Category: Foreign Language

Foreign Language!

  • Language Learning for Business

    Language Learning for Business

    Language learning for business: a fundamental asset in today’s globalized environment. Expand market access and improve client relations with multilingual skills. Discover the critical importance of language learning in business and its impact on market opportunities, employee performance, and client relations. Learn how to choose the right language for your business goals, effective strategies for busy professionals, and leverage language skills for career advancement. Enhance your competitive edge in the global marketplace with multilingual capabilities.

    The Importance of Language Learning in Business

    In an increasingly globalized business environment, language learning is no longer a mere add-on but a fundamental asset. Being multilingual opens up vast new market opportunities and facilitates smoother communication with international clients and partners. This edge is critical as businesses strive to establish a foothold in new regions and foster relationships beyond linguistic barriers.

    Statistics unequivocally support the positive impact of multilingual skills on business success. A study by The Economist Intelligence Unit revealed that 49% of executives admitted that language barriers have caused significant misunderstandings within multinational business settings. Conversely, businesses that invest in linguistic capabilities often report marked improvements in market access and client relations.

    The benefits of language learning extend beyond market access to tangible enhancements in employee performance. Research from Rosetta Stone highlighted that multilingual employees exhibit higher levels of problem-solving abilities and adaptability, attributes that are invaluable in a competitive business landscape. Additionally, companies with language training programs noted a significant increase in employee engagement and retention rates, with employees feeling more valued and equipped to handle diverse roles.

    Client satisfaction also sees a notable uplift when businesses prioritize language learning. Effective communication is a cornerstone of customer service, and multilingual capabilities ensure that client needs are understood and met without the usual hurdles of language differences. This focus on language proficiency not only fosters trust but also drives repeat business and brand loyalty.

    Overall, the role of language learning in business cannot be overstated. It is a powerful tool that provides a competitive advantage, allowing enterprises to overcome cultural divides, enhance operational efficiency, and create meaningful connections with clients and partners across the globe. As the business world continues to evolve, the emphasis on language learning will only grow, underscoring its critical importance for sustained business success.

    Choosing the Right Language for Your Business Goals

    Selecting the appropriate language to learn for business purposes is crucial for achieving business success. Also, This decision should be informed by several key factors, including the demographics of current and potential markets, the common languages spoken by the target audience, and the primary languages used by business partners or suppliers. Thoroughly evaluating these factors will aid in making an informed choice that aligns with strategic business goals.

    To begin with, examine your current market landscape. Investigate the prevalent languages within your target demographics. For instance, if you’re targeting Latin American markets, Spanish might be the most beneficial language to focus on. Conversely, if your business is poised to expand in Europe, languages such as German or French could provide a competitive edge.

    Understanding the language preferences of your target audience can lead to better communication, fostering stronger customer relationships and enhancing customer satisfaction. Also, This is particularly important in customer service and marketing, where language proficiency can directly impact the effectiveness of your message and customer engagement levels.

    Additionally, consider the languages spoken by your business partners and suppliers. This aspect is particularly pertinent in industries where collaboration and negotiation are key, such as manufacturing and international trade. For example, a UK-based manufacturing firm dedicated to expanding its supply chain in China may find it advantageous to invest in learning Mandarin. This can streamline operations and cultivate more robust business relationships.

    Let’s look at a case study for practical insight: A global tech startup aimed at entering the Japanese market invested in learning Japanese. The company’s knowledge of the local language facilitated smoother negotiations, enhanced trust with local partners, and expanded their customer base significantly.

    To evaluate the return on investment (ROI) for language learning, consider factors like the potential for increased sales, better market penetration, and cost savings from improved negotiations. Analyze industry needs and geographic focus to decide which language offers the highest potential benefits for your specific business scenario.

    By carefully assessing these elements, businesses can strategically select languages that align with their growth objectives, paving the way for long-term success in the global marketplace.

    Effective Language Learning Strategies for Busy Professionals

    For busy business professionals, mastering a new language can seem like a daunting task. However, with the right strategies, it is possible to integrate language learning into a hectic schedule effectively. One of the key approaches is to utilize various learning methods that align with a professional’s lifestyle. Online courses provide flexibility, allowing learners to study at their own pace and on their own time. Many courses offer a structured curriculum that covers all language aspects, from grammar to vocabulary to conversational skills.

    In addition to online courses, language apps like Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone offer convenient and interactive ways to learn. These apps are designed with busy individuals in mind, providing short, daily lessons that can be completed during breaks or commuting times. Additionally, these apps often use gamification techniques to make learning more engaging and motivating.

    For a more immersive experience, professionals can attend language immersion programs or take business trips to countries where the language is spoken. Immersing oneself in the culture not only enhances language skills but also provides real-world context that can be invaluable in business settings. For those who prefer personalized guidance, hiring a professional tutor can be beneficial. Tutors can tailor lessons to meet specific business-related language needs and help learners stay on track with their goals.

    Setting realistic goals and establishing a consistent study routine is crucial for success. Breaking down language learning into manageable chunks and setting achievable milestones can prevent overwhelm and keep motivation high. Practicing language skills in real-life business scenarios, such as role-playing meetings or presentations, can build confidence and fluency.

    Productivity tips such as integrating language learning into daily activities can be highly effective. Professionals can listen to language podcasts or watch videos during commutes, or even practice vocabulary during lunch breaks. By weaving language learning into the fabric of daily routines, busy professionals can make consistent progress without feeling burdened.

    Leveraging Language Skills for Career Advancement

    Language proficiency is a powerful asset in the modern business world, offering numerous advantages for career advancement and professional growth. Mastery of an additional language can open doors to a multitude of opportunities, including promotions, higher salaries, and leadership roles, particularly in multinational companies. Knowing the language of key markets not only demonstrates a commitment to professional development but also builds bridges across cultural and linguistic divides, enhancing overall business effectiveness.

    Being bilingual or multilingual can be a significant differentiator in today’s global job market. For instance, professionals who speak multiple languages have a distinct edge in securing job promotions and salary increments. They are often sought after for roles that require communication with international clients and partners, offering a tangible advantage in negotiations and deal-making processes. Leadership roles often favor individuals with language skills due to their ability to lead diverse teams and drive global initiatives.

    Real-life stories highlight the impact of language skills on career trajectories. Take the example of Maria, a marketing executive fluent in Spanish and English. Her bilingual capability enabled her to lead a successful expansion into Latin American markets, resulting in a substantial promotion and a seat at the executive table. Similarly, Raj, an IT professional with proficiency in Hindi and English, leveraged his language skills to manage projects across continents, rapidly climbing the corporate ladder to a senior management position.

    To leverage language skills effectively, professionals should focus on building strong networks within and outside their organizations. Engaging in multilingual networking events, joining international professional associations, and utilizing social media platforms can significantly broaden one’s professional horizons. Additionally, language proficiency aids in negotiating contracts with foreign stakeholders, ensuring clearer communication and fostering stronger business relationships. It also equips professionals to navigate cross-cultural business environments with greater ease, respect, and understanding.

    The long-term benefits of being a multilingual business professional are substantial. By mastering a new language, one not only enhances their career prospects but also cultivates a more profound understanding of global cultures and market dynamics. In an increasingly interconnected world, language skills are not just an added advantage but a critical component of sustained business success.

    Top 10 Languages for Business

    Businesses today operate in a global marketplace, and proficiency in multiple languages can provide a significant competitive edge. Here’s a list of the top 10 languages considered essential for business success:

    1. English – The global business lingua franca, widely spoken and understood in international affairs.
    2. Mandarin Chinese – The most spoken language worldwide, crucial for businesses targeting the Chinese market.
    3. Spanish – Widely spoken in the Americas and Spain, offering access to numerous emerging markets.
    4. German – The dominant language in Europe’s largest economy, important for engineering and manufacturing sectors.
    5. French – Spoken in many countries across Africa, Canada, and Europe, vital for international diplomacy and business.
    6. Arabic – Key for business in the Middle East and North Africa, a region rich in natural resources.
    7. Portuguese – Essential for engaging with Brazil, a major economy in South America, and parts of Africa.
    8. Japanese – Important for technology and automotive industries due to Japan’s prominence in these fields.
    9. Russian – Useful for tapping into the Russian market and several Eastern European countries.
    10. Hindi – Critical for business in India, one of the fastest-growing economies.

    Side-by-Side Vendor Comparison

    Choosing the right language learning tool is essential for effective learning. Here’s a comparison of some prominent vendors:

    Feature/ToolDuolingoBabbelRosetta StoneMemrisePimsleur
    CostFree (with ads), Premium $7/mo$12.95/mo$11.99/moFree, Premium $8.99/mo$14.95/mo
    Languages Offered35+14+24+16+50+
    Learning StyleGamified lessonsInteractive dialoguesImmersive techniquesVocabulary-based with videosAudio-focused lessons
    Skill FocusVocabulary, basic grammarReal-life communicationComprehensive, all skillsVocabulary, cultureListening, pronunciation
    Ease of UseVery User-friendlyUser-friendlyModerateUser-friendlyUser-friendly
    Offline AccessYes (Premium)YesYesYes (Premium)Yes
    Free TrialYes (basic free access)YesYesYes (basic free access)Yes
    Business PlansNoYesYesNoYes

    Duolingo

    • Pros: Free with a large range of languages, engaging, easy to use.
    • Cons: Less depth in advanced levels, ad interruptions in free version.

    Babbel

    • Pros: Focuses on real-life conversational skills, structured progression.
    • Cons: Limited language options compared to some competitors.

    Rosetta Stone

    • Pros: Comprehensive immersion method, long-standing reputation.
    • Cons: Pricier, can be repetitive.

    Memrise

    • Pros: Uses multimedia and videos for immersive learning.
    • Cons: Lacks in-depth grammar instructions.

    Pimsleur

    Each of these tools offers unique benefits and caters to different learning styles and needs. Choose the one that best aligns with your business goals and personal learning preferences to maximize your language learning experience.

  • Interesting English lessons using ESL worksheets

    Interesting English lessons using ESL worksheets

    ESL worksheets, English teachers often wonder, how to conduct interesting lessons that impart the necessary knowledge to their students. This is important for any age group and people with different language skills.

    Interesting English lessons using ESL worksheets: How to be Know

    Lessons should be rewarding and encourage further learning. This can be achieved by using ready-to-use English lesson plans and ESL worksheets. It is a state-of-the-art solution tailored to each level of student’s knowledge. What makes them different and how can they be used in practice?

