If you review your newly learned items in a foreign language by use of flashcards, what is the best way? Should you put a target word on the one side and a translation word on the other? Should you use whole sentences instead of individual words? If so, then what do you put on the back side of the card? A translation of the whole sentence?
Here's an idea. Put a target word on the front and a sentence using the word on the back. This way, both sides are in the target language. When you test yourself, look at the target word and recall the sentence written on the back. If you can do that, you will be able to remember how to use the word in a sentence. When you don't remember the sentence, you just look at the back side, of course, but seeing the sentence should remind you of what the word means. Assuming, of course, that you understood the sentence before putting it on the back of the card.
I believe it is much easier to remember the meaning of an entire sentence than an individual word. The individual word has no context; nothing to clue you in to what it means. The sentence, however, can remind you of the entire situation that it came from, thereby making a translation on the card obsolete.
Showing posts with label suggestion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label suggestion. Show all posts
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
book report video
Here's an idea. Read a book in your target language and then give a report on it. That's what I did! I uploaded my report to Youtube. I read a Japanese book in about 1 week.
I'm planning to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test level one. I have only 2 more weeks left to apply for the test. I think reading is the most important thing for me to be able to pass the test. So I want to improve my reading ability. Therefor, you may see more book reports from me!
I encourage you too, to read and create a book report like I did. You can link your video to mine as a response on Youtube. Responses will be accepted automatically. I'm doing the book reports as a way to keep track of how many books I've read and which ones. My books will be in Japanese but the reports will be in English.
I'm planning to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test level one. I have only 2 more weeks left to apply for the test. I think reading is the most important thing for me to be able to pass the test. So I want to improve my reading ability. Therefor, you may see more book reports from me!
I encourage you too, to read and create a book report like I did. You can link your video to mine as a response on Youtube. Responses will be accepted automatically. I'm doing the book reports as a way to keep track of how many books I've read and which ones. My books will be in Japanese but the reports will be in English.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
don't use a dictionary!
If you are learning a language, you should not use a dictionary to learn words. It is a colossal waste of time. You look up a word and then proceed to forget what it means and so you have to look it up again. This process repeats itself over and over again. What does it mean when you have to re-look up a word? Well, it means you didn't learn anything the first time, doesn't it. It also means you wasted your time.
Instead of using the dictionary, let yourself wonder what the word means. Let your brain try to figure it out. Give it some time. This is what you did when you were 2 years old. It must be the natural way.
There was a study done on memory that is known as the "Zeigarnik effect." A quote from the article where I discovered this:
Let's look for some other ways in language acquisition that we can apply what Zeigarnik discovered. Perhaps, if you read a story in your target language and never find out how it ends, you will be able to remember the details of the story better. You might recall certain phrases or words that were used in the story. If you are really curious about how it ends, you might end up dreaming about it which means that your brain is processing that story.
Does anyone have any other ideas or comments on the Zeigarnik effect?
Instead of using the dictionary, let yourself wonder what the word means. Let your brain try to figure it out. Give it some time. This is what you did when you were 2 years old. It must be the natural way.
There was a study done on memory that is known as the "Zeigarnik effect." A quote from the article where I discovered this:
it was shown that tasks that are interrupted are remembered by adults approximately 90% better than those that are fully completed, and that children, in general, remember only interrupted tasks.You see, when you look up a word in the dictionary, the task is completed. That is why you don't remember the meaning. Your brain is spending no more time thinking about the word or trying to figure it out. You're satisfied, it's over, done, and forgotten about.
Let's look for some other ways in language acquisition that we can apply what Zeigarnik discovered. Perhaps, if you read a story in your target language and never find out how it ends, you will be able to remember the details of the story better. You might recall certain phrases or words that were used in the story. If you are really curious about how it ends, you might end up dreaming about it which means that your brain is processing that story.
Does anyone have any other ideas or comments on the Zeigarnik effect?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
learn a language without translation
Here's something for you to try if you enjoy extreme methods in language learning. Learn a language without any materials from your native language or any other language. Don't use a dictionary unless it is a monolingual dictionary in the language you are learning. Don't make any notes either. Keep all the info you learn in your head.
Do you think it would be impossible to learn anything this way? You would have to start out by just guessing at what words mean. Do you think no one could make heads or tails out of the language? But this is what Michal Ryszard Wojcik did in the Norsk Experiment when he started learning Norwegian in May 2001. He was able to figure out what a lot of words mean just by reading and re-reading in the language. He had learned English and German previously and was able to transfer his knowledge from those two languages to learn Norwegian. According to the how-to-learn-any-language website, there is a 30% overlap of vocabulary between English and Norwegian and a 60% overlap between German and Norwegian.
