Wednesday, November 30, 2005

9 Reasons Why You Should Use Songs to Teach English as a Foreign Language

Using Songs to Teach Foreign Language

Language teachers can and should use songs as part of their classroom teaching repertoire. Songs contain authentic language, are easily obtainable, provide vocabulary, grammar and cultural aspects and are fun for the students. They can provide valuable speaking, listening and language practice in and out of the classroom. Some key reasons songs can work exceedingly well in the foreign language classroom include the following:

1. Songs almost always contain authentic, natural language
This often contrasts the contrived, stilted language found in many student texts. Of course songs can also go to the other extreme by using overly crude, foul or otherwise objectionable language. With careful screening, an extensive library of usable songs for language learning can be compiled.

2. A variety of new vocabulary can be introduced to students through songs
Looking to boost student vocabulary with useful phrases, vocabulary and expressions? Songs are almost always directed to the native-speaking population so they usually contain contemporary vocabulary, idioms and expressions.

3. Songs are usually very easily obtainable
Cibemba and Silozi non-withstanding, songs are usually not that difficult to obtain. Local sources may be available including the students themselves. There’s always the internet which can connect you with song downloads in all but the most obscure languages.

4. Songs can be selected to suit the needs and interests of the students
In English especially, so many songs are available that selection of songs with suitable themes, levels and vocabulary is not at all difficult. Allowances can also be made for complexity or simplicity of language, depending on the students, by selecting and using suitable songs.

5. Grammar and cultural aspects can be introduced through songs
Most if not all songs have a recurring theme or story. So excerpting cultural elements is usually a possible, but often overlooked aspect of using songs. I still use “Hit the Road Jack” sung by the late Ray Charles to illustrate spoken contractions. He uses spoken contractions is virtually every line of the song.

6. Time length is easily controlled
Whether you have an hour, 30 minutes, or only 15 minutes or so, a song can be used in the course of a planned lesson. Use of songs is very flexible.

7. Students can experience a wide range of accents
A good thing about songs is that you can expose the students to many different kinds of English. British English, American English, Caribbean English are all widely available through songs. Accents too are well represented by songs from different regions and in a variety of types and formats. Gospel, soul, R & B, Pop, Rock, Reggae, Jazz and other styles change not only accents, but vocabulary and usage too.

8. Song lyrics can be used in relating to situations of the world around us
Songs have been used as vehicles of protest for civil rights, workers rights, even prisoner’s rights along with an untold number of other causes. They’ve expounded on pollution, crime, war and almost every social theme or cause. We won’t even mention how many songs are about, related to or explore the theme of sex.

9. Students think songs are natural and fun
Well actually they are, aren’t they? Fun, even silly songs abound in English. Some singers actually made a career out of them. (Ray Stevens, anyone?) They make offbeat, fun changes of pace with classroom use.


These are only some of the many reasons songs are useful in the language learning classroom. They contain authentic language, are easily obtainable, provide vocabulary, grammar and cultural aspects and are fun for the students. They provide enjoyable speaking, listening, vocabulary and language practice both in and out of the classroom.
So EFL, English as a foreign language, ESL, English as a Second language and foreign language teachers should all consider using songs as a regular part of their classroom activities.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Developing Listening Comprehension Skills in IDI English Language Students

Current System of Listening Comprehension Laboratory Attendance

In the current IDI, or Institute of Languages of the Santiago de Cali University system “independent” EFL students, that is those learners who are not registered in a university career program, are “exempted” from listening laboratory attendance. In my opinion, this is a serious error that negatively impacts on the English language skills of registered university students and independent English as a Foreign Language students alike. Listening comprehension is a language skill which cannot be explicitly taught as elaborated on in “What Makes Listening Difficult?”. (Lynch, 2005) This also ultimately results in several ongoing problems.

- Students are given the message that laboratory attendance is unimportant

- Students do not actively pursue any form of development of their listening comprehension skills

- Students undergo increasing difficulty with listening comprehension in class, on quizzes and exams

- Student do not feel a need to practice listening skills using the cassettes or CDs when outside the class environment

- Students often arrive at intermediate and upper levels with woefully inadequate listening comprehension skills

The quality of English language learning is moderately to severely impacted by students’ decided lack of listening comprehension skills. Since speaking skills and listening comprehension skills are inter-related, albeit disproportionately, speaking skills development can likewise be negatively impacted, under-developed or otherwise diminished in capacity

Due to these aspects, among others, I disagree with the policy of automatically “exempting” independent IDI students from listening laboratory attendance. It may be better perhaps to implement the following strategies into current IDI policy.

Possible Solutions for Independent Students

In consideration of the fact that often independent students may be time-pressured due to employment, family responsibilities, health and other commitments solutions could be to:

- Encourage listening laboratory attendance upon early arrival , or if possible, on another day

- Schedule special listening comprehension practice sessions in the laboratory or library at the request of the students

- Allow listening laboratory attendance sessions to be conducted during class hours – i.e., for a Monday, Wednesday, Friday class a portion of Friday’s class could be held in the listening laboratory

- For a Tuesday & Thursday class, a portion of Thursday’s class could be held in the listening laboratory

Allow for listening comprehension practice sessions using lab materials in class by special arrangement thus aiding in lowering of the students’ Affective Filter (Krashen and Terrell, 1993)


Listening Comprehension Study Results

Studies conducted over a period of five semesters, two and a half years, from the three partial exams given during each semester clearly demonstrate that students who regularly attend the minimum required number of listening laboratory hours (four per partial exam period and a total of 10 for the semester) achieve consistently higher listening comprehension scores than students with little or no listening laboratory attendance. Those students who attend a disproportionately higher number of listening laboratory sessions consistently have the highest scores on the listening comprehension portion of the partial exams. During the last, and previous semesters, students have attended as many as 35 listening laboratory sessions on their own time during the course of the semester. Independently conducted studies during the 2003B, 2004A, 2004B, 2005A and 2005B semesters have unequivocally borne out these results. (Lynch, 2004)


Graphed results of mean and mode listening comprehension exam section results clearly indicate three distinctive trends:

· Series 1 Blue – higher general scores for students with higher than average listening comprehension laboratory attendance

· Series 2 Purple – a broader range of exam scores than the blue series but with few failing students and no students with excessively low scores

· Series 3 Orange – a full range of listening comprehension exam section scores with scores from all correct down to zero, or none correct. In addition, about half of the students have failing scores.

This being the case, it appears to be obvious that mandating listening laboratory attendance across the full spectrum of IDI students would result in benefits for both the quality of learning and the English language skills of the students. Especially in the listening comprehension skills of a large percentage of LEP, or Limited English Proficiency, students who are now enrolled in English classes. By effectively addressing the listening comprehension skills of EFL students, any language institute can inherently improve the basic English language skills of its students.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on learning English or another foreign language? E-mail the author now at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com .

Friday, November 25, 2005

How to Use Three Potatoes and a Stuffed Dummy for Bringing in the New Year

Three potatoes and a stuffed dummy?

Want to know hot to use three potatoes and a stuffed dummy for bringing in the New Year? Well here’s the scoop.

During the latter part of December in Colombia and Ecuador, an effigy of the old year is stuffed with sawdust, wood chips, shredded paper and other flammables. The body is seeded with a few well-placed firecrackers as well. The head is often a papier-mâché mask not infrequently resembling a famous person, character or politician. Someone you’d just as soon be rid of is a runaway favorite, although witches, politicians, presidents, generals and mother-in-laws have the followings.

The life-sized effigy is placed in a prominent place like a doorway, window or even on a chair out in front of the house to await its fate. The practice even extends to stores, shops and businesses with many having effigies made up and placed outside in front – away from the merchandise of course. On the evening of December 31st, often sooner, the effigy is set ablaze amid much fanfare, shouting and wishes for the New Year. It burns rapidly taking the old year and its troubles with it. As the crackling flames, fueled by gasoline poured on the effigy, reach the firecrackers, the dummy is blown into flaming bits. There are so many burning on some streets in Quito and other towns in Ecuador it looks like a war zone. The stage is now set for a fresh, New Year.

Now Take Three Potatoes

This one’s easy, but odd. You take three potatoes; some people use five, peel one and then toss them all under the bed. Don’t look now – no peeking! Reach under the bed and feel around for them. Got ‘em? Okay pick one, still no peeking now! Take it out. If it’s the peeled one, then goodness and bounty will be yours for the New Year. If it’s not, well, better luck next year. Don’t laugh, my Mother-in-law does this! (but for goodness sakes, don’t tell her I told you!)

Happy New Year! … and get that suitcase out!

