New Podcast: Becky Morales on Perfect Pronunciation and Having 4 Bilingual Kids
Hey, welcome to lucky episode 13 of the Creative Language Learning Podcast. In this episode, I'll be sharing a delicious foodie article and talking about Kid World Citizens with Becky Morales.
You Will Learn More About:
- How Becky went from Maths major to Spanish lover in college
- What it takes and what it means to become bilingual
- How to put together a golden approach to teaching language
- Why pronunciation can be something you master at any age if you only have time, dedication and fun
- How to create an environment where you can learn a language to any level from your own home
Article of the Week
Top Five Russian Pasta DIshes on Transparent Language
Bonus! Recipes of the Week
Tips of the Week
Out of the following three tips, Becky chose number 1 as her favourite tip - personalize your language learning experience by building your own vocab decks.
1) DIY your Memrise Courses
2) Start with Pronunciation (here's Gabriel Wyner's take)
3) Incorporate all the senses into your vocab learning habits (Science Daily)
Tips and Links from this Podcast
The Top 10 Podcasts to Help you Learn a Language
Heartwarming video of Brazilian students practicing with elderly Americans
Kid World Citizen : Becky's Website
The Global Education Toolkit for Elementary Learners, Becky's book onAmazon.co.uk and on Amazon.com (Buy through this link to support my podcast!)
7 of the Best Language Learning Rules Ever
Today I want to go a little bit deeper into the content of all our Language Book Club interviews from 30 January. As you saw last week, the event was truly epic and delivered some wisdom from no fewer than 11 multilingual people (polyglots! yes they are!).
Between me and Chris Broholm from Actual Fluency, we had the chance to interview a great bunch of people about writing, language learning and challenges on the day, so here are the most important things that Language Book Club taught us:
1) Forget Fluency
Fluency is not a word that most polyglots or language teachers love. Yes, we all call our blogs after it, but fluency is truly a concept that you need to define in more detail. It certainly doesn't help when you are working on your goals. Instead of aiming to define fluency, try setting short-term goals such as reading a certain book in the next month. I admit that I’m pretty pleased with myself for my own definition, which goes a bit like “if you can avoid communication breakdown and keep a conversation flowing, you’re pretty fluent."
2) Learn Vocabulary in Context
Flashcards and vocab are hot property, but there are lots of different ways of doing them. From detailed Anki interaction to paper-based systems like my simple Write-Look-Cover-Repeat system, the biggest key is in creating a rich context for whatever you are learning. In fact, you can develop this all the way to creating language memory palaces. Anthony Metivier believes that the memory palace is great for simple grammar principles and vocabulary, and emphasises that it is the most fundamental way of developing your memory (read here for my own mini palace attempt).
3) Don't get hung up on Accents
No matter where you go and speak a native language kinda badly, you'll still be welcome and accepted. this message was reinforced by Jared Romey and the girls from Russian Step by Step. Jared talked about how easy it can be to become disoriented even within the same language as he recounted his experiences of embarrassing Puerto Rican shopgirls. You might be feeling self-conscious or embarrassed when you step off the plane and have to open your mouth and “talk foreign” for the first time. But Jared says: “The most important thing is that you learn Spanish. Afterwards, you can adjust it, but don’t let dialects stop you."
4) Appreciate how big the World is
Language learning is not just about remembering words and grammar structures. It's about a whole different world view. Becky Morales shared the story of American high schoolers who met their first Mexican in their teenage years and enquired whether she had ever seen an orange. When you learn a language, she said, you become a world citizen and that's what really enriches your life.
5) Look Beyond the Idea of Hacking
There is no language hack and no single method of making language learning easier for all. From Benny Lewis and the emphasis on speaking and communication, to Gabriel Wyner's intense pronunciation focus, no polyglot can promise you the answer to getting things entirely right. Many share what works for them, and all of us hope that it will work for you too. In that sense keep trying, because you're not getting things wrong any time soon. Looking for a shortcut to better language skills is fine, but every one of our experts on the day has been a language learner for many years. The tips that you get are honed through years of experience, discipline and habit-building. What is the key to good language learning? Enjoy the journey!
