What does it Really Take to Learn a Foreign Language?

How Long Does it Take to Learn a Foreign Language?

“So, how long does it take to learn a foreign language?”

If I hear that question one more time I’ll just scream. Okay, so maybe I won’t scream, but I’ll give an answer similar to the one I’ve already seemingly given a thousand times or more. Only now, my stock answer is getting a lot shorter and more concise.

“How long it will take you to learn Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian, German, Chinese or whatever other foreign language you’re attempting to dabble in actually depends on you.”

“The more you immerse yourself in it, the faster and more easily you will become fluent.”

That’s pretty much it in a nutshell.

Foreign Language Learning Immersion

As a veteran of several decades in foreign language learning of French, Kpelle, Twi (Akan), and Spanish to mention a smattering of tongues I’ve broached, I’m thoroughly convinced that the only sure way of quickly and successfully acquiring a foreign language is to immerse yourself completely and totally in the language and culture for as long a period – or series of periods if need be - as you possibly can.

Learn to Speak Spanish

Say or think whatever you like, but if you want to learn to speak Spanish, for example, spending six weeks of summer vacation in a non-tourist town or area of Mexico or other Spanish-speaking country, will allow you to speak far more Spanish than a full year or even more “studying” Spanish in a school.

Why?

It’s because you’ll have to function completely in the foreign language all day everyday, day in and day out. Everything you do will be foreign language vocabulary acquisition-based. From “Where’s the soap?” for your morning shower, to “What’s for breakfast?” and “Where’s the bus to Cuautla?”or “I’m hungry. Where’s a good, cheap restaurant?” – throughout the entire day, will be in Spanish.
You’ll ask a thousand questions with authentic language responses from one word answers to “full diatribes of innocuos discourse”. You’ll have to mentally process it all, extracting the needed information, wholly or in part, from each interaction.

Everyone will be your foreign language teacher

Everyone will be your foreign language teacher from the schoolgirl waiting for the bus on the corner to the little old ladies strolling out of the “tienda” with their woven baskets of ingredients for the day’s lunch. A grease-smeared car mechanic you pass by while walking down the block, a policeman, a vendor at the newspaper kiosk, a watchman taking a break in the shade of a home’s porch. They will all teach you Spanish. It might be one word, an expression, a gesture or the sight of a new food. “What’s that?”, “Where is this?” and “Can you tell me ...” will become your calling cards. All in the foreign language that you’re learning, of course.

“Open your books please to page 86, exercise 2.”

“Be sure to study your list of verb conjugations from today’s vocabulary practice.”

“Review the false cognates from the reading in your textbooks.”

How would you rather acquire your foreign language communications skills? By learning and practicing what you need to know and learn on-the-spot, or from a list of lexical items?

Continuing in the next post we'll have more on what it really takes to learn a foreign language. See you then.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, author and speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 135 countries. Get your FREE E-book, “If you Want to Teach English Abroad, Here's What You Need to Know" by requesting the title at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com Need a blogger or copywriter to promote your school, institution, service or business or an experienced writer and vibrant SEO content for your website, blog or newsletter? Then E-mail me for further information.

How to Learn Chinese in 6 Months

Learn A Foreign Language in 6 Months?

When I was asked about proposing a program for an executive that would develop conversational fluency in Chinese in 6 months or less, I was intrigued - and accepted. Many feel that to develop any proficiency in such a “difficult” language requires years at a minimum. But this is not necessarily the case – with Chinese or any other foreign language for that matter. Basic fluency in the majority of foreign languages could be achieved in as little as one to three months, and certainly in 6 months, following some carefully-chosen guidelines and a rigorous, intensive, full-immersion program of foreign language learning.

Essential Foreign Language Vocabulary for Conversation

In his book, “Using Your Memory”, author Tony Buzan says that a mere 100 words comprise nearly 50% of the vocabulary used in everyday conversational speech in most languages. Learning the equivalent of these words in a foreign language will help to quickly develop essential vocabulary for everyday conversational use.

You can function at the most basic level in a foreign language with a core vocabulary of around 1000 words according to Dr. Michael Gruneberg who formalized the “LinkWord” technique. He claims that, using this technique of linking a word in your own language to a word in the new language, you can acquire a core vocabulary in a foreign language in as little as 10 hours.

Estimates by other linguists postulate that that social or otherwise meaningful conversation can be conducted using in a foreign tongue using with a working vocabulary of around 600 words. Personally, I hold to a somewhat higher standard of vocabulary level than these. For me it’s around 1200 words minimum, so you don’t sound like a child saying something like, “Mommy, me want cookie”. Sure, it will get your message across, but what self-respecting adult wants to deliberately sound like a pre-schooler?