Want to know what suitcase? Be sure to read “Happy New Year Latin Style: Unusual South American Customs for bringing in the New Year”.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Learning Alternatives: Which One’s for You?

Introduction

“Good morning students”, greeted M’s Crabapple standing front and center of the tidy classroom. A throng of more than 30 students responded, “Good morning M’s Crabapple.” She continued, “First we’ll take roll call.” Then proceeded to call and check off each student as they responded, “present”. Next was an explanation of the proposed lessons for the day. There was copying of board work – lots of board work, and the staccato of lecturing and copying interspersed with recitations, was broken once in the morning for a fifteen minute recess and again at noon for lunch. The drilling resumed at the one o’clock bell, and continued until broken by the day’s final recess bell at three. “Don’t forget to study and do your homework”, the school-marm bellowed at the fleeing mass of students rushing the exit like they were abandoning a sinking ship.

Such was typical of “a day at school” for millions of students over a period of decades.


Learning Alternatives

Now however, the traditional role of schooling has radically been altered. A number of viable learning alternatives are available. What are some of the benefits and disadvantages of each of these learning alternatives? Let’s look at some of them.


Correspondence course

A correspondence course is traditionally, a class conducted through the mail. Lesson materials arrive by mail. The student then returns their completed work by return mail and waits for the next lesson to arrive by mail. The process continues and repeats until all the required lessons have been completed. There is no teacher to student contact other than the written word. Some programs nowadays do allow for telephone, e-mail or voice-mail contact. Only highly motivated, independent learners are able to benefit greatly from this type of learning.


Field Trips

Associated with both a traditional school setting and independent learning, field trips consist of students visiting a location outside of their school or home to learn about a topic or theme. Places visited might include businesses such as manufacturing facilities, a park, the Zoo or an aquarium, public services facilities like fire stations, TV or radio studios, hospitals or police stations. An effective learning strategy, this method does require a teacher or guide to fully accomplish. Also, setting up visits to some locales may be difficult or impossible for the individual learner.


Independent Study

Independent Study involves design of a project which students then complete by various means on their own. The collective work may require a number of intricately interacted facets to complete. Investigative research, writing, field trips, interviews, extensive reading and lectures may all be involved and required to complete project work. The final production is often a presentation, paper or report extolling the details of the student’s work and acquired knowledge.


Vocational School

An educational bastion for learning trade or technical skills, a vocational school teaches practical skills. Students are most often immediately employable by the private and commercial sectors upon completion of a course of study a vocational school. Fields like Health Care, Nursing, Electronics, Computer Science, Construction and Manufacturing that have a demand for skilled labor or technicians receive a steady supply of their labor force from these types of schools.


Educational Television Course

The vast majority of major metropolitan areas have one or more public broadcasting stations which feature educational programs. These programs are frequently part of an accredited course of study at a local College or University. Students watch (and often record) the TV programs at home, take notes and study the broadcast material as an integral part of their learning. Another effective strategy for the highly independent learner, this method does not promote interpersonal contact between teacher (if any) and learner.


Continuing Education

When adults want to resume their education at some point in their life, programs offered by Post-Secondary institutions which cater to these students’ specific needs are called Continuing Education. Some may last for only a day or two. Other programs can run for weeks with an intensity that can vary from an hour or two per week up to everyday class contact. Courses may be of personal interest topics like ethnic cooking, gardening, writing and photography, or employment-related areas such as welding, plumbing, languages, painting and construction. A highly popular option of today, these types of courses and programs promote interaction between students in the class, interactive learning and full teacher to student contact. There is usually lots of feedback between teacher and learners, and the learners themselves.

We likely will never see a return to “traditional” learning as was illustrated above. But with the growing variety of learning alternatives, there certainly is something to suit almost everyone. So get out of your rut. Take a chance – take a course and improve your mind and your life using one of the many learning alternatives available to you. If not, there’s always a M’s Crabapple waiting.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Using Field Trips to Augment Alternative Learning Methods

Introduction

In the previous article “Alternative Learning Methods: Which One’s for You?”, we discussed some alternative methods currently in use that have superseded traditional learning in many cases. One drawback common to some alternative learning methods is a distinct lack of “hands on” experience on the part of the student. It would indeed be a serious oversight to attempt to fully educate ourselves, our children or our students by any means without providing available opportunities for intimate personal exposure to a wide variety of places, things animals and the environment in general. “Learning in a box” must be avoided at all costs if well-rounded development is going to be achieved. With virtual education, independent study and home schooling in particular, a series of on-going field trips should be programmed to augment the learning experience.

Virtual Education Courses and Programs

Courses and programs taken completely online or through the use of computers have immensely gained in popularity during recent times. With the advent of better, faster, and cheaper personal and laptop computers, students are able to carry the learning process into almost every facet of their lives using CR-ROMs and the internet to supplement their skills, knowledge and learning. Learning strategies such as Web Quests, Online Forums, Moderated Chats, I / M (Instant Messaging) have lent a whole new vista to education of children and adults alike. Local sites and facilities which are related to study topic would be interesting and useful field trips.

Independent Study

Independent Study involves design of a project which students then complete by various means on their own. The collective work may require a number of intricately interacted facets to complete. Investigative research, writing, field trips, interviews, extensive reading and lectures may all be involved and required to complete project work. The final production is often a presentation, paper or report extolling the details of the student’s work and acquired knowledge. Independent learning must be augmented by as many local or regional field trips, related to their studies as possible, for the student to more fully internalize the material.

Home Schooling

When a student does not attend traditional public or private school, but instead, has classes taught at home by parents and / or tutors, the concurrent term used is home schooling. A number of methods, singly or in combination, may be utilized to inform and educate the student. With the rise of crime and violence in the public (free) school systems of many countries, more and more families are turning to this once-maligned manner of educating their children. Broadening the student’s world with an extensive array of field trips will do wonders in providing the inculcation necessary to more fully develop the learner’s intelligences.

Field Trips

Associated with both a traditional school setting and independent learning, field trips consist of students visiting a location outside of their school or home to learn about a topic or theme. Trips and visits can be made locally, regionally or even done as part of a “semester abroad” experience. Summer is frequently used for this purpose as inclement weather is far more common in autumn and winter. An effective learning strategy, this method does require a teacher or guide to fully accomplish. Also, setting up visits to some locales may be difficult or impossible for the individual learner. Places visited might include locations such as:

· manufacturing facilities
· breweries, distilleries
· museums
· historic sites and buildings
· tombs, cemeteries and monuments
· a park
· the Zoo and “Petting” Zoos
· Gardens, greenhouses, orchards and Horticultural Centers
· an aquarium
· dairy farms

Also to be included for consideration, are field trips to public services facilities like:

- fire stations
- TV stations
- radio studios
- newspaper offices and printing facilities
- hospitals or health care facilities
- police stations or detention centers
- water or waste treatment plants
- weather stations

To determine what is available locally, you can visit the local bureau of tourism, the chamber of commerce, the city and state departments of education; consult the yellow pages and the websites of area businesses. This should give you a list to start. More will likely be added as you gain contacts in business and industry. Ask for suggestions and recommendations as you go. People are almost always glad to help. Please feel free to contact me for specific recommendations, referrals and ideas.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Monday, November 21, 2005

7 Important Reasons Why YOU Should Write

There are as many reasons to write as there are writers. Each of us has our own reasons why we sit in front of a keyboard or scribble our thoughts on a pad. Even so, there are some key reasons why you should regularly write. Whether its articles, essays, poems, compositions, papers, books, e-books, ad copy, literature or any other of the myriad of writing forms, it’s a vocation that serves almost everyone in good stead. Here are seven good reasons why YOU should join the great legacy of writers.


To Express Your Ideas

Every one of us gets ideas. We get ideas for new products or services, new ways of doing things, ideas for changing the old or introducing the new. We write down our ideas first to preserve and protect them, then to share them with others. Development of ideas can also come from writing them down and thinking about or brainstorming about them. Writing could be used to help in organizing our thoughts to extend or complete mental processing of ideas.


To Share Our Experiences

We may write to share any number of the experiences that fill and enrich our lives. Our experiences run the gamut of human emotion from uplifting to the dregs of despair. One way to share our experiences and the emotions associated with those experiences is to write about them. A good writer can make us feel emotions through the words on a printed page or screen.


Personal Challenge

Writing is often a way of overcoming personal challenge. As words flow onto the page, we strive for goals we may have set. It may be a record we’re trying to keep. We may want to thoroughly document some outstanding facet of our existence – good or bad. We may simply want to make writing more a part of the way we express ourselves on an everyday basis. Getting the words down then, is the challenge for some of us. The challenge of keeping the words flowing can be a formidable one if we don’t allow our hearts and minds to open up to the free discourse of our thoughts and emotions.


