In this article, you'll learn how to use your audial students' strengths to assist them in absorbing a foreign language.
Getting Started - Audial learners do a great job listening, but they also have to speak to truly absorb! Be sure that everything they read, they read aloud, and every song they hear, the sing along. Writing is a good method too, but be sure they are speaking as they write. Any time the target language is encountered, be sure to ask, "What words did you hear?" After listening to a song, be sure to ask your student to perform it (if that's something they enjoy.)
Moving Forward - As your student picks up more songs, and vocabulary from songs and listening to CD's, watching DVD's, and listening to books, add in activities like reading aloud, or describing a picture or landscape. Be sure to pick a picture that has vocabulary from a recent lesson - or have your student draw a picture, and then describe it to you. For older students using texts, simply have them answer questions in Spanish, German, or French. Scripted conversations are a great way to begin, and then the student will be able to add and personalize answers by changing a few words, but the basic grammar structure will stay the same.
Keep on Keeping On - After a year of study or more, your student will be retaining as much as he or she is practicing. Add in movies in the target language (withOUT subtitles! No crutches please!) Begin with familiar movies, even ones they basically have memorized in English. Choose the target language in the DVD language menu, and have him tell you at least three or four words or phrases they learned. They may need to keep a log as they watch. Watch a second time and they can repeat the word as soon as they hear it. Be sure to only tackle a "chapter" at a time. Too much truly taxes the brain and causes us to tune out the foreign words, a habit we NEVER want to begin.
Any time you feel you've hit a wall, or feel like you're in a rut, play the opposite game - or a matching game, or twenty questions in the car! Scale it back a notch by CHOOSING the words you'd like to use in a game. Spend twenty minutes reading them, and then see, how many do you have in your short term memory. Audial learners usually have a skill for picking up languages, so harness this talent and gift, and be sure to not squelch by requiring too much written work. Be ready to LISTEN!
If you're looking... for something to facilitate your student's foreign language study, be sure to post a comment, and I'll give you suggestions for your age range, or a review if I've already tried out something that you're thinking of.
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.
Languishing in Languages? - Learning Styles: Visual
Posted 2:13 PM, May. 9, 2008
This is the first article for learning and teaching a foreign language while paying attention to learning styles. We all know that children learn differently from one another, and differently from the way we learn very often. (Which is frustrating, isn’t it?) So paying attention to learning styles will help you to overcome fear and barriers while tackling the daunting task of teaching a foreign language. This week will be for all those visual learners.
Getting Started – Use pictures and the target language concurrently. One thing new speakers get stuck in is translating in their heads. If a student can learn a word based on a picture, rather than a written word, this is a way to overcome and train the brain to think in the target language, rather than taking the extra step of translation. For an introduction to the language, Rosetta Stone software implements this truth to a very high degree. (Though it lacks in other areas, it's great in this way!)
Moving Forward – As your student picks up more vocabulary from flash cards or books, or just text books even, add in games of Pictionary, Memory (only use the cards you know he knows), charades, and puzzles. Add a time issue to it - can he do it faster and faster? The anxiety that comes from trying to think in German or French or Spanish quickly is similar to the anxious feeling we get when trying to communicate. PRACTICE overcoming that anxiety to become proficient in the language!
Keep on Keeping On - After a year of study or more, it will become difficult for your student to break out of wanting to SEE the words, or see a picture with the words, unfortunately, this is not the way we communicate in the real world. So, ease yourselves out of the comfort zone by choosing the Language track on a favorite DVD movie (cartoons work best, so the dubbing isn’t as distracting) in the target language. Tarzan is GREAT in Spanish, as is Peter Pan. Beauty and the Beast takes on a whole new feel in French! Lovely!
Any time you hit a wall, or find yourself in rote translation mode, stop and draw something, or pull out the picture flash cards again, or just describe pictures in books or commercials, or as your drive through the city. If you get stuck, write down the English word and look it up when you get home. Stick that list back in the car for easy access next time you practice your lessons on the way to the grocery store.
Beware of - Music CD’s and Speaking tracks are NOT helpful for this type of student. If that’s all you have, be sure to hand him the transcript to read along for at least the first session. Learn in Your Car Spanish will simply overwhelm and frustrate, while DVD’s of learning lessons like Muzzy or Spanish Champs might work better. Finally, be careful to require your student to speak. Though that’s not his “learning style,” he still has to use the language! So be sure he can read, and see, as well as speak, repeat, and understand. A learning style is a method of absorption, not a crutch to keep you inside your comfort zone of speaking English only.
And remember - the KEY to truly learning a language is MOTIVATION!
Languishing in Languages? ~ Learning a Foreign Language Yourself! (ages 25 and up)
Posted 1:00 AM, Apr. 30, 2008
For those of us who like the mentoring ideal of doing the very activities we expect of our children, learning the target language along with them is a must! But how?
