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!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
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!
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!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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!
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!
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!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
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.
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.
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