Recognition

One could write for recognition as a person who is highly knowledgeable in a field or endeavor. We want to be recognized as an expert or perhaps a near expert on a topic. This can be accomplished through writing books and articles that share a portion of what we know. An expert isn’t someone who knows everything about a subject, but rather, an expert is a person who knows more than the average person about a topic. This may be through formal study, experience or a combination thereof.


Compensation

Thousands write for the money and other compensations. From journalists, professional authors, poets and screen writers to copy writers and academic materials authors there is money to be made for those who can move up to buy, instruct us, sway our emotions or entertain us through their words. Newspapers, books, magazines, flyers, ads, stories and a host of other forms all vie for a portion of our lives each day. Movies, plays, TV and radio programs, and other audio visual forms were originally written down in some format.


To Share Knowledge

Scientific, medical and educational writing is, for the most part, a way of releasing new knowledge or the results of study, thought and investigation to large groups of others. Journals, reports and technical discourse in virtually every field are available for the enrichment of knowledge of those whose lives involve them in higher education or scientific study. Indeed, a staunch requirement of the vast majority of universities and institutes of higher education is the regular publication of new knowledge in the field of the professor.


To Document Progress and Changes

An untold quantity of events occurs each day worldwide. Many may impact us individually. Some may impact those we know. Other events seemingly do not touch our lives at all. Or at least so we think. According to the “Chaos Theory” and the “Butterfly Effect”, a seemingly innocuous event on the other side of the world may have major impact on an event in the near or distant future thousands of miles away. “The flutter of a butterfly’s wings may cause a storm in another part of the world.” Current events are documented at an astounding rate. Ultimately, it’s possible for you to know intricate details of occurrences ostensibly, any where on earth at almost any time.

For every writer, there are different reasons to write. No matter the writing motivations are for you, you should strive to continue to contribute to the vast well spring of knowledge and experiences that writers provide. So sit in front of a keyboard or scribble your thoughts on a pad, but whatever form you use, just continue to write. Continue to be a part of the great legacy of writers like Shakespeare, Hemingway, Poe, Frost, Cummings, Carnegie and Peale, among thousands of others. They filled us with emotion, documented our times, molded our language and helped to shape our future.
How about you?


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

"The Man Who Makes Little Fish from Sticks"

Wearing only a green loincloth, a barefooted indian approached me. Lean and muscular, his straight black hair hung down past his ears in a “page boy” style cut typical of “Cholos” or straight-haired people. His flat, broad feet were caked with sand. A two and a half foot long machete was slung across his back by a braided vine thong. A small drawstring pouch hung by its cords under one arm. We looked at each other. Glancing down at the scattering of wood shavings around my feet, the Embera finally broke the silence.

“What are you doing?”, he asked in his native tongue.

“I’m making a fishing lure.”

Tipping his head curiously, he squinted at the near minnow-shaped blank of wood in my hands. I continued whittling. More wood shavings fell around his feet. He didn’t move. The Pacific Ocean surf roared and pounded like a lullaby no more than 100 yards away down the sand-paved street. Late afternoon had painted the sky with burnt orange and purple hues. A light breeze easily carried the salt scent to us and felt refreshing against the crushing humidity.

“It will be like one of these”, I said in Spanish, holding up another finished minnow-imitation top water plug. The Rapala-type fishing lure had been finished only yesterday.

Heavy rain and roiling seas had scuttled any fishing plans I’d had for earlier this morning. In the clear afternoon, I opted to work on a couple of lures to pass the sauna-like conditions of Colombia’s Pacific coast. The Choco region is one of the wettest regions in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records. More than 43 and a half feet of rain fall each year – enough to flood a building above its fourth floor.

He took a lure from my hands and turned, holding it up, to show another more elderly Indian man who now approached. They spoke a bit between themselves, turning the lure over and over in their hands, mindful of the tail and mid-body stainless steel treble hooks. The first man undulated the lure in a swimming motion imitating a dancing, bobbing fish. Smiling, he handed it back to me.

“I’ve never seen anything like that”, the tan skinned man continued. “Do you have more?”

I nodded a response.

“Do you sell them?”

“Not these. I’ll be using these myself tomorrow.”

“The fish will really like these, especially this one”. He pointed to a red-headed five inch minnow imitation lure with a white body: Its treble hooks glinted in the evening sunlight.

“I hope so.” He proved right couple of days later as I fought a 14-pound Dorado to the gunnels of my boat. My hands cut and bleeding, it took two of us to sling the blue and gold, spotted scrapper up and into the locally built 25 foot wooden launch. I would sport a shameless, white-toothed grin all the way home that morning.

Showing off a few more of my finished lures, we conversed a bit more. They left in wonder at my ability to “make little fish from sticks”. So from that day on, I have been known by the Embera Indians of the Jurubida region of the Choco, as “The man who makes little fish from sticks”. Kinda of catchy, ain’t it? I still can’t quite say it correctly in the Embera’s language, but let me tell you, it’s a mouthful.


Prof Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He lives in Cali, Colombia, fishes the South American Pacific coast, Amazon and Orinoco River basins for exotic salt water and fresh water game and food fish. For no-obligation information on how to get original, exclusive Exotic fishing stories, fishing technique articles, fishing-action photography and one-of-a-kind content for your fishing-related newsletter, blog or website contact him today at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for a free, action photo-packed, South American fishing adventure article.

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Write 1000 Articles by this Time Next Year

Explode Your Writing Production:
Use a System to Write 1000 Articles by this Time Next Year

So how can you write two, three or more articles per day? Ten to fifteen articles per week or up to 100 or more articles per month? A whopping seven hundred to 1000 articles per year without breaking a sweat?

Simple.

You use a system.

First you’ll identify your areas of specialization. Note that I used the plural. Everyone is an expert or near expert in multiple areas. Even if you’ve lived alone in a cave for the past several years, you’re an expert. You’d know about living alone in a cave. You’d be an authority on plants, animals, and insects that found cave life suitable. You could speak volumes on what to eat, drink and how to occupy yourself while living in a cave, etc. You get the picture, right?

Next, you’ll assemble your reference materials, resources and writing aids, those things that are going to help you to flesh out and deepen your article outlines. You’ll quickly be able to ascertain key facts, background information, select and apply poignant quotes and strong statistical data into your writing. Your writing must provide useful information.

People go online for three essential purposes:

- To get information
- To check their e-mail or chat online
- To make a purchase

Yes, there are other things you can do online, but these are the big three for most people. Think about it. Remember, you must provide useful information. This includes news, commentary and entertainment to a degree.

Third, you’ll be you’ll introduce the use of article templates; what they are and how to use them to produce smoothly transitioning, logical articles that are keyword-rich and packed with useful information for your reader. The keywords bring them to your article through the topic and SEO, or search engine optimization. The article title whets their interest and gets them to open your article. The first paragraph gets them hooked so they continue reading. The information-rich body of your piece keeps them reading. Your summary and SIG, or author resource box help you to bring the reader back for more and firmly establish your expertise.

Article templates allow you to almost effortlessly format and produce:

- Travel / destination articles
- Personal, political and other forms of essays
- Specialized topic articles
- “list” articles

Many other types of articles can also be produced using templates to save time and effort. Yes, you’ll still have to work for a living, but your productivity will grow faster than a jar of Kompucha in sugar-rich tea on a hot summer day in the shade. Zowee.

You should set writing production goals for yourself. As you develop and apply your article production system, your output will soon reach an article a day. Then you’ll start to research and write several articles per week up to multiple articles per day. When I’m on a roll, I can pump out five or six articles per day. It’s really not that difficult once you get the hang of a good system that works for you.

In additional promotional steps, you would expand and develop your online presence; not only by publishing but by also employing some additional online aids allow your readers (and potential customers) to contact you easily. You’d continually expand your readership reaching farther and deeper into the web to never-before-heard-of sources. You’ll build an opt-in mail list of highly targeted potential customers. You’d continue to build and deepen your knowledge of online publishing and marketing.

Finally, you’ll continually refine your article production system to crank out articles and useful materials faster and more regularly, shooting your content numbers, potential clients and reputation through the roof. A thousand articles per year? Huh, that’s nothing once you really get going.


Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He is the author of a 5-week online course “Develop a Specialty and Get Published on the Web for Fun, Fame or Fortune” Ccontact the author at lynchlarrym@gmail.com.

