents interested in raising bilingual children, here's a good resource, written by Georgetown U. professor Alison Mackey and U. of Minnesota professor Kendall King: "The Bilingual Edge: Why, When, and How to Teach Your Child a Second Language." It's very accessible and a smart handbook for parents with just enough research support mentioned to be convincing without being "academic."

So don't hold back, parents! It's not easy to foster bilingualism in many environments, but that doesn't mean it's not a worthwhile endeavor. Your children will thank you for it in the long run, and you'll be proud that your children accept and embody more of your cultural heritage.

Good luck!

Anxiety and Language Learning

Anxiety is one of the most challenging obstacles to overcome in learning a new foreign language. We are afraid of making mistakes, of looking and sounding foolish, of being vulnerable. I don't know about you, but whenever I feel like I'm fumbling around in another language, clumsily scrambling for the right word or grammatical construction to make my point, I always want to interrupt myself and say to the other person: "Just so you know, in MY language, I'm really smart!"

We like feeling smart, worthy of admiration, respected for our skill and knowledge, knowing our true personality is coming through. That can be hard to do in a foreign language, especially in the beginning. So here are a few tips to help get you over these fears so that your anxiety doesn't hold you back from making all the progress you are otherwise capable of making:

1. "Fake it 'til you make it" - if you are not confident in using another language, don't let it show! Keep a smile on your face, learn to laugh at your own mistakes, and pretend that you are emotionally okay - or maybe just a little frustrated - with your temporary limitations. If you appear to be totally embarrassed, falling apart under the pressure, you will project those thoughts to the other person. If you "fake" confidence well, it will have two results - first, if you act like it's not a big deal, you will put your listener at ease with it too; and second, you can actually convince yourself that you ARE okay, and eventually, it will feel natural to BE okay with it. Mind over matter!

2. Rehearse - Whether you are reading aloud to yourself at home, repeating phrases that you hear on television or radio, doing your homework out loud, or simply talking to yourself (which plenty of us silently do already) but out loud, practice speaking as much as possible, even if it's just one word over and over. This also has two purposes. First, it will help your mouth get used to the feeling of the words and phrases in the foreign language, so it will eventually feel more natural, just like you have to practice any sport or art to get used to the physical motion involved. Second, it will help you get used to the sound of your own voice in that language. For many people, it simply "sounds weird" to hear their voice in a different language. If your voice sounds "weird" to you, you will probably be afraid that it sounds "weird" to other people too (though it probably doesn't), and this will keep your anxiety level very high. Get used to it so you stop worrying about it.

3. Learn to talk to strangers - This is not as difficult as it seems! Each time you go out, decide you are going to ask a question. Just one question. You can ask the same question to two, five, or ten people, in the same location or in different locations. Perhaps you will ask someone to reach an item on the top shelf. You might ask someone to recommend a good brand of soft drink, pet food, or detergent. You could ask if an item is on sale. You can also decide how complex you want the question to be. Depending on your level, you can ask about the price of something by saying, "How much is this?" or by saying "Excuse me, but could you please tell me how much this costs?" Plan your phrase in advance, rehearse it, then set that as your goal for the day. The idea is to realize that most people will be very kind in responding, even if your language is imperfect, and even if you don't understand the whole answer. It will help you get over the fear of interacting with a native speaker as you get used to taking the first step of engaging them in conversation.

Consider this reality: You have nothing to lose by trying these strategies. If you never make the effort to try, you are guaranteed to make no progress. If you DO make the effort, the absolute worst possible result is that you maybe feel a little silly at first, but you make a little progress; you can't do worse than "no progress," right? And at best, you get used to the experience, reduce your anxiety, and make improvement little by little, which will reduce your anxiety and genuinely increase your confidence anyway! After all, isn't that the goal?

Zig Ziglar, a famous sales guru, asked a very relevant and powerful question: "Is your fear of failure greater than your desire to succeed?" Wow! Think about that, and find the motivation and strength inside yourself to make sure your answer is "NO!" Then use these strategies, and step by step take control of your own language learning success.