    Interesting English lessons using ESL worksheets Image
    Interesting English lessons using ESL worksheets

    Diversified material supplemented by video

    ESL lesson plans are perfect for any teacher who wants quality teaching. The worksheets are divided into several thematic categories, allowing students to learn new vocabulary, and grammar rules engagingly. Many lessons are supplemented with video materials, thanks to which learning English is not boring. In addition, students can improve their skills not only in reading with comprehension but also in writing, listening, and building verbal statements. This allows students to improve their language skills in those areas that are particularly relevant.

    Worksheets suitable for multiple levels of knowledge

    ESL worksheets are prepared for various levels of students’ knowledge, including A2 (Pre-Intermediate), B1 (Intermediate), B2 (Upper-Intermediate), C1 (Advanced), and C2 (Proficiency). The materials are varied and cover a wide range of topics, including travel, technology, business, art, and fashion. The ready-to-use materials save you time in planning and making your next lesson. ESL lesson plans are carefully and comprehensively designed, with tips and curiosities for effective English language teaching. This allows students to gradually add to their knowledge without feeling discouraged by having to learn a lot of information at once.

    Complete lessons of varying lengths of time

    ESL lesson plans also include additional files, such as Google Slides and PDF documents. Each lesson plan includes information on the time allocated to the lesson: from 30 to as much as 90 minutes. This means you don’t have to search for material in different places, regardless of the time allocated to one topic. At the same time, you can easily engage your students in learning a foreign language in each English lesson. Some ESL worksheets also suggest topics for discussion, allowing you to practice speaking skills on topics of interest to your students. Therefore, ESL lesson plans are a convenient and modern solution that benefits both students and teachers of English.

  • The best Idea NCERT Answers For English In Grade 8

    The best Idea NCERT Answers For English In Grade 8

    NCERT Answers For English; Getting good at English is one of the most important things you can do to do well in Class 8, if not the most important thing. It’s a big deal, and it will affect your English grade in a big way. Reading literature and practicing grammar, reading comprehension, and writing can help students get a better handle on the language. Some students choose to skip it so they can study more for the test, while others think they can do it easily. Students who start their education with it have an advantage over their peers because they learn the most important information faster and get used to writing answers.

    Why Getting NCERT Answers For English In Grade 8: Super Idea

    There are four books that you have to read for Literature, and each one has its collection of poetry, prose, and fiction. Together, they help students get a better understanding of the books they read. The four parts are the following:

    • There are fourteen chapters in this reader for English students in Class 8 at the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). From chapters 7 to 9, it’s fiction, from chapters 8 to 12, it’s poetry, and the last two chapters are plays.
    • The CBSE Class 8 First Flight anthology has ten poems and ten pieces of prose.
    • There is only writing in the CBSE Class 8 Footprint Without Feet supplementary reader.
    • Making the Project’s Goals Bigger In this piece of writing, students can choose between two different ways to read it.
    • After you finish the extra reading, you can use the NCERT answers you found on the Internet. 

    Use these NCERT class 8 English as a guide

    These instructions are clear and easy to follow. Each of the 8 chapters in this book is briefly summed up in this book. There are also summaries of each chapter’s most important points. All of the answers to the problems in the books give great explanations of the basic ideas. Also included are the answers for the NCERT Supplemental Reader. Students have access to a lot of information, and this is a good way to help them make the most of what’s out there.

    This makes it easier to understand the chapter

    The language used in NCERT answers is simple, which makes it easier for students to understand the main ideas. From these answers, it looks like the kids have learned a lot about what each chapter is about. If a student goes through Footprints Without Feet twice, they will be better able to figure out where they need to pay more attention the second time.

    It can use to answer questions

    All of the problems in the NCERT Reader Supplement solve here. If students are having trouble coming up with their answers, they could use these as a place to start. People can learn from these answers by reading them and then writing their answers in the same style as the pros. Students can go to these solutions as soon as they start working on a problem to check their work and see where they can improve.

    This makes it easier for students to remember what they have learned

    The answers, which point out the most important things, help students do better on their tests. Students can be sure they won’t forget any of these ideas because they are so easy to use in their answers. So, the summaries of each chapter can help students study.

    These methods also help with revisions, which is a big plus

    Students don’t have enough time to study everything in all of their books before the test. On the other hand, you’ll be glad you have the NCERT Answers when it’s time to sit down and study. You can quickly look at the most important information, the Frequently Asked Questions, and an overview of each chapter.

    There may be a chance that a lot of time can save

    With these ways to save time, you can speed up your studying and reviewing. If students use these methods, they might be able to learn the subject faster. As students read through these NCERT answers, they will find answers to all the questions they have. Even when the kids are practicing their answers, it helps because it acts as a guide. Students can look over the answers here to make sure they don’t forget what they’ve learned. Students benefit a lot from this arrangement because they can finish their work much faster and with much less effort.

    There are a lot of ways to learn in the online world. Students can use any resources on the internet to help them do well on tests. In the same way that students would use their textbooks, they can use these NCERT Answers For English. It has been shown that using flashcards helps people remember what they have learned. With these tools, students may be able to take their studying to the next level. Study your regular textbooks along with the NCERT books, but give them the most attention. If you follow these rules, you will do well on your tests.

    The NCERT Solutions class 8 English can download from the site Infinity Learn, which is also a good place for kids to learn about math. Students in high school and college who want to study and prepare for their entrance exams can find a lot of help on their website.

    Why Getting NCERT Answers For English In Grade 8 is a Super Idea Image
    Why Getting NCERT Answers For English In Grade 8 is a Super Idea; Image by YeriLee from Pixabay.
  • The 6 Benefits or Advantages of Bilingualism for Students

    The 6 Benefits or Advantages of Bilingualism for Students

    Bilingualism Benefits and Advantages for Students; Being a college student has many challenges, from balancing classes and homework with a social life to finding ways to support yourself financially. One thing that can help you navigate all of these obstacles is being bilingual. When many students hear the word bilingual, what runs through their minds is that they would have to learn a new language. While this may be true, there are several other benefits to being bilingual that can help you succeed in college and beyond.

    Here are the articles to explain, The 6 Benefits or Advantages of Bilingualism for Students

    In addition to providing practical benefits in the workplace, learning another language has many other advantages for students that can benefit them both during their time in college and beyond. Here are six benefits or advantages of being bilingual:

    The 6 Benefits or Advantages of Bilingualism for Students Image
    The 6 Benefits or Advantages of Bilingualism for Students; Photo by Nothing Ahead from Pexels

    Enhanced Cognitive Functioning

    Being bilingual has stood shown to improve cognitive functioning, or the ability of your brain to process and retain information. Studies have found that bilinguals score higher on standardized tests, for instance, the ACT and SAT. Then those who only speak one language. This enhanced cognitive functioning can also help students remember information more quickly. Which can be invaluable when studying and taking tests. For this reason, you should find time to learn at least one other language during your college years. Whether it’s through a formal course or by finding a language partner. Having a professional test taker for hire helped me learn Spanish!

    Better Multitasking Skills

    Another advantage of being bilingual is the ability to multitask more effectively than monolinguals. Studies have shown that when people speak two or more languages. Their brains are better able to handle specific tasks at the same time while still keeping everything straight. For example, if you’re trying to study for an exam and need to look up something online simultaneously. Speaking another language can help you do both tasks without becoming overwhelmed or stressed. Instead of having one mental space for each task, multilingual have several mental spaces working together simultaneously. Which allows them to be more productive and focused.

    Increased Cultural Understanding

    Being bilingual can also help increase your cultural awareness. As you will be able to understand the nuances of another language and culture more fully than monolinguals would. For example, when speaking in a different language. It may seem as though people are talking about two completely different topics at once. But they’re just using wordplay or other linguistic devices that are unique to that particular language or culture. By learning to speak another language, you can gain access to this subtle yet crucial cultural nuance to understand people from other cultures and regions better. This increased cultural understanding is especially beneficial for students who plan on studying abroad during college. As it will help them make new friends and adapt to the local culture more easily.

    Improved Communication Skills

    As a college student, you will likely have several opportunities to interact with people from different backgrounds and cultures. This can include your classmates, professors, and other faculty members who may come from different countries or have diverse cultural experiences that you would benefit from learning about. Being bilingual allows you to communicate with these people in their native language, helping you better understand and connect with them on an interpersonal level. This can be a considerable advantage socially and professionally after graduation. Especially if you are interested in pursuing careers requiring international travel or working within multicultural organizations or with diverse populations.

    Improved Career Opportunities

    In addition to the practical advantages of being bilingual in communication, many employers are looking for individuals speaking multiple languages, mainly if they work with customers or clients from different backgrounds. Being able to communicate directly in a native language is often seen as a sign of respect and can be an essential factor when it comes to promotions and other opportunities for career advancement. Being bilingual also opens up more job possibilities for people after graduation. Whether you decide to take your first job out of college or pursue graduate school. Allows you more flexible options in terms of location and type of work. This can be especially useful if you’re interested in careers that provide international travel. Such as diplomacy, international business, and education.

    Improved Academic Performance

    As mentioned earlier, research has shown that being bilingual can help improve a student’s cognitive functioning and, therefore, academic performance. Students who speak multiple languages are more likely to do well in college. Because they can better understand course content, learn more quickly, and retain large amounts of information. This is especially important for students who plan to graduate after college. Graduate programs typically require much larger workloads than undergraduate courses and place an even greater emphasis on thinking critically about the content and analyzing information effectively.

    Conclusion

    There you have it – six critical benefits and advantages of bilingualism for college students. Whether you are planning on studying abroad, pursuing a career that requires international travel, or want to learn another language for fun, being bilingual can give you an edge in all sorts of different ways. So what are you waiting for? Start learning a new language today and see how much your college experience can improve!

  • The Ultimate Guide to Learning Spanish Online

    The Ultimate Guide to Learning Spanish Online

    Learning Spanish online has never been easier! But there are so many different learning options out there, from Spanish podcasts to Spanish apps. Where are you supposed to start?

    Do you want to learning Spanish online?

    To help you find your way in the world of online learning, we have written the ultimate guide to learning Spanish online for you!

    Why learn Spanish online?

    Traditional classroom instruction is a very effective method of learning the language, especially in Spanish-speaking countries. But not everyone has the time to attend such a Spanish course. There are so many different options online that you can now learn almost everything from the comfort of your own home.