Friday, November 18, 2005

Develop a Specialty and Get Published on the Web for Fun, Fame or Fortune

If you have a product or service you’d like to promote, want to really start developing your writing skills or get a strong online presence for yourself, this course is for you. Learn exactly what you can write about, how to format and structure a variety of article types, produce publishable articles FAST and promote yourself all over the web and all over the world – for free.

During the course the instructor guides you in selecting your specialties, article preparation and research and how to skyrocket your article writing to produce a stunning number of articles in record time. How many quality, information-packed articles do you produce NOW? An article every couple of months or so? One or two per month? One a week? Maybe you’re cranking out a couple of good articles each week.

But how would you like to hammer out two, three or more keyword-rich, information-packed, quality articles in your specialty PER DAY! That’s right, there’s no reason why you won’t be able to slide out 15 or 20 articles PER WEEK, up to 100 articles or more articles PER MONTH if you wish, and do it without “breaking a sweat”. Just think what that could do for your products or services, your reputation, your writing skills and YOUR BANK ACCOUNT!

Choose weekly or bi-weekly assignments, individually reviewed professionally by me - your personal instructor, with comments, suggestions, examples and invaluable feedback all designed to help you boost your writing ability, get published and earn recognition as an expert in your specialty.

Here’s what the 5-week online course “Develop a Specialty and Get Published on the Web for Fun, Fame or Fortune”, can do for YOU:

Get you to choose a profit-making “Specialty” that will set you apart as an Expert in your field

Have you producing floods of keyword-rich, information-packed, quality online marketing articles

Give you the means to provide FREE online marketing of your product or services by writing and publishing truckloads of marketing articles

Develop your writing skills and abilities allowing you to write quality copy and articles at your own discretion

Teach you how to organize your time, tools and schedule like a professional writer to MAXIMIZE your productivity

Provide you with professional, personalized support through each phase of the course to GUARANTEE your success and MAXIMUM benefits

Show you how to GET the RESULTS you want from your article marketing writing efforts


In addition, you get ALL these brain-boosting features:

Bi-weekly or weekly assignments each reviewed with comments, examples, suggestions and invaluable feedback with every lesson

Complete lesson materials by personal e-mail

Unlimited “question and answer” sessions with your instructor

Online references and materials all included

Personalized instruction – no “cookie cutter” feedback or “one-size-fits-all” treatment

A variety of free article templates to help boost your productivity to AWESOME levels

A generous selection of helpful (and required) Readings based on your specialty

Expert guidance on what to publish by a working, successful, professional author – not a “wannabe”

Expert guidance on where to publish – for exposure and for PROFIT

Follow-up on your progress to make sure you’re “off and running” with your writing and publication

Guaranteed writing improvement

Guaranteed publication online


Here’s the course program outline for the 5-week online course:

“Develop a Specialty and Get Published on the Web for Fun, Fame or Fortune”

WEEK ONE How to Get Respect

Selecting Your Specialty - What can you write about?
Specialty Assignment 1 – Getting your feet WET
Essential Expert Research Tools
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
BONUS Assignment


WEEK TWO Using Article Templates to Make Your Writing Soar

What Article Templates are and How to Use Them
Assignment 4 Article production using Article Template 1
Assignment 5 Article production using Article Template 2
Assignment 6 Article production using Article Template 3
BONUS Assignment - Article production using Article Template


WEEK THREE Write Like There’s No Tomorrow – Because There Isn’t

Writing on Schedule to Boost Article Production
Assignment 7 Article production using Article Template 4
Assignment 8 Article production using Article Template 5
Assignment 9 Article production using Article Template 6
BONUS Assignment Article production using Article Template


WEEK FOUR It’s Time for a Kick-in-the-Pants

Do You Play Poker? ‘cause We’re Upping the Ante
Surprise Assignment 10 (No peeking now!)
The Skinny on Article Banks (Which ones, Where and How)
Assignment 11
Assignment 12 BONUS Assignment


WEEK FIVE Some Essentials for Making Money

Five Essential Tools You Need for Marketing on the Internet
Assignment 13
Assignment 14
A Word (or two) about BLOGS
Final Assignment 15 and Feedback
You’re not Alone – We’ll Still be there to help You


WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!

You should NOT take this course if you are not DEAD SERIOUS about doing the work to get the benefits described. This is NOT a leisurely-pace, fun course – it’s WORK – and LOTS of it. (Well, you will have some fun if you like what you’re writing about) But there are deadlines to meet, research to done and a TON of articles to be produced. There are NO EXCEPTIONS and NO EXCUSES. We help and encourage you every step of the way, but you must DO THE ASSIGNMENTS as they are due. Missing editorial Deadlines will KILL your career fast, so we start you off right by not letting you miss any of ours.


About the course Instructor:

Prof Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in Latin America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He teaches at a university in Cali, Colombia. Prof. Lynch has taught EFL, published ELT articles as an expert author, presented at numerous TESOL conferences and trained teachers in the USA, Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Panama, Canada, England and Spain. To get original, exclusive articles and content for your newsletter, blog or website contact him for a no-obligation quote and current rates. He is the author and instructor of the 5-week online course “Develop a Specialty and Get Published on the Web for Fun, Fame or Fortune”. He can be contacted directly at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com/. For free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, article writing and mental skills development go to his Blog at: http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com/ .

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

10 Tips for Writing Exotic Articles About Where You Live

Think about this: Each year people all around you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to travel to “exotic” destinations. What makes these destinations “exotic”? The fact that they’re different from the normal home environment. That means wherever you live is an “exotic” locale for people in most of the rest of the world. So, write about it.

“Here? There’s nothing worth writing about around here," you might say about your hometown. With the right focus on where to look, virtually any locale can yield multiple gems suitable for articles and stories. Research is the key. Here are offbeat and practical sources for generating new ideas no matter how small or dull you feel your hometown is. My colonial hometown of York, Pennsylvania has a population of less than 60,000. Still, I’ve found numerous gems just waiting to be dug up, polished and marketed. Here are some topics and resources to stimulate your thinking in even the tiniest, plainest, most remote towns.

Starting off: One indispensable resource is the telephone book. These pages contain enough starting information for you to produce reams of articles, if you know where to look. The front pages often contain maps, contact data for government agencies, museums, libraries, other reference sites and key organizations. Listings under clubs, fraternities, and organizations yield special interest groups just clamoring for promotional or human interest pieces. Thumb through your directory, you’ll start generating ideas right away.

Buy every postcard you can find related to your area. Key names, dates and facts on local sites will be printed on the back. Be sure to check out any available antique postcards of the area as well. Assemble them into a future reference scrapbook. Enter your town name and local sites key words from the postcards into several internet search engines. By following up on the results, points you’d never imagined can generate article ideas or new slants on ”old” stories.You’ll doubtless be spending eons of time at the library anyway, so get to know the reference department staff if you don’t already. They are invaluable allies in your quest for all types of knowledge. For the price of a cup of coffee rich rewards can be reaped as you chat with staff members informally. Ask for suggestions for article ideas. Don’t have a library card? Get one – and use it. Readers may not be writers, but writers are always readers. If you’re not scanning the daily papers and historical archives at the local library you’re missing out on a treasure trove of idea-starting news pieces.

The TV/radio news and commentary: Local events are often mirrored at broader levels. Never assume that a seemingly “local” problem is only of interest locally. When houseflies became a serious problem in a small Latin American town, I queried European and Asian magazines about possible interest in an article on what the townsfolk did to not only solve the problem, but make money from it too. An international magazine expressed its interest almost immediately. Tune in AM band talk radio broadcasts. Note the issues and contact information. Scrutinize them from different viewpoints. Talk with the station, friends, and family. Research radio or TV program featured sites, locations or businesses.

Crime: What was the most publicized, infamous crime committed in town? A robbery? Kidnapping? Arson? Murder? A modern re-telling of the events or a follow-up on the aftermath might be of interest to numerous crime magazines, police gazettes, law enforcement and insurance industry trade publications. Ghost tales can be both fascinating and profitable. Is a local site reputedly haunted? Cemeteries are a veritable cache of interesting ideas. Look for the unique, researching facts by Internet or newspaper archives. Talk to caretakers too.

Food: Almost every place has a hometown recipe or concoction they’re proud of. What’s its origin and special significance? How long has it been passed down? Are ingredients only available locally? Can people make it elsewhere? Can unavailable ingredients be substituted? Hotel, restaurant and bed & breakfast reviews are also marketable. In my hometown, eighteenth century Pennsylvania Dutch specialties like shoo-fly pie, apple butter, three bean salad, and chicken corn soup grace our tourist- attracting menus. An informative or historical piece, or perhaps a recipe collection might be just the ticket.

