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How do language teaching in the United States much more efficient

by Philip Yaffe

"Why Americans are so poor learn to speak other languages? asks the wrong question because the answer is obvious. They do not learn to speak other languages because they do not need. Or, more pertinently, they have little or no opportunity to even if they want.

The real question is: "Why the teaching of languages in the United States continues to target virtually out of reach rather than accept the reality of the situation and adapt?

When I was growing up in Los Angeles in the 1950s speaking another language (except possible from the Spanish) was hardly an option. Even hearing a different language is not an option. If you turned on the radio, there was only one Spanish station, but certainly not German, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, or any other language sites. And of course television was even worse, because there are even Spanish was absent.

When I enrolled as a student in mathematics and physics in the early 1960s, I was required to take a language course, so I chose German, a language of Science. Was error. Of course my German is one that requires the greatest investment of time and energy for less return, including quantum mechanics and differential topology.

I got a bad taste in my mouth for the German or any other language. Evidence that the time spent in the class has been largely wasted occurred nearly a year later, when I was faced with a German. I could still say "Guten Morgan" (hello), but that was about it. To communicate, we have resorted to grunts, groans, and language signs.

Since then I have to speak two languages fluently and have a good knowledge of three others. So what has changed? Two things;

1. I have on my distaste for the tough language learning.

2. I discovered a much more efficient to do it that what I experienced in adolescence.

So I want to make a modest proposal: The teaching of languages in the United States should be completely overhauled. In particular, in the early stages of the virtually unattainable goal of learning to speak a language must be discarded.

Clearly, if students have not any opportunity to speak the language outside the classroom, then the chances of their learn to become infinitely thin. On the other hand, at the same time and effort could be profitably turned to learning to read and understand.

Most people quite master the fundamentals of language to be able to speak (bad, but nevertheless coherently), and understand what is being said to them, within a few months. The trick is to recognize that the main obstacle to the acquisition of language is not grammar. This is the vocabulary.

If you do not know the verb you need, there is no question that you know how to conjugate verbs; you still can not talk. If you do not know the word you need, there is no question that you know how to decline adjectives you can always not speak. And so on.

Since vocabulary is crucial, then press largely ignored to master another language is as follows: first learn to read.

This, of course, may seem a heresy. But it is really common sense. There is nothing like being able sit with a newspaper, magazine, or even a novel in the language to reinforce both grammar and vocabulary. The more you read, the more your vocabulary will grow. And a few more ways seemingly odd language to do things become more and more familiar.

Once you arrive at the site where the language is spoken, all grammar and vocabulary you have stored this way will quickly prove its worth.

I am not a teacher, so I propose no final plan for implementation of this idea in the classroom. But here are some thoughts on the matter.

In the first year of course, not to discourage students in their testing and grading them. The objective is to involve them in the language, do not scare him away. The more they test take over and they can not, or at least struggling with less involved, they will be.

This does not mean no testing at all. However, this does should not be to determine what students know at some point, but to encourage them to learn more. I therefore propose to ban the tests that require students to translate from English into the target language, which almost always results in many errors.

Preferably, testing should be multiple choice, requiring students to recognize grammatically correct sentence among the three or four incorrect. At one stage a little more advanced, they can be presented a false sentence and asked to correct or to determine the infinitive of the irregular verb in it.

Focus on reading rather than speaking does not preclude an oral over. He makes it necessary. However, during the first year, there would not master simple sentences such as "hello", "what is your name?", "How old are you?" " the post office is around the corner. "Instead, it would be perfect pronunciation.

Students will be encouraged to read texts in the language target, with the teacher demonstrating the correct pronunciation. This is particularly important with a language like French, where virtually every word is pronounced differently from how it is spelled.

By the end of the first year, and probably before, students can begin to read in the language, both for pleasure and for school fees. These readings may include articles from newspapers or magazines, and even novels. For best results, the novel should contain a maximum of dialogue and a minimum of description. With dialogue, you can often anticipate and interpret what the characters say; with the description you have no idea.

When I was learning French, I used novels agatha christie and the adventures of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs, because they are about 90% dialogue and description of 10%. Just my favorite literature, but they have served this purpose. I also suggest Animal Farm by George Orwell and Candide by Voltaire. However, all new, with a high ratio of dialogue to description will do.

The purpose of reading in the language is to learn vocabulary. However, constantly looking for unknown words is reading rhythm and enjoyment of the damage. Therefore, once they have learned enough vocabulary basic use of a dictionary should be kept to an absolute minimum.

In fiction, few words are essential for understanding of the plot. Do you really need to know precisely what a room looks like? Just who is tall and elegantly furnished. Do you really need to know precisely what the landscape looks like? Just know that it is isolated and windy. In addition, repeat words. You will certainly see both a word unknown much longer text. At least one of those moments, how it is used will tell you exactly what that means without no effort at all.

Generally, once they master the basic grammar and vocabulary, students should be encouraged to use the dictionary does not exceed 2 to 3 times per page. Nor will this year too tedious. They should just read and enjoy!

When they leave the course, chances are most students will not have immediate need or opportunity to speak the language. But until they can comfortably read it, they may well continue to do so. The efforts that have been in the course will not be lost.

During his stay in Los Angeles, I taught myself to read French, with no idea that I would never need to talk. I continued my reading knowledge of French for five years before coming to live in Belgium, where I started talking almost immediately. What a rewarding! Certainly much better than if I had a course in traditional language, only to discover that, on arriving, I had everything from scratch.

Philip Yaffe is a former journalist, columnist / with the Wall Street Journal and a consultant in marketing communications. He currently teaches a course in good writing and speaking well in Brussels, Belgium. His book recently published in the "I" of the storm: the secrets of writing Simple and speaking (almost) as a professional is available from story publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).

For more information, please contact:

Philip Yaffe
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 2660 0405
@ yahoo.com phil.yaffe, phil.yaffe @ gmail.com

About the author

Philip Yaffe is a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.

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