When I give the seminar and workshop on these topics, I use sponges as my visual aid. For the youngest children (see article #1) I use a soft new sponge. The wates is easy in, but also easy out - however, the dampness always stays - just a touch of water, and you have a supple sponge again! As the sponges get older (and the students) we have trouble softening them up. Just like the language part of our brains. So, for the 25 and up age group, I use a sponge that has been dipped in paint. Hardened, crusty, no WAY water will penetrate. But wait! Don't throw that sponge out! We CAN get it nice an supple again. We just have to use a different method.
Best Method – Drill and Memorize with motivation, plus Complete Immersion.
I've mentioned in the previous articles NOT to use drills, because it detracts from our children's motivation. But for adults, our motivation is PROGRESS. We want to know that we REMEMBER the words we are learning. For us, drills work. lay things out categorically with flash cards, lists, and pictures. These things help us to keep our language lessons from getting all jumbled up with the weekly grocery list. After mastering 20 words (try to do them thematically) try them out! Go to a meat market, or a restaurant, or watch a movie, find a website, in your target language. The world is shrinking, so you CAN find it!
Good Method – Visual Impact with weekly practice.
This is similar to what works with younger students - It's like the water in the sponge. Will a sponge coated in paint eventually get soft by just using water? Sure... eventually. Does the dry paint disappear? Sure... more eventually.
So, this will work, but slowly. In this method, you do exactly what your child is doing. If he is watching a Spanish DVD, do that. If he is using a Spanish reader, read with him. Practice along with him. You will see that words you struggle with will be right at his finger tips. If you do no more practice than the student, you will see about half the result. Your brain simply has already been hard-wired for language at this point (exceptions are of course heard of, but few!) and is not accepting applications for new language systems at this time!
Don’t do it this way! – Sporadic Attempts
The problems with adults learning a language, is we’re adults. We have many other responsibilities. We also are susceptible to the same barriers and discouragements as younger students. So, if you try a couple of days, and then give it up, the next time you try, you have a little bigger mountain to climb. You’re overcoming a language barrier as well as the new failure you have seen in your own mind.
So - you want easy steps, don’t you? Well... I can give them to you!
Step 1: Don’t set your sites too high. Isn’t that a terrible thing to say? But this is about you, not your children. Give yourself a reasonable goal. One word a day, perhaps! And for... three weeks. Can you learn one word per day for three weeks? Write out your goal on a calendar. Then DO it! In the fear of plugging my own tools, you can choose to use Spanish Fun Activity Calendar and do it along with your child. TOS will be carrying it soon!
Step 2: Choose useful words. If you can say a few sentences, a few words will pop up that would make those sentences MORE useful. Write them down, look them up, and USE them!
Step 3: Choose a good curriculum. Be a little selfish and choose a curriculum that looks interesting to YOU when addressing your students’ needs. Yes, of course you want to think of their learning style. But you can adjust anything! Don’t you already do that? Your enthusiasm FAR outweighs any special book set-up.
Step 4: Find a stopping point. Yes, learning a language is a lifetime pursuit. But you need a short term goal. 3 weeks on, one week off, something like that. Perhaps a special treat like a festival, or authentic Mexican or German food, or a movie in the target language. Give yourself a planned break, and then start it again in small bursts, but not sporadic attempts with unplanned breaks.
Step 5: Have fun with it - Use some codes (meaning, use your new language!) with your children or spouse. Write notes in the target language to one another. Play secret agent! It’s fun to write, and fun to read, and will have you giggling all the way to the bilingual dicitonary!
Step 6: Track your progress. Finally, be sure to keep some sort of personal dictionary, or check list of all you’ve accomplished, so when you get discouraged, you can see how much you’ve already learned. It WILL get easier. I promise.
If you have some books or systems you’ve tried, or would LIKE to try, post a comment! I’ve probably reviewed it, or can do a demo and give you pros and cons on it.... And remember, I LOVE this stuff, so don’t be shy!
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.
Languishing in Languages? - Teaching Foreign Language - Junior High through College
Posted 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
Languishing in Languages? - Teaching Foreign Language through the ages - Kindergarten - Junior High
Posted 1:25 AM, Apr. 16, 2008
This article is the second of a four part series on how to teach a foreign language to your children (even if you don’t know the language yourself!)
Ages Kindergarten through Early Junior High Good news! You still are in the realm of brain development where language is concerned. Children that are in the age range of 5 to approximately 10 or 11 are still learning words, developing language style, and even forming accents in their first language. With all this development, the brain is ripe for acquiring a second language as well.
Motivation is Key You will see this heading in each of my series’ articles. At this age, your child has a definite opinion on activities and items he likes or dislikes. Does he dislike reading? Avoid those Language Readers like the plague! Does he enjoy games? Be sure to grab a memory game with animals, and learn those animals in the target language. Whatever takes up space in your child’s brain CAN be translated to another language (and may already exist!)
Best Method Immersion again, is the best method for acquiring a language, but it MUST be premised with a foundation - at least 20 to 30 useful words or phrases on which to build. To “fake” immersion in your own home, do NOT use just CD’s. Use something the child can SEE while hearing, and preferably something that elicits a response or emotion. Animated movies usually have a choice to choose a language. Use that DVD feature, and ask your child to learn three specific words. For Tarzan, see if he can listen for Gorilla, Different, and Jungle. Or choose a specific chapter, and watch first in English, then in the target language.