Celebrity appearances: Maybe Elvis didn’t sleep there (or maybe he did), but if ANYONE of note passed through, stopped or stayed, there are those who’d like to hear about it. The celebrity can be historic or modern, represent any walk of life from Art to Zen, or be their spouses, family and descendents. With an advance schedule of events, you can profile upcoming concert performers and try for interviews. Public relations and publicity offices carry stock bios on celebrities, which you can use as a start.

Music is of worldwide interest; an unusual type performed in your area could spiral into specialized pieces on local artists, artisans or exotic instruments like the accordion, harmonica, dulcimer, harp or zither. Where and how are they crafted? Are lessons available? Why is the instrument attached to the local area? If it exists elsewhere, compare your area with any others.

Nature: Are there seasonal invasions of bees, butterflies, bats, or other critters? Is your area home to an unusual species? A haven for hummingbirds? A wildlife sanctuary? Wildlife and environmental publications might like the story. Zoos, insect museums, pet shops and university departments are good starting sources. I discovered a family-run business that cultures butterflies then releases them at weddings, parties and other special occasions in addition to giving presentations at schools, trade shows and environmental conventions. Have you noticed a bizarre or curiously-shaped tree? Check with neighbors and the city planning commission. See if there’s a tale attached to that trunk or another natural wonders in the area.

Sports or Fairs: Cover city, county or state events with an eye to unique angles and multiple marketing. Look for interesting viewpoints. Talk to category winners. Are they elderly, ethnic, or handicapped? Family secret sharers? View the events in different ways. Take photos. Surely your area proudly hosts some tournament, race, rally or marathon? How contestants prepare, interviews with sponsors, family and fans are possible article generating material. When a backyard row of huge collard greens drew attention to my late grandmother’s fertilizing methods winning her a mention at the county fair, I wrote it up. (She’d used free elephant dung from a visiting circus as fertilizer.)

Whatever your writing genre, diamonds-in-the-rough ideas for articles abound all around you. Continually note ideas, brainstorm, observe, listen, converse and question everyone you can. Keep a calendar of local and regional events. Stay abreast of happenings. You’ll never again say, “Here? There’s nothing worth writing about around here.”

© Copyright 2005, Larry M. Lynch



Larry M. Lynch is a writer and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines in print and online. He travels researching articles throughout Latin America and teaches at a university in Cali, Colombia. To get original, exclusive articles and content for your newsletter, blog or website, contact him at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com.

Monday, November 14, 2005

What is a Language Teacher?

At a recent English Language Teaching or ELT conference, when I asked, “What is a language teacher?” a cornucopia of responses ensued. Many were quite verbose, others shorter and simpler, many rambled. For both EFL teachers and ESL or foreign language students, the definition of a language teacher is useful in determining what qualities to seek or strive for when studying English or a foreign language.

It was TEFL linguistics researcher Costas Gabrielatos in 2002 who defined the term “language teacher”. Here is his definition and how it is interpreted.

A Language Teacher is: A person who teaches language.

With this definition he also defined the three major aspects that constitute a language teacher. Here are those three aspects and their respective principal components.


1. A language teacher is a person (or personality) who demonstrates the qualities of:

Balanced control and Flexibility in teaching and conducting class activities, being neither overly “tyrannical” nor overly permissive

Being Neat and Organized in person and preparation

Being Well-groomed to provide an example for student dress and behavior

Being Authoritative in the performance of all teaching aspects based on a combination of knowledge, training, practice and experience


2. A language teacher is able to teach combining methodology, knowledge & skill. The language teacher:

Has In-depth Knowledge of the language being taught. It is unfortunate that in many foreign countries there exist numbers of English language “teachers” whose knowledge of English is questionable at best or non-existent at worst. If you are an English as a foreign language teacher, strive NOT to be one of those.

Uses a Variety of Techniques to transfer knowledge, skills and abilities in the language to students and learners

Has Knowledge of materials that can be successfully applied to the teaching and learning of the language being taught

Knows Implication of theory to practice, development and use of the language being taught


3. A language teacher has knowledge of the Language and its Use. This implies knowledge of:

Grammar and specialized structure of the language being taught

the Language History and how it impacts current use and structure of the language

Idioms and Expressions in the language both in current and previous use colloquially

Ability to discern levels and needs of students of the language to enable each learner to receive the best methods and approaches to learning that are possible

So, what is a language teacher? A language teacher is a person who teaches language and all that that entails. As language teachers or language learners, there are standards to be upheld and quality to be maintained. These serve for the benefit of all.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Explore Your Creativity: Creating Materials for the EFL Classroom Part 1

You don't really need to be a genius to produce highly successful, dynamic lessons using authentic materials. You do need to know about your EFL or ESL students, what they can do, what they like, how they think and their motivations for learning English (or another foreign language). In this first part of the series on creating materials for the EFL, ESL or foreign language learning classroom, we’ll briefly discuss: Why we need to adapt materials. Following parts of this series will address: Where to get authentic English or other foreign language materials, some recommended Websites for English Teachers, and exactly how you can modify authentic language materials to meet learner needs.

Why we need to adapt materials

The first stop is to adapt existing or easily available materials to suit the teaching / learning needs we may have. Using existing materials can save time, effort and expense in acquiring new English as a foreign language materials or materials for teaching or learning another foreign language. Key reasons existing or easily available materials may have to be adapted include:

Unsuitable material level

Whatever materials we may have or be able to get may not be suitable for our learners’ needs. Authentic materials are usually produced for native speakers. This often means that an adjustment is required before we can may effective use of the materials.

Too difficult

If our learners are beginner level, we may well have to simplify vocabulary or context elements to render passages and listening comprehension segments useable,

Too long or short

Lessons and study sessions are most often time-controlled. If we need an activity or segment for a short classroom practice activity, a longer authentic language piece might need to be excerpted or shortened to make it fit into our lesson’s context. A shorter piece may need additions in the way of activities or discussions to flesh out its usefulness in the classroom setting.

Use of grammar or language

Extensive use of grammar or structures not known to the learners may be featured in the authentic language passage. Adjustments, then, would likely be necessary in the way of glossaries, key word definitions or explanations of language aspects before the use of the passage.

Explore relevancy

Using language in a relevant context to promote meaningful input and output from the learners is a key aspect of foreign language learning. If material has obvious relevancy for the learners, it will be that much more difficult for them to approach its acquisition.

Adapt for specific use

At the time of using an authentic language reading or listening passage, we may well be working on a specific context, grammatical point or language structure in class. This might mandate that we adapt materials to reflect use of those grammar or structure elements.

Adapt to student learning styles

“Student learning styles may be an important factor in the success of teaching and may not necessarily reflect those that teachers recommend" says Jack C. Richards, noted Linguistics professional and an author of the INTERCHANGE EFL / ESL series course books. Knowledge of our students may tell us that certain learning styles should preferably be addressed. So changing authentic language materials from one form to another might be called for. A reading passage then becomes a listening. A listening passage molts into a grammar-themed one. Writing or discussions might be the outcome of controversial or newsworthy passages, the list goes on and on.

We’ll continue in Part 2 of this series with more suggestions for where to get authentic English or foreign language materials for learning English as a foreign or second language. The same techniques will apply for developing foreign language learning skills in other languages. See you soon in Part 2.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

What Makes Listening Difficult?

Of the four basic English language skills, reading, writing, speaking and listening, the most difficult to acquire is listening comprehension. It is also the one skill which cannot be “taught”.

In evaluations that university English and foreign language institute EFL students must take at least three times a semester, the area which is most critical and the one in which they experience the greatest difficulty is listening comprehension.

What makes Listening Difficult?
There are four clusters of factors which can affect the difficulty of language listening tasks. Here is what they are and how they affect listening comprehension skills.

The SPEAKER

• How many are there?

Is one person speaking at a time? Are there a number of speakers? Do some of them speak at the same time?

• How quickly they speak

Does the pace of the speaker allow sufficient “time” for mental processing of the speech by the listener? Does the language of the speaker flow at a faster or slower rate than the listener is accustomed to?

• What types of accent they have

Does the speaker (or do the speakers) have an unfamiliar accent or manner of speaking that is less comprehensible to the listener? Is the listener accustomed to variable accents and speech types?


The LISTENER

• The role of the listener

What is the listener’s purpose in listening? General comprehension? Specific information? Pleasure? Business? Extraction of critical data?

• The level of response required

What does the listener have to do in response to the speech? Act? Respond? Think? Enjoy? Nothing?

• The interest in the content or subject

Is the listener involved in the content or subject matter? Is it something they want to, need to, or must know?