You should also read his report from another person who learned Norwegian the same way. This person is American and doesn't mention whether or not she has studied German.
Do you think it would be impossible to learn anything this way? You would have to start out by just guessing at what words mean. Do you think no one could make heads or tails out of the language? But this is what Michal Ryszard Wojcik did in the Norsk Experiment when he started learning Norwegian in May 2001. He was able to figure out what a lot of words mean just by reading and re-reading in the language. He had learned English and German previously and was able to transfer his knowledge from those two languages to learn Norwegian. According to the how-to-learn-any-language website, there is a 30% overlap of vocabulary between English and Norwegian and a 60% overlap between German and Norwegian.
You should also read his report from another person who learned Norwegian the same way. This person is American and doesn't mention whether or not she has studied German.
Friday, August 29, 2008
All I need to do is...
For quite a while now, I've been thinking about how I can go from intermediate to fluent. As is quite common for learners like me, speaking skills lag way behind. Nobody knows how much actual knowledge I have in my head, so they can only evaluate my Japanese by listening to me speak.
Some people are quite lenient. They recognize that I have a high degree of understanding. Other people seem to think that my speaking skill is the mirror image of my knowledge of the language. And I've always known that if I could speak as well I understand, then things would be alright.
I now know without a doubt what I can do to bring my speaking ability up. I need to stop using English as my thinking language and start using only Japanese to think. I once tried to do this about 4 or 5 years ago but I was so limited that I couldn't complete my thoughts and it hurt to not be able to think. But now I have sufficient knowledge and I need to put it into practice. Once I get used to thinking in Japanese and make it a natural habit that I don't have to force upon myself, then I will really be able to speak the language.
About 3 years ago, I met a Chinese guy at a volunteer Japanese class. We were working with the same tutor that day. I was still studying for Level 2 of the JLPT. He had already passed it and was studying for Level 1. He had been in Japan for a year longer than I. His Japanese ability was unbelievable. His pronunciation sounded native-like. He spoke so easily. We were asked what language we usually think in. His answer was "Japanese."
Some people are quite lenient. They recognize that I have a high degree of understanding. Other people seem to think that my speaking skill is the mirror image of my knowledge of the language. And I've always known that if I could speak as well I understand, then things would be alright.
I now know without a doubt what I can do to bring my speaking ability up. I need to stop using English as my thinking language and start using only Japanese to think. I once tried to do this about 4 or 5 years ago but I was so limited that I couldn't complete my thoughts and it hurt to not be able to think. But now I have sufficient knowledge and I need to put it into practice. Once I get used to thinking in Japanese and make it a natural habit that I don't have to force upon myself, then I will really be able to speak the language.
About 3 years ago, I met a Chinese guy at a volunteer Japanese class. We were working with the same tutor that day. I was still studying for Level 2 of the JLPT. He had already passed it and was studying for Level 1. He had been in Japan for a year longer than I. His Japanese ability was unbelievable. His pronunciation sounded native-like. He spoke so easily. We were asked what language we usually think in. His answer was "Japanese."
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Studying the Basics
You're never too advanced in a foreign language to go back to the basics and improve your output. A language is a very peculiar thing. Even if we don't understand every little thing, we can and do advance to higher levels. We don't have to be perfect or to have perfect understanding before moving on. That's a good thing. But it also means we can still improve and still learn by going back to the basics and studying some beginner level material even after we are well into intermediate or advanced levels.
I have the book, Kanji in Context. I just recently read through all the vocabulary for the first 250 characters. There is not a character in that group that I have not seen before. I know all of them. But there are quite a few words that I still need to learn. And I was surprised at some of the readings of those characters. Some have readings which I have never seen before.
I'm sure there are many people who have passed Level 2 of the JLPT and who are studying for Level 1 that think they already know all of the Level 2 material. But even those who have already passed Level 1 can benefit from reviewing Level 2.
Some who read this article may grumble. They hate studying and they remember how they struggled. But there is no reason to hold onto those feelings. Studying material that is below your level is not hard at all. It's a breeze! And you can gain from it in a painless way.