Language Learning Media: Poll

The options we now have for learning parts or all of another language are seemingly limitless, and new programs and media are springing up almost daily. So I am curious, if you could choose to learn a language using any media what would it be? Please post comments with (a) where you are, (b) the language(s) you would like to learn, and (c) which of the following means you would like to use for *self/independent study* (i.e. not classroom) if they were available. You can choose as many as you like, but don't forget to identify your #1 choice:

- textbooks
- CDs
- DVDs
- MP3s
- Web-based programs for the computer
- Mobile web-based applications (for cellular phones, Blackberrys, iPod/iPhone, etc.)
- Dedicated iPhone or Blackberry application
- Other (please explain)

I am really interested in this, and with a better understanding of your interests, I can help direct you to useful software and materials that will suit your interests.

Thanks for your input!

Yappr

I just found out about a fascinating website that helps people learn English through movies and videos, etc. It's all "authentic" video footage from entertainment to news to advertisements, with good audio and transcription. The variety of options available is impressive to say the least. Click the title of this post to link to the website, or click here: http://en.yappr.com/welcome/Welcome.action

This kind of web source is great for people who want a more freestyle approach to learning. There is no curriculum, no set plan, no vocabulary list or grammar lesson. You pick something that interests you, watch and listen to the video, and basically do anything you want with it from there! You choose the vocabulary to learn, structures to look up, sounds to practice, etc. For those who want to learn what they want, when they want it, this can be a very motivating approach.

Yappr is specifically for people who want to learn English as a second or foreign language, but there are other resources out there that provide similar opportunities for people learning other languages too. More on those later. Stay tuned!

Rosetta Stone (TM)

The one question I probably get asked more than any other is: "What do you think about Rosetta Stone?" If I had a dollar for every time I hear that question I'd be able to retire very, very young!

The objective answer is that it is a very thorough, well-constructed, pedagogically sound program. For people interested in long-term language development, it will take you step by step through lots of the language and give you a chance to practice your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills.

The subjective answer - since people usually want to know if it's truly the "best" program available - is that while it is an excellent program overall, it may not be the best program for you and your needs. This is a bit harder to gauge. Here are three key questions to ask yourself before investing upwards of $300(US) on this program:

1. Are you the kind of person who likes to work independently at a computer, and will be disciplined and diligent enough to do it regularly for months on end? If so, it may be suitable for you. If you prefer the energy of a classroom, the opportunity to talk to a teacher, and the pre-set schedule of a classroom-based course, a computer program may not be the way to go.

2. Rosetta Stone is an immersion style program. This means there is no translation into English (or your native language) at all! Everything, starting from the very first lesson, is listen, repeat, read, and write words in the target language. You must inductively figure out what is being said. You will never see a verb conjugation chart or vocabulary list. Will this inspire and intrigue you, or drive you crazy and frustrate you?

3. What are your language goals? If they are for long term broad language ability, then this program will provide a strong foundation for general proficiency in the language. However, if you have a very specialized focus, want to start on a business-langauge trajectory right away, or have other functions you need to succeed in doing right from the start, this might take too long (months or years) before you get the vocabulary and structures you need. Not that your language needs are necessarily more sophisticated, but if you need to start with protocols and phrases for business card exchanges as soon as you get off the plane, for example, it may take a while to get there simply because the authors didn't address that topic until, say, Level 2. Rosetta Stone is very tightly structured, so you really need to follow their order for continuity purposes.

There is no such thing as a perfect fit, or a magic approach that will make you learn any language instantly, etc. But you can take an "off the rack" program and make supplemental adjustments that do meet your needs. So if Rosetta Stone is the only option available to you, or is the program your company has decided to purchase wide-scale for everyone, even if it doesn't inherently suit your learning style, you can successfully use it to learn any language you want. Stay tuned for further discussions about how!

Which language should I study?

Deciding which language to study, if you're looking to start fresh, can be difficult. Maybe you're clear on your reason for choosing a language: to get the job promotion and work with new clients in China; to take a 3-week vacation in Italy; to develop a better relationship with a spouse/partner's Ukranian family. Then the choice has pretty much been made for you. But for others, there may be competing interests.