The CONTENT

• Grammar

Is the grammar and structure in use familiar to the listener? Is the listener able to use or assimilate the grammar – structure used in this context?

• Vocabulary

Is vocabulary or lexis that is new to the listener being used in the speech? Is the quantity of new words substantial? Noted linguistics author Scott Thornbury says, “Count 100 words of a passage. If more than 10 of the words are unknown, the text has less than a 90% vocabulary recognition rate. It is therefore, unreadable.” The same holds true for a listening comprehension passage.

• Information structure

Is the information or material being presented by the speech in a form that is clear and understandable to the listener? Is the presentation order logical, progressive, have redundancies or is presented non-sequentially?

• Background knowledge assumed

In comprehension of the speech, is prior knowledge required? Is any prior knowledge required substantial, highly specialized or technical in nature?

SUPPORT

What kind of support, if any, is available? Support in this context refers to whether there are pictures, diagrams or other visual aids to support the text.


While there are a number of approaches that can be utilized to improve listening comprehension, one important key is regular and consistent practice. An EFL or ESL teacher may also provide a measure of guided practice in developing key listening comprehension skills. Taking these other factors into account, listening comprehension segments can be identified which may tend to cause problems for learners or that have a sufficient number of suitable aspects to make them practical and useable.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Accelerate Your Language Learning: Create Your Own Vocabulary Building Activities Part 2

In Part 1 of this series we discussed some suggestions to develop English language vocabulary at the fastest possible rate for learning English as a foreign or second language. The same techniques exactly apply for developing foreign language vocabulary. In this section we will focus on creating specialized puzzles like cross word puzzles, using the same vocabulary lists you’ve already developed.

Make a Crossword Puzzle
Using the same vocabulary from the word find puzzle, now create a crossword puzzle. Add short clues for each of your words. You can do it manually using another 15 by 15 grid sheet, or one of a number of good computer software programs.

Three highly popular crossword puzzle creation programs available online are:

Puzzle Maker website www.puzzlemaker.com is the simplest and easiest of the trio of puzzle creation programs. It allows you to create a variety of crossword puzzles. As mentioned in part 1, it’s available free online, can be learned in a few minutes and doesn’t require downloads or prior knowledge.

Hot Potato website for creating puzzles, including a variety of crossword puzzles, again is online at: http://web.uvis.ca/hrd/halfbaked/ It is fairly simple to use, although again more complex than Puzzle Maker. You’ll need to study the “help” section for crossword puzzle creation instructions. A demo version is available for free online, with the full version requiring only free registration if you’re in the USA. Even the demo version can be a bit complex at first.

The Crossword Construction Kit home page http://www.crosswordkit.com/ is the grand daddy of the trio with lots of bells and whistles to create professional-quality crossword puzzles in a variety of formats and shapes. It takes a while to learn, and although not free, is reasonably priced.

For working with any of these, you should have an ample vocabulary list with clues. The grid size can be from eight by eight up to 15 by 15 to allow the completed puzzle to be printed out on a letter size sheet at a workable font size. A larger puzzle grid size tends to make the final printed puzzle letter squares uncomfortably small. No more than 25 to 30 words should be used so as not to make the puzzle too difficult or excessively challenging for learners. Remember, it’s a learning tool, not a punishment.

This compounded series of activities will provide abundant vocabulary practice. Puzzles can be created in any language using standard computer keyboard character sets. Learners need to mentally manipulate the words and vocabulary either in a category or using definitions and associations. Puzzles are easily created so learners enjoy the activities and their inherent challenges without being overwhelmed. Checking each other’s work promotes peer correction and learning in addition to aiding in the development of verbal – linguistic, visual – spatial and logical – mathematical multiple intelligence skills. Speaking among classmates using only English (or the target language) promotes inter-personal communications skills development as well.

So if you’re a student, now you’ll know what to do to practice your foreign language vocabulary. If you’re a teacher, you likewise now know how to respond when your English ESL, EFL or foreign language learning students ask you, “Teacher, what can I do to learn more words faster?”


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Learning a Language? Make it Real and You’ll Never Forget It

First sniffing, then squinting and holding up a Kiwi fruit a Chinese student muttered something I wasn’t sure I wanted to have translated. A classmate from Brazil leaned over, pointing to a photo in a picture dictionary. Two Korean ladies giggled, their hands covering their mouths.

The lesson on food was bombing big time. When the ESL class ended, none of us were satisfied, but at least the topic had been broached. “Review your vocabulary materials before next class”, I encouraged. They were all new to the USA. Some had only been in their new country a few days, others a few weeks. A few for a couple of months or so, but none had yet crossed over into the realm of communicating on a daily basis in English. I had to do something to help my multi-cultural class of ESL students start to internalize the language. Thinking back on my own French language struggles in Paris and French Canada, the answer struck me.

The next class I was ready.

“Okay, everybody, let’s go” I requested. They all gave me quizzical looks.

“Where are we going?”

“Just wait. You’ll see.”

Earlier, I’d arranged with the manager of a local supermarket located three blocks from where we had our English classes, to bring the 15 adult learners for a field trip. Representing Colombia, Brazil, Poland, China, Korea, Puerto Rico and Vietnam, the group made a curious sight as we stumbled through the remnants of a week-old snowstorm. Many of them had experienced snow for the first time only a matter of days ago. Two of the newly immigrated Chinese men wore sandals. I kept my comments on this to myself, confident that they’d learn soon enough. I just hoped they didn’t get Pneumonia.

“Okay, where are we?”, I asked.

“La tienda”
“El supermercado”
“store for food”
“big market”

It didn’t take long to realize that none of them had been in a large supermarket. Mostly they food shopped at small, local grocery stores that catered to the tastes of their immigrant neighborhoods. Their reactions ranged from shock and disbelief to awe and wonder. There was more than a little curiosity present as well.

For the next forty minutes or so with notebooks and writing pads open, we methodically wandered up one isle and down the other exploring the vocabulary of food and containers presented in previous lessons. Stories we swapped in broken English. Anecdotes emerged. One student offered to push the shopping cart along to collect the items I’d have to pay for later.

“No, you can’t buy just one egg”, I explained.

“Back home you can buy just what you need”, several students responded.

“Two eggs or a cigarette, even a half loaf of bread or a cup of rice” they explained as best they could.

They fondled grapes, sniffed, licked and nibbled new fruits, and strange vegetables like brussel sprouts, pumpkin and acorn squash. I bought watermelon, varieties of apples, canned goods, jars of sauces, pretzels and pickled goods to take back to the class for sampling. That class outing used “realia” or actual physical objects, to make the lesson “real” for the learners. It generated discussions, jokes and humorous stories until the following spring and beyond.

Use actual objects and items instead of just pictures to make your language learning real and more natural. Think of the difference it makes to have a can or jar of something in your hands versus a picture of a can or jar in a book. Other containers, box, bottle, bag, package, roll, and tube, came alive and were instantly assimilated by learners who brought in full (or empty) containers of products from their respective countries. Try a nearby Zoo for animals, a museum, a pizza shop, the cinema, even a local park to breathe life and reality into your foreign language classes like we did. Problems? Yes, a few, but you and your students will be astounded at the difference it makes in internalizing the language. Whether you’re an EFL or foreign language teacher or a language learner, using realia will go a long ways in making your new language “real” for you. It’ll be lots of fun too. I promise.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental skills development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Expand Your Creativity and Make Yourself Smarter Using these 8 Strategies

It is now commonly accepted that collectively, our brain works by utilizing billions of neural inter-connections along an almost infinite variety of pathways to manage our intellectual capacities. The more inter-connections we have, the better or more efficiently our brains perform functions like solving problems or developing creative thought. Scientists know, but can’t explain exactly how the process works, but if you study mathematics, your musical ability improves. If you read extensively your ability to develop new physical skills or artistic abilities is augmented. This being so, we can therefore literally make ourselves “smarter” by increasing the quantities of inter-connections in our brain.

But how exactly do we go about improving our mental ability? By strengthening one or more areas of our brain which are lesser developed. If you’re an avid reader, study art. If you love all things musical, increment your nature studies. Are you an athlete? Increase your music appreciation and other areas of intellectual prowess will follow. It may sound strange and illogical, but it works. Here are six of the nine strongest “intelligences” and how they influence personality, character and ability. Note how each one can be strengthened and expanded using simple activities practiced on a regular basis.