6) See and Believe the Impossible
It's all right to be a fan boy! In Teatime with Chris, my Co-host Chris Broholm talked about his own journey of self-development and finding a purpose. It’s a pretty inspiring story and really does stand out as proof of how language learning as a personal challenge can help with even the biggest challenges. Chris started his own podcast as a means of learning from the people he admired. He says “It’s been such a big motivation for me when I see people doing things that didn’t even seem possible to me, and once you see what you think is impossible then it becomes possible."
7) Chill out at least some of the Time
When you feel overwhelmed, it's fine to slow down. Instead of trying every method of language learning all at once, just chill out and reconnect with your own preferences. Language learning is about what you do best. It has to be in sync with your own learning style. Not only did I discuss this as part of my own hour of Language Book Club Live, but I actually built this principle into the entire concept of The Vocab Cookbook. It's a cookbook: a collection of recipes to inspire and inform. Like with every other collection and every other blog, I want you to try out the ones that sound nice. You'll still get your time's worth.
Join Language Book Club
You can join Language Book Club on Facebook to stay up to date with news and discussions around language learning and books, and of course the updates on our next event when we make it happen later in 2015!
Get 50% Off the Fluent Box Set
If you haven't yet got a copy of The Vocab Cookbook on the day, don't forget that you can get the set of my 2 language learning guides, Fluency Made Achievable and The Vocab Cookbook together now.
These books are quick reads with a big impact, helping you boost your language learning skills instantly.
For you as a book club fan, I have created the special coupon code BOOKCLUB to give you my box set worth $20 for just $10. Get the huge discount right here - 100% Money Back Guaranteed of course. I just know you will love these.
The Special Needs Child and the Foreign Language (by Sally Holmwood)
Sally Holmwood, tutor at Indigo Languages is establishing herself as a regular and always very welcome guest here on the Fluent Language blog. Her experiences working with young people of all ages, both inside and outside the UK school system make her views so profound, and Sally has a real passion for her languages to share with you. Today she is discussing a special group of people, often forgotten in the language learning world: Special needs children.
One Tongue, Two Languages
As well as working with languages, I support individuals with special needs in a wide range of settings. There is a wealth of information, on the internet and beyond, about teaching languages to children with special needs – and plenty of resistance from parents and school staff alike!
“My Child Struggles to Communicate in English - Why Teach Them a Foreign Language?”
Many parents I know of children with severe learning difficulties would argue against teaching a foreign language to a child that experiences considerable difficulty in speaking their own. I know two mothers of non-verbal autistic boys, for example. For the mothers, English is not their native tongue. They live in England and so speak to their sons in English. They believe that, as their children hear English all day, wherever they go, it might confuse them to hear a different language spoken at home. Such apprehension about introducing a child with a learning difficulty to a foreign language is not uncommon. Some parents and staff believing pupils’ time might be better spent focussing on building independence skills.
Using Language-Learning as a Stepping Stone
At Languages Without Limits, the rationale that we are all different is reason enough to introduce pupils with special needs to a foreign language. Seeing the variation between people from different cultures showed pupils that it is acceptable to be ‘different’. There is scope for revisiting useful basic language concepts when learning a foreign language too. The teaching of social and other core skills can be integrated into foreign language lessons, shifting the focus just slightly. (Read this twice because it applies to all learners, not just special needs ones. -ed.)
“But This Child Can’t Speak!”
We may believe the non-verbal child does not benefit from learning a foreign language - but can we really be sure? If you haven’t heard of Carly Fleischmann, the Canadian teenager with non-verbal autism, now’s the time to look her up! Watch her video below to see for yourself the stark contrast between her father’s assumptions about her understanding and what she herself wants to communicate! Carly, like many other non-verbal youngsters, now has an electronic communication aid – many of these can even be furnished with foreign language software!
David R. Wilson has compiled a list of resources that include guidelines on making foreign languages accessible to pupils with a number of special needs, who may need to learn in a different way to their peers.
A Time and Place for Everything – Including Traditional Teaching Methods!
