6 effective methods of learning foreign languages

1. Method Nicholas Zamyatkina: learn how children

Sounds promising, right? After widely known assertion that kids new skills are much more easily than adults. And besides, the children were once everything any of us have a successful experience of learning at least one language - the native.

Nikolai Zamyatkin - translator, teacher and writer, linguist, who has long lived and worked in America. He wrote book "You can not teach a foreign language", which described in detail a matrix method.

Matrix - because it is based on the so-called linguistic matrices. This short dialogues or monologues that contain frequency vocabulary and grammar. All required texts for 25-30 seconds 15-50.

The method consists in the fact that first you need a lot of time to listen to these texts, then copying speaker, loud and clear them to recite as long as both of these processes will not be easy and natural. The brain and the muscles that are involved in this, get used to, learn new sounds and images of letters. Meaning of words and grammar matrices can be disassembled in parallel, and they are stored in well.

In addition, the studyAuditory plasticity and speech motor learning Scientists David Ostry and Nasir Sazzada shows that the longer and sharper and say, respectively, the more adapt to the new sounds of the vocal apparatus, the better raspoznaosh it by ear.

What similarities here with the kids? The fact that they are learning the language in the following order: hearing - hearing - Analysis - imitation. They listen to adults, are gradually beginning to distinguish between sounds and combinations thereof, and then try to copy them.

When the work is complete the die can move to the second stage of the method - reading literature.

Books need to choose three-dimensional and interesting, and read them with minimal use of the dictionary.

Gradually on the basis of material from the matrix, and the context that the words often repeated, manage understand and remember more and more vocabulary and grammatical structures, not memorizing anything specifically. In this case, before your eyes there are always examples of how it is used.

No harm will also listen to a variety of audio recording, podcasts, Watch TV shows, series and movies. Generally, the more immersed in the language, the better.

Method Cons:

• To some it may seem very boring over and over again pereslushivat and reread the same dialogue. But do not reject the method immediately: it provides a solid base, and doing so is necessary only at the beginning. About a year you can learn the language to an extent sufficient for everyday communication, television viewing and reading.
• Matrix is ​​necessary either to buy (at the very same Zamyatkina), or take the time to search for them or creating.

2. Ilya Frank's method: read and repeat

And repeat again.

Ilya Frank- a teacher and scholar in German studies. It offers books in which first gives the text the language of the original translation and explanation of vocabulary and grammar in brackets, and then - his own, but without translation.

Those who are just starting to learn the language, can first read, referring to the prompts, and then move on to the original. You do not need anything special to learn or watch one piece many times - you just have to read the book from beginning to end.

As we move it becomes much easier than in the beginning. Words and grammar are often repeated, due to which the memory. This is often sorely lacking in the curriculum in schools and colleges.

That there was a complete dive, you need to read quickly and often - this is very important for language learning. Can be engaged when and where you want: at least to transport, even in a comfortable chair at home.

Ilya Frank's method - it's not busy cramming lesson and a good time for a good book.

Furthermore, this study provides a method illustrative examples of application words and grammar. But sometimes come across some very interesting items that would not even occurred to me to look in the dictionary, or somewhere else just so.

Method Cons:

• I do not always find the book you want to read, and it must necessarily be that interesting. In addition, for some languages, all adapted very small pieces.
• The method provides a passive vocabulary, so it can be used only as a supplement to other methods of study - full language with them will not master.
• Some too relaxes the presence of the transfer - they could not help looking at him, even when it is not necessary. This reduces the effect.

3. Mnemonics: fantasize and write stories

Mnemonics (from the Greek. mnemonikon - art of memorization) - a system of different techniques that facilitate memorization using associations. Method of connecting the images for learning has been used for a very long time - it is believed that the term "mnemonic" introduced more Pythagoras.

There are so many ways to apply - there is only a small number of examples. It can be all sorts of associations: auditory, visual, semantic, with the words of the native language and others.

For example, in Japanese, the word か ば ん - bag, read as "wild boar." What it means in Russian, everyone knows. It remains to come up with a funny way:

Or English:

Be, bee, beer, bear - to be, bee, beer, bear. Not only do these words sound alike, "bi", "Bies", "BIE", "BEA" - just want to sing. So you can still make and some offer the stupid like "It's hard to be a bee who drinks beer and attacking bears."

The funny and silly, the easier it is to remember. The brain requires a novelty!

You can make a mini-stories within the one word: Well, let's say, it is difficult to someone to remember the word butterfly - butterfly. Let it be something like, "Oh my, these flies (fly) - Butterflies, trampling oil (butter)!».

Or even write poetry:

He came to us ghost —
Transparent a guest.
We drank tea,
Then he had to escape.

And so on. One need not be a great writer or poet - their works because even show no one would have if no such desire. We have fun as you wish!

Method Cons:

• It is not so easy to come up with some kind of association - sometimes it takes a fairly sophisticated efforts.
• sometimes Association is too abstract or insufficiently bright and strong, guaranteed to learn something: I would remember it very, much less a foreign word.
• At long or too zamudrennyh associations there is a risk to start flounder which have been used there. We can recall the main direction, but the question, what exactly was the wording. It is best to come up with the most clear, unambiguous options, but it may take time.
• Not all associations can be represented as an image and the words without pictures stored worse.

