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Fast Easy Way to Learn a Language | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| Sir Nigel Senior Member United States Joined 7105 days ago 1126 posts - 1102 votes  2 sounds | Message 17 of 19 27 March 2006 at 5:47pm | IP Logged |
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I'm so excited, I received my copy as well. So far I just started reading the book and have already found points informative. When I first heard about the book I was thinking it would be much like the Barry Farber book, but it isn't and you've got a lot of good suggestions in it.
If anyone else was thinking about getting it, it's very easy now that there's a Paypal link. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Farley Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 7093 days ago 681 posts - 739 votes 1 sounds Speaks: English*, GermanB1, French Studies: Spanish | Message 18 of 19 09 April 2006 at 11:53pm | IP Logged |
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I just finished reading “Fast Easy Way to Learn a Language” for the second time and I loved the book. owshawng covered the basics but I have a few more points to add.
First I think the book is a perfect complement to Barry Farber’s book “How to Learn Any Language”. I hope one day when you go to buy Farber’s book on Amazon it will automatically recommend you purchase “Fast Easy Way to Learn a Language” and vis versa. Both Fanatic (Bill Handley) and Barry Farber both emphasize the same themes: multi track approach, mnemonics, and hidden moments. Most important they both stress that you should take charge of your own language learning and cheat at the process to sustain momentum and motivation. Second, despite the similarities, “Fast Easy Way to Learn a Language” is a different book in its own right. “Fast Easy Way” is a “nuts and bolts” how to study book that adds many tricks to the language learners tools. Fanatic cautions the would-be learner about buying expensive programs without the dedication to use them. It is better to design our own material and methods based on good study habits and a good knowledge of grammar. Our method does not need to be expensive in terms of time or money; it just requires the spirit of adventure and the love of languages. While Farber said that even the simplest of language programs are effective learning tools, Fanatic explains how to use them. I think this reflects his background and as educational consultant. Third, “Fast Easy Way to Learn a Language” advocates a “Quickly – Poorly” study approach that is unlike anything else I have read in educational material. Instead of the “Slowly – Surely” approach that says we have to master every grammar rule or every drill before moving to the next, Fanatic says we should “attack” the language by trying to understand the language in context. The “Fast Easy Way” way to “attack” and language is similar to Assimil’s passive-active wave where you first seek to understand the language before actively learning or using the language. He describes his favorite method of using 2-3 textbooks, phrase books and Assimil courses together to create a “it just sounds right” mastery of a language. (Note: for anyone who thinks that Assimil is all passive, “Fast Easy Way” includes mastering the textbooks and dialogs). Just one piece of constructive criticism, “Fast Easy Way” takes the Assimil/Global method to learning opposed to the FSI/sequential method. The “Quickly – Poorly” approach will probably provoke some strong reactions, but I see this as a plus. Farber prefers note cards and Pimsluer, Handley prefers notebooks and Assimil, between the two books you have the whole “Yin and Yang” of language learning tossed about on this site over the last year. (This point is probably worth discussing in more detail.) “Fast Easy Way” does recognize this and one interesting point is that even though Fanatic as a set Assimil fan, Bill Handley the author and education consultant recommends Pimsleur and FSI as valuable tools available to the language learner. I think that, “Fast Easy Way to Learn a Language” is a must read anyone who has tried making note cards and failed to use them, or anyone who can’t stand the fact that Pimsleur does not have a script. For the all Pimsleur and note card fans “Fast Easy Way” has a goldmine of study tactics to create the ultimate multi-track study method. As a side note I bought the book from Fanatic’s site and I give him an A+ on customer service. 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| Clintaroo Diglot Senior Member Australia Joined 6872 days ago 189 posts - 201 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese Studies: Tagalog, Indonesian | Message 19 of 19 17 May 2006 at 9:47am | IP Logged |
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Fanatic, I was in the State Library of Victoria today and I stumbled across your book while looking in the Languages section. I had a quick read of it, but what I read was thoroughly enjoyable and useful. I'm looking forward to reading more upon my next visit, or, if funds permit, even picking up a copy myself. I would highly recommend it to any language learner.
Well done on the book. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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