I often hear people say things like, "I would really love to learn Italian, but I feel like Spanish would be much more useful in my industry/neighborhood." To you I ask a few key questions, all of which lead back to the issue of motivation:

1. Regarding the language that seems more functionally useful, how tangible are the benefits? That is, can you imagine what you would do with it right now? If you want to know what the Latin American prep cooks are saying behind you in the restaurant kitchen on a daily basis, there is a near-immediate and perpetual benefit (and hence motivation) to learning Spanish. If you want a job/promotion that would require German, then the rewards are a bit farther off but the value is real and in your sights as long-term motivation. If you think it might be useful to learn Russian because you occasionally shop at the Russian markets on the other end of town and it's the biggest local 'foreign' language (though most people there speak English anyway and/or you don't need to converse much to buy fruit), the rewards might be a bit too abstract to be truly motivating. Try to quantify the benefits. The REAL benefits you see it likely to have in your life.

2. Regarding the language of greater interest, why do you want to learn it? Do you love the food and music from the culture associated with that language? Do you want to vacation somewhere? Do you have friends who speak it, or just love the sound? Try to articulate what it is that makes you happy about the idea of learning this language.

If the list of benefits from Question 1 is more compelling than the enthusiasm you feel at the thought of the points listed from Question 2, that would be a goood reason to start with the more "functionally useful" language. However, if you simply are happier at the thought of learning language #2, I honestly say: Go for it!

On the whole, the enthusiasm will help propel you through the lessons over time, and is also likely to promote your success. But also remember that there is nothing to stop you from picking up some of the other language at a later time. If the person above decides to learn Italian because of her love of Italian opera and food, a positive experience for 6 months of successfully studying Italian can later influence her decision to switch to Spanish with a more positive outlook.

If the two languages are related - as are Spanish and Italian - one can also facilitate the other. If you are going from Italian to Chinese, of course, there's virtually no transferable language there, but you CAN transfer the study habits, skills and strategies from your Italian experience to your new Chinese experience.

Whatever you do, make sure you are embarking on this journey full of enthusiasm, not with a sigh of resignation and trepidation. Enthusiasm sets goals, goals provide direction, and all of this together helps to breed success!

Pacing and language study

Learning a foreign language is obviously a long-term project to say the least. One key to not losing momentum is learning to pace yourself.

Whether you're working on a big project at the office, training for a marathon, or redecorating the house, it's great to go with the momentum when you have it, but equally important to stop your work for the day before you totally burn out! The problem with trying to squeeze every last drop of energy out of a session is that you end up feeling just that: completely drained. That's never pleasant. And then, you finish an otherwise wonderfully productive session with the thought, "I can't look at this any more," which translates into resistance to starting again the next day. It's completely counter-productive.

Instead, find a reasonable place to stop for the day while you're still feeling interested, eager and enthusiastic. Then you'll be ready to pick up again the next day -- with a full tank of energy to have another successful session. This will help eliminate lots of unnecessary stops, starts and jolts, making the road to language learning a nice, smooth ride!

Languages and Learning Disabilities

I just received a very interesting inquiry from an expat in Sweden who is struggling to learn Swedish after many years due to her dyslexia. This is a very unique challenge. Pronunciation in Swedish is also very challenging, as they have more vowel sounds than English does, and grammar is also very complicated, so she has her work cut out for her!

First and foremost, I think people with genuine, diagnosed learning challenges like this (and the rest of us too, actually) need to take stock of their strengths, and identify how they managed to succeed in school as children. Did they have a strategy for reading long texts? How did they learn to spell? Any tips or tricks or mnemonic devices they developed? Make an actual list of these strategies, and post them somewhere very visible for easy reference. You can add to the list whenever you experiment with something new that works, and increase the "tools" in your mental "toolbox."

Second, it's important to take small steps. Dyslexia can cause ideas to jumble up on paper and in the mind, so if there are too many items on a list, too many long sentences with small font, etc. it can be visually overwhelming and give people a sense of futility from the start. Consider limiting any vocabulary list to ten words. Or even five. Use large font, and double ot triple space from line to line. Cover other words or sentences with your hand or a piece of paper so you are only seeing one word or sentence/line of text at a time, and try reading out loud, which forces your eyes to focus and register what they see more consciously. Even for those of us without this problem, reading aloud can help us consciously register more of the text, whereas we otherwise may visually skim a paragraph or so and upon getting to the end, think: "What did I just read?"

These are just a few strategies. We'll address strategies for dealing with learing disabilities/disorders in future posts as well, so stay tuned!