4. Method of turning letters: learn the alphabet without cramming

Take the lyrics in their native language and then gradually inserts the appropriate sounds from a foreign - in each new paragraph add another sound. memorization It is due to repetition.

For example, Japanese alphabet:

A - あ

Always あ, あ waking Yas, doom あ あ th of MF ste. What cq for you あ ste?
W あ you bl year あ あ Ren? Bl year あ あ あ ri of everything that Mr. あ あ hv tit
f nt あ あ sion: sun roof あ be soft, warm pizh あ ISU, delicious
Tu of あ あ k and m d to あ あ Next.

And - い

い い gently drives away bad thoughts e い, esl い it い い to あ fuss out: not just prom tyv あ あ い th s dream dreams あ い あ, あ い い dismissal of the head. We tr t あ い い m sl SHKOM much energy い い い い times n p useless あ あ い I ssuzhden of unnecessary vesch あ x.

And so on, until we substitute all sounds. You can do this with any language - this will help replace function in some text editorThat can accelerate the process. We come up with proposals themselves or just take any that enjoy.

Letters should also further prescribe: the more, the better - so develops motor memory.

Method Cons:

• Time and effort to come up with their own text there is not always, but also to find a suitable ready too, is not easy: the words there must be chosen so that in each paragraph you are quite often found not only a new sound, but also previous.
• We must remember that the native language sounds often do not coincide with the sounds of a foreign language. The method gives a certain association, but the correct pronunciation is necessary to engage further.
• Thus it is possible to learn only the letter but not the words.

5. Method 90 seconds: concentrate

And talking everyday phrases, as if appealing to the Queen of England! Funny, is not it? Actually, it is not necessary, but the emotions will help even better remember the material.

This method involves spaced repetition - a return to the material at regular intervals. Option that is described here, developed and tested on himself Anton Brezhestovsky - bilingual, linguist and teacher of English.

• We write a new word with the proposal, in which it is met (ie, the context).
• Somehow it to distinguish itself (e.g., color or underlined).
• The first week of every day read the sentence once or twice within 10 seconds.
• Next week - a break.
• Takes another approach: we repeat the sentence is now three times within 10 seconds. At this time, only one day.
• Next - a break of two weeks.
• The latter approach is: read the sentence three more times. Just get 90 seconds.

Make a special effort to remember new words, it is not necessary.

The most important thing in this method - the total concentration when reading. This is not a mechanical action: it is important to be aware of good sense and translate phrases. To read you need to clearly and definitely loud - for the same reasons as in the method Zamyatkina.

Method Cons:

• In fact, to really concentrate not so easy as it sounds: you can unconsciously begin to read in a purely mechanical. We have to go back all the time to the place where lost concentration, and repeat again. This means that the execution time increases.
• In language there are such elements, which are referred to 90 seconds may not be enough simply because they are quite complicated or simply not given.
• Not immediately clear how many of the words and expressions should teach at a time to avoid overloading.
• Not always possible to quickly determine whether or not you have already learned the material firmly. Often it becomes clear only after some time, during which you do not pay attention to specific words.

6. Game methods: Dispose of boredom

We have already said that one of the most important components of language learning - interest. On this He insisted More John Amos Comenius - Czech teacher who in the XVII century laid the foundations of scientific pedagogy. In his "Great didactics" he first clearly formulated the basic principles of training, on which many rely to this day.

In addition, during the game time is often necessary to provide information quickly, without thinking - and this, observations Dr. Pimsleur, one of the strongest ways to strengthen learning.

Here are just a small part of gamesThat you can use if you decide to learn the language with someone else.

Word game

• You can, as usual, just to name a word to the last letter of the previous ones.
• Or by using cards with words for a limited time to describe your opponent what you got, until it does not respond correctly, and then change. It is interesting to do it in teams: the winner is, which will have more than guess the word.
• This may be all well-known game of "Hangman", where needed, offering one letter, guess the word until you do not "hang". Or "Crocodile" - all you need to show in silence.

compilation of stories

• One participant of the first sentence of the story. Second quickly comes up with another. Third - continues, and so on. You can play together.
• If participants are much better to start with a single word, and every next player must call it plus the new - which is associated with the first. The more people, the more difficult - because if we collect, say, 20, the latter will have to remember 20 words. Then you can go in a circle. This not only helps to learn the language, but also develops memory in general.
• We take out a few cards with words and quickly come up with one story.

Description

Immediately describe anything: the dignity of the interlocutor, the beauty of an object or place, their feelings at the breakfast table and the like.

Method Cons:

• Learn a language in this way can only be someone else, and to find suitable participants sometimes a real problem. Someone lazy, someone is busy, someone high enough level, or at all, in an environment just do not have anyone who knew the language you want.
• Not always possible to maintain the atmosphere of the game: it is very easy to give up the idea if someone from participants it seems too difficult - because you want to have fun and not to strain as a lesson at school.
• Not suitable for those who prefer to do exercises alone.

---

full language learning It requires an integrated approach. It is necessary to pay attention to and speaking, and reading, and writing, and listening - all these aspects are inextricably linked and influence each other. Therefore it is possible to combine different methods, and do not forget that the immersion in the language environment that you learn very much contributes to progress.

Layfhaker may receive a commission from the purchase of goods presented in the publication.