    The Ultimate Guide to Learning Spanish Online Image
    The Ultimate Guide to Learning Spanish Online

    Besides being a very convenient option to learn Spanish, you can adapt it to your learning style and needs. Would you like to improve your listening comprehension? Try podcasts. Would you like to improve your thinking skills? Try apps and games. Would you like to work on your expression and conversational skills? Online courses and tutoring are your tickets to the Spanish-speaking world. No matter how you learn, you will find a suitable solution for everything.

    What’s the best way to learn Spanish online?

    Don’t make the mistake and only use one of the options mentioned to learn Spanish online, combine the offers. Use a website or course as your main learning source and a choice of other platforms to learn in different ways.

    If you’re looking for an efficient option to use on your commute, you should try an app. Sometimes it’s better not to set the goals too high, so you can achieve them. Even if you only learn 5 words a day, that‘s 1,825 words for the whole year and that’s an optimal basis for learning a language.

    If you’re looking for a more comprehensive option, consider opting for a paid platform or course. All of the platforms we recommend here offer you a wide range of learning materials and courses so you can progress from beginner to pro. Online Spanish courses also offer you personal contact with the teacher and individual feedback.

    Learn Spanish with websites

    It may not be as traditional as studying in a library with books, pen, and paper, but using websites has become a common way of learning Spanish. There are endless possibilities. To get the most out of these Spanish learning online websites, choose the ones that help you work on specific skills. For grammar practice, Curso De Español is a good and free option. They provide you with over 500 DIN A4 worksheets. For example, for vocabulary practice, you could try “BUSUU”. The visual material in the form of images is displayed here in addition to the new vocabulary so that you can expand your vocabulary faster.

    However, if you are looking for a comprehensive learning method, it is better to go for a website that offers complete Spanish courses. Of course, the aforementioned free options can be helpful, but if you want to master the language, a properly structured course is the ideal option.

    Learn Spanish with apps

    Your motto is: Learning by doing? Then you should learn more interactive Spanish.

    Apps are the perfect way to fit Spanish into a busy schedule. 10 minutes a day are enough and we guarantee you: your ambition will be awakened.

    Also, apps are a great option for those who are on a budget as some of the best apps like Duolingo and Memrise are free.

    It’s unlikely that a language learning app will take you from beginner to pro, but it’s a great way to learn regularly in a limited amount of time.

    We recommend these apps:

    • Duolingo – the undisputed champion of language learning apps. It is the most downloaded educational app and is used by over 200 million users every day. It’s an app that makes the learning process fun: the more you use this app, the more “lingots” (Duolingo currency) you get. This unlocks additional lessons and outfits for your character.
    • Memrise – the space style app. The playful design makes learning child’s play! Do you want to focus on your vocabulary? Then it’s the right thing for you! Another useful feature: you can learn different types of Spanish. Whether you want to go to Mexico or Madrid, with this app you are well prepared because you can learn the Spanish variation you need.
    • Babbel – the paid premium app that focuses on a long-term learning process. You might even use the app more often if you pay for it. Among the paid apps, this one definitely offers the best learning methods from beginner to pro.

    Sum Up

    The above-mentioned hacks are motivational and enjoyable to learn Spanish but to be very honest it does not work if you are not a master of Spanish. We should go through Spanish storytelling and take Spanish classes with native Spanish speakers to be fluent in Spanish.

  • Learn German Online: For Beginners best Free German Course

    Learn German Online: For Beginners best Free German Course

    Learn German Online – For Beginners, Kids, Lecturer, and Professional best Free German Course. German usually consider being a difficult foreign language to master thanks to its complex grammar and intensely long compound words that are hard to pronounce. But, in fact, a minimum of for an English speaker, German isn’t too difficult. Also, many local dialects, which are still in use, are thought to form understanding problematic; you ought to not worry an excessive amount of this either as foreigners rarely confront German dialects. Nonetheless, there are some basic facts you will know before you start learning German online.

    Learn Online, the Best Free German Lessons for Beginners;

    Most of the free courses you’ll find on the web also include German lessons for beginners but not all of them are suitable for absolute beginners. Many of them are too ambitious and skip the fundamentals while instructions only give in German. However, the bulk of German learners will agree that for complete beginners; it’s important to search out a course that has instructions in their native tongue or their second language like English. From level A2 onwards they ought to be ready to use lessons that are in German only; a number of the most effective free resources for learning basic German online (where the language of instruction is English) are:

    Best Free German Course idea first;

    • German lessons with Eva may be a great channel for all those that are searching for an easy approach to learning German. Also, A German teacher Eva will in 30 lessons (divided into three-course units) facilitate your get to grips with German pronunciation and grammar and can teach you the foremost important German phrases and words.
    • Duolingo could be a free German course for beginners and pre-intermediate learners; you’ll create your own profile (though it’s not necessary) and begin learning German basics straight away. If you’re on a pre-intermediate level you may first take a placement test before you’ll be able to start taking free lessons. This course should teach you to speak on a basic level when visiting a German-speaking country and is cherish level A1, perhaps A2.
    • Deutsche Welle has developed German lessons for absolute beginners, additionally to courses and exercises for intermediate and advanced students. The course called Deutschtrainer, consisting of 10 video lessons with a full transcript and explanation in English, is that the most elementary. Each lesson may download either in MP3, MP4, or FLV format.
    • Deutsch-Online-Lernen.com presents 22 well-structured free lessons with exercises for beginners. Each lesson focuses on a special aspect of German grammar; you’ll find this course also on their youtube channel (though lesson no. 22 is missing).

    Best Free German Course idea second;

    • Goethe Verlag offers 100 free German lessons for beginners who have some basic knowledge of the German language (level A2). Each of those lessons consists of easy English sentences that you simply ask to translate into German; you’re supplied with the initial letter of every German word within the sentence to assist you with the interpretation. If in trouble, you’ll hear the recording of the interpretation. this can also help train your German listening comprehension. Mobile apps of this German course are available for download for a low fee.
    • Radio D may be a free audio course from Goethe Institute develop jointly with Deutsche Welle. There are two series for learners or beginners (levels A1 and A2), each consisting of 26 episodes; this is often an innovative approach to teaching a distant language. Check it bent to see whether it’s your cup of tea; you’ll also download this audio course from iTunes to your mobile device.
    • Learn German with Anja is an unconventional and fun way of learning German basics with a German utterer. There are around 150 video lessons to assist you with pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and listening comprehension.
    • Languages Online could be a learning platform of the Department of Education and Training of Victoria State in Australia that gives free resources for language teachers and students. Besides other languages, there’s also a free interactive German beginner course. In 35 lessons you’ll learn basic vocabulary like greetings, numbers, the names of animals, body parts, members of the family, colors, days and months, foods, clothes, school items, words that describe whether and the way to inform the time; this is often an awfully basic course suitable for total beginners. for every lesson, you’ll download worksheets in PDF format.

    Tips;

    Please note that German courses for learners listed above only include those that specifically tailor for adult german beginners. Hence, you’ll not find German beginner courses for kids amongst them. Likewise, beginner lessons that form a part of more comprehensive courses for German learners of all skill levels including German beginner lessons on downloadable PDF files still as YouTube videos for beginners were omitted from this list; they’ll all find it under the corresponding links above.

    Learn German for beginners;

    Learn German online free – easy, own way self-managing, and free! Only a few tables of German grammar offer an initial idea of ​​the German language and its grammar. With our handpicked interactive exercises, divided into three levels, you can practice the rules of German grammar if you have time and want to immerse yourself in your new second language, German. Example sentences complement the German course for learners or beginners.

    Remember, you don’t need any knowledge of German to start learning this course and learn German online for free! Here’s how it works:

    Lesson:

    With the help of a short grammar table, the lesson provides an overview of the basic German grammar rules. Also, Basic and simple verb table forms and introduction to German syntax are present in a simple and easy-to-understand way. German courses are specially developed for beginners.

    Practice:

    All grammar tables are equipped with German exercises on three levels. You can examine or test your value of progress interactively and independently and apply what you have learned in grammar lessons. Also, The available levels of learning goals are “easy-simple”, “medium-equal” and “difficult-higher”. There is also a print version for everyone who wants to work offline.

    Example:

    Example sentences fit each grammatical table and help complete German lessons for beginners. Famous sights in Vienna are explained and illustrated with photos. Also, Learn German online and get to know one of the most beautiful cities in Europe: Vienna, Austria.

    Word lists:

    For each interactive practice and exercise in the German course, there is a word list as an aid. Also, The alphabetical word list provides an overview of the vocabulary of all the beginner course exercises.

    Find out about your German state! With our online German test, you can easily assess your current knowledge of German. Online German lessons for beginners absolutely free! To access all content, please register in our user area – quickly and easily! Without a password, you still have unlimited access to the first three lessons and a short test.

    Learn German Online - For Beginners best Free German Course Image
    Learn German Online: For Beginners best Free German Course; Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay.
  • What are the top ways to learn Spanish Fast Online?

    What are the top ways to learn Spanish Fast Online?

    Learn Spanish Fast Online – What are the top ways? How about speaking Spanish? At this point, you can now speak some Spanish if you wish. Technically, you’re already talking when you’re following the dialogue. If you are brave, now is the time to talk to a local or Spanish teacher. This will help you overcome your fear of talk and speaking! But never forget that simply speaking Spanish won’t make you a better (or more natural) Spanish speaker! This is one of those strange paradoxes in language learning that most people don’t understand. But it’s very true.

    If you’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, you’re not alone; Ten million people learn languages every day around the world. And no wonder! Spanish is a language full of beauty, levels of meaning, and rich history of the language. Learn Spanish in Madrid, It can take you around the world, from South America to Spain to the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

    But you may have a lot of questions about what it takes to get started – or why it’s worth it. The good news is that you can rest assured that learning Spanish is worth it. With the right technology to guide you along the way, you will see your efforts pay off in many ways.

    Why learn Spanish fast?

    Learning a new language is a challenge that can open your mind to new perspectives and help you connect with all kinds of people around the world and languages. The reasons for learning Spanish are very valid. Here are a few reasons why spending time learning Spanish is a good idea:

    Reasons to learn Spanish fast online.

    Learning a new skill can help you express your creativity, stimulate your mind, and discover new aspects of yourself in the process. Learning a new language like English to Spanish or Spanish to English is no exception! Here are some of the many ways that learning Spanish can have a positive impact on your life.