1. Verbal - Linguistic Intelligence

People whose brains are highly developed in this area are avid readers, like to write and
do crosswords. They are also successful language learners. To expand your skills in this
intelligence, do crosswords, word finds and other word games and puzzles. Delve into poetry or write essays and articles. (Now there's an idea) Try some verbal - linguistic types of activities online at:

Puzzle Maker website www.puzzlemaker.com
Hot Potatoes website for creating puzzles http://web.uvis.ca/hrd/halfbaked/


2. Visual - Spatial Intelligence

If you love flashy colors, are an artist who paints, draws, creates or crafts, then your brain is highly - developed in this area. If you're not, then learn to draw, cartoon or do jigsaw puzzles and you'll increment stimulation to this part of your brain. Visit these websites for more info and to try your hand at some visual - spatial activities:

Crosswords Kit home page http://www.crosswordkit.com/
Jigsaw puzzle free downloads http://zone.msn.com/deluxegames/

3. Musical - Rhythmic Intelligence

Musicians, singers, rappers and poets unite! You're all focused in on the musical - rhythmic intelligence. These people typically play a musical instrument, sing, whistle, and hum. They love limericks and music in all its forms. You who aspire to greater mental facility could take music lessons, learn and recite nursery rhymes to your children, take a music appreciation course or simply add more music to your everyday life. Online check out these sites to get started:

Live international music feeds http://www.live365.com
Live International music feeds http://www.radiotower.com/

4. Logical - Mathematical Intelligence

If you're into computers then your brain is lodged here. Structured and organized you revel in order and neatness. Likely you'll be at ease with numbers too. Bookkeepers, accountants, Statisticians and software programmers are strong in this intelligence. Should you wish to strengthen in this intelligence, solve mysteries, learn computer logic or programming or play strategic board games like chess, checkers, backgammon or Monopoly, anyone? Get a jump on revving up this intelligence playing games at:

Free online games http://zone.msn.com/en/root/default.htm
Free game downloads http://www.freeworldgroup.com/game.html

5. Bodily - Kinesthetic Intelligence

This is the reign of the jocks as this intelligence features innate love of motion and movement. They dance, tap, ballet or play a sport well. Do you go hiking? Swimming? Are you a ballroom dancer, cyclist or marathoner? Any type of athletics will help serve your mental and physical development. Take up surfing, learn ballroom dancing, train for a triathlon or improve your cooking skills to make yourself smarter. At the very least, you could go to the neighborhood gym for regular workouts, or take a brisk walk everyday. Your mind (and your body) will thank you as you improve your health and fitness levels – and get smarter.


6. Naturalist Intelligence

Nature lovers snugly reside here. They love animals, gardens, flowers, sunsets and the sea. Veterinarians, animal trainers, horticulturalists, environmentalists and biologists are often strongest in this intelligence. From simply going regularly for nature walks to the formal study of biological sciences will deepen your mental strengths in this intelligence. The pleasures of orchids and roses await you. Simmer in the secrets of medicinal plants, work with or enjoy horses, bees, birds or fish. Volunteer at the zoo or involve yourself in activities that take and keep you outdoors. Ideas abound online beginning with these offerings:

Sea World online http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/animal-bytes/index.htm
Ed Web homepage http://www.edwebproject.org/


By working regularly on activities in these areas, your collective intelligence, that is your overall ability to think, create, solve problems and execute mental processes, will grow. So have some fun while you make yourself smarter.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility. Be sure to ask for your free, in - depth special report on making yourself smarter using these strategies with sample practice activities.

Monday, November 07, 2005

Curious Sayings and Humorous English Expressions of the Pennsylvania Dutch

English as a World Language

English, with its growing number of varieties, pidgins and inflections, is now firmly established as a world language. It is currently spoken as a second or foreign language by more speakers than those who call it their first language. Now there are more than three non-native speakers of English for every native speaker and the number of non-native English speakers continues to grow on a daily basis. “There’s never before been a language that’s been spoken by more people as a second than a first”, said David Crystal, author of the book “English as a Global Language”. In the area where I grew up in south central Pennsylvania, there is an interesting variety of the English language spoken by the “Pennsylvania Dutch”.

One difficult aspect of the English speech in Dauphin, Lancaster and York counties located in south central Pennsylvania, where a large concentration of Amish, Mennonites and other “Pennsylvania Dutch” sects live is the manipulation of the grammar elements of English. Here are a few examples of the ways in which grammar and word order are managed in everyday Pennsylvania Dutch speech. For “Outlanders”, anyone who is not Pennsylvania Dutch, these expressions of everyday speech can range from amusing to startling. Here’s a look at just a few of the many aspects of this variety of English.


Convoluted Grammatical Forms

“Throw Papa down the stairs his hat.”
Explanation: Throw Papa’s hat down the stairs to him. (I don't care how old he is, don't you dare touch ole Papa!)

“Go out and tie the dog loose and don’t forget to outen the light.”
This expression uses convoluted grammar in addition to “Germanic” verbalizations. Here the verb “outen” means “to turn out”. The adjective and noun are used in reverse order from other forms of Standard English.

“The owner says he’ll pay me ten dollars a day if I eat myself, but just five dollars if he eats me.”

Explanation: No, there’s no cannibalism here! The worker will get ten dollars a day for providing his own meals, but five dollars a day if the owner has to provide the worker’s food. (Whew! I'm glad we cleared that one up!)

“He’s a pretty good man yet, ain’t not?”
Explanation: He’s a pretty good man (provider), isn’t he? (a tag question form)


Use of Specialized Vocabulary

Addition of specialized, but “local” vocabulary is also quite commonly done as demonstrated in these examples.

“Shall I put the candy in a toot?” (A “toot” is a paper bag.)

When talking about that fact that his father or grandfather is sick a child might say:
“Pop ain’t so good; his eatin’s gone away and he don’t look so good in the face, either.”

Speaking about his son’s difficulties in school a father could be heard to express the following sentiments: “My son ain’t dumb. It ain’t that he can’t learn, it’s just that after he learns it, he forgets it.”

If you don’t speak “Pennsylvania Dutch” in one of its multiple forms, they just might say of you: “You don’t make yourself out so good. You talk so fancy like a body can’t understand you.”

In talking about someone who doesn’t read aloud well, at a meeting or in school for example, people might say something like: “When he gets up to read he gets befuddled.”

Or how about this amusing little observation of another person’s speech: “Don’t talk so quick, it runs together too much when I think.”

In this region of the “Keystone state” as Pennsylvania is monickered, this variety of is often called “Ferhoodled English” by the Pennsylvania Dutch themselves and by local “Outlanders”. Famous for their frugal lifestyle and natural, delicious farm-fresh cooking, the Amish and other sects contribute to the tourism of the state. Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to sample the crafts, food and “peculiar” language this austere people. It is but yet another of the many continually developing varieties of English as a global language.

“When you come over – come out” When you’re in the area, drop by. Come see, hear, experience the food and the Pennsylvania Dutch for yourself.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. Originally from York, Pennsylvania, he now lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. Want lots more free tips, help and information on language learning, public speaking, writing and mental development? E-mail Prof. Larry M. Lynch at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com for professional consulting, EFL Teacher Training or ELT multi-media presentations at your conference or facility.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

6 Keys to Boosting Your Brain and Memory for a Better Quality of Life

All of us want to be healthier, happier and live longer, more productive lives. Essential to quality of life are a good brain and memory, greater intelligence and being mentally active. Here are six useful keys to help you in re-vamping your lifestyle, improving your health and boosting your mental capacity.


Minimize Stress

Not only is excess stress bad for your mental processes, it’s harmful to your health and can even be a killer. Other aids to help minimize stress include getting enough sleep along with cutting down on consumption of caffeine from soft drinks, tea or coffee. Not more than two cups of coffee a day is the recommendation. One other stress-busting key is to laugh a lot and have more fun. Have you ever seen a stressed-out person at an amusement park? (other than a caregiver with too many charges). Take time to enjoy your life more.


Be Mentally Active

Do brain teasers, work a variety of different games or puzzles. Try your hand at some crosswords, anything to get that grey matter working for a change. Play checkers, chess, backgammon, Monopoly or any other of numerous board games. You could also play card games. Bridge, Poker and other parlor card games are making a comeback from the video-game fever that has swept across the cultures of countries around the world. Whatever you do you need to challenge your brain. Only then will it respond, develop and grow


Eat Brain-Boosting foods

Brain-healthy fats like Omega-3, aid can not only in slowing down the onset of mind-debilitating disorders but can promote mental acuity. Consume more Olive oil, fish, and walnuts along with foods high in anti-oxidants as studies show they may actually increase mental ability. You should eat less unrefined carbohydrates - instant and processed foods can spike your blood sugar thus reducing brain function. Get the lowdown on a complete dietary overhaul by visiting a Dietician or Nutritionist.


