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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| DavidW Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6528 days ago 318 posts - 458 votes  Speaks: English*, Spanish, French, Italian, Persian, Malay Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Portuguese, German, Urdu | Message 1 of 24 20 July 2011 at 6:58am | IP Logged | ||
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It's been working on making available a number of parallel texts with audio for
different languages. It started when I couldn't find any such materials to study Arabic with. Well, the first book is now just about ready. It's a French/English version of 'The Little Prince.' The Arabic/English version will follow shortly, as well as an Arabic/French version. I did a new translation into English especially, and I have organised audio recordings by experienced readers in French and English. Dr. Majed Aly (from mijobooks.com) and his colleague, Jamal, have done the translation into Arabic and the Arabic recording. I've been working on the cover design today, which is coming on: www.omilialanguages.com/hosted_images/LP_cover.jpg (Yes there is a typo at the moment.. :-) I'm now working on the introduction, and I released that this is quite a nice opportunity to: -inform people about language learning in general -explain how to use parallel texts -list some other useful resources. The introduction will also be translated into French/Arabic for foreign students of English. Hopefully this will be read by quite a large number of people, who are interested in studying languages. As a language learner, what message/idea would you like others to know about? What would you have like to have known, as a beginning student? What are the common misconceptions about language learning in the UK/USA? It's a small opportunity to change peoples views. I've got a few ideas myself, but I'd like to hear yours. I will see if I can adapt the instructions from some of the L/R threads too, as I think there are some very interesting ideas here. (see http://learnlangs.com/Listening- Reading_important_passages.htm#_Toc264972567 ) Edited by DavidW on 20 July 2011 at 7:08am 4 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| DavidW Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6528 days ago 318 posts - 458 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French, Italian, Persian, Malay Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Portuguese, German, Urdu | Message 2 of 24 20 July 2011 at 10:00pm | IP Logged | ||
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I did a quick and crude translation of one of the pages of Ilya Frank's website (from
Russian). He has a reading method based on adapted literary texts, and has published 200+ books in Russia. This text has a lot of good ideas in it for learners. Source: http://franklang.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl e&id=106&Itemid=92 He who is just starting to learn English can read the text at first with the suport of the translaton and hints; later - without this support. If he then forgets the meaning of a particular word, as long as the overal meaning is understood, he need not search for the word in the translation. He will meet it again many times. The idea behind the unadapted text is that at some point (hopefully quickly) the reader is able to read the foreign language without any help. After he has read the unadapted text, he should read the following adapted section. And so on. Going back later to review is not nessary; rather he should just continue to read on. At the beginning the reader will be inundated with unknown words and structures. He shouldn't be alarmed: no one will examine him on this matieral. As he reads, everything will gradually become clear, and the reader will likely be suprised and remark: "Why is a translation provided again, why have they put the standard form of this word, it's obvious!" When that moment arrives, when it becomes 'obvious,' he should start to read sections in reverse order: first the unadapted section, and then glance at the adapted text. (This method of reading is recommeded also to those learners who are not starting from scratch). Language, by it's very nature, is a means, and not an end; it is best internalised not when it is explicitly studied, but rather, when it is used naturaly, either in a living enviroment, or when immersed in an entraling read. It is then internalised without any particular mental effort. Our memory is closely related to how we feel at any particular moment, it depends on our inner state, and not, for example, on how many times we repeat a particular phrase or how many exercises/drills we do. To remember something, what is needed is not dreary repition or cramming, or mindless drills, but rather, a novel experience. Instead of endlessly repeating a word, it would be better to meet it in various different contexts. The bulk of the vernacular vocabulary when reading reading according to my method is memorized without cramming, naturally - through repetition of words. So, having read the text, you should not try to memorize the individual words. The more intensely a person reads, the faster he will make progress. Strangely, the less he analyses, and the more relaxed he is, the better. And then the volume of material does the job, quantity turns into quality. Thus, all that is required of the reader, is that he just reads, paying attention not to the language itself that he's studying, but rather, to the contents of the book. Some people will probably say: "That'll never work for me. I'll never remember anything like that." If you really read the book in an intesive fashion, then the method will certainly work. If you read it slowly, over a few months, then little results will come of it. The main trouble of those studying any single language for many years is that they study little by little, and never properly immerse themselves in the language. Language is not like math, it should not be 'studied' as such, like an academic discipline, but rather, 'got used to.' It's not about logic, and not about memory, but rather a skill, or a habit. In this way, it's more like a sport, that must be engaged in according to a determined schedule, otherwise there will be no results. If you just read a lot, then fluent reading, for example, in English, is a question of three or four months (starting