After learning to look and listen, add those CD’s into the mix with fun music, or some simple conversations. Repetition is good!
Worst Method Drill and memorize - the way we used to have to teach (and learn) foreign language in the schools is actually the worst way to do it. We put those few words that we drill into our short term memory, because they have no consequence. Follow the MEANING your child wants to express. After mastering a few manners, and some nouns he likes, he will most likely bombard you with “How do you say..?” Stop what you’re doing, look it up, write it on a sticky note, and use that new word before bed time that day. He will most likely OWN that word forever because you chose to harness his excitement.
Not bad... Now lists of words are not inherently bad. After all, what is language made up of? WORDS! Just be sure there is meaning behind them. A child who loves going to the zoo and discussing the habitats of wild animals will thrive on a list of those animals in Spanish. A child who is more into arts and crafts will look at the same list and would rather learn “los animales” to refer to the whole bunch and be done with it.
How do I find my child’s motivation? Ask him or her! Ask would you like to color these pictures while we say the German words? Or do you want me to act some of the words out and see if you can guess what I’m saying? Do you want to learn a new song? etc.
Abandon lessons that bring frowns. If your child says, “This is hard!” or “Why is Spanish, or German, or French, or Latin, so boring?” STOP. STOP. STOP. Don’t mention the subject again for a few days. You will be in danger of creating a barrier to all foreign languages. You can revisit it when you see something that is easily translatable, or some tool that you know will peak his/her interest.
Try a class, if available. If there are other children learning the same language, the child will WANT to make use of the words in order to communicate. The environment of a classroom is invaluable at this age, to confirm in his mind that language is FUN, USEFUL, EASY, and POPULAR!
Beware of: -Workbooks without phonetic spelling -CD’s or books that are aimed at an older audience - build confidence, don’t destroy it. Better to get a preschool book that’s “too easy” - (Hey! German is EASY!) -Drill and regurgitate. Is there meaning behind the word? -Grammar heavy programs. Focus on MEANING, not formula, at the beginning.
Enjoy your language learning journey!
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
Languishing in Languages? ~ How to Teach Foreign Languages Through the Ages
Posted 1:08 PM, Apr. 9, 2008
Languishing in Languages?
How to Teach Foreign Language Through the Ages
Ages Birth to Five
This article is the first of a four part series on how to teach a foreign language to your children (even if you don't know the language yourself!)
Ages Birth to Five Years Old
For many children, this age range is the best time to start. Before you spend a lot of money on DVD's, CD's, “language learning systems” and masses of extra flash cards, take some time to think about your child and your goals for the language.
“They're like little sponges” From ages birth to 5 years old, this commonly heard phrase is extremely relevant when applied to acquiring a second language. You may not hear or see or “feel” like your child is progressing in the target language, but if you're using steps listed in this article, just know that the introduction and exposure IS getting through, and it IS sticking, whether or not you can squeeze it back out of your little sponge!
Motivation is Key You will see this heading in each of my series' articles. Without motivation (real or imagined!) your child will not succeed in learning the language, and quite possibly could develop a barrier. But that's the bad news. Read on for the good news!
Enthusiasm is Catching
The momentum from the very first lesson will carry you on, or not. If you are excited about learning new words, and find ways to use them, your child will be too! If you drag out a DVD, hit play, and then wash the dishes, your child will see the value (or lack of) of the language lesson, and will also lack a partner with whom to practice. If you learn the word “thank you” in German and then use it at snack time, with a smile, you may get the perfect response or at the very least a big grin! Either one lets you know progresshas been made! You communicated in the target language!
What about Immersion? Most experts agree the best method at this age is complete immersion in the language. I agree, within context. If you just toss a child into the middle of Mexico, he will most likely tune out almost all the Spanish, except for the moment someone is offering him a cookie, or he wants or needs something. However, within context, any single word or phrase will stick with him, as long as it is meaningful.
Keep it simple!
In general, learn words your child is interested in! Look for curriculum or workbooks (inexpensive ones are fine - just be sure there is phonetic spelling along with the new words, or a CD) that include coloring, drawing, speaking, but few words in each list. Too many will overwhelm you both.
Still wondering? Follow these steps:
- 1 Say the new word three times aloud. While you say it DO something - color the picture if it is a noun, or act it out, or touch the item in the room, if possible. Be very clear on the meaning of the word, but without translation.
- 2 Use the new word(s) again within the day.
- 3 Reinforce the words with the activity that fits your child best. Many books have pages to color, or suggestions for activities such as flash card games.
- 4 Move on, if just a word at a time, even if you feel the lesson's word list hasn't been completely mastered. Just review regularly by using the words you've learned.
Beware of: - presenting too many new words at once.
- CD songs or DVD's without any other form of learning (present the language in as many forms as possible)
- books without phonetic spellings
- drilling and memorizing (and then forgetting)
- anything that seems “hard” for your child. Focus on Fun!
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.
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