It seems to be commonly held that reading for pleasure requires 95% or greater comprehension. That means you should read something where you understand 95% or more and you can still learn while enjoying the content. The same goes for studying. If you understand most of it, it won't be difficult but you can still learn what you didn't know.
I have the book, Kanji in Context. I just recently read through all the vocabulary for the first 250 characters. There is not a character in that group that I have not seen before. I know all of them. But there are quite a few words that I still need to learn. And I was surprised at some of the readings of those characters. Some have readings which I have never seen before.
I'm sure there are many people who have passed Level 2 of the JLPT and who are studying for Level 1 that think they already know all of the Level 2 material. But even those who have already passed Level 1 can benefit from reviewing Level 2.
Some who read this article may grumble. They hate studying and they remember how they struggled. But there is no reason to hold onto those feelings. Studying material that is below your level is not hard at all. It's a breeze! And you can gain from it in a painless way.
It seems to be commonly held that reading for pleasure requires 95% or greater comprehension. That means you should read something where you understand 95% or more and you can still learn while enjoying the content. The same goes for studying. If you understand most of it, it won't be difficult but you can still learn what you didn't know.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Refreshing Languages
There seems to be, at least sometimes, a lot of talk on the internet about refreshing or reactivating a language. What that means is, for example, once upon a time you learned a language to fluency. Oh, you were good at it. Real good. You were fluent! In fact, when you were in country, if the police ever stopped you on the street for questioning, you could make up a story on the fly and the policemen would be so impressed by your fluency that they would enjoy your fabricated story with a little laughter and then let you go. But now, you have half-forgotten the language. You are rusty. You've just been invited by the local Elk's Club to give a presentation in your foreign language to the members who are recent immigrants to the country and afterwards you will be expected to answer questions in that language as part of an open forum. So what do you do? How should you bring back your language skills? How long does it take? Here is my opinion on the subject:
If you were ever really as good as you say, why did you abandon the language? One should not work so hard to accomplish great skill and then just abandon it. Languages are not just picked up and then tossed aside like... (I'll let you finish that sentence.) Spend just once a week to read an article in the language. That will be enough to keep the language at the tip of your tongue.
I've noticed how easy it is to forget the names of teachers I've had. It takes me about 3 months and after that I won't be able to recall the teacher's name. Other people remember the names of all their teachers they've ever had. Whichever category you fall into, a little bit of activity in your foreign language once a week shouldn't be any trouble at all. It will keep the language fresh in your mind and is a natural method of review. No need to go abandoning a language.
If you were ever really as good as you say, why did you abandon the language? One should not work so hard to accomplish great skill and then just abandon it. Languages are not just picked up and then tossed aside like... (I'll let you finish that sentence.) Spend just once a week to read an article in the language. That will be enough to keep the language at the tip of your tongue.
I've noticed how easy it is to forget the names of teachers I've had. It takes me about 3 months and after that I won't be able to recall the teacher's name. Other people remember the names of all their teachers they've ever had. Whichever category you fall into, a little bit of activity in your foreign language once a week shouldn't be any trouble at all. It will keep the language fresh in your mind and is a natural method of review. No need to go abandoning a language.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Short articles
- Write a short article in your native language.
- Then translate it to your target language.
- Record yourself reading the article.
- Post it to your blog.
- Attach the recording as well.
- Let everyone comment on it.
- 母語で短い記事を書いて。
- そして、目標言語に訳して。
- 自分が記事を読むのを記録して。
- ブロッグに掲示して。
- 記録も添付して。
- 皆の意見をさせて。
Hey, I just realized my Japanese is really bad!
Vox20.mp3
Friday, November 24, 2006
Accents
OK, I've finally decided to write something. In my last post, I alluded to a reason for children being able to eventually speak their new language without an accent, whereas those a little older typically get stuck with an accent. Now I will tell you why that is. It is just my idea, though. So take it or leave it.
First of all, I should mention that we are talking about immigrant children. They are brought by their parents to a new country and they have to learn a new language.
What is the difference between the younger children and the older children? It is not physical. It is not that the older children or even the adults are too old to be able to speak without a foreign accent. So what is the difference?
Well, what is expected is what is different! The older you are, the more you are expected to start speaking and using your new language skills. The younger you are, the less that is expected of you. If you are only 8 years old, nobody is going to ask you to explain why the president's plan is doomed from the outset. No, you are just going to go to school, tell people your name and that is about it. You'll come home, watch hours and hours of TV, go to school and listen to your teachers and classmates talking. An 8 year old is not going to jump right in and start hacking away at the language. The younger you are, the more time you have to absorb the sounds of the language.