from scratch). But if you were to study little by little, you are just tormenting yourself, 'jogging on the spot.' Language in this sense is like running up an icey slope - it must be run up quickly. Until you get to the top, you'll be slipping down. If you reached the point of fluent reading, you will neve lose the skill or forget your vocabulary, even if you don't read in that language for a number of years. But if you don't get to this stage, everything will unravel. And what about grammar? To properly understand texts that are adapted in such a way, knowledge of grammar is no longer necessary. After you become aquainted with certain structures, grammar is also absorbed subconsciously. This is similar to the way people learn a language when they have never been taught grammar, but rather lived in the corresponding linguistic environment. I'm not saying that readers should avoid grammar (grammar is very interesting and useful thing), but rather that you can start to read without any particular knowledge of grammar, the most basic notions will suffice. This advice holds even for pure beginners. It is useful to study grammer when the reader is already accustomed to the language and understands almost everything. That is when it will be interesting and useful. This book helps to those mastering a foreign language to overcome an important barrier: get into the language and get used to the logic of language, thus saving much time and effort. Edited by DavidW on 20 July 2011 at 10:13pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| DavidW Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6528 days ago 318 posts - 458 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French, Italian, Persian, Malay Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Portuguese, German, Urdu | Message 3 of 24 20 July 2011 at 10:35pm | IP Logged | ||
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Looking through the assimil books, which also have a similar method, the other thing
they stress is the importance of studying a little everyday, the importance of revision, and talk about the incubation period. I think a mention of Professor Arguelles Shadowing and Scriptorium techniques are also important: http://foreignlanguageexpertise.com/foreign_language_study.h tml Also his other language videos: http://foreignlanguageexpertise.com/videos.html As for other links for learning French, I would think these would be good: UCLA language materials project: www.lmp.ucla.edu/ GLOSS online language lessons http://gloss.dliflc.edu/ The Assimil Books: New French with Ease (978-2700520132) Using French: Advanced Level (978-2700510843) The FSI course: fsi-language-courses.org The French in Action course: http://www.learner.org/resources/series83.html And also, this forum: http://how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum Would you add any other ideas or resources? I will start to compile a list of resources for Arabic, I've used a lot of them myself, but, for English, I really have no idea. Edited by DavidW on 20 July 2011 at 10:44pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| DavidW Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6528 days ago 318 posts - 458 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French, Italian, Persian, Malay Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Portuguese, German, Urdu | Message 4 of 24 21 July 2011 at 11:26pm | IP Logged | ||
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I trimmed the text down, and sent an email to Ilya Frank to ask permission to use the
text in the publication. I will edit it a bit more. The links I put on their own webpage, and include a link to this page in to book. This means the list can be updated, and the links can be clicked through. ---------- The following text was originally written by Ilya Frank (www.franklang.ru), and has been abridged: As a beginner, you should start by reading the text in the foreign language, using the translation as a support. Later this support will no longer be necessary. If you then find you have forgotten the meaning of a particular word, so long as you understand the general meaning of the sentence, you need not search for its translation; you’ll see the word many times again. At first you will feel inundated by unknown words and structures. This is normal, and not a cause for concern. As you continue, that which at first appears alien and incomprehensible will soon become familiar and transparent. When you feel able, you should switch to reading the foreign language first, and then glancing at the translation just to check your comprehension. To remember something, rather than endlessly repeating a word or cramming, it’s much better to meet it in various different linguistic contexts. The bulk of the necessary vocabulary, when reading according to my method, is absorbed as words are repeated in the text. So, having read the text, you shouldn’t try to memorise individual words. The more intensely you read, the faster you’ll make progress. As strange as it may seem, the less you analyse, and the more relaxed you are, the better. The volume of material does the job, and quantity turns into quality. All that is required of the student is that he reads, paying attention not to the language itself, but rather, to the contents of the book. Language is not like other academic disciplines, despite the fact it has often been treated as such in formal education in the last couple of centuries. It should not be ‘studied’ as such, but rather ‘got used to’, by using it either in a living environment, or when immersed in an enthralling read. It is then internalised without any particular mental effort. It’s less about logic or memorising rules than it is about acquiring a skill, or a set of habits. It’s more like learning to play a sport, that must be engaged in regularly in order to see results. The skills that you acquire in this manner will not easily be lost, even after years of not being used. What about grammar? To understand texts adapted in this way, a detailed knowledge of grammar is not necessary. Once you become acquainted with certain structures of the language, you will come to form your own intuitive understanding of the same principles. This is the same way in which people are able to learn to speak a language correctly by living in the language’s linguistic environment, having never been formally instructed in the language’s grammar. That’s