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How to get to fluency faster

  Tags: Fluency
 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies Post Reply
77 messages over 10 pages: << Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 8 ... 9 10 Next >>
Sunja
Diglot
Senior Member
Germany
Joined 6113 days ago

2020 posts - 2295 votes 
1 sounds
Speaks: English*, German
Studies: French, Mandarin

 
 Message 57 of 77
22 July 2008 at 5:41am | IP Logged 
Iversen wrote:
in the case I mentioned it would be the region those native speakers were representing.


Yes, that would be ideal.

That's great that you travel. I suppose the best place for me to be with (Japanese)natives would be Düsseldorf -- large Japanese culture base there. I'd like to go when I'm ready.

I've also thought about going to an "Informationsabend" of the foreign language department of the local university about 20 minutes away. I could have a dialogue with the teacher, who's a native. My intent would be to just talk, and not take one of her classes ;)

Edited by Sunja on 22 July 2008 at 5:46am

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DaraghM
Diglot
Senior Member
Ireland
Joined 6179 days ago

1947 posts - 2923 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: French, Russian, Hungarian

 
 Message 58 of 77
22 July 2008 at 6:56am | IP Logged 
leosmith wrote:
Different people have different success rates with different language products, methods, techniques, etc.


This can also apply to the same person, using different techniques with their target languages. I'm currently learning my target languages, in a few different ways, and I'll find out which works best.

Spanish - Currently learning the grammar through Spanish, and I'm really liking this method. This would be the approach taken by the Cervantes Institute, and others.
French - Using Assimil, reading aloud, and conversations with my French speaking girlfriend.
Russian - Using Michel Thomas Advanced Russian which concentrates on active production, with a very limited vocabulary. Also, it's not really that advanced at all, but generally I like this technique.
Hungarian - Almost pure listening, and comprehension, also with Assimil. Apart from shadowing, I haven't attempted to speak or construct Hungarian sentences. My aim here is to understand a lot, before any attempt at speaking.

leosmith wrote:
Much more useful is the theory that different people learn differently, because it implies that it's a good idea to try different things to determine what works best for you.


A couple of years, and many language products later, I still haven't made up my mind on this. I fear, the newness of a method or product, can be very motivating, but very expensive in the long run.

Edited by DaraghM on 22 July 2008 at 6:57am

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Cainntear
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Scotland
linguafrankly.blogsp
Joined 6039 days ago

4399 posts - 7687 votes 
Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic
Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh

 
 Message 59 of 77
22 July 2008 at 8:33am | IP Logged 
DaraghM,
You are one of those ideal cases that demonstrates one of the core problems with multiple intelligence theory and learning styles in general: effective learners can learn from any technique, so the fact that someone passes a course doesn't prove that the technique is sound -- it may just be that the student is an effective learner!
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leosmith
Senior Member
United States
Joined 6578 days ago

2365 posts - 3804 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: Tagalog

 
 Message 60 of 77
22 July 2008 at 4:20pm | IP Logged 
Sunja wrote:
I would prefer that to Skype, simply for the reason that I need more than just a naked voice to interact with. Face-to-face gives me a lot more information to work with -- gestures, facial expressions, etc..

I also prefer face-to-face. But for me it's a toss-up as to whether it's easier. The anonymity/security of being safe at home using skype makes up for the facial espressions/gestures of face-to-face to some degree.
1 person has voted this message useful



J-Learner
Senior Member
Australia
Joined 6058 days ago

556 posts - 636 votes 
Studies: Yiddish, English*
Studies: Dutch

 
 Message 61 of 77
24 July 2008 at 6:47pm | IP Logged 
Cainntear, I was never intending to call you a fool. Sorry if you felt that way. I don't think there needs to be this kind of thing. I am all about the learning. :)

I know there are many ways to learn things. That is what I have witnessed. We can all simply pass that off as subjective and unworthy, that does not bother me really. I learn many different things in many different ways. So for me it works. That is what matters to me. I'm certainly not here to tell others that the must work only in certain ways because it fits with what I have to say. (Not accusing you of doing that either.) No need to convince anyone of it. I guess the evidence is one's proficiency in the skill/subject area.

Route memorization I find to be the best for memorizing poetry. Many dismiss it as useless. Perhaps it is for them. I don't know, I can only study for myself and not for others. lol

But anything I say from now on is going to show my apparent ignorance and closed mindness so I guess it is time to shut up. I'm not here for a battle.

Edited by J-Learner on 24 July 2008 at 6:50pm

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pitwo
Diglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 6187 days ago

103 posts - 121 votes 
Speaks: French*, English

 
 Message 62 of 77
24 July 2008 at 10:30pm | IP Logged 
You know, I think people here are making things difficult for nothing.

In the end, all that matters in the acquisition of a skill (in this case, language) is the time invested toward such a goal. Language came to man before the wheel. There's something that tells me speaking a language is much simpler than understanding the principles of the wheel..

Really, it seems to me that we're trying to move an arm by analyzing molecules rather than first trying to move a finger.

So, yeah: just go read a book or do something that involves the target language. You'll be fluent before you know it.
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pitwo
Diglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 6187 days ago

103 posts - 121 votes 
Speaks: French*, English

 
 Message 64 of 77
25 July 2008 at 12:17am | IP Logged 
Sybaritic wrote:
pitwo wrote:
You know, I think people here are making things difficult for nothing.

In the end, all that matters in the acquisition of a skill (in this case, language) is the time invested toward such
a goal. Language came to man before the wheel. There's something that tells me speaking a language is much
simpler than understanding the principles of the wheel..

Really, it seems to me that we're trying to move an arm by analyzing molecules rather than first trying to move
a finger.

So, yeah: just go read a book or do something that involves the target language. You'll be fluent before you
know it.


Ahh. So all of the advice of Professor Arguelles is useless then. Why even have this site?

Thanks for clearing that up.



Useless? Certainly not.
On the other hand, I doubt such information could have been useful to you when you were still acquiring English. I'm pretty sure you got to fluency rapidly, anyway.


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