Age and language learning - Myth busting

I hear a lot of concerns - mostly "convenient" excuses - about the futility of learning a foreign language as an adult. Everyone assumes they're too old to pick up another language. But in reality, nothing is further from the truth. There is a ton of research out there that shows that adults have every but as much potential to successfully learn a new language as children do. It really bugs me when people toss out phrases like "well, children are just like little sponges, they don't have to try to learn." You are a sponge too! But you have to compare the "water sources" to truly compare. I'll address more issues about age in later posts, but today let's compare opportunity for input and use.

Most children learn additional languages in school. They are in class at least 3-4 times per week, have homework assignments, and are held accountable with grades. Young children are often immersed in the language, even studying content like math and history through it. That means they are surrounded by the language 6-8 hours per day, 5 days per week, plus homework and socializing opportunity with classmates at lunch, recess, etc. That's a lot of input and practice opportunity! So their little "mental sponges" are basically dropped into a bucket of water... no wonder they seem to "soak it up" so quickly!

Adults, in contrast, might take a class once a week, for an hour, with some homework that they probably procrastinate on doing until the night before the next class. Or they buy a computer software program to learn the language, start strong for the first week or so, then get busy and lose motivation, slacking off to once or twice a week, and not practicing in between. There is no direct accountability, no required interaction with people in the language, and no effort to link the current lesson to daily life needs. Adults' "mental sponges," then, are left to sit on the table, and every now and then someone pours a spoonful of water on it. It soaks quickly to the surface, but then dries up again before any more water is added. No wonder it seems like we don't have the "absorbing capability" that children do!

So when we look at the variables of input and practice opportunity, you can see that we are not comparing apples to apples, as the saying goes. It is very unfair to attribute comparative success to biological ability, when there are clearly such powerful external factors at play, tipping the scales against us.

We'll look at more of these factors later, but for now, cross this excuse off your list, and take a proactive step to increasing the frequency of your input and practice opportunities. And remember:

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. There's #1!

Twitter

Today I signed up for Twitter: http://twitter.com/LauraSicola . Come follow me!

The pace of language learning opportunities is moving almost as quickly as these updates, so we need to keep up with what's new! Hopefully more people will realize that they have lots of control over how they learn foreign languages; they just need to discover their own language learning style, and start choosing smart strategies that work with their natural way of thinking.

Let's get this dialogue moving!

My personal language learning history

Hi everyone!

Today I thought I'd share a short version of my own "language learning history" with you, so you know that I've been where you are on many levels! Like many of you, I have had personal, academic, and professional reasons for wanting to learn foreign languages.

First, I studied Spanish in junior high and high school, because my grandmother was from Chile and I wanted to learn to speak her language. I am fluent in Spanish now, and get to use it from time to time with friends, when traveling, with people occasionally here in Philadelphia, and even sometimes for business. I'm so glad I have this language as a resource! But I still seek every opportunity to learn nuances and improve the naturalness of my communication whenever I can.

During my undergraduate university years, I decided to minor in Japanese because it seemed like a good business language. This course of study including a year abroad at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan. What an incredible experience! I spoke almost no Japanese when I first arrived. If you're going to study abroad, I highly recommend doing a "home stay" program and living with a family that doesn't speak English. I learned more in the months in the homestay than in twice that much time in a dormitory with other international students. And I am still in touch with my wonderful homestay family, now 15 years later!

After I graduated, I became a teacher, and later moved back to Japan again, this time to Nagoya for two years. It gave me a chance to brush up on my Japanese again through private study and life experiences. I've been back in the US for almost 8 years now, so my Japanese is okay, but rusty! It's hard to keep it up without a regular chance to practice.

I have also dabbled on and off in studying Italian as an adult, but informally when I have time, as a hobby. I try to pick up bits and pieces as I can, using strategies I have learned over years of studying, teaching, and conducting formal research on language learning. I'm still a beginner in Italian, but I love to "play" with the language any chance I get. I am constantly putting my own theories to the test!

So no matter what language you are trying to learn, or what stage you are at, I have been there. I understand learning a language out of curiosity, as well as out of necessity. And I have studied through formal institutional programs, and piecemeal, taking little moments of opportunity and trying to create my own program. I understand and share your frustrations, your anxieties, and your triumphs.

I'll tell you about some of my experiences teaching English and Spanish, as well as what I have learned through my research, in other blogs. But for now I invite you to share your questions about language learning with me. Send them to me via e-mail at ForeignLanguageCoach@gmail.com , and I will post the answers here so we can all learn together on this language journey.

- Laura