    Develop your Spanish business skills.

    If you are a professional looking for a way to stay competitive and relevant in the global marketplace, learning a new language – Spanish in particular – is not going to work. A large number, Latin America and South America are emerging markets full-size of business opportunities. Learning Spanish is a fantastic way to connect with colleagues from other countries, attract new customers, build strong relationships with Spanish-speaking partners and investors, and showcase the multicultural, international, and inclusive nature of your brand.

    Use your tongue to train your brain.

    Learning a new language is a very solid way to keep your brain flexible and agile, especially as you age. Don’t give in to the argument that once you grow up, you’re somehow worse at learning languages! Choosing a new language is more than memorizing a vocabulary list (although you will definitely sharpen your vocabulary along the way).

    This includes making connections between these words and what they represent, speaking and thinking spontaneously on your toes, taking up challenges when they are frustrating and confusing, and listening very actively. If you’re short on intellectual stimulation, there are slightly better ways to work your mental muscles than learning Spanish.

    Immerse yourself in Spanish culture, unfiltered.

    Learning Spanish will not only give you a better understanding of the language itself, but also the arts and culture of the world it uses. Reading literature from excellent Spanish-speaking writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jorge Luis Borges, and Pablo Neruda means engaging with language in some of its most beautiful and poetic expressions. Through a Spanish lens, you can see lyrics to classic flamenco songs and more actively immerse yourself in more modern Spanish-language media such as Spanish podcasts, radio shows, books, and TV shows.

    The stories and recipes of world-famous culinary creations, the dialogue of famous Latin American and Spanish films, and the most exciting streams of Spanish journalism will be at your disposal as you learn Spanish. And if you come from a family with Hispanic ancestry and ancestry but don’t speak the language yourself, learning Spanish is a great way to connect with your heritage.

    Learn Spanish for Travel.

    When you have a Spanish identity in your big opportunity, you have a passport to a whole new world. Learning Spanish doesn’t just mean you’ll be able to find your way around new cities by reading street signs, menus, and train tickets. It also allows you to connect with new people you meet there. It’s often said that the best way to see a new place is through the eyes of a local, and learning Spanish allows you to break away from the tourist attractions and step into the real world as the locals see it. Whether on the beaches of Barcelona, the many streets of Mexico City, the ruins of the Incas in Peru, or elsewhere, Spanish is the official language, you’ll be better prepared to get off the beaten track if you have Spanish in your language. repertoire.

    Spanish living abroad in Spain and Latin America.

    Whether you want to enroll in a foreign-language Spanish university and get an alternative college experience, find a boarding job where you can surf during the day and work at night, or want to retire in a calmer tropical climate, the practical approach is to use to achieve language experience. The most interesting. By placing yourself in an environment where you need to speak Spanish – as if you lived in Spain – you will speed up your journey to Spanish. Learning Spanish is the door to a stable, colorful, and new adventure in life!

    Find out how to really learn Spanish Fast.

    Before we get started, there are a few things we need to improve on… Because years of language learning in schools and traditional courses (perhaps even with language apps) have likely left you with some wrong (and counterproductive) ideas of language learning. If we don’t fix it now, you will lose a lot of time.

    This is how most people think that learning Spanish (and other languages) works. I call this the design approach.

    • You will learn words to convey objects, concepts, feelings, etc.
    • You learn grammar rules. That way you can take words and make sentences from them.
    • Putting together sentences like this is a pretty slow process at first because there are so many rules to remember.
    • You think: “I have to be faster here!”
    • So you do a lot of grammar practice, fill out the conjugation table, and if you’re brave, try to speak a lot of Spanish.
    • In theory, if you do it long enough, you’ll eventually be able to speak Spanish fluently!

    What is the best way to learn Spanish fast?

    Let’s do a quick reality check! If you want to learn Spanish on your own, you’ll need a few things;

    • Motivation (to continue)
    • Focus (to be effective)
    • Time (for everything to sink)

    Without these three things, it is impossible to learn a language.

    In all my work with language learners, there seems to be one deadly way to be successful – keep it simple! Since there are tons of Spanish websites, apps, and courses out there, jumping from one to the other can be tempting. But there’s one golden rule to remember… “It’s usually more effective to rummage through books or stick to research methods than to try different things out of curiosity.”

    So how does learning Spanish work?

    Successful language learning works more like this:

    • You will learn some basic words to describe concepts, objects, feelings, etc. So far so good.
    • But now you’re starting to see native Spanish speakers. They listen to what they say in conversation and how they say it.
    • As you watch, you’ll discover exactly how native speakers express themselves … because you have words and word combinations right in front of you.
    • As you listen, you might think, “Oh, so that’s what a native Spanish speaker would say!”
    • Your sentence structure will likely be slightly different from what you are used to in your native language. This will give you some grammatical explanations that explain what you see in native-speaker sentences.
    • You’ve seen what word combinations natural speakers use (called chunks) so you know they’re right. So instead of learning individual words, you learn these word combinations immediately. This way, you can bypass many of the grammar rules.
    • You start using these word combinations yourself when you speak Spanish.
    • You listen and watch more and more so you can find more of these word combinations.
    • Here we are speaking in natural sentences which the local Spanish will also use. From the beginning.

    Is there any logic in it? I call it the OBSERVATION approach to language learning – and it’s the fastest way to learn a language I’ve ever seen. It’s also very intuitive.

    What are the top ways to learn Spanish Fast Online Image
    What are the top ways to learn Spanish Fast Online? Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay.
  • Making the Feedback Training Method Work

    Making the Feedback Training Method Work

    This post will give you some practical suggestions in applying the Feedback Training Method work to your language study, helping you to gain fluency as quickly as possible. 

    Making the Feedback Training Method Work:

    From past experience with the Spoken English Learned Quickly course, it is fair to say that these methods can help you double the rate at which you acquire a new language.  That is, in hour-for-hour of study, you can reach the same fluency level in six months that you would otherwise reach in a full year of study relying only on an established school’s program.  This language-learning rate should be just as attainable when using your own program in an area where formal instruction limited.

    In order to succeed, however, you must remember the four rules that were previously given in:

    1. To learn to speak a language correctly, you must speak it aloud.
    2. To learn to speak a language fluently, you must think in that language.
    3. The more you speak a language aloud, the more quickly you will learn to speak fluently.
    4. You must never make a mistake when you are speaking.

    There is no alternative to committing a great amount of time to language study.  If you are devoting full time to it, then try to spend a full eight hours a day, five days a week on language study.  Ideally, that will be eight hours devoted to actual speaking by means of recorded exercises and newspaper reading.  If you are enrolled in a structured class, you will need to supplement your class and preparation time with additional newspaper reading and spoken exercises for a total of eight hours of study each day.

    Whatever your schedule permits — from one hour a day to eight hours a day — bring as much spoken the language of your study time as possible.

    If you are applying the four rules above and simultaneously thinking, speaking out loud, and listening to yourself in your target language, you are using a Feedback Training Method of language study.

    Learning an alphabet:

    Let’s assume that you are a first language English-speaking adult, that you possibly also have a college degree, and that you know the Latin alphabet.  With this background, you should find it fairly easy to learn the alphabet for languages such as Polish and others that use additional accents and diacritical marks.

    However, if you are learning a language that uses another alphabet, you will need to learn that alphabet first.

    Most languages use a relatively small number of letters in their alphabet.  You would severely hamper your language learning efforts if you did not first learn that short alphabet.  Some languages have considerably longer alphabets, and you may not need to learn all of the letters before starting to study the spoken language itself.  On the other hand, Chinese is the only language that uses only characters while Japanese uses two alphabets and additional Chinese characters.  In time, you will want to learn as many characters as possible.  However, with no personal experience to guide me regarding these two languages. I would think that your time might better spent by initially concentrating on the spoken language.

    Making the Feedback Training Method work during formal language study:

    If you are studying in a highly structured program which emphasizes written assignments. You will need to supplement that study with spoken language.  Our bias against written assignments for language learning does not concern the accuracy of the sentences themselves.  In all likelihood, the written sentences used in these language programs are an excellent representation of the language.  They should, however, learned as spoken phrases rather than as written sentences.

    If you are in a language program that emphasizes written assignments, then after completing the written portion of the daily work, spend your additional study time using the assignments as spoken exercises.

    1. Practice only with written sentences that you know to be correct. You may want to use the sentences from the previous day’s lesson after they have been corrected in class.  Or you may have access to a first language speaker who can check them for you.  Avoid getting your primary help from an advanced student who is a first language speaker of your own language.
    2. In the early part of your study, be very certain that your pronunciation is correct. When the pronunciation of your own language and the target language are similar, this will not be a major problem.  In other instances, it will be a serious concern.  For example, a first language English speaker cannot learn proper French pronunciation without help from either a first language French-speaking person or some form of audio recordings.
    3. In some cases, you can record short segments from the local television or radio programs for use as pronunciation drills.
    4. In time, your pronunciation will become more reliable and you can return to reading written class assignments and newspapers aloud for pronunciation practice.
    5. You will need to use a mix of methods when you are reading. The second rule above suggests that you never merely read the sentences, but that you also recite the sentences from recall memory.  That is, you read a sentence aloud and then look away from the page and immediately repeat the sentence from memory.  On the other hand, there will be times when reading an entire newspaper article or written language assignment aloud, using precise pronunciation, will be of great benefit.  Reading longer portions without pause will develop your sense of the cadence of your target language.  Be creative in adding variety so that you are able to maintain the intense schedule while avoiding the monotony that could undermine your best intentions.
    6. In all likelihood, if you are in a structured class, verbs, as well as other types of speech. Will be introduced progressively rather than as was suggested in; Studying the Verb. You may greatly enhance your learning speed if you construct verb tables as you encounter new verbs.  Very quickly, you should be able to take any new regular verb and recite the entire table without first writing it.  You may find it to be helpful to make tables with suffixes and prefixes while leaving blank spaces for the verb root.  Then each time you encounter a new verb, you can refer to that table for spoken practice.  As already suggested, get into the habit of learning each verb in its entirety.  Also, develop the habit of learning the verb as a spoken rather than written vocabulary word.
    7. If you are in a classroom language study program, you will undoubtedly have a language textbook that will provide enough information for you to be able to construct your own verb tables.
    8. When you begin the study, you will have a limited vocabulary that will not permit you to practice individual verbs in the context of a sentence. Again, turn to your newspaper.  Find sentences that include specific verbs with the tenses and persons you are looking for.  Look up the vocabulary for those sentences and then use the full sentences in spoken practice.  With that model sentence, you can construct oral drills by changes in person or tense.
    9. During your initial language study, the process suggested in the previous paragraph will be slow. It may require a good deal of time for you to find a sentence that can appropriately adapted and then to find the meaning of each word.  Don’t discouraged.  The laborious process is still teaching you important lessons about the language.  Soon it will take far less time as you become familiar with vocabulary and syntax.
    10. Notice that the emphasis on speaking not initially done “on the street.” Of course, as quickly as you are able, you will want to engage in live conversation. Understand, however, that your polite listeners will allow you to use their language incorrectly.  Because they will feign understanding, you will be unable to determine if your syntax or pronunciation is correct.  Carefully apply the fourth rule and try to learn basic syntax before you get into the habit of using words that

    will just get you by because your listeners are polite or have learned to interpret what you mean.