Rudyard Kipling once said
The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it!
We know that there are three learning styles – visual, auditory and kinesthetic (tactile) – and certainly some pupils with special needs learn better if they can ‘get stuck in’. Videos, games and songs and plenty of opportunity to get up out of their seat to act things out will enhance their learning experience – the more tactile, the better!
Take fruit. Teach the names – and even the signs – not just by showing a simple photograph or cartoon image as a visual aid. Embrace the wonder that is ICT. Even better still, bring actual pieces of fruit in for pupils to try and allow them to feel, smell and taste it. Make the most of stories like Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" – just think how this could be used to combine simple vocabulary with a brilliantly multi-sensory experience for children with special needs!
The Higher Functioning Special Needs Child
Let’s not forget the high functioning autistic learner either, who, like any of us, is highly motivated by things they really like. It may be the rigidity of maths or science that appeals. To others, like one young man I know, it is foreign languages. Excelling in school at French and German, he taught himself Russian at home. Foreign languages come complete with strict, non-negotiable grammar rules and a clear right or wrong answer for many questions. This can play to the high-functioning autistic pupil’s thirst for rigidity of routine. They may find such things easier to grasp than confusing abstract concepts found in other subjects.
Is the Special Needs Child the Better Language Learner?
We know that the pupil with special needs learns in a very different way to one without. We may have concerns that a child with special needs may not understand a foreign language, particularly if they are non-verbal, but that shouldn’t mean we exclude them altogether from the opportunity to learn. After all, Carly Fleischmann showed the world just how wrong people could be about the level of understanding of a non-verbal child.
The question of whether the special needs child makes the better language learner is a tricky one that brings me back to the diversity of all pupils, so much so that I am inclined to sit on the fence and say simply that we are all motivated by the things that interest us! We all deserve to be offered the same experiences and to receive support, where necessary, to make the most of them.
Learn One, Learn All!
The language learner with special needs may need to approach language learning in a completely different manner. Yet amongst the vast technologies that exist today, there are certainly many ways in which to offer them an experience of learning a foreign language that is meaningful to them. Perhaps the question we should be asking ourselves from now on is not simply whether individuals with special needs should learn a foreign language, but rather how they should be doing so?
About Sally Holmwood
Sally lives and works in West Sussex, England. She splits her working week between individuals of all ages with special needs, and languages (specifically German and French). Sally loves to make time to travel the world when she's not working - sometimes Europe, sometimes even further afield! Furthermore, she is a big fan of great television: Sherlock, Bones, The Big Bang Theory and Doctor Who. Stay in touch with Sally on Twitter or Facebook.
**Note from Kerstin : Like Sally, I also believe very strongly that language learning should be open to everyone who wishes to do so. This is not an easy path for anyone, and her ideas of the learner with autism finding comfort in rigid grammar rules, or the tactile learning styles, should be an inspiration to us all. How do you bring more adventure into your learning styles?**
5 great reasons for language learning with a buddy
When you are learning a new language, your motivation is often rooted in appreciation of how people connect and communicate. Language learning is social by definition, and it's clearly most fun when you can practice and learn with others. All good on paper, but what if you don't know any fellow learners?
5 great reasons for finding a learning buddy
Just like a lot of language learners, I'm not averse to a bit of a challenge. Teaching yourself from books is definitely one of those, but my advice would be that you stay away from challenging yourself to learn in isolation. Here are 5 good reasons why sharing the language learning journey with a buddy (someone at your level, a friend or tutor) makes a lot of sense.
- You'll open up
Expressing your feelings is super-beneficial, no matter if it's through talking, drawing, writing or singing. In the context of language learning, this means you will benefit a lot from speaking about the language learning experience. Shared frustrations and worries are often halved when you have the chance to talk to someone who knows what you mean. - You'll keep going
Giving up is much less of an option when people know about your commitment to really making this work. Yes, this tip is just one of my whole library of tips that work both for diets and language learning :) - Double the research power
Have you been on the internet these days? It's so full of great resources and media and music and articles that I barely have time to watch Game of Thrones! Even if your chosen buddy isn't one who shares your fluency ambitions, they can help you by keeping an eye out for the best resources, recommended tutors or fellow learners. A network is a powerful thing, and it's so easy to start. - They can quiz you
There is rarely a thing more efficient than asking a friend to quiz you on your vocabulary lists - they'll be able to engage with your experience with all the pressure taken off, play teacher, set challenges or even grade you.
