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Viewing How NOT to Learn a Foreign LanguageHow NOT to Learn a Foreign Language
By David Slade Who of us wouldn't just love to learn a new language? In fact, every human being is driven to search for meaning. Passive observation is just not enough; it is the interactivity that is so essential. 'Tell me, and I forget. Show me, and I remember. Let me do, and I understand,' says the ancient Chinese proverb. It is one thing to show your child a picture of the ocean, and say 'ocean,' and quite another thing to let her splash in an ocean and say, 'The ocean is water.' You can continue this exercise in more sophisticated ways as your child grows. If your 8-year-old, for example, is enjoying a TV program about airplanes, why not take him to an airport and ask a pilot to show you a cockpit? Research in the area of memory indicates that a person only retains long-term 10% of what they read, but 90% of what they do and say! Findings suggest that the brain develops on a 'use it or lose it' principle. So, the best time to master a skill associated with a system is just when a new system is coming on line in your brain. Language is the perfect example. It is very easy for a 2-year-old to learn any new language. So, what idiot decreed that foreign-language should not begin until high school? For years, many teachers have found that their 'Holy Grail' has been attention. However, evidence suggests that the brain's ability to stay attentive for extended periods is not only rare, but also difficult. The brain needs downtime! If you do not give it to them, they will just tune out anyway. So, why don't students remember what they were taught? This occurs usually because the information served no useful purpose in their lives and their brains dropped it, or probably because they did not learn in the first place! About the Author: My name is David Slade. I am an English teacher with quite a bit of experience in translation work. I am author of Mandarin English XL, an advanced Chinese English course with pinyin. I enjoy hiking, camping, and doing volunteer work. To visit my website go to http://www.luomapinyin.com. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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