    Making the Feedback Training Method work as your only language course:

    Several assumptions made in this section.  Presumably, the target language spoken by a relatively large population, used in public education, and, at least to some degree, used in university level education.  Also, presumably books and newspapers are readily available in the language.

    We are also assuming that you will be able to locate a language helper who has the equivalent of a public school education.  Better yet, your language helper will be a university student.  University students trying to earn extra money are good language helpers.  They also have excellent contacts among their peers which would permit a substitute if they become temporarily — or permanently — unavailable.

    This post is not concerned with a target language that is unwritten and/or used by a remote and isolated group of people.  There are organizations that deal with language learning in that setting.  Therefore, devising a method for learning that language is not the intent of this book.

    You may find that language courses actually offered in the country by a university or private tutors.  However, you may have used them and decided that they are not effective for you.  Typically, these courses will consist largely of lectures on grammar or culture and will have class sizes that are too large to allow for significant spoken language experience.  They will provide little to nothing in audio playback language laboratories or pre-recorded spoken language exercises.

    You may enroll in a class as described above but plan on supplementing your class work with a great deal of additional spoken material as suggested in the section on formal classes.  Enrolling in this kind, of course, gives you access to a language teacher who could correct your pronunciation and syntax problems.  On the other hand, after evaluating the language courses that are locally available. You may decide that you would accomplish more by designing your own spoken language course.

    The information in the following sub-headings should help you structure your course.

    Selecting a language helper. 

    If you live close to a university, a student might be a good choice.  If you use a Feedback Training Method, an effective language helper does not need to have any training as a language teacher as long as they speaks your target language fluently.  In fact, if you feel confident in establishing the kind of language learning program suggested in this book. You may find that a university student with training as a language teacher could actually hinder your progress.  In all probability, this training would place the high value on teaching grammar.  In the absence of a local university, a secondary school student or graduate could also serve the purpose just as well.

    You will want a language helper who speaks clearly, can read well, and has an acceptable voice for recording purposes.  The language helper should also be able to write and spell correctly.  In your study, you will be using written exercise pages that your language helper will write.  It is important that you see correctly written sentences with correct spelling.  Of course, as suggested in; Selecting a Text, you will also use a newspaper which well edited, with good grammar and spelling.

    Your language helper will be making voice recordings that you will use for practice.  It is important that his or her pronunciation is correct and clear so that you can be confident in mimicking the recording.  As much as possible, find a language helper who speaks with a normal cadence.  Also be aware that missing front teeth or speech impediments will likely distort pronunciation.

    Initially, if you and your language helper share another language in common other than the target language. You could use it for communicating as you establish the pay, the study schedule, and your expectations.  In many parts of the world, you would expect to pay your language helper at least weekly, if not daily.

    Training your language helper. 

    Understand the skill differences between you and your language helper.  They is the expert in the language — you are not.  You are the expert in the language learning method — they is not.  After you have studied for a while, you could presumptuously assume that you know more about the language than your language helper does, hindering the process.  That can happen more often than you might imagine! On the other hand, your language helper has more than likely studied language in school using a grammar-based method. 

    If the university system uses a European language as the means of instruction. Your language helper will almost certainly have studied that European language’s grammar for many years in school.  It would also mean that grammar study was superimposed on the local language.  Your language helper will expect that you want him or her to teach you grammar.  It would be surprising if your language helper would initially understand the Feedback Training Method of using only spoken the language.

    In all probability, your language helper will expect that you are paying him or her to give you grammar lessons.  They will probably further expect that the language of instruction will rely heavily on a common language between you. Either they has studied English or you have studied French or another language of instruction used in the local university.  Your language helper may also have an agenda, hoping to practice English as well.

    Considering all of the above, you have an important task ahead of you in training your language helper to speak only the target language.  Nonetheless, in this section let’s assume that you have a common language in which you can communicate to some degree.  However, you will not be using this common language for instruction.  All instruction will be in your target language.  You will need to work together as a team — you will be guiding the language sessions. While your language helper will be providing the language expertise.

    Developing initial exercises. 

    The following suggestions assume that you have no language ability in your target language and that you are just beginning your initial language study.

    1. Start with the “hello”s and “goodbye”s of the language. Show your language helper that you want to mimic everything they says and that you want to speak at a normal cadence, using correct pronunciation.  Work with your language helper until the two of you can carry out a complete conversation using the appropriate greetings and farewells.
    2. Keep a notebook in which your language helper writes every phrase they is suggesting to you. When you have written the phrases in the notebook, the two of you should be able to repeat the phrases as a dialogue.
    3. Work on vocabulary. You will keep a vocabulary notebook that is separate from the phrase notebook your language helper is using.  Make a list of vocabulary words and write the definitions in English.
    4. Using your recording equipment, have your language helper record four or five phrases as a test recording. After each phrase, your language helper must pause long enough to give you time to repeat the phrase.  However, your voice is not recorded.  Now, demonstrate how you will use the recording during a study.  This will give your language helper a better idea of how much time should be allowed during the pauses.
    5. If the pause time is either too short or too long, re-record the first phrases until it is correct. Then finish the recording so that all phrases written in the notebook are recorded.  Depending on the time allowed for each session, this may complete the first lesson.
    6. You will keep both the phrase notebook and the vocabulary notebook with you.
    7. After your language helper leaves, you will spend a number of hours studying before the next lesson. You will practice until you can say all of the phrases with good pronunciation without referring to the phrase notebook.  You will also learn all of the vocabularies.
    8. During your next lesson, you may introduce the idea of verb tables. Select verbs from the vocabulary.  Have your language helper give you all of the tenses and persons. Other grammatical functions placed within the verb if pertinent to that language.  If it is a common verb, be alert to the fact that it may be an irregular verb.  If you have purchased language texts for your target language, you may already have textbooks giving all of this information.  If so, you can prepare the initial table information without your language helper’s involvement.
    9. Have your language helper write a number of the verbs used in the first lesson in table format. Have him or her repeat each person and tense — and other verb grammar functions — as demonstrated in; Studying the Verb.  Respond by repeating everything your language helper says.  Finally, using appropriate pauses, have your language helper record all of the verb tables they has just written.  This will probably be the end of the second lesson.
    10. Again, you will study using the recordings until you can repeat everything from the first two lessons perfectly without looking at the phrase or vocabulary notebooks.
    11. During the next lesson, have your language helper write simple sentences for each person and tense for as many verb tables as you will be able to finish and record for that lesson. Use as many of the words as possible which are already on your vocabulary list.  You will need to encourage your language helper to frequently reuse vocabulary you are already familiar with.  They must be in the habit of using your vocabulary notebook whenever new phases are written for recording.
    12. In successive lessons, you can complete more verb tables and example sentences for each of the verbs you have already used. Of course, new example sentences will introduce new verbs.  The new verbs will introduce even more new vocabulary as the new sample phrases are written and recorded.  Be creative and you will find that this process will be self-perpetuating. Producing enough material for many weeks of intense language study.  You will also soon accumulate enough recorded material so that you can profitably spend many hours a day repeating it.
    13. There is a mistake you must avoid. Your objective is not to review the recordings until you merely understand the meaning and the vocabulary.  You will reach that point quickly.  You should study every recording until you can flawlessly pronounce each phrase.  That will take considerably more work.  Do not be satisfied with merely understanding the phrases.  Work until you can reproduce the phrases with the fluency of a first language speaker.

    Selecting a text. 

    At some point, you will begin drawing your text from a newspaper.  Three previously stated principles need to be reviewed regarding newspapers as language study aids:

    • You will need to select your newspaper carefully. Making certain that it is an edition that uses everyday common language rather than one that uses a literary style.
    • You cannot use a newspaper for language study without having appropriate pronunciation assistance. During your early study, you will want to have your language helper guide you so that your pronunciation is correct.  You may want to read the article together and then continue reading the same article after your language helper leaves for the day.  You should have your language helper record the newspaper article with appropriate pauses.
    • You should always read the newspaper aloud.

    It may be helpful to have two identical newspapers so that both you and your language helper have the same text.  You will proceed much as you did earlier.  Initially, you will be able to use a single newspaper article for many weeks. So you do not need to buy a newspaper for each session.

    1. Select a short article that interests you. Your language helper may help you make selections based on the vocabulary or expressions contained in the article.
    2. Start by reading the article together. Have your language helper read a phrase, and then you reread the same phrase yourself until your pronunciation is perfect.  Then go to the next phrase or sentence, and so on.
    3. When you begin to study the same sentences on the recording, you will not be looking at the newspaper. Your response will be entirely from recall memory.  Therefore, show your language helper how longer sentences should be broken into shorter phrases.  For examples, see Appendix B: Text Exercises.
    4. During your practice reading, it might be helpful for your language helper to insert slash marks in the text to indicate where pauses should occur during the recording.
    5. Develop vocabulary lists in your vocabulary notebook as you have already done.
    6. Continue to develop verb tables.
    7. Add a new category for expressions and idioms. A newspaper will generally use many common expressions.  Identify each expression and define it.  In many cases, keywords may be substituted in the expression to change either the subject or the action of the expression.  You may also be able to change the time of the expression with the verb tense.  Learn how the expression can be modified.
    8. In time, your language helper may write actual exercises using word substitution or verb manipulation. However, this may require more time than is available during the lesson period that, in fairness, may require additional payment.

    The alphabet and numbers. 