A high school student is at a much higher social level than an elementary school kid. The high schooler will be asked many more questions and fellow classmates will be interested in talking and finding out about the new foreign kid on the block. The high school student will be interacting and involved to a much deeper degree, while the younger brother learns how to play tag and yell, "You're it!"
So now you can see that the kids don't have any magic. They just have more time before they need to talk. They listen and learn how the language sounds. In a year, maybe two, the younger child has absorbed much more of the language and done less thinking. The older child has done much more thinking, speaking, and reinforcing bad habits.
It's essential to work on pronunciation before you get used to speaking. Lots of listening helps. At least do 2 weeks of listening before ever attempting to speak. If you really work on pronunciation in the beginning, then I think the maximum listening-only period would be about 2 months. In the beginning of language learning, the only important thing is concentrating on the sounds (pronunciations) of the language. After that, concentrate on reproducing those sounds perfectly.
Once you have pronunciation down perfectly, it will be your second nature. It won't require any extra effort.
Vox16.mp3
First of all, I should mention that we are talking about immigrant children. They are brought by their parents to a new country and they have to learn a new language.
What is the difference between the younger children and the older children? It is not physical. It is not that the older children or even the adults are too old to be able to speak without a foreign accent. So what is the difference?
Well, what is expected is what is different! The older you are, the more you are expected to start speaking and using your new language skills. The younger you are, the less that is expected of you. If you are only 8 years old, nobody is going to ask you to explain why the president's plan is doomed from the outset. No, you are just going to go to school, tell people your name and that is about it. You'll come home, watch hours and hours of TV, go to school and listen to your teachers and classmates talking. An 8 year old is not going to jump right in and start hacking away at the language. The younger you are, the more time you have to absorb the sounds of the language.
A high school student is at a much higher social level than an elementary school kid. The high schooler will be asked many more questions and fellow classmates will be interested in talking and finding out about the new foreign kid on the block. The high school student will be interacting and involved to a much deeper degree, while the younger brother learns how to play tag and yell, "You're it!"
So now you can see that the kids don't have any magic. They just have more time before they need to talk. They listen and learn how the language sounds. In a year, maybe two, the younger child has absorbed much more of the language and done less thinking. The older child has done much more thinking, speaking, and reinforcing bad habits.
It's essential to work on pronunciation before you get used to speaking. Lots of listening helps. At least do 2 weeks of listening before ever attempting to speak. If you really work on pronunciation in the beginning, then I think the maximum listening-only period would be about 2 months. In the beginning of language learning, the only important thing is concentrating on the sounds (pronunciations) of the language. After that, concentrate on reproducing those sounds perfectly.
Once you have pronunciation down perfectly, it will be your second nature. It won't require any extra effort.
Vox16.mp3
Labels:
accent,
listening-only,
pronunciation,
recorded posts,
speaking,
strategy,
suggestion
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Time Capsule
A language time capsule is an idea which I have recently come up with. I want to record myself speaking my target languages. I want to know what I sounded like at the beginning of my language study. And then how did I sound a year later? I want to hear how much I have improved and how much better I can speak. Do I speak more easily? Am I still making the same grammar mistakes or did I take care of those? Has my pronunciation gotten better? Do I sound more natural?
With a language time capsule, I'll be able to go back in time and listen to myself. This will allow me to judge my progress. I will also be able to compare my rate of progression between two different languages, such as Chinese and French. Chinese is supposed to be harder for us English speakers than a European language. So will I be able to learn French much quicker than Chinese? With time capsules, I would be able to actually compare how I sound in two different languages after having studied each one for the same amount of time, even though I may be presently at different levels in each one.
What do you think about my Time Capsule idea? Have you recorded yourself?
Vox09.mp3
With a language time capsule, I'll be able to go back in time and listen to myself. This will allow me to judge my progress. I will also be able to compare my rate of progression between two different languages, such as Chinese and French. Chinese is supposed to be harder for us English speakers than a European language. So will I be able to learn French much quicker than Chinese? With time capsules, I would be able to actually compare how I sound in two different languages after having studied each one for the same amount of time, even though I may be presently at different levels in each one.
What do you think about my Time Capsule idea? Have you recorded yourself?