Become Physically Active

Links between reduced Alzheimer’s risk and regular physical activity has been well-established by doctors and numerous medical studies. So move it. Go for walks, jog, join a gym, take up a physical sport or go bowling. Be sure to get a medical checkup before engaging in any rigorous physical activity, but by all means do something for your muscles, heart and mind.


Improve Your General Health

Your general health greatly impacts your mental abilities or lack thereof. As your health improves, so will your mental skills in general. Quit smoking, or better yet, abandon any use of tobacco including, dipping, chewing, etc. Nicotine and other tobacco by products are transmitted into your system in different ways so switching from one form of tobacco use will not be of any benefit. Other health-promoting tips include, but are not limited to:

· Don’t use addictive drugs
· Drink alcohol in moderation
· Have regular medical checkups


Learn and Practice a New Hobby or Skill

Make time to boost your mental activity by:

- Taking a class (preferably not a sedentary one like needlepoint, etc.)
- Learning a new sport, hobby or activity
- Learn an interesting new skill, even a new language


It’s never too late to grow mentally or learn. Try some of six useful keys to augment your lifestyle to aid you to live a healthier, happier, longer, more productive life. If I can be of any further help or you have a specific question, please feel free to contact me at the site listed below.

What Makes a Person Intelligent? Part 1

In traditional intelligence theories when one is asked the question “What makes a person intelligent?” the most common responses will often note a person’s ability to solve problems, utilize logic, and think critically. These typical traits of intelligence are sometimes grouped together under the heading “raw intelligence”. A person’s intelligence, traditionally speaking, is contained in their intellect. In other words, how we each understand, evaluate or respond to external stimuli, regardless as to whether it is a mathematical problem or anticipation of an opponent’s next move in a game, is our collective intelligence. Our intelligence therefore, is our individual, collective ability to act or react in a continually changing environment.

The principal problem in traditional intelligence theories is that they promote “fractured learning”. Many educational reformers have clearly stated that “taking tests merely shows that a student is skilled at taking tests”. At best, traditional tests focus on only about one tenth of an individual’s intellect. Note that Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison, two of history’s most famous examples of brilliant minds, were terrible at taking traditional tests, therefore terrible at “school” in general. Multiple Intelligences theory then, demonstrates that the ability to take traditional tests is almost entirely in the realm of the Logical – Mathematical intelligence. This intelligence will be detailed later along with the Interpersonal intelligence, which imparts in some students the ability to second guess a teacher’s structuring of a test. Traditional IQ tests predict school performance with considerable accuracy, but they are only an indifferent predictor of performance in a profession after formal schooling.

In an interesting but controversial study conducted during the 1960’s by Biologist Marion Diamond, of the University of California at Berkeley, two sets of rats were raised in different environments;

One set had toys to play with, playmates to romp with and a roomy box that was kept clean and fresh. The second set was put in solitary confinement; all alone in a much smaller cage with no toys to enjoy. After several weeks, Diamond measured the size of each rat’s cerebral cortex, the brain area which is responsible for higher nerve functions. The rats in the sociable, clean and stimulating environment grew brains bigger than the rats with the impoverished surroundings.

“Does the enriched environment increase the dimensions of the brain, and does the impoverished environment decrease the dimensions of the brain?”, asked Diamond.

“The answer, very clearly, is YES.”

Similar results were replicated with cats, monkeys and later with humans. So a stimulating, enriched learning environment is crucial to mental development. If we likewise incorporate the varying student intelligences in our teaching activities, our success as well as our students success, will be markedly improved. That each of us possess all the intelligences, that they can each be developed further, that these multiple intelligences work together in a complex manner, and that there are, in fact, many different ways to be “intelligent” are inclusive in a study by Armstrong. Here briefly, in retrospect, are eight of the major intelligences of Howard Gardener’s theory and their relative traits:

... to be continued in upcoming posts ...

Larry M. Lynch Posted by Picasa

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Six Quick Tricks for Learning a Language

Do you think that you can’t learn a new language? Think again. Our brains maintain the capacity to soak up new knowledge of all types far into our advanced years. No matter what your background or past learning experience, you CAN learn to speak another language using these six quick techniques.

There are a multitude of reasons for wanting to speak the lingua franca of another people; travel, business, education, personal pleasure, even family or friends. Indeed it’s no small feat to habla español, parlez francaise, or sprechenze Deutcsh, but the prestige, financial gains, personal satisfaction and envy that can accompany this easily nurtured skill can be most rewarding.

But, “Can I really develop good communicative skills in a new tongue?” you may well ask. Yes, you can if you’ll use these 10 quick tricks for heightening your language – learning experience and incorporating your new language into your everyday life.

1. Take a short course:

A number of language courses are immediately available in most areas at a local community college or university. Courses in the continuing education department tend to be more consumer-oriented, less academic and more focused on the prospective needs of students like you. The internet likewise abounds with foreign language course offerings. You can learn Swedish, Norwegian, Danish or Finnish via multimedia at http://www.caselearning.com . The Definitive Worldwide Guide to Learning the Thai Language and Studying Thai Culture is online at: http://study-thai.com if you’re up for the exotic.

2. Mimicking:

“Mom, he’s mocking me!” Have you ever heard this complaint when one sibling repeated everything the other said? One imitating word – for – word the speech, sounds even actions of the other? It’s called mimicking and it’s so effective you’ll be using this technique to get talking in record time yourself. The procedure is simple, you repeat exactly, word-for-word, everything your model says. That model can be a newscaster, character on a soap opera, documentary narrator or the voice coming from your tape player or radio. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect. Just start by trying to get your tongue around the words. You’ll acquire speed and ease with practice. You may feel silly at first, but persevere. You’ll get there sooner than you think.

3. Reading Aloud:

One of the most effective language-learning tricks is to use the counsel found in The Bible itself at Joshua 1: 8, “…and you must in an undertone read in it day and night, …” and again at Psalms 1:2 stating, “… And in his law he reads in an undertone day and night.” Read passages in the target language aloud to yourself. This powerful technique not only develops speaking and pronunciation skills, but contributes to listening comprehension, vocabulary and grammar too. Almost any reading material in your target language will do as long as it’s interesting and fairly short. You wouldn’t start an English language learner off by reading “War and Peace” now would you?

4. Watch TV:

If you have cable, is there a station broadcast in the language you’re interested in? Many metro areas carry programming in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese. Even Chinese and Hindi are available in some regions. Check with your cable supplier or programming guides to see what’s listed. Programs to watch are the news, soap operas and documentaries. Have a VCR? Tape a couple of programs and play them over and over to accustom yourself to the flow of the language. Many VCR models have slow-motion and stop-action features allowing you to slow down the program to aid your understanding.

5. Listen to Music:

In Japan, English students karaoke the Beatles. In Latin America, students mimic Bruce Springsteen. In Africa, the Backstreet Boys rule the airwaves. Lip-syncing popular songs is all the rage for English language learners, so why don’t you turn the tables and use it to your advantage. Check at music shops and bookstores for song CDs and tapes. Ask around for recommendations on where recordings in your target language might be available. Ethnic restaurants and shops are another good source for music or referrals. Lyrics to literally thousands of songs are available online. Songs are frequently available online in many major languages. Check the local library. The internet will yield hordes of song titles and stations worldwide in dozens of languages. A good online source for starters is www.live365.com which has live global feeds 24 hours a day in multiple languages.

6. Read:

Stop at the library for a grammar book and some reading material. The grammar book will be an infrequent guide through those rough spots when the target language grammar differs substantially from English. But don’t overburden yourself with grammar and rules. A copious variety of entertaining magazines exists in most major languages and unless you’re learning Cochimi or Kukapa, you should be able to find something. A newspaper, general interest magazine, the bible, brochures, even comics can help you along. Short articles are best at first. Although you can wade through one or more of those in a matter of minutes, your personal satisfaction at doing so will be boundless. Try www.amazon.com for hard-to-find titles.

You can’t pick your family; but you can pick your friends and you can pick conversations with native speakers of your target language. In the supermarket, in the mall, in the park, a restaurant or a convenience store – almost anywhere you happen to meet or run into a native speaker of your new lingua franca, don’t just stay there mum – say something. People are generally flattered that you’re trying to meet them on their own terms or in their own language and are usually more than happy to chat. Surely, you can say “Buenos Tardes” to someone passing down the aisle in the supermarket. It’s also great practice for breaking the ice when you finally light out for foreign soil.

These quick tricks in conjunction with a short language course will make your language-learning efforts less painless, more interesting, more pleasurable and much easier. Try to do something each and every day. Just think how green with envy your friends are all going to be - and start packing your bags.