    Assuming that your target language uses an alphabet with a relatively few letter. You will want to learn the correct pronunciation of each letter in order to be able to spell words for first language speakers.  You will also want to learn the correct pronunciation for numbers.  Construct simple drills for both letters and numbers.  Review the drills frequently enough that you can readily use both letters and numbers, utilizing perfect pronunciation.  See the alphabet and number drills in Appendix A: Introductory Lesson.

    You will probably use numbers more frequently because they are a part of daily conversation in making purchases.  Consequently, you will probably gain fluency with numbers relatively quickly.  However, be certain that you also learn the alphabet.  As a foreigner, you will frequently be asked to spell words.  It will be a great help to you if you learn to spell fluently in your target language.

    Finally, if your target language uses a monetary system that is identified with anything other than simple numbers such as we use in English. For example, we say seven dollars or three hundred and eighty dollars — you will also need to learn to rapidly use that system as well.  For example, in the country in which I lived for nine years, a price could be specified in either MGF francs or the national aviary.  The ariary was worth five MGF francs.  In the larger cities, you could get by with calling the price 350 francs.  In remote areas, one was forced to bargain by calling the same amount 70 ariary.  I learned, much to my chagrin, that mistakenly bargaining a price for 350 ariary was going to cost me a lot more than 350 francs.  At least I won that bartering round at my first stated price!

    Recording the exercises. 

    In spite of the high technology equipment that is available today for MP3 and CD (compact disc) computer-based recording. Some may still prefer the low-tech cassette tape recorder.  It is inexpensive and easy to use as both a recording and a playback machine, and it has a pause button and counter that facilitates use in language study.  However, if you take a recorder with you, you will need to either take an ample supply of cassette tapes with you or verify that tapes can be purchased locally.  Also, make certain that any equipment you take with you will work on the supplied voltage and frequency of that country.

    If you use a cassette recorder, limit your cassettes to the 60-minute length or less.  Longer duration cassettes use thinner tape that will not hold up to repeated forward and reverse usage in language study.  The thinner tape also tangles more easily.

    Today’s choice, however, would be MP3 technology.  If you use an iPod or MP3 player and have appropriate computer equipment. You may find that making the voice recording on a CD and downloading it to the MP3 player is a good alternative.  You can also purchase auxiliary attachments that permit an iPod to record directly.  In this case, you will probably want to upload your MP3 files to a computer so that they could be stored on CDs.  Many MP3 players may be paused just like a cassette tape recorder.

    You will need to establish a routine with your language helper.  During the time they is helping you, you will be working on text material that will be spontaneously organized or written as recorded exercises.  In addition, you may also record verb tables and the like.  You will need to allow enough time so that each day’s recording can be completed.

    View the recorded material as the most important part of the lesson time spent with your language helper.  You can easily get three or four hours of language practice time from each hour of recorded material.  Thus, live conversation with your language helper will only give you an hour of spoken language for an hour of your language helper’s time. Whereas an hour of recording will give you a minimum of three or four hours of spoken language time for the same hour of your language helper’s time.  In addition, past recorded exercises can be frequently reviewed, which will give you even that much more spoken language exercise.

    There will also be days when your language helper is not available because of illness, school schedule, holidays, and other reasons.  Previously recorded exercises will allow you to continue language study without lost time.

  • Studying the Verb

    Studying the Verb

    Unlock the secrets of studying the verb in diverse languages. Explore the significance of influxive languages and their impact on linguistic precision.

    Studying the Verb: Unraveling Language Structures

    Each language has distinct qualities that will require unique and specific exercises.  Many languages are inflexive and use declensions in which certain words indicate agreement or specialized meaning.  Inflexive languages have well-developed verbs with numerous forms.  If your target language is inflexive, you will need to use carefully developed verb exercises.  (English, however, is not an inflexive language.)

    Many modern languages add a great deal of precision by their use of these linguistic constructions.  For example, an adjective may definitively identified with the noun that it modifies by its agreement in gender and number, thus setting it apart from other adjective/noun combinations within the same context.  Since written language derived from spoken language, the focus of this chapter is primarily the variations of meaning that result from manipulation of the spoken language.  The following two definitions are important here:

    • An inflexive language is one that adds one phoneme — or one moneme in its written form — to a verb to denote case, number, gender, person, tense, etc. A phoneme is the smallest linguistic sound carrying meaning, whereas a moneme is the smallest linguistic unit (typically a letter in a phonemic alphabet) identifying a specific phoneme.
    • Declension is the occurrence of inflection in nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, indicating such features as number (typically singular vs. plural), case (subject, object, and other case functions), and gender. Declension occurs in a great many of the world’s languages.

    This post will demonstrate how specialized exercises which focus on unique qualities in a language can constructed.  It is easy to demonstrate this type of exercise by using the English verb as an example.  Probably nothing marks adults struggling to learn English quite as much as their improper use of verbs in regard to person and tense.  Therefore, when teaching English to adults, it is necessary to use specialized English verb drills.

    Of course, you will need to adapt these examples of English verb exercises to your own needs as you begin learning your target language.  Inasmuch as English adjectives seldom modified in order to agree with gender and number, we cannot give sample exercises for that purpose, though you could certainly develop them for French, Spanish, and many other languages.  Other languages would require extensive exercises for the case within the verb.  And were you to be studying Cantonese, you would certainly need to develop exercises using its six tons.

    A short introduction to verb drills:

    All of these illustrations taken from the Spoken English Learned Quickly language course.  In my own personal experience with language learning, I was frustrated when I would learn a present tense, then a week or two later learn its past or future tense, only to come back to it again a few months later to learn its subjunctive form.  I would have done much better had I learned each verb as a complete unit.  When I was studying French, the verb “etre” (to be) evolved into at least four verbs. 

    First I learned the present tense etre, later the past tense etre, still later the future tense etre, and finally, an entirely new etre verb form called the subjunctive.  It would have been much more effective for me to have learned one verb having four tenses than to have learned four separate tenses as though each was a new verb.

    Of course, I am exaggerating to make a point.  Yet, if we make a single package out of each verb, learning it in all its forms simultaneously, it becomes a far simpler memory task.  In addition, full use of each verb as it learned gives greater initial command of the language.  I said many things incorrectly until months later when I finally learned the subjunctive form.  Then I wasted additional time retraining my mind to use the subjunctive form in place of the tenses I had previously thought I was using correctly.  I spent more time learning and then unlearning incorrect verb constructions than had I learned fewer verbs initially but learned them in their entirety.

    There is, however, another equally forceful argument for learning all forms of the verb at one time.  As I have taught the Spoken English Learned Quickly course, I have discovered that in a relatively few week of learning all new verbs in their entirety, adult students who have no previous knowledge of English are able to conjugate verbs which they have never before encountered.  I have experimented with this many times.  I choose an obscure regular verb and find a student who does not know its meaning. 

    Then I have the student conjugate it in all of its persons and tenses.  Only after they have successfully conjugated the verb do I tell them what it means.  It is an amazing process to see.  (Spoken English Learned Quickly was designed to used as a self-study course.  Most students study on their own.  However, I have often conducted a weekly two-hour group session as a means of encouraging the students.  It is during the group sessions that I have used these spoken conjugation drills.)

    We strongly encourage you to learn all forms of each verb the first time you encounter them in your study.  Verbs will become much more useful to you in a shorter period of time.

    In traditional language instruction, once a particular verb tense supposedly learned, it is then assumed that the students know that form and no longer need to review it.  Yes, the students may be able to write all the present tense forms of a particular regular verb, but that is not the objective.  Can they use all of those forms in spontaneous spoken English? In the Spoken English Learned Quickly course, the instruction does not stop when students are able to write the endings of certain verbs.  The goal is to help the students reach a level of fluency in which they can correctly use the verb in all of its tenses and persons in normal speech.

    That will be your objective as you learn to speak your target language.  Do not satisfied by simply learning verb tense and the person in written form.  You will not know a particular verb until you can use it fluently in spontaneous conversation.

    For the same reason that you were encouraged to learn cognate forms of words in Selecting a Text, you encouraged to learn all of the individual forms of a single verb at one time.  This will greatly reduce the time required to learn verb vocabulary.  Depending on your target language, this could include tenses, persons, imperatives, declensions, etc.  Combining all forms of each verb as you learn them will also improve your intuitive understanding of that particular verb.  You will be better able to use the verb in its different forms when you want to use it to convey a similar meaning.

    All of the above comments relate to spoken language.  You may find it helpful to write tables.  But you must learn to use the words in the tables as spoken vocabulary, not merely as written tables.

    Four types of verb drills:

    The Spoken English Learned Quickly lessons use four verb table forms.  In the early lessons, only the following form used.  It will called an “A” format for this illustration:

    An “A” format English verb drill.

    TO OWN (to own) / She promised to own it.  (She promised to own it.) Own.  (Own.) / Please own it.  (Please own it.) owning (owning) / He is owning it.  (He is owning it.) owned (owned) / it is owned (it is owned) / it was owned (it was owned) / it will be owned (it will be owned)

    • I own (I own) / he owns (he owns) / she owns (she owns) / it owns (it owns) / you own (you own) / we own (we own) / they own (they own)
    • I owned (I owned) / he owned (he owned) / she owned (she owned) / it owned (it owned) / you owned (you owned) / we owned (we owned) / they owned (they owned)
    • I will own (I will own) / he will own (he will own) / she will own (she will own) / it will own (it will own) / you will own (you will own) / we will own (we will own) / they will own (they will own).

    Since all of the exercises recorded as audio lessons, the students respond by repeating the words enclosed in the ellipses (. . .).  A Student Workbook is provided that contains the written text for all spoken drills.  The parenthetical phrases included in the written text.  Thus, the narrator says, “to own” and the students respond, “to own.” The narrator says, “She promised to own it,” and the students respond, “She promised to own it.” Everything is spoken, and as soon as the students understand a new exercise, they put the written text aside and complete the exercise by using only the audio recording without the text.

    Repeated use of this format allows the students to conjugate an unknown verb correctly.  Can you see how their fluency increases when they can correctly use English verbs so early in their language learning experience? That is the same fluency you will want to develop as you study your target language.

    Quite early in the lesson series, another verb table format introduced.  Throughout the Student Workbook, all irregular verb forms appear in bold type.  A drill for the irregular verb “to meet” looks like this:

    A sentence completion English verb drill.

    First, Complete the following sentences with “them here every evening.”

