What is the science behind learning a language and how should this inform your choice of language learning ebooks, online courses, or whatever way you decide to try to learn a language? There are good materials and bad materials out there, and what separates them is whether they are really created on a sound basis in the science of language-learning.
Now I want to share with you some of what I know about language learning in simple terms and help you understand what makes a quality language learning resource - whether ebook, online course or regular book.
What prompts this sudden development? Well, we don't need to go into biochemistry, neurology or anything like that, the answer for our purposes is simple, it's
Now I want to share with you some of what I know about language learning in simple terms and help you understand what makes a quality language learning resource - whether ebook, online course or regular book.
How do babies learn language?
Think about how we learn our own language as human beings - what is known as language acquisition. Nobody sits us down in a classroom and teaches us grammar and syntax. As babies, from about the age of 9 months (though this can vary quite a bit), we simply start to learn the language of our parents and the others around us.What prompts this sudden development? Well, we don't need to go into biochemistry, neurology or anything like that, the answer for our purposes is simple, it's
NEED
What do I mean by need?
Well until the age of, say, 9 months, a baby has had its every need catered for by its mother, and those needs are very simple (basically to eat and to sleep!). It's enough to start crying and Mom will come and help those needs get met. That's all the language a baby needs!
Later though, baby starts developing a mind of his own (like my little guy right now). He starts wanting other things - the toy, the cup, to watch a cartoon! Initially he will do this by pointing, but gradually he will figure out that it's more effective to say that word - he will get the cup faster if he's thirsty, and get his need met quicker!
You will hear people say, "I learned the most of x language when I lived in the country for while". That is true, because when you are living in a foreign country you NEED to learn the language, you have no choice! You NEED it to get around, to get anything done! And you LEARN it because we learn best by DOING!
Any online language course or ebook (and classroom course too) worth its salt will seek to put you in an artificial situation of NEED, to try to simulate this language learning process of learning by NEEDING then DOING.
They do this by creating role-playing situations, games and other exercises where you are forced to USE the language to get something done. This approach to language learning is known as the 'communicative approach' and is proven to give better results.
Be wary, therefore, of online courses or ebooks that focus heavily on repetitive gap-filling exercises or with an excessive emphasis on grammar. Those things have their place in language learning, but for you as a learner that does not create a NEED to communicate and learn.
When choosing a language learning ebook or online language course, make sure that besides good explanations of the use of the language, you are given many opportunities to practice your language, even if you're talking to yourself!
That is the way to learn a language, and that is the kind of material that we will be looking into on this blog.
Stick around!
Well until the age of, say, 9 months, a baby has had its every need catered for by its mother, and those needs are very simple (basically to eat and to sleep!). It's enough to start crying and Mom will come and help those needs get met. That's all the language a baby needs!
Later though, baby starts developing a mind of his own (like my little guy right now). He starts wanting other things - the toy, the cup, to watch a cartoon! Initially he will do this by pointing, but gradually he will figure out that it's more effective to say that word - he will get the cup faster if he's thirsty, and get his need met quicker!
Learning a second language
What on earth has this got to do with learning a language as an adult, I hear you cry! Well, the current methodology in language teaching says that although we cannot learn language as adults as easily as we did as babies, we still learn language best when a need is created.You will hear people say, "I learned the most of x language when I lived in the country for while". That is true, because when you are living in a foreign country you NEED to learn the language, you have no choice! You NEED it to get around, to get anything done! And you LEARN it because we learn best by DOING!
Any online language course or ebook (and classroom course too) worth its salt will seek to put you in an artificial situation of NEED, to try to simulate this language learning process of learning by NEEDING then DOING.
They do this by creating role-playing situations, games and other exercises where you are forced to USE the language to get something done. This approach to language learning is known as the 'communicative approach' and is proven to give better results.
Be wary, therefore, of online courses or ebooks that focus heavily on repetitive gap-filling exercises or with an excessive emphasis on grammar. Those things have their place in language learning, but for you as a learner that does not create a NEED to communicate and learn.
When choosing a language learning ebook or online language course, make sure that besides good explanations of the use of the language, you are given many opportunities to practice your language, even if you're talking to yourself!
That is the way to learn a language, and that is the kind of material that we will be looking into on this blog.
Stick around!
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