Vox09.mp3
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Avoiding fatigue
I've noticed that when I put in a lot of effort and study hard, and keep at it day after day, that I usually end up stopping for a long period of time. I mean, I will keep up my routine for a week or two, and then I won't do any studying for 3 or 4 months. I forced myself to work hard and then suddenly when I can't study one day or two days, I can't get myself back into my routine. The body and the mind just want to keep resting. The work I was doing built up a kind of reluctance to study. It was good while I did it, but my desire and motivation went out the window.
Because of those experiences, I realize that it is best not to make language learning a chore. You are more likely to stick to it as long as it retains its excitement. Therefor, you should definitely have language learning activities that are easy. The more the better, but I have only found listening to fit the requirement of being easy. If you feel like listening to a structured lesson, then by all means do so. Otherwise you can just listen to news, conversations, or monologues. Even if you are too tired from your day of work and don't feel like concentrating, just listen to an internet radio program (not music). Once in a while you will catch some words that you have studied, but the whole time the language will be entering your system through your ears.
I recommend you have some activities like this for those times when you don't feel like doing anything. You know you'll feel guilty if you do nothing for awhile. But if you at least spend some time listening, you can keep your mind fresh with the sounds of the language.
Vox08.mp3
Because of those experiences, I realize that it is best not to make language learning a chore. You are more likely to stick to it as long as it retains its excitement. Therefor, you should definitely have language learning activities that are easy. The more the better, but I have only found listening to fit the requirement of being easy. If you feel like listening to a structured lesson, then by all means do so. Otherwise you can just listen to news, conversations, or monologues. Even if you are too tired from your day of work and don't feel like concentrating, just listen to an internet radio program (not music). Once in a while you will catch some words that you have studied, but the whole time the language will be entering your system through your ears.
I recommend you have some activities like this for those times when you don't feel like doing anything. You know you'll feel guilty if you do nothing for awhile. But if you at least spend some time listening, you can keep your mind fresh with the sounds of the language.
Vox08.mp3
Friday, September 01, 2006
A keen sense of awareness
I think I have a keen sense of awareness when I am speaking. I listen to how words come out of my mouth. Even if you do not feel you can hear your own accent when speaking, you should be able to hear it if you record yourself and play it back. Listen to a recording of a native speaker of your target language. Listen to just one sentence. Concentrate on it. Get an audio editor like Audacity and save just that one sentence to a file. Convert it to an MP3 and then import it into iTunes. Then play that file in a loop. Listen to it 25 times at least. Then begin practicing the sentence. Say the sentence at the same time as the recording. Match your speed, intonation and rhythm with the recording. When you think you've got it, note how many times it took for you to get it. Was it another 25 times? If so, continue repeating 25 more times along with the recording. However many times it took for you to "get it" is the number of times you should continue. Then you will have doubled the number of times you have said this sentence. Think you're perfect now? Then record yourself and listen to your recording. Now what do you think? Do you sound like the native speaker you were listening to? If not, how do you differ? Where do you need to concentrate more on? If you follow this kind of training for a while, I believe you will develop a keen sense of awareness. You will be able to hear the way you speak even while you are speaking. From this point, you'll be able to continually improve your accent in the language. It won't take long before people mistake you for a native speaker!
Vox06.mp3
EDIT: I forgot to mention, after you try out this suggestion, come back here and give me a report. I would love to hear how it went for you.
Vox06.mp3
EDIT: I forgot to mention, after you try out this suggestion, come back here and give me a report. I would love to hear how it went for you.
Labels:
accent,
pronunciation,
recorded posts,
strategy,
suggestion
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Please don't discourage me
It just so happens that Steve has posted a follow-up to his previous letter in Japanese. This time he recorded his thoughts in Japanese. I listened to it and I understood 95~99% of it. He talks about the advantages that adults have over children in language learning. And it's true, of course. Adults have much more life experience and knowledge than children have. That's important for learning anything. The more you can relate to what you are studying, the easier you can learn it.
One of the worst is when someone tells you that what you are studying or what you just said is not used at all in the real world. They will say something like, "That is textbook language. We don't talk like that." Or they might say, "We never say that." And note, I'm saying that even native speakers will do this! For instance, I remember one teaching all her students that we never use the word "hobbies." I was teaching at that time. That wouldn't have bothered me so much but it seemed to be her theme for the day. Every period I heard her saying, "We don't say, 'What are your hobbies?'"
Well, what is the harm in students using perfectly good language? It doesn't matter if there is another way to say it. If it has been learned already then there is no need to use any negative language. Discouragement is not necessary and could have a negative effect.
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