not to say grammar should be avoided, but rather that to ‘get stuck in’ with a language, the most basic notions will suffice. It is more useful and interesting to study grammar in more detail at a later stage. This book helps those studying a foreign language to overcome an important barrier: to immediately ‘enter’ the language and get used to its logic, thus saving much time and effort. ---------- To this I'll a few notes: [ Something about the importance of audio recordings ] Do not be alarmed if you seem to reach a plateau. Linguistic knowledge, from the time we are first presented with a new unfamiliar structure or word, seems to need a period of incubation before this knowledge is made available for use, and progress often comes about in bursts. Sometimes you will notice a difference after a good nights sleep. It’s important to study consistantly and regularly by making a habit of your studies. It can be a pleasent and relaxing experience to engage your mind and put aside other concerns for a time. The Learner must take responsibility for his own learning. Those attending courses will also need to organise their own efforts, and to understand the purpose and goal of the different activities undertaken in class, to make good progress. [ Something about what is reasonable to expect as an independent learner ] [ A mention about drills and shadowing ] I highly recommend you to visit www.xyz.com for a lists of other recommended materials, and useful up-to-date links for learners. Good luck with your studies. *If someone wants to reuse any of this text, please feel free, just get Ilya Franks permission* Edited by DavidW on 21 July 2011 at 11:59pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6013 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 5 of 24 22 July 2011 at 9:34am | IP Logged | ||
Be careful... there's nothing that puts me off a language resource more than overly formal and slightly archaic language. This whole sentence seems like something taken from a rather old book. If I see things like "you need not", I question whether the language being taught will be similarly non-current. OK, this is a fairly old book, but from a marketing point of view... 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| DavidW Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6528 days ago 318 posts - 458 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French, Italian, Persian, Malay Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Portuguese, German, Urdu | Message 6 of 24 22 July 2011 at 2:06pm | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks, someone else picked up on that too. It needs work still, the style isn't great,
as I was just translating sentence by sentence. It needs rewriting now. My intention is to provide some advice about how the current book should be used, and also some advice about language learning in general, to make the reader aware of a number of different ideas, techniques and resources that he might be interested in finding out more about. Is there anything else you think it's important to mention? Edited by DavidW on 22 July 2011 at 2:19pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| DavidW Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6528 days ago 318 posts - 458 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, French, Italian, Persian, Malay Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Portuguese, German, Urdu | Message 7 of 24 23 July 2011 at 11:28pm | IP Logged | ||
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Some people might think Ilya Frank's text might appear a bit 'New Age.' I think it's
spot on. The basic message is that the most important mechanism in language learning involves our natural ability to infer the workings of a language over time, with 'high quality' exposure. This doesn't really depend on conscious analysis or logic, and isn't really dependant on explicit instruction of the principles of grammar. It doesn't promise instant and effortless learning. There's also some implied criticism of traditional approaches to language teaching, which I think is appropriate. I think I've got my part more or less in the right shape. I'm not sure about the bit about 'taking responsibility for your studies.' This isn't really specific to language learning, and it's perhaps not really for a language book to tell you this. The links with info about drills (audiolingual method), and Professor Arguelles techniques I will link to from the webpage. ------------------ In my own experience in working with bilingual texts, the use audio is of fundamental importance for internalising the structures of the language, and makes their use much more profitable and engaging. It's for this reason we have produced the accompanying recordings. Do not be alarmed if you seem to reach a plateau. Linguistic knowledge, from the time we are first presented with new material, seems to need a period of incubation before this knowledge is made available to us, and progress often comes about in bursts. Sometimes you will notice a difference after a good nights sleep. It’s important to study regularly by making a habit of your studies. Find a quiet spot without distractions. It can be a pleasent and relaxing experience to engage your mind and put aside other concerns for a time. The Learner must take responsibility for his own learning. Even those attending courses will need to organise their own efforts, and to understand the purpose and goal of the different activities undertaken in class, in order to be succesful. By using the right materials and techniques combined with consistancy, remarkable things can be achieved through self-study. I highly recommend you to visit www.xyz.com for more advice, lists of recommended materials, and useful links. It is hoped that this book will be the first in a series of similar materials, covering a wide range of languages. Good luck with your studies. ------------------ Edited by DavidW on 23 July 2011 at 11:30pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Andrew C Diglot Senior Member United Kingdom naturalarabic.com Joined 5192 days ago 205 posts - 350 votes Speaks: English*, Arabic (Written) | Message 8 of 24 23 July 2011 at 11:44pm | IP Logged | ||
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I don't think Little Prince is out of copyright, neither would be the cover illustration.
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