Chinese - A Very Difficult Foreign Language

In response to my article post, “If you Think English is Difficult, Try Mandarin” reader Gary Eiber, a frequent traveler to China from Silver Lake, Ohio once wrote, “I wanted to offer what I believe is correct on the pronouns. You have Wu, ni, ta for singular, then ta, ta, nin for plural. I am quite sure it is Wo, ni, ta singular, then women, nimen, tamen for plural. Actually theta is for both male and female, same spoken "TA", whereas the characters are totally different. It is why the Chinese, even teachers who know English quite well, make the mistake of saying "he did this" when it is a female, or "She did that" when it is a male, as in Chinese both are TA.
http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com/2006/03/if-you-think-english-is-difficult-try.html

He continues with, “I have gone to China about 50 times now and find it a remarkable country, and a VERY DIFFICULT language. I am not fluent in Chinese, but am quite certain on the above points. I speak about 1000 words, but read only about 50 characters. The spoken and easy to read Chinese for foreigners is called Ping Ying, and is phonetic in nature…”

Mandarin Chinese, Anyone?

My own Mandarin Chinese class experience ended without my having achieved much in the way of additional language, but with an added appreciation for the beauties and subtleties of other languages and a desire to deepen my understanding of how this language family “works”. For foreign language learning to be most successful, it must be undertaken in a useful, practical manner which will allow for regular practice and use.

How to Learn Chinese in 6 Months – Part Two

In the next part of this series, we’ll continue with some necessary information on the Chinese language itself; starting with the fact that it’s actually multiple languages and NOT just ONE foreign Language. We’ll also be looking at some useful and practical suggestions for quickly and easily learning Chinese – or almost any other foreign language in a matter of weeks or months – not years or a lifetime.

See you then.

Note: My complete, self-learning system for quickly and easily learning any foreign language can be found at:

http://www.escapeartist.com/e_Books/Learn_a_Foreign_Language/Learn_a_Foreign_Language.html




Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, author and speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 125 countries worldwide. Get your FREE, pdf format report on CD or via e-mail, "Can You REALLY Learn a Foreign Language While You Sleep?" by requesting the title at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

The Top Ten Reasons to Read “You Can Learn a Foreign Language”

How Embarrassing!

While traveling, studying or living abroad have you ever had to say:

“Excuse me, what did you say?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t speak any Togalog.” (or insert other foreign language here)

“Pardon me, can you tell me what this says?”

If you have any need whatsoever to make use of a foreign language, whether to read signs, labels, newspapers, magazines, business cards, notes or other written material posted all around you, take heart. If you need to speak in a foreign tongue, to neighbors, students, store keepers, at the market, grocery store, news stand or in the park to that attractive passerby, take heart. If you need to understand what’s coming out of the speakers of your TV, radio, stereo or someone else’s mouth whoever they may be (like a policeman, doctor or nurse perhaps) while they speak in their native language, take heart. If you have to write or read a grocery list, a letter or a love note in a language that isn’t yours - yet, take heart.

“You Can Learn a Foreign Language: Tested Techniques Anyone Can Use to Learn Any Foreign Language“ will help you to blow through the process of developing communicative fluency in a foreign language faster and more easily than almost anything else you may now have available. This is with the exception of having a foreign language speaking lover, of course. Here are the top ten reasons that you, yes you – should consider reading this full, multi-media, illustrated and hypertext-linked e-book at your earliest convenience.

1. You can learn in your own special ways

2. You can learn at your own pace

3. You will learn practical words, phrases and language you can use immediately

4. You practice you new foreign language in a variety of different ways

5. There’s NO need for you to worry about stilted grammar lessons

6. You can forget about boring vocabulary drills

7. You’ll improve your memory and recall of new words and phrases almost instantly

8. You will develop multiple language skills all at the same time

9. You can have fun learning and practicing your new language – starting from the very first day!

10. You can let our experience work for you so you speak and communicate in a minimum of time


No matter where you live or what you may need to learn a foreign language for, this affordable, easily-accessed publication can help you manage your foreign language fluency problems. As a foreign language learning professor and intellectual development specialist with nearly twenty years experience in helping thousands of “hopeless cases” develop communicative fluency in a foreign language, I can say no matter what your age or learning difficulty might be, you can get the help you need.

But hey, you don’t have to take my word for it, see for yourself with absolutely no obligation. Just click on the link or paste this link into your browser and go to: http://www.escapeartist.com/e_Books/Learn_a_Foreign_Language/Learn_a_Foreign_Language.html

How to Learn an English or Foreign Language Vocabulary List in 5 Minutes or Less

Vocabulary lists, what can you do?

You can’t learn English or any other foreign language using only them, but you can’t learn a language without them either. One great aid is to learn memorization techniques that will allow you or your learners to quickly and easily memorize even a fairly lengthy list of foreign language vocabulary. One such technique excerpted from my dynamic activity foreign language-learning e-book, “You CAN Learn a Foreign Language: Tested Techniques ANYONE Can Use to Learn ANY Foreign Language”, which you can use starting right now, follows here.


Let’s start by taking the following list of 18 common English words:

hat
hen
ham
oar
whale
shoe
key
wife
pie
toys
tot
twine
thumb
tire
till
dish
duck
dove

You’re going to memorize this list of 18 words in 5 minutes or less.

Oh, Yes you CAN!

