Second Language Mentor

Language Learning Diary

21st April, 2010

It’s years since I learnt a second language. But over this time I’ve dispensed lots of advice about the process to both second language learners and second language teachers. So I thought it might be about time for me to begin the study of a new second language and keep a diary that reflects on the process that I’m experiencing.

I have decided that each week I’ll try to write something on this blog and open it up for your comments and discussion. You might like to do something similar and share your experience and reflections with us on the comments section.

The first thing I’m going to do is to enrol in an on-line Italian course. Why Italian? Simple. My wife’s Italian and I hope that I can use the language with her and other members of her family – something I should have done ages ago.

22nd April, 2010

I’ve enrolled in an Italian course, organised by a company called LingQ (pronounced “link”). If you click on the following address you will be able to see what it offers:

http://www.lingq.com

I’ve started the first lesson and found that LingQ uses an approach which is different from anything I’ve encountered before. It starts with a simple dialogue and you are required to guess the vocabulary. You are provided with prompts based on suggestions that previous students have made as well as the contextual clues from the dialogue. The dialogue can be listened to and repeated so you can get used to the pronunciation. A list of new vocabulary is provided so that you can commit the new words to memory.

24th May, 2010

Well, over a month since my last diary entry. I’ve been having computer problems and have been feeling very de-motivated. After a lot of messing about with the infernal machine it seemed that I’d had a break-through. So, I’d resolved to resume my Italian lessons on the weekend.

I have now covered six lessons on the theme of greetings. I find the method used good for practising pronunciation and for learning vocabulary. Each sentence of the dialogues is spoken by native speakers and it is possible to pause the recording so you have the opportunity to repeat the sentence. After I’ve repeated the dialogue a few times, I then say it sentence by sentence and then check my pronunciation against the native speakers on the recording.

I find that my knowledge of French is interfering with my Italian pronunciation. As a rule of thumb, it seems that you need to pronounce every sound in Italian. So qui is kui in Italian but ki in French. My wife tells me that I need to remember to pronounce every letter in Italian. Once I get out of my French habits, I should find Italian pronunciation easier than French.

In terms of vocabulary, I’m finding my French is helping me. Both languages having their origins in Latin, means that I can guess fairly successfully (as long as I remember not to be led astray by the French pronunciation).

The computer is a mixed blessing. When it’s working properly, it’s very useful, but it does have the tendency to be extremely frustrating when if goes on the blink. It introduces another variable into the equation which I find can at times be extremely frustrating and de-motivating. I know that attitude and motivation play an important role in language learning and if the computer is contributing to negative feelings, then it is counter productive. I’ll have to find some way to guard against this.

23 June 2010

Progress is very slow. Mainly because I am not putting in sufficient time on the LingQ lessons. I am finding that things aren’t sticking mainly because there is a discrepancy between the approach of the course and my approach to language learning. The LingQ approach has been designed by Steve Kaufmann according to the methods that he has found useful. The foll0wing is a quote from the website:

“Do you have questions about language learning? Ask LingQ founder Steve Kaufmann. Steve learned to speak 10 languages and is learning 2 others. The LingQ System is based on the methods he developed.”

Obviously Steve is a very good language learner and the LingQ system works for him. But it is becoming clear that it doesn’t work for me. My language learning (French) began when I was in my early teens and was the much criticised of late Grammar-Translation method. I was an average student and managed to pass all my exams, but at the end of 4 years study could not speak French. I couldn’t comprehend spoken French and still this is my weakest skill. I could read and write better than I could speak and listen. I wrote a postgraduate thesis in French on the drama of Paul Claudel but on a visit to France last October, I had difficulty following French movies. My spoken French is good and French people often mistake me for a native speaker (when they are feeling kind!).

There is no doubt that the LingQ System works for Steve and people who share Steve’s learning style; but not for me. Perhaps I’ve been conditioned to need something more formal and systematic. I appreciate the way LingQ has made use of reasonably authentic Italian in the short dialogues as well as linking learners to Italian tutors for both speaking and writing tasks. But as well as this I am going to have to find a much more traditional grammar-based course to supplement LingQ. In other words, just as Steve found an approach that worked for him, I’m going to need an approach the works for my idiosyncratic learning style.

Tags: How to learn a second language

secondlanguagementor | April 21, 2010 11:40 am

14 Comments

By secondlanguagementor, June 22, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
By payday loans -, December 7, 2010 @ 12:40 am

Appreciate your taking the time to debate this, I find myself strongly concerning this and love learning more about this topic. When possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with extra information? It is quite helpful for me.
By online payday loan, December 7, 2010 @ 4:20 am

I used to be very pleased to locate this page.I needed to appreciation for a great read!! I definitely enjoying every bit of it and I have you bookmarked to see new items you post.
By Iona, December 8, 2010 @ 9:38 am

Me and my close friend were arguing about an problem very much the same to this! Now I know that I was right. lol! With thanks for the information you blog post. My kind regards, Iona.
By Elease Lawery, December 15, 2010 @ 8:15 pm

Just preferred to say that you’ll have some helpful articles in your website online. You have accomplished a astonishingly superb employment with this a single. Thanks!
By Tales of Pirates Crusader Leveling Guide, December 16, 2010 @ 4:16 pm

I like when you talk about this type of stuff in your blog. Perhaps could you continue to do this?
By stylo camera, December 20, 2010 @ 2:39 am

Good day, friend, fantastic site! “Hey, maybe this post is often a bit off topic but in any event, i’ve been browsing around your weblog and it appears actually superb. impassioned about your writing. I’m building a new blog site and struggling to produce it seem great, and supply beneficial top quality subject matter subject. I have learned a a lot here and that i appear forward to much more updates and will probably be back.”
By nursing home insurance, December 20, 2010 @ 9:14 am

I really enjoy your blog. Could let me know how I can go about subscribing with it? By the way I stumbled upon your blog through Aol.
By prenom arabe, December 23, 2010 @ 5:56 am

Substantially, the article is really the sweetest on this deserving topic. I agree with your conclusions and will thirstily look forward to your incoming updates. Saying thanks will not just be sufficient, for the phenomenal clarity in your writing. I will at once grab your rss feed to stay informed of any updates. Admirable work and much success in your business dealings!
By crocheting flowers, December 23, 2010 @ 6:59 am

Right after reading this posting, I pondered the same point that I invariably wonder about when scanning new blogs and forums. Just what do I believe about this? Precisely how need to it effect me? This and extra posts on your weblog here certainly give some stuff to look at. I fundamentally ended up right here by means of Yahoo when I was very first performing some internet research for some course work that I’ve. Usually good times browsing through and I’m hopeful that you’ll keep on writing new posts. Cheers!
By makelaars, December 23, 2010 @ 8:47 am

Thanks for this nice post! I found your blog through a friend of my. Well writed article and hope to visit here often.
By materiel espionnage, December 29, 2010 @ 8:55 pm

Well said! – I looked at the Wiki on this and it did not have as good info – thanks!
By Sliding door interior, January 10, 2011 @ 8:54 am

I don’t usually post on blogs but had to on yours. You have a very easy to read writing style. I really enjoy posts about this topic, they give me a lot to reflect on. I don’t have time to read everything right now, I found this site when looking for something else on Yahoo, but I’ve bookmarked your homepage and will check back soon to see the latest thoughts.
By sharm, April 12, 2011 @ 1:28 pm

Hi Gary – found your comments on how we learn languages facinating. I did my primary and secondary schooling in Sinhala; my tertiary in English and speak some really bad Tamil. I tried to learn spanish and mandarin – and am still at the starting post. I am considering giving it another go after reading your blog (closer to retirement:)