12-20-2011, 01:19 PM
someone asked in other thread I think its better to post a new one here.
Being occupied with this matter last year,where I managed to learn and achieve main fluency in 2 languages(spanish and french) in less than 7 months,the best method for beginners from the these I tried is "Assimil".This was proposed by multilinguals in language forums(like how to learn any language).
This method started in 40s and is simple based,on bilingual texts(original and translation with a few notes )and audio.The student have to do one lesson(text) every day.Every seventh lessons is a grammar lesson.There is usually around 100 lessons,so in 4 months you can be comfortable with the language.There are various ways that you can use assimil .I prefer to do 3 or 4 lessons per day,and repeat them along with the previous in my mp3 player,while taking a walk.(Maybe I ll post more details in another thread).
I was so excited with the results I got,that I travelled in both countries,and I barely had to use english.(Which is not my native language)
Although assimil wasn't my only method, it was the best to teach me the basics of the language,and by that I mean,all about tenses,adjectives, etc.(pilmseur barely teaches you the subjunctive even in the third cd).
Pilmseur in my opinion is the Mystery - similar of the languages ,everyone proposes it, but no one has real results,you just spend too much time,learning but you just come off frustrated and have difficulties even building a simple sentence.Not to mention the overpriced part.
Then the second step to fluency,I did(I consider it my own pattern now ) after downloading a dictionary(software)I download the subtitles of one movie in the target language,on the same language as the original,and I start to translate them,It wont be very hard,if you have the basics down(aca finish an assimil with ease).Then I see the movie,with the subtitles(at the same language) and then go back and read them again.It may seem too much,but you cant imagine how fast this process will take you to fluency.Its also fun and enjoyable because it puts you more inside the plot of the movie.I will explain later why is very useful to achieve basic fluency.
Then it should be a good idea to start using the language,so you can find a language exchange site.Then communicate as much as you can.
Then there are many steps you can do to reach an advanced level.The best I found is by using audio books.First you find an audio book in the target language.Then you must find also the text (e-book ) of it.Then you must find the same book in your native or one other language you are very familiar with.Having both of them in text version ,you can create bilingual texts,supported by the audio exactly like assimil.In that case you have everything you need for advanced:Practice listening skills,translations skills,and access to the deeper level of your target language.
You may have to use the dictionary also once in a while but it wont be a big problem.
Audio is the most powerful tool ,it can stay in your brain,more easily ,than reading so, after some revisions(which can be combined with a walk in the park or resting in the couch)the whole book could stay in your mind.
Generally the books I think should be the last step.I heard some people advocate reading books for achieving fluency.This is a misleading advice.Books generally use very different kind of language,than this of everyday life.That's why I suggest movies for the second step.Movies have this kind of speech people use on everyday life,also phrases from argot and other things.If your purpose is to achieve basic fluency and communicate easily with people it would be much more efficient to spend your time,watching movies than reading books.Other way you may need to finish 50 books for example and learn hundreds of not very useful and uncommon words,and reach the same level of easiness in communication
if you are above intermediate level , It's highly posssible that a tutor can hold you back ,rather that proceed more quickly,.Most tend to stick in "grammar and exercises" method and not seeing beyond that.The main reason you 'll need a tutor is just a person who will correct your mistakes,and practice with you.Other way now with the internet you can proceed faster ,and more efficiently on your own.
There is also one more method highly useful,and its now free on the most part,fsi.http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
I would basically recomend it to check especially the audio ,for a more extended knowledge.Also I think the learning should be horizontal and not vertical,that means,you will just read things in your level,adding a little bit every time,and not ending up reading only science articles and intellectual books.In this way you can read/listen any audio/text/video you want even if it is a fairy tale or a magazine article.
There are more things that I can propose,but I m sure you will find you own ways.Also trying to translate your thoughts was one of the funniest thing I did while I was learning,and some thoughts now pop up directly in these languages.
