Tricks for learning foreign languages

Ø 1) Paraphrase the title of the text. Before reading the text, discuss the possible ways of learning foreign languages.

Ø 2) Would you read the text further if you were interested in the topic “Language learning”?

When you start learning English you acquire a new mode of life. You start doing crazy things, like speaking to yourself aloud, spending your evening reading a dictionary, hunting for interesting phrases with the purpose of accumulating your vocabulary, trying to recollect them all at once or jotting them down in your diary not to forget. It is an exciting feeling of a new start and of future perspectives that a good command of English opens before you.

By setting out on a journey to new and exciting achievements a learner has to distinguish what ways will be better to choose for reaching his/her goal relatively quickly and efficiently.

Linguists and methodologists described many efficient strategies of English language learning. Many of them proved to be highly efficient and brought really amazing results in testing.

A starting point which will push you up in all the course of your English studying is your motivation to learn. You should be specific with the goal of your studying and reflect on benefits a good command of English can bring you. You are aimed at getting smarter, assimilating new culture and meeting new people or your primary goal of English learning is to earn more money and succeed in your career.

A sure-fire way to master English is to go to America or England and communicate with native speakers. It means to penetrate into English environment and practice both speaking and listening. Going to an English-speaking country is a great opportunity to perfect your listening skills, enrich your vocabulary with new words. And what is the most important is that you are forced to speak on a daily basis and perceive colloquial speech, the samples of it you are not likely to find in a textbook.

A good, safe and cheap way to master English is to stimulate a foreign language environment in your home. It means to bring an English-speaking country to your house, surrounding yourself with everything that is connected with English. Try everything that comes in hand.

Speak English as much as possible. Speaking is exciting and motivates you to keep learning. It helps you to uncover the gaps in your vocabulary and grammar. But if you don’t have an opportunity to go to an English-speaking country, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to speak English fluently and naturally. It only means that you’ll have to exert more efforts to find English language environment in your surroundings. In the supermarket, in the park, a restaurant or a convenience store - almost anywhere you happen to meet or run into a native speaker of English. Don’t just stay there mum - say something! People are generally flattered when you’re trying to meet them on their own terms or in their own language and are usually more than happy to chat. In any case, you can look for good English language courses.

Flashcards are the single best and most efficient use of your time when learning a language. Ten seconds of free time becomes a quick quiz - take card #1 out of your pocket: “What is the English for... еда? Food? ” Flip the card over: “Correct! ” Two minutes is a major review session. Look at it this way - if you spend ten seconds on one word, for two minutes – that’s twelve words in two minutes. Twelve words a day for five days a week is 3000 words in one year. All the words you need to be conversational in just two minutes a day. That doesn’t account for grammar and pronunciation, but still - one year to learn all the vocabulary you need. Don’t say you don’t have time to learn a language. Remember this the next time you are staying in line at the bank or the grocery store, doctor’s office, or waiting at a red light.

Once you have some basic understanding of the language, get some reading material - a newspaper, a general interest magazine, a brochure, even comics can help you along. Short articles are best at first. Here’s the important part - something you are interested in. If you’re into gardening then get a magazine or print out an online article on gardening in English. You’ll be learning vocabulary and phrases that really interest you, and that will help you pick it up much quicker. One of the most effective language-learning tricks is to read aloud to yourself.

Hearing the language is the most important aspect of learning if you intend to speak it. Give yourself opportunities to use it during otherwise non-productive times like while driving or just relaxing.

Following the above advice, give yourself more opportunities to hear English. Internet and radio can expose you to new vocabulary and fresh content daily. The more sources you hear from, the better.

Use the power of the Internet to hook up with other people around the world who speak the language you are learning. They can help you immeasurably. There are plenty of free Internet sites and forums to find people who will be happy to work with you.

Try lip-syncing. The procedure is simple, you repeat exactly, word-for-word, everything your model says. That model can be a newscaster, a character on a soap opera, a documentary narrator or the voice coming from your tape player or radio. Start by trying to get your tongue around the words. You’ll acquire speed and ease with practice. In Japan, English students karaoke the Beatles. In Africa, the Backstreet Boys rule the airwaves. Lip-syncing popular songs is all the rage for English language learners, so use it to your advantage. Check at music shops and bookstores for song CDs and tapes. Ask around for recommendations. Lyrics to literally thousands of songs are available online.

Watch TV. Programs to watch are the news, soap operas and documentaries. Do you have a DVD? Play a couple of programs over and over to accustom yourself to the flow of the language.

Studying and practicing with other people can give you instant feedback and interactivity that you just can’t get from a book, audio, or software. Even if you only know very little, you will absorb the language quicker and with more enjoyment than just by studying alone. Ultimately, that’s the purpose of learning a foreign language anyway - to communicate with other people.

This is probably the cardinal rule when it comes to learning languages - you must expose yourself to the language every day if possible. Studying ten minutes a day is better than cramming for an hour once or twice a week. Frequent review, even if only for a few minutes, is essential.

English learning is a great opportunity for you to unleash your inner genius. Knowing what you really want to get from your learning will zap your cherished dream to develop good English skills in a flash. The main thing is to find a set of effective learning ways and tools which will help you to boost your results and have a motivation to study. Once you are armed with a desire and winning techniques, be sure to sort out the methods that suit you and you can consider that the first step to your success in English learning has already been made. Starting on this merry and energetic note continue your way in the same spirit and yield to the temptation of giving in to difficulties.

Ø 3) Support or decline the tricks suggested by the author of the text. Are they modern or out-of-date? Share your own tricks for learning foreign languages with the classmates.