I can imagine that this works particularly well in married couples - wouldn't you just LOVE to have the licence to educate your other half?! From my own experience, I also love how it enables my partner to help me with things like my Russian, without having to understand any of it himself. - You might save money
From borrowing dictionaries to taking cheaper private classes with a tutor (like me), you might find that sharing the language learning experience can really save you a lot of money. This doesn't have to be an expensive experience and not every book or course will do the same for all people, but even if you spent no coins at all on it, you might benefit from a shared cost trip to the exciting destination of your dreams!
How to make it work
There's no straightforward recipe for success for learning with a friend or loved one. Some of us are reassured by having fellow learners, others feel particularly shy about it. You might also want to learn at a different pace to your friend, or work best at different times. If you aren't attending classes together, consider texting in the other language or sitting down just for a monthly catch-up. And if you have found someone who is not a learner him- or herself but wants to cheerlead and support you, how about planning that great trip together?
If you found this article useful, maybe you'd like regular emails from Fluent Language Tuition with more information my ideas, workshops and courses. Just use the sign-up form below :)
Fluency Masterclass, Part 1: Reading
After my recent blog post
on training four core skills, we know that fluency is a product made of
all components. So in this Fluency Masterclass, I've got some tips to have you reading better than ever before.
After my recent blog post on training four core skills, we know that fluency is a product made of all components. You need the core skills to be strong to produce and consume language excellently. So in this Fluency Masterclass, I will have a look at each one of the four skills and give you tips on becoming the best you can be. Let's start with..
Reading
Everyone has a natural preference for how they consume information, so there is no common base level for all. Some may get excited by the idea of having a book to get their head into, while others swear by hearing key phrases on their mp3 player everyday.
©Christian Cable on Flickr
This is a step-by-step guide to leveling up in your foreign language reading skills. The steps start at an easy level and you can work on this as a path to becoming a great reader, no matter how long each step takes.
1) Become comfortable
When you are starting new reading exercises, make sure you keep your texts short and focused. The first stage should be appropriate to your level. If that means you stick with isolated words for a week or a month, then don't worry. Make sure you read little and often at stage 1. It is a great time for combining writing and reading by creating flash cards, examining fun materials for kids and playing spot the word games.
2) Find interesting content
No one's going to stick with the words and sticky notes forever. What do you enjoy reading in your first language? What do you like reading about? Find something interesting to yourself, be it classified ads or wedding blogs, and you'll stay motivated for longer. The key at this stage is to start with short texts and move on to longer texts gradually. For example, you could start with the TV listings, then the blurb on the back of DVD packets, and finally full reviews.
3) Aim higher
Here is where you need to bring some attitude. Challenge yourself, attempt a book or a newspaper article. Reading is practice in language consumption, with no pressure on you to keep up a certain pace or skip words. Using a dictionary 15 times per page is NOT a sign that you are bad at language, it's a sign that you are on your way to becoming really good at it.
So make the most of this fact and use reading for what it can deliver best:
- a growing vocabulary
- more familiarity with when which words are appropriate
- visual support for your spelling and writing practice.
4) Mix it up
At
all stages of this process, you have got to see reading as a skill in
the package of four, which means it's important that you combine it with
the other skills. Here are some tips for "fluency mixology":
- Read out loud wherever you can.
- Listen to recordings and read the transcripts. Sorry to all fellow Pulp fans, but for this one exercise you do have to read the lyrics whilst listening to the recordings.
- Write yourself notes to read again and again. Yes, sticky notes. They're my number 1 learning method.
I hope you enjoyed the first part of the Fluency Masterclass - why not share your own reading tricks in the comments?
Struggling with listening? Discover realistic tips, challenge prompts, and the best tools for improving your listening skills as a self-guided language learner