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Languishing in Languages? - Teaching Foreign Language - Junior High through College

1:41 AM, Apr. 24, 2008

Between puberty and age 25, the brain's "hard-wiring" becomes more permanent. This is, unfortunately, the age that most of us begin thinking of a second language, and it is the first time that our brain truly withstands it. Of course, better late than never! We can work around the brain's resistance to a new language, and there is a nice "three-step" process to do it.

1. Motivated Studying: Find the topic that interests your child in English, and then translate it - this usually includes simple phrases that are immediately useful, interesting nouns, and funny adjectives!

2. Reinforced Usefulness: All those useful phrases that are learned MUST be used within a few days! That means you have to learn them too! Use notecards and place them in places that you'll see them, and then be sure to employ those words. Ask questions, add to the words, and your student will want to know "what did you say?" Say it again in the target language - resist the urge to translate - let them look it up - while he's in the dictionary, he'll probably come back with a few more words for you - then YOU'll have to go to the dictionary, and VOILA! Motivated studying is in process!

3. Complete Immersion: After the foundation is set, you and your student are ready for some immersion experiences. Try books on tape, radio, movies, and if you have a restaurant where the target language is spoken, go and try to converse! I would wait until about 6 weeks of consistent lessons have been completed before attempting this, so as to not discourage or frustrate your student.

Good Method – Visual Impact & Practice - If the three-step is too difficult, or schedules do not allow, flash cards are the next best bet. Be sure you have pictures, and not words! The brain is easier to train with pictures, rather than letters, when dealing with languages. Begin with ten words. Have an "I know" pile and and "I don't know" pile (we use ZIP-close bags at our house) and then watch that KNOW pile grow!!

Don’t do it this way! – Drill and Memorize (and forget) Mindless translations, longs lists of animals he never talks about in English, words he has to first look up in English before knowing how to use it correctly, all will frustrate and thus build a block to the language.

For more info, or to ask about a certain curriculum (does it employ the tactics you're looking for?) Please leave a comment! I'd love to start a discussion on all the pros and cons of different systems!

Next week we look at how WE learn a second language (ages 25 and up!)

Suzanne Gose (known by her students as Señora Gose) is a homeschooling mother of almost five children - baby number five is due this July. A former public school teacher, she currently teaches over 80 homeschooling students in weekly Spanish classes at Key Curriculum in Bryan, Texas. She is also the author of the Flip Flop Spanish Workbooks and other language teaching tools. You can see them at www.flipfloplearning.com and in the Schoolhouse Store.

Señora Gose
Flip n Flop Learning LLC
senoragose@verizon.net

Posted in Languishing in Languages?, 4 comments, Link
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Comments
I'm looking for a good Spanish curriculum

9:46 AM, Apr. 24, 2008, posted by Anonymous

It's interesting that you touched on this subject today. I've been considering either Rosetta Stone or Auralog Tell Me More for Spanish. I don't know anything about either, other than the prices, and would like to know if anyone has experience and/or suggestions on which to use. My kids are 11 and 8.

Rosetta Stone vs. Auralog

2:12 PM, Apr. 24, 2008, posted by senoragose

I haven't done the whole Rosetta Stone curriculum, but I have done a demo, and I have had several students who have completed it and then come to me for Spanish II Classes. Thus far, each one has had to repeat Spanish I high school. So, from my perspective, Rosetta Stone is a good introduction, but not real strong on speaking or creating your own sentences. It is very visual, and I think a fine intro for your ages of students, if they like computer time, and enjoy picking pictures. I like that there is very little reading - it's listening and choosing pictures. The main question to ask yourself, I think, is what is your goal for them in Spanish in the next year? So price-wise, that might help you. This post is getting long, so I'll post in a few minutes separately about Auralog. Thanks for your interest! I hope I've helped so far.

Auralog

2:40 PM, Apr. 24, 2008, posted by senoragose

Auralog is set up VERY nicely. It's quite good for the "analytic" type of people, and I think teen boys especially will enjoy it. It's very SERIOUS, though. As it quite methodically leads you through vocabulary and grammar, there is very scientific steps helping you to hear and speak Spanish correctly. Very impressive! All that said, it's not very fun at all. Motivation is so important, and I wonder if anyone that's not quite motivated on his own (upper highschool and older, really) would become a bit overwhelmed, or feel that language is perhaps a little dry, when that's not the case.
So, Rosetta Stone is FUN, and you move quickly, and you can listen and learn! Auralog is VERY thorough, and quite accurate, but not too fun. Of course, you know your kids best, and you can always give anything a shot and see what happens!

Thanks so much

5:25 PM, Apr. 24, 2008, posted by dcellis

I appreciate you taking the time to inform me on these two Spanish choices. It was very helpful.

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