    • I always meet (I always meet them here every evening.) / He always meets (He always meets them here every evening.) / You always meet (You always meet them here every evening.) / We always meet (We always meet them here every evening.) / They always meet (They always meet them here every evening.)

    Second, Complete the following sentences with “them here after work.”

    • I always met (I always met them here after work.) / She always met (She always met them here after work.) / You always met (You always met them here after work.) / We always met (We always met them here after work.) / They always met (They always met them here after work.)

    Third, Complete the following sentences with “them all before evening.”

    • I will meet (I will meet them all before evening.) / She will meet (She will meet them all before evening.) / You will meet (You will meet them all before evening.) / We will meet (We will meet them all before evening.) / They will meet (They will meet them all before evening.)

    Though the sentences are simple, this format teaches the verb conjugation in the context of the spoken language.  It also forces the students to be more mentally alert during the exercise.  Later in the lessons, the third type of verb table is added that identified here as a “B” format table.  It looks like this:

    “B” format English verb drill.

    • TO TEST (to test) / He promised to test it.  (He promised to test it.) Test.  (Test.) / Please test it.  (Please test it.) testing (testing) / He is testing some.  (He is testing some.) tested (tested) / it is tested (it is tested) / it was tested (it was tested) / it will be tested (it will be tested)
    • I test (I test) I tested (I tested) I will test (I will test) He tests (he tests) he tested (he tested) he will test (he will test) she tests (she tests) she tested (she tested) she will test (she will test) it tests (it tests) it tested (it tested) it will test (it will test) you test (you test) you tested (you tested) you will test (you will test) we test (we test) we tested (we tested) we will test (we will test) they test (they test) they tested (they tested) they will test (they will test)

    In this format, students forced to move from tense to tense using the same person, rather than from person to person using the same tense as they did in the A format drills.  Language requires both skills, so students taught to do both at normal conversation speed.

    However, by this time in the lessons, students should be able to do both.  Consequently, they alternate between table formats in the same exercise.  That is, the first verb uses the A format, the second verb uses the B format, the third verb uses the A format, the fourth uses the B format, and so on to the end of the exercise.  This increases the students’ abilities to use the verb with all tenses and persons while, at the same time, forcing them to develop spontaneity while using verbs.

    Again, this will be your objective in learning your target language.  You want to be able to manipulate the spoken verb quickly and accurately, using all persons and tenses in addition to any other verb functions in your target language.  You should also be able to see the great advantage of learning all tenses and persons of a verb at one time.  If you learn all the forms of the entire verb each time you encounter a new verb, you will have learned one meaning with multiple forms rather than a mix of verb forms and meanings.  Learning all forms of a single verb in this way will take you less time than learning the same material using a traditional method.

    Most importantly, if you use spoken exercises as a means of learning verb tables, you will find that the conjugation you are learning for one verb will quickly transferred to other verbs.

    The same transfer of knowledge will also be true with any kind of word or sentence construction you learn as you use this table format.  Once you are familiar with that exercise, you will always study the information in the table as a spoken exercise without reading from the text.

    There is a final verb exercise format used in the Spoken English Learned Quickly course.  The exercise with its spoken introductory explanation looks like this:

    Tense or person selection English verb drill.

    Say each sentence using the word I will give you.  I will tell you if the sentence should be in the present, the past, or the future.  Use the word “to ride.”

    Present.  The children in that family always _________ the bus; The children in that family always ride the bus.

    The children in that family always ride the bus; The children in that family always ride the bus.

    Present.  That family with three children always _________ the bus; That family with three children always rides the bus.

    That family with three children always rides the bus; That family with three children always rides the bus.

    This verb table format used frequently with a large number of regular and irregular verbs.  It uses all tenses and persons and incorporates as much vocabulary from each new lesson as possible.  In Making the Proprioceptive Method Work, you will learn more about the process of recording these written tables as audio exercises.

    Manipulating language:

    Development of the ability to manipulate language easily illustrated.  Imagine that four-year-old Ryan lives next door to his best friend.  The boys frequently go on each other’s family outings together.  On one occasion, the two boys rode a miniature train that circled a picnic area at the zoo.  When Ryan returned home, he excitedly told his parents, “. . . and we rode the train.”

    As a young child, Ryan’s developing language skills include his growing ability to manipulate language.  He can correctly use “…ed” to signal past tense with regular verbs.  In time, he will learn the correct conjugation of the irregular verb to ride and will be able to report that they rode the train.  We often hear young children doing this.  Probably the most frequently made mistake is attaching “…ed” to irregular verbs to create the past tense.  Other instances include “gooder” or “baddest” for the words good or bad that do not follow convention, even though the child is using the correct pattern (“tall/taller/tallest” or “large/larger/largest”). 

    Thus, prior to attaining maturity in language, growth is evident as a child develops the ability to manipulate language.  The child is intuitively attempting to express unknown, yet grammatically correct thoughts.  As adults, we may detect a mistake in conjugation.  Yet, how often have we heard a child incidentally use a past tense correctly, when we did not realize that the correct conjugated form itself was not yet a part of that child’s recall vocabulary?

    Thus, when the Feedback Training Method teaches students to manipulate language in a way that can used to create the new vocabulary, it closely replicates a child’s language development.  As far as we know, no studies have been conducted to evaluate this process.  Nonetheless, it seems reasonable that the best way to teach a new language is to group cognitive and the tenses and persons of verbs in a way that mirrors a child’s progression in language development.

    The proprioceptive influence:

    Notice how the emphasis on the proprioceptive sense in language learning has influenced this method.  Verb usage is important in English, as it likely is in all languages.  In order to use verbs properly in English, the speaker must use tense and person correctly.

    However, tense and person have multiple components.  There are cognitive components that essentially controlled by memory.  So drills that retain memory will needed.  This is accomplished by using a great deal of repetition.  These verb forms will be repeated thousands of times throughout these lessons.

    During cognitive learning, however, students should also develop the proprioceptive sense that will retrain their mouths to pronounce the words correctly.  After all, the difference in knowing whether to use “ride” or “rides” is a function of pronunciation as far as the tongue and hearing are concerned.  Therefore, in all of these exercises, the students’ cognitive, proprioceptive sense, and hearing have simultaneously been retrained by forcing them to speak aloud, listening to both the narrator and their own voice, and experiencing the feedback from their own mouth as they speak.

    Something else has also been done that is extremely important.  For the entire time the students work on the exercises, everything they hear the narrator say has been an example of perfect English.  It is perfect in both its pronunciation and syntax.  The students could use this lesson from which these sample exercises were taken for two hours a day for five days a week.  If the students repeat exactly what the narrator says, they could speak perfect English for 10 hours during that week, even though they are studying by themselves.

    These same students could probably do a written exercise using the same material.  It would be a cognitive exercise, but it would not involve any retraining of their mouths or hearing.  They would probably work on it for two hours or less during the week.  The results would be negligible in terms of producing fluent spoken English.

    You will want to establish an effective training experience when you study your target language.  If you want to be successful, you must avoid complacency with written exercises.  Your goal is to advance to effective spoken language learning.

    However, it will be difficult.  There is no way that you can repeat the same sentences enough times to retrain your mind, mouth, and hearing without becoming weary in the process.  That is the price you must be willing to pay in order to efficiently learn to speak a new language fluently.

  • Selecting a Text

    Selecting a Text

    Find out how to enhance your language learning with the right selecting a text for studying. Newspapers offer a wide range of topics and vocabulary for effective language practice.

    Selecting a Text for Language Learning: Enhance Your Skills

    This chapter will use the term text to identify a written manuscript. Enhance Your Language Learning Journey with Selecting a Text. A newspaper in your target language is usually an excellent source for a study text.  Most newspapers use good syntax, relatively simple sentences, and common expressions.  In addition to general vocabulary, newspapers will give you many common political, scientific, economic, and technical words.  Generally, newspapers are also a good source of colloquial expressions.

    Important: Not all newspapers would be suitable for spoken language study.  In many countries, there are both common language and literary newspapers.  You would want to select a newspaper that uses commonly spoken the language.  You may also be able to find magazines that work equally well.  There may be magazines of particular interest to you such as political news, handyman, sewing and crafts, travel, outdoors and camping, sports, or any number of other topics. 

    You would want to have your language helper evaluate the newspaper or magazine to be certain that the one you select uses an acceptable level of conversational language.  The term newspaper throughout the remainder of this chapter will refer to whatever text you would have selected.

    Some may also argue that a local newspaper does not always provide the best conversational language for spoken language study.  That may be true, but the reality is that you probably would not be able to find the ideal text at any price.  When carefully selected, the inexpensive and readily available newspaper will undoubtedly be your best compromise.

    Further, this chapter attempts to describe the use of a newspaper in language study without suggesting when its use in that study might occur.  The introduction of the newspaper into the language study schedule would depend entirely on the unique circumstances in each language study program.  The reference to time (six weeks) at the end of the chapter is done simply for the sake of illustration, though it is entirely realistic with the help of a competent language helper.  Similarly, some users of the newspaper suggested in this chapter could occur early in language study while others are for students who have already had considerably more experience with their target language.

    As you begin language study, you will need both a text and an audio recording of it to use for pronunciation practice.  Since it would be difficult to procure a constant supply of companion texts with recordings, you will need to select one and then produce the other with the help of your language helper.

    Going from a written text to an audio recording:

    Making the Feedback Training Method Work, the role of a language helper in your language study program will be fully explained.  This present chapter, however, will be primarily concerned with the text itself.  As we begin this chapter, we will make two assumptions: 1) that you will have a language helper who is a first language (L1) speaker of your target language and pronounces the target language correctly, and 2) that you will have audio recording equipment.

    Everything considered it should be easier to produce an audio recording from a newspaper text than to produce a written text from a radio broadcast recording.  It would be much simpler for your language helper to record the text than it would be for the language helper to transcribe the audio recording.

    For your study purposes, a printed newspaper text will assure a more precise use of the language, better spelling, and a more easily preserved printed copy.  Because live radio broadcasts are difficult to record when inexpensive audio equipment is being used, it would be difficult to hear all of the words clearly.  Therefore, it may be easier for you to make a good language study recording by having the language helper read a newspaper text for the audio recording.  With a little coaching, your language helper could also learn to record the material in such a way that there would be long enough pauses to allow you to repeat the phrase when studying alone.

    The purpose of using the newspaper is to facilitate spoken language practice.  You would always read the newspaper aloud, reading a sentence and then looking away from the text while repeating the sentence from recall memory.

