Learning language Tips

What makes good language learner?

• I feel positive about the language and the people who speak it
• I think about what I learn and how I learn it
• I talk to people
• I set targets
• I feel positive about what I know, not negative about what I don’t know
• I have a learning plan
• I take risks
• I try harder

Learning To Listen

Listening comes before speaking
So always listen as much as you can.
A lot of passive input can help you:
Ð to get used to the sounds of the language
Ð to start to recognize words and patterns
Ð to start speaking the language more easily

What good listeners do?
• Listen to the “shape” of the language
• Listen to the general subject. Don’t try to understand everything and don’t stop listening if you hear a word you don’t know
• Make guesses. Think about what you are listening to, what do you know about the subject? Listen to the speakers tone of voice and look at their facial
expressions and body language
• Listen to new sounds and try to imitate them
• Listen to the pitch and intonation of the language
• Listen to cassettes again and again
• Watch videos on the target language with subtitles in the same language
• Record conversations
• First read the news in a target language newspaper and watch the news on TV in the same language on the same day
• Note down key words. Then look them up in a dictionary
• Organize regular listening

What do you do when you don’t understand the person you are speaking to?
Ð Say, “I don’t understand”
Ð Ask them to slow down
Ð Ask for repetition
Ð Ask for clarification
Ð Repeat what you think you heard
Ð Rephrase what you think you heard

Resources for listening
1. CASSETTES. Buy the cassettes for the class book and workbook. Listen to them in your car, on your walkman etc
2. TALKING BOOKS. You can listen to a text and read it at the same time
3. SATELLITE TV/ VIDEO. Record programs and watch them over and over
4. DVD. These videos give you the sound in the target language and subtitles in the same language or your own language, or any combinations of these!
5. RADIO. Tune in regularly to your target language
6. PEOPLE. Listen to as much spoken language as possible

Learning to Speak
What good speakers do?
• KEEP IT SIMPLE. Avoid complicated subjects, difficult vocabulary and grammar that you are not sure of
• TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE LANGUAGE
• TAKE RISKS. Good speakers are not afraid to make mistakes. Don’t feel embarrassed when you speak. The more you speak the more your confidence will
grow.
• LEARN LOTS OF STANDARD EXPRESSIONS BY HEART
• EXPERIMENT. Try out new language to see what works and what doesn’t
• TAKE YOUR TIME. Don’t hurry, take it easy
• USE OTHER PEOPLE AS RESOURCES

What good speakers do when they can’t find the right word?
• Approximating - use a word with roughly the same meaning
• Describing something to explain its meaning
• Use an all purpose word, like ‘thing’
• Use a word form another language which the listener might recognize
• Use their hands or mime
• Ask for help

Making mistakes
• Your mistakes are important because you can learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are an important part of the learning process
• You make mistakes when you test new ideas about the language
• It’s a mistake to be afraid of making mistakes
• Some mistakes are more serious than others
• The only serious mistakes are the ones which prevent the listener from understanding you
• Mistakes depend on your audience