the linguist calm the power of language
natural learning speaking a new language
is natural you need only cultivate the
latent capabilities that you already
possess but which need to be properly
stimulated the way of the linguist is
one that leaves you free to pursue your
own needs and interests rather than
having to learn according to an
externally imposed program you develop
skills that you have within you you
integrate with the target language
listening and imitating rather than
learning from theory man is most nearly
himself when he achieves the seriousness
of a child at play Heraclitus children
learn languages using these natural
methods they just want to communicate
they cannot read grammars they do not do
drills they do not prepare for tests
they just naturally want to learn at
birth children of all nationalities have
the same innate ability to learn a new
language it is true that children
normally learn their mother tongue but
they possess a universal language
instinct that will enable them to learn
any language children are exposed to a
limited range of content which matters
to them the language of their parents
and their friends of play they
concentrate on the words and phrases
that are important to them and find
opportunities to use them they are not
concerned about making mistakes of
pronunciation or grammar children absorb
the language without resistance unlike
the classroom language learner they are
not constantly corrected but are
encouraged in their efforts to speak
children learn naturally but adults can
learn faster than children when I
studied Mandarin Chinese or Japanese I
was able to read the newspaper and have
a serious discussion within six months
it takes a child longer to reach that
level of vocabulary adults can use their
greater knowledge and broader interests
to direct their learning and can
progress quickly as a linguist you
should create your own customized
curriculum if you control your learning
you will learn faster in listening and
reading
comprehension depends on context when
listening to or reading material that
you have chosen and where the background
is familiar your comprehension is higher
then when you are struggling through
uninteresting material this is the
natural way to build confidence and
fluency in a non stressful way gradually
your range of interests will take you
into new areas thus expanding your
language ability but the decision of
what the study should be yours
furthermore if you accept the
responsibility to seek out your own
content you will take a major step
towards cultivating the self-reliant
attitude needed for success in language
learning Fred Genesee of McGill
University a leading researcher on
language learning and the brain explains
what happens when we learn a new
language when learning occurs neural
chemical communication between neurons
is facilitated in other words a neural
network is gradually established
exposure to unfamiliar speech sounds is
initially registered by the brain as
undifferentiated neural activity as
exposure continues the listener and the
brain learns to differentiate among
different sounds and even among short
sequences of sounds that correspond to
words or parts of words students
vocabulary acquisition can be enhanced
when it is embedded in real world
complex contexts that are familiar to
them through intensive and repetitive
exposure to enjoyable language material
you will bathe your mind in the new
language this process is sometimes
referred to as an input flood which
trains your mind and prepares it for the
more difficult task of expressing
yourself in the new language the
linguist accepts the new language
without resistance confident that with
enough exposure the difficulties of the
language will gradually be overcome
language learning is not primarily an
intellectual activity it requires
enthusiasm and repeated and concentrated
bossier to language contexts that become
familiar over time I have often observed
that foreign professional athletes in
North America are good language learners
often more successful than foreign
university professors hockey or
basketball players are able to delivered
fluent interviews on television whereas
the more intellectual professors are
likely to have a very strong accent and
speak in a more stilted and unnatural
manner the reason is that athletes have
constant informal verbal interaction
with teammates they need to fit into the
team or they will not perform well they
learn quickly emerged in the comfortable
and familiar environment of their sport
unlike the athlete on a team most
language learners are not exposed to
constant and familiar language contexts
that is why it is so important to create
your own curriculum based on learning
contexts which cater to your interests
and needs following your interests is
the natural way to learn the greater
your range of interests the more curious
you are about the world around you the
better you will learn
the linguist calm the power of language