Hasta luego,
Α bientot.
Being occupied with this matter last year,where I managed to learn and achieve main fluency in 2 languages(spanish and french) in less than 7 months,the best method for beginners from the these I tried is "Assimil".This was proposed by multilinguals in language forums(like how to learn any language).
This method started in 40s and is simple based,on bilingual texts(original and translation with a few notes )and audio.The student have to do one lesson(text) every day.Every seventh lessons is a grammar lesson.There is usually around 100 lessons,so in 4 months you can be comfortable with the language.There are various ways that you can use assimil .I prefer to do 3 or 4 lessons per day,and repeat them along with the previous in my mp3 player,while taking a walk.(Maybe I ll post more details in another thread).
I was so excited with the results I got,that I travelled in both countries,and I barely had to use english.(Which is not my native language)
Although assimil wasn't my only method, it was the best to teach me the basics of the language,and by that I mean,all about tenses,adjectives, etc.(pilmseur barely teaches you the subjunctive even in the third cd).
Pilmseur in my opinion is the Mystery - similar of the languages ,everyone proposes it, but no one has real results,you just spend too much time,learning but you just come off frustrated and have difficulties even building a simple sentence.Not to mention the overpriced part.
Then the second step to fluency,I did(I consider it my own pattern now ) after downloading a dictionary(software)I download the subtitles of one movie in the target language,on the same language as the original,and I start to translate them,It wont be very hard,if you have the basics down(aca finish an assimil with ease).Then I see the movie,with the subtitles(at the same language) and then go back and read them again.It may seem too much,but you cant imagine how fast this process will take you to fluency.Its also fun and enjoyable because it puts you more inside the plot of the movie.I will explain later why is very useful to achieve basic fluency.
Then it should be a good idea to start using the language,so you can find a language exchange site.Then communicate as much as you can.
Then there are many steps you can do to reach an advanced level.The best I found is by using audio books.First you find an audio book in the target language.Then you must find also the text (e-book ) of it.Then you must find the same book in your native or one other language you are very familiar with.Having both of them in text version ,you can create bilingual texts,supported by the audio exactly like assimil.In that case you have everything you need for advanced:Practice listening skills,translations skills,and access to the deeper level of your target language.
You may have to use the dictionary also once in a while but it wont be a big problem.
Audio is the most powerful tool ,it can stay in your brain,more easily ,than reading so, after some revisions(which can be combined with a walk in the park or resting in the couch)the whole book could stay in your mind.
Generally the books I think should be the last step.I heard some people advocate reading books for achieving fluency.This is a misleading advice.Books generally use very different kind of language,than this of everyday life.That's why I suggest movies for the second step.Movies have this kind of speech people use on everyday life,also phrases from argot and other things.If your purpose is to achieve basic fluency and communicate easily with people it would be much more efficient to spend your time,watching movies than reading books.Other way you may need to finish 50 books for example and learn hundreds of not very useful and uncommon words,and reach the same level of easiness in communication
if you are above intermediate level , It's highly posssible that a tutor can hold you back ,rather that proceed more quickly,.Most tend to stick in "grammar and exercises" method and not seeing beyond that.The main reason you 'll need a tutor is just a person who will correct your mistakes,and practice with you.Other way now with the internet you can proceed faster ,and more efficiently on your own.
There is also one more method highly useful,and its now free on the most part,fsi.http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
I would basically recomend it to check especially the audio ,for a more extended knowledge.Also I think the learning should be horizontal and not vertical,that means,you will just read things in your level,adding a little bit every time,and not ending up reading only science articles and intellectual books.In this way you can read/listen any audio/text/video you want even if it is a fairy tale or a magazine article.
There are more things that I can propose,but I m sure you will find you own ways.Also trying to translate your thoughts was one of the funniest thing I did while I was learning,and some thoughts now pop up directly in these languages.
Hasta luego,
Α bientot.