Here’s how you’re going to do it:

Making a Memory Movie

This 18-word vocabulary string could be memorized as a sort of ridiculous movie like this:

A colorful hat falls down onto the head of a hen sitting on a nest of three eggs which look just like three small, whole hams. You slip an oar under the hams to take them out from under the hen by putting one end of the oar into a whale’s mouth. The whale swims backwards to slide the hams from under the hen, but the whale’s tail smacks into a giant, fashionable shoe floating on the water.

Sticking out of the shoe is a key that your (someone else’s) wife is trying to take out of the shoe. In her other hand she holds a steaming hot pie (your favorite kind of course) and there are toys sticking out of the pie which she then holds out to her tot crawling towards her so (s)he can get the toys sticking out of the pie. Tying the tot’s ankles together is a length of twine leading back to a big thumb that is jerking back and forth on the twine. See the thumb jerking back and forth?

The thumb is sticking up out of big, old, dirty car or truck tire. The tire just rolled down a hill because the fancy dish it was sitting on cracks and breaks because of the tire’s weight. There's a till (cash register) keeping count each time the thumb jerks - Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Ka-ching! The sound attracts a quacking duck which waddles over and starts to peck at the pieces of the dish when a white dove flies over dropping olive branches on the duck.

Remember, really “see” the movie in your head in as much detail and graphic motion as possible. “Hear” the sounds of the whale splashing in the water, the dish breaking, the duck quacking and the olive branches as they crash onto the duck’s back. The more ridiculous, outrageous and vivid your movie is, the more memorable it becomes.

Have you done it?

Have you really memorized the word list?

Yes, you have!


Now here’s proof!

Recalling the Word String

- Ok, now play the “movie” back in your mind,
saying the words on the list out loud.


No peeking back at the word list!

Recalling the word string is much easier, faster and more accurate than you’d originally imagined, isn’t it?

- Now give the word string IN REVERSE,
starting from the last word to the first word.


Very likely you could do so easily by playing the movie in your head, backwards if you needed to, right?

Simple isn’t it?

If you didn’t do as well as you’d like the first attempt, try it again. You’ll very soon get the hang of it. Using this type of memorization technique, you can memorize almost any list of English or foreign language vocabulary in 5 minutes or less.



Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. Now YOU too can live your dreams in paradise, find romance, high adventure and get paid while travelling for free. For more information on entering or advancing in the fascinating field of teaching English as a Foreign or Second Language send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, by sending an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com

Learn a Foreign Language in 48 Hours

The Clock Starts Ticking

Starting tomorrow morning, you’re going to practice English, Spanish, French or other foreign language. For the following 6 days, for 8 hours per day, you’ll work on grammar, pronunciation, watch videos and listen to audio materials. You’ll write short notes, grocery lists and play games in the target foreign language. All well and good – BUT – a week from today, is it really reasonable to think you’ll be fluent in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese or any other foreign language?

Of course not.

Could you learn a lot?
Yes.

Could you manage key words and phrases?
Sure.

Could you conduct a very basic “conversation” with someone in the foreign language?
Perhaps.

Yet many language institutes and foreign language programs give prospective learners the distinct impression that in 48 hours, a weekend or a week, they can “speak” the foreign language of their choice. This is misleading for the learners, but often quite profitable for the language institute or program directors.

How sad.

Learning any foreign language is not an easy, quick or simple affair. Real mastery, if indeed it ever truly comes, may take years of practice and painstaking effort. This need not at all to be a dull, boring affair. Foreign language learners can, and should, enjoy the majority of the process. They should continuously applying their continually improving foreign language skills to chat with friends and neighbors, conduct everyday life tasks, interact with target language-speaking locals on the job, to shop, to sample a variety of foods and in general soak up the culture associated with their target foreign language.

Functional Ability

When considering or continuing the learning of a foreign language, you should pay no heed to outrageous claims of super-rapid foreign language acquisition. Instead, focus on developing functional ability.

You might think, for example, can you:

· Ask for or give directions?
· Tell the time?
· Shop and bargain for purchased goods?
· Conduct a bank or other financial transaction?
· Introduce yourself?
· Order food and drink in a restaurant or on the street?
· Haggle with a street vendor?
· Make “small talk” with a stranger?

By focusing on what you can do in the foreign language, you will shift your view of its acquisition to long term vs. short term progress, enjoying your skills development along the way.

So, starting tomorrow morning, you’re going to practice English, Spanish, French or other foreign language. For the following 6 days, for 8 hours per day, you’ll work on grammar, pronunciation, watch videos and listen to audio materials. You’ll write short notes, grocery lists and play games in the target foreign language. Only this time you’ll be focused on your functional skills development – that is, what you’ll be able to do in your target language.

No, you can’t learn a foreign language in 48 hours, but you can take a few steps forward towards greater fluency.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an English language teaching and learning expert author and university professor in Cali, Colombia. For more information on entering into or advancing in the fascinating field of ELT send for his no-cost pdf Ebook, “If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know”, send an e-mail with "free ELT Ebook" in the subject line. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com