This intuitive guide to learning a language - whether for business, relocation, emigration, holiday or interest - tells you the quickest, most effective way of learning the language you need to know.
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • For anyone who wants to learn a foreign language, this is the method that will finally make the words stick. “A brilliant and thoroughly modern guide to learning new languages.”—Gary Marcus, cognitive psychologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Guitar Zero At thirty years old, Gabriel Wyner speaks six languages fluently. He didn’t learn them in school—who does? Rather, he learned them in the past few years, working on his own and practicing on the subway, using simple techniques and free online resources—and here he wants to show others what he’s discovered. Starting with pronunciation, you’ll learn how to rewire your ears and turn foreign sounds into familiar sounds. You’ll retrain your tongue to produce those sounds accurately, using tricks from opera singers and actors. Next, you’ll begin to tackle words, and connect sounds and spellings to imagery rather than translations, which will enable you to think in a foreign language. And with the help of sophisticated spaced-repetition techniques, you’ll be able to memorize hundreds of words a month in minutes every day. This is brain hacking at its most exciting, taking what we know about neuroscience and linguistics and using it to create the most efficient and enjoyable way to learn a foreign language in the spare minutes of your day.
Learning a language can be a daunting process. Should you self-study? Take a course? Buy a software program? Hire a private tutor? What kinds of learning systems are available and which might be right for you? How about the myriad online resources available? And, very importantly, where should you begin? Oh, by the way, how long will all this effort take anyway? You will find the answers to these questions in this short but thorough guide to learning a foreign language. Author Jeff Blum has taught English and studied four languages (Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese and Thai), but he still struggles just as anyone must when learning a language. Jeff did extensive research on all aspects of language learning in an effort to improve his own efforts and he has carefully curated that research into this guide to help you with your efforts as well. In the book you will find: 1. A look at the systems and techniques advocated by various language learning experts and sites. 2. A consideration of personal factors in learning a language (motivation, personality, goals, etc.). 3. A discussion of the 8 language learning blocks with recommended resources for tackling each. 4. An overview of the most popular language learning products on the market (Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, etc.). 5. A comprehensive set of resources to aid you with whatever approach to study you pursue. Whether you are young or old, beginner or advanced, studying your first foreign language or your fifth, there is something for you in this book. If you are a language teacher, this book might help you better understand what your students are up against while giving you ideas and extra resources to aid your teaching efforts.
Explains how to use American Sign Language to make introductions, tell time, order food, tell a joke, communicate with children, express emotion, and ask for directions
In the early-modern period, the English language was practically unknown outside of Britain and Ireland, so the English who wanted to travel and trade with the wider world had to become language-learners. John Gallagher explores who learned foreign languages in this period, how they did so, and what they did with the competence they acquired.
This book provides a unique set of tools designed to enhance an individual's success in communicati0n in a foreign language environment. The devices presented allow the speaker of a foreign language to demonstrate the level of his/her language more impressively. These techniques were developed and tested by the author with adult professionals in such varied fields as journalism, diplomacy, government, and international business.
This publication provides essential reading for any language teacher. Pupil engagement in the language-learning process is key to success, and with this in mind the authors provide a comprehensive list of ideas as well as explaining the underlying principles of successful language-learning. Neil Jones, Assistant Headteacher Learning a language, especially in a class or group, is an intensely practical subject. Active participation by students is the key to successful language learning at any age or ability level. This book offers teachers a multitude of practical activities in which students take the lead, and clearly links these to the various linguistic and pragmatic skills. The book provides clear and comprehensive guidance on the classroom environment, models of teaching and learning, and assessment. It aims to help teachers plan engaging lessons which will enable all students to develop the key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing in the target language. Topics covered include: The essentials of language learning Use of the target language; training the ear and training the voice Exploiting audio and video recordings Exploiting texts and pictures Using stories and drama in the classroom, and independent reading Making good use of written work Integrating multimedia resources and the Internet across the language skills Integrating grammar into communication Teaching and Learning Languages has been written in line with national and European language policies, reflecting contemporary trends in the teaching and learning of languages. The text’s focus on active learning and its indispensable guidance for planning lessons make it essential reading for all trainee and practising teachers.
The Complete Guide to the Theory and Practice of Materials Development for Language Learning provides undergraduate and graduate-level students in applied linguistics and TESOL, researchers, materials developers, and teachers with everything they need to know about the latest theory and practice of language learning materials development for all media. The past two decades have seen historic change in the field of language learning materials development. The four main drivers of that change include a shift in emphasis from materials for language teaching to language learning; evidenced-based development; the huge increase in digital delivery technologies; and the wedding of materials developed for the learning of English with those for other second or foreign languages. Timely, authoritative, and global in scope, this text represents the ideal resource for all those studying and working in the field of language learning.
Use the English you already know to quickly learn the basics of Spanish with this unique, accessible guide featuring original illustrations by Andy Warhol—from one of America’s most prominent language teachers. Read, write, and speak Spanish in only a few short weeks! Even the most reluctant learner will be astonished at the ease and effectiveness of Margarita Madrigal’s unique method of teaching a foreign language. Completely eliminating rote memorization and painfully boring drills, Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish is guaranteed to help you: • Learn to speak, read, and write Spanish quickly and easily • Convert English into Spanish in an instant • Start forming sentences after the very first lesson • Identify thousands of Spanish words within a few weeks of study • Travel to Spanish-speaking countries with confidence and comfort • Develop perfect pronunciation, thanks to a handy pronunciation key With original black-and-white illustration by Andy Warhol, Madrigal’s Magic Key to Spanish will provide readers with a solid foundation upon which to build their language skills.
There are many reasons why you might need to learn a foreign language quickly—perhaps an unexpected business trip or a sudden travel opportunity. A. G. Hawke, a U.S. Army Green Beret, often travels to foreign countries on short notice and has been able to work intimately with officials who do not speak English. Frequently, he needs to be able to communicate in a foreign language in a matter of days or weeks. He tried all types of schools, classes, books, and tapes, but none delivered what he needed when he needed it. Subsequently, he developed his own method for learning languages. It proved so effective for him (he is certified by the military in seven languages) and his fellow Green Berets that he decided to share it with others who are struggling to learn a foreign language on the quick. The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast is designed for people who have no time t for learning complicated rules of grammar. Hawke promises that his method will help anyone become functional in any language in as little as seven days and proficient in thirty days. How? Because he has trimmed that fat for you, freeing your time for what’s truly useful. Hawke provides a detailed day-by-day schedule, a hands-on workbook format, and secret tips to help you master the key elements of any new language. In true Special Forces style, this quick-and-dirty method contains no fluff; it’s all action so you can quickly get into the action yourself. If your mission is to learn a foreign language, why not learn how from the very best?