    Appendix B: Text Exercises will illustrate how the text is actually used to create audio exercises.

    A number of uses of a newspaper are suggested under the following headings. These uses, however, are progressive.  That is, during the first few weeks of language study, you will begin using the newspaper as an aid for building vocabulary and improving an understanding of the meaning of the language.  As language study continues, the newspaper will become an increasingly important tool for syntax development.  Learning expressions from the newspaper will require more language skill and will take place somewhat later in the language learning process.  Each of these uses of a newspaper as an aid to language learning will depend to some extent on the readiness of the student to progress to that level.

    Using the newspaper for vocabulary:

    First, read the article out loud, identifying new vocabulary as you go.  Whenever you read a word you do not know, stop and find it in your dictionary.  Keep a vocabulary notebook.  If a word you do not know is used more than twice in an article, enter the word in your notebook and put a check () by it to flag it as a word needing special study.  However, do not record place names or personal names in your notebook.  After you finish reading the article for the first time, review the meaning of all of the new vocabulary words.  Study these words enough that you know what they mean when you read the article.  Always pronounce vocabulary words out loud so that you learn vocabulary as a spoken language.

    After you are more familiar with the process, select other newspaper articles and continue reading aloud while you look for new vocabulary words.  When you find a word in a second newspaper article that you have already checked () in your notebook, place a second check () by it.  Any word in your notebook with two checks should be memorized as an important word to know.

    Whenever you are able to do so, write out the cognate forms of the same word.  For example, to adhere, an adhesive, and adhesion are cognates.  It will be helpful for you to learn multiple cognate forms of a word at one time rather than learning each form as a new vocabulary word when you first encounter it.  Association of a single word in its multiple forms with one root meaning results in more rapid vocabulary retention.  It will also teach you how to accurately develop cognate forms of words during the speech when you do not already know the word.

    The following will be used as an English illustration.  If, for example, you as an L2 speaker know the word “high” but do not yet know the superlative “highest,” you could nonetheless develop the sentence, “It was on the highest shelf,” if you have the ability to develop cognitively.  By learning all cognate forms of every new word as a group — and always learning them in the same pattern, such as sharp, sharper, sharpest, and sharply, or quick, quicker, quickest, and quickly, your ability to accurately create unknown regular cognitive during speech will be greatly enhanced.

    The real essence of language fluency is understanding the target language well enough to intuitively use previously unknown vocabulary during the conversation.  It may be helpful to you to reserve a section in your vocabulary notebook for exactly the purpose of listing cognitive forms.

    Verbs should be listed in your notebook in their infinitive form (for example, “to remember”) rather than in a conjugated form (for example, “she remembers”).  Note that not all languages identify verbs in their infinitive form.  Use your target language’s dictionary notation form as your pattern.  After you have mastered the verb’s conjugation, it will be far simpler for you to learn a single verb form than it will be for you to learn each form of a verb as an individual vocabulary word.

    Using the newspaper for meaning:

    Read the article again for meaning.  If you do not understand a sentence, stop and find out exactly what it means.

    If some of the definitions you have written in your notebook do not make sense when you read them in the article. Find the word again in your dictionary and see if it has other meanings.  If a second meaning for the word makes better sense, in this case, write that definition in your notebook.

    If you still cannot figure out the meaning of a sentence, it may be because two or more words combined to form a single expression.  Try to determine the meaning of expressions.  Look for similar expressions in other articles.  If you still cannot determine the meaning of an expression, ask your language helper for assistance.

    Using the newspaper for syntax development:

    An ideal way to reinforce your use of grammatically correct syntax in your target language is by reading newspaper articles aloud.  Your goal is to retrain your mind, hearing, and mouth to understand and use your target language correctly.  Reading aloud from a newspaper is one of the best ways to accomplish that.

    The great advantage is that you are reading a large number of different sentences that are all organized according to the same grammar rules.  Thus, you are learning the acceptable range of the syntax of that language.  That is, there may appear to be many variations from sentence to sentence, yet all of the users are still correct. 

    An example from English would be learning that you can place the word “however” at the beginning, middle, or end of an English sentence.  You would also learn that the position of “however” can make a slight difference in meaning, or it can enhance the style of the sentence.  You will discover equivalent nuances in your target language.

    In many respects, using the newspaper for syntax development is similar to using it to increase fluency and to help you develop fluid conversation as mentioned below.  The same exercises suggested below would be as profitable for syntax as they would be for fluency and conversation.

    Using the newspaper in order to learn expressions:

    Expressions add richness and variety to all languages. Identify expressions as you read the newspaper.  Use a special mark to identify them in articles.  As we will see in a moment, many expressions may divided, with component words of the expression being separated by non-component words.

    Try substituting other words within the same expression.  Say or write as many sentences using the expression as possible.  As an English example, you may read a sentence in a newspaper that says, “The Governor announced on Friday that he will not run for another term, putting to rest months of speculation about his future intentions.”  Most expressions can used in different tenses with different people or things. 

    For example, the expression “to put to rest” can used in the present tense, “I want to put our disagreement to rest,” in the future tense, “He will put his argument to rest,” or in the past tense, “They finally put their rivalry to rest.”  Notice that in these phrases, the component parts of the expression separated as in, “They finally put their rivalry to rest.”  Watch for such variations of construction in expressions in your target language.

    English also uses forms of words as a type of expression.  For example, you may read a sentence in a newspaper that says, “We’re getting many calls from people who are panicking and asking what they can do.”  This form of expression uses two or more words ending in “…ING” to describe two or more actions that the same person is doing at one time.  You will certainly find many similar expression forms in your target language.

    Using the newspaper for fluency enhancement:

    As you use the newspaper in your spoken exercises, you will begin reading longer sections rather than simply alternating between reading sentences aloud and then repeating them from recall memory.  You will want to read the entire article aloud for fluency practice.  Try reading the article as smoothly as possible without stopping.  Read it aloud at least twice.

    For more fluency practice, continue reading the article aloud until you can read it at the same rate of speed that a first language speaker uses when talking.  Practice until your pronunciation duplicates that of a first language speaker.

    Your purpose is not to merely learn the vocabulary in these newspaper articles, but to learn to speak your target language.  Keep practicing until you can read the article aloud well enough that a first language speaker could clearly understand what you are saying.

    Fluency is the ability to speak smoothly with proper intonation.  Initially, use single sentences for fluency drills, repeatedly reading a single sentence until you can read it smoothly.  Eventually, do the same with multiple sentences or paragraphs.  Even as a beginning student, there is value in reading a longer passage or entire article without break in order to establish the rhythm of the spoken language.  This is excellent proprioceptive training.

    Your natural tendency will be to move on to new articles too quickly.  In reality, it is only after you already know all of the vocabularies and can pronounce each word correctly that you will be ready to use the newspaper article to full advantage.  You are not fully retraining your mind and tongue until you can read the article at normal speaking speed with proper inflection and pronunciation.  You will better attain fluent speech by rereading fewer articles aloud perfectly than you will by reading many articles aloud with faulty pronunciation.

    Using the newspaper for conversation practice:

    It was stated, “You must never make a mistake when you are speaking.” That objective will be the most difficult when you first begin a free conversation.  However, using a newspaper article will be a great aid in producing the conversation that is essentially free of mistakes.

    A newspaper article can give you a great deal of structure for conversation practice.  This structure will give both you and your language helper a defined group of vocabulary words, defined sentences with an understood meaning, and a defined context in which the vocabulary and sentences can communicated.  After very little coaching, your language helper can use the newspaper article to structure the free conversation.

    To continue with the illustration from English, your language helper could lead you in a discussion evolving from a newspaper article.  You could easily have the following discussion after only six weeks of full-time language study.  Notice that your language helper is asking each question twice, expecting that you will substitute a pronoun in your second response. 

    Language Helper: “What did the Governor announce on Friday?”

    Reply: “The Governor announced on Friday that he will not run for another term.”

    Language Helper: “What did the Governor announce on Friday?”

    Reply: “He announced on Friday that he will not run for another term.”

    Language Helper: “Will the Governor run for another term?”

    Reply: “No, the Governor will not run for another term.”

    Language Helper: “Will the Governor run for another term?”

    Reply: “No, he will not run for another term.”

    Language Helper: “When did the Governor announce that he will not run for another term?”

    Reply: “The Governor announced on Friday that he will not run for another term.”

    Language Helper: “When did the Governor announce that he will not run for another term?”

    Reply: “He announced on Friday that he will not run for another term.”

    Assuming that you have only been studying your target language for six weeks, your initial response to each question may be slow and halting.  You may also be looking at the printed text when your language helper initially asks the question.  But at least your answer is word perfect.  You are training your proprioceptive sense by using perfect syntax.  Now you can add perfect pronunciation and fluency to that.

    Typically, in language instruction, extra attention given when a student makes mistakes.  That is, when a sentence used incorrectly, it will corrected with additional drills.  On the other hand, when a student responds correctly, the instructor will move on to the next sentence.  That is not what you want your language helper to do for you now.  Of course, you will want help with incorrect syntax and pronunciation. 

    But in order to learn the language effectively, you will want to emphasize correct language use.  To continue our example, let’s say that none of the sentences in the above illustration have any phonemes that you cannot reproduce acceptably.  Therefore, at your instruction, your language helper will continue to drill you on these same sentences until they are perfect.

    Your language helper will again ask the first question twice, allowing you to respond accordingly.

    Language Helper: “What did the Governor announce on Friday?”

    Reply: “The Governor announced on Friday that he will not run for another term.”

    Language Helper: “What did the Governor announce on Friday?”

    Reply: “He announced on Friday that he will not run for another term.”

    Now, however, you will not be looking at the text.  Your language helper will ask these two questions until you can answer word perfectly from recall memory.

    But she still not finished.  She will now increase the tempo and will expect you to answer in the same cadence.  She will persist until the two of you are conversing so quickly and naturally that a first language speaker coming into the room would hear a strangely redundant conversation in what would otherwise be completely understandable language.  It would be just as understandable to that first language speaker as any conversation would be between two first language speakers on the street.

    This would continue — maybe for several days of practice — until the entire series of questions from that newspaper article could be asked and answered in fully fluent conversation.

    You would be worn out by the time you finished studying this intently from a newspaper article.  Yet while others would be in the beginning language course after their initial six weeks of study, you — after your first six weeks — would already be speaking on an advanced level, though you would only be using a relatively small number of sentences.