Advice on Learning Any Foreign Language -- Learn Faster!

CONTENTS Can You Really Learn A Foreign Language

Now 37 Articles!
Last updated 01-Nov-07
While You Sleep?
Advice on Learning Any
contributed by Larry M. Lynch
Foreign Language
10 + 1 Tips for Faster While the lure of "learning English or another foreign language while you sleep" may be highly
Fluency provocative and tempting for all of us in this not-enough-time-to-do-everything world, there's still no
10 Tips on How to Learn a "easy out". Learning a foreign language can be a life-long pursuit or a summer project. In this second
New Language installment of our quest, we'll briefly examine some theoretical approaches to English language or
foreign language learning.
3 Must Haves When
Learning A Foreign
Theoretical Approaches
Language
4 Tips for Learning Any English Language Teaching and Learning theories support a number of useful, valid approaches for
Foreign Language Faster foreign language or second language acquisition. Considering the major language learning theories
6 Effective Ways to Use the previously or currently prevalent, let's briefly examine any basis for "sleep learning". The following
Internet language learning theories have all been popular or prevalent during our current or recent decades:

6 Quick Tricks for Learning • Grammar / Translation method (F. Boas and O. Jespersen)
a Language
7 Reasons Why People Hate • Direct Methods
Learning a Foreign
Language • Audio-Lingual (Darian, 1972 et al.)
Build Short Lists
• Computer-Aided Language Learning
Can You Really Learn A
Foreign Language While
• TPR - Total Physical Response (J. Asher, 1965)
You Sleep
Contrastive Linguistics • The Silent Way (Gattegno, 1972)
Different Languages Are
Good For Business • The Communicative Approach
Fast-tracking Foreign
Languages
• Suggestopedia (Lozanov, 1978)

Foreign Language • The Natural Approach (Krashen-Terrell, 1983)

Typewriting
How the Guinness Book of • Neuro-linguistic Programming (Bandler and Grindler, 1982)
Records Can Help YOU to
Learn any Foreign Language • The Lexical Approach (Willis, 1990 et al.)

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Advice on Learning Any Foreign Language -- Learn Faster!

• Community Language Learning ( C. Curran et al., 1972)

How to Develop English or
Foreign Language Fluency
So Fast It'll Surprise Even Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, (H. Gardner, 1983) while not strictly a language-
You
learning theory, nonetheless, has had considerable application to language learning and acquisition.
Of these, the following have aspects which seemingly might promote or support the concept of "sleep
Language Learning and the learning". They are: The Silent Way (Gattegno, 1972), Suggestopedia (Lozanov, 1978), and Neuro-
Linkword Technique for Linguistic Programming (Bandler and Grindler, 1982). Let's briefly examine each of these.
Rapid Vocabulary
Acquisition The Silent Way
Learn a Foreign Language
in 48 Hours The Silent Way (ref. Richards and Rodgers, 2004) was developed by Caleb Gattegno (Gattegno,
1972) and is a method based on the premise that the English, or foreign language teacher, should be
Learn Languages for Free
"silent" as much as possible and the language learner encouraged to produce as much language as
Learning Multiple possible. But while the method requires minimal external input on the part of the language teacher, it
Languages does provide for problem-solving, "discovery learning" and creation of memorable images to
Memorize A New Language facilitate learner recall. Problem-solving and discovery learning certainly can not occur during the
In Weeks Not Years
noted stages of sleep. Creation of "memorable imagery" is possible, especially during the dream state,
but how many learners remember these images with any frequency?
Podcasts as a Learning Aid
Second Language Suggestopedia
Acquisition in Adult
Learners Suggestopedia, also known as Desuggestopedia, developed by Georgi Lozanov (Lozanov, 1978) is
based on a "science concerned with the systematic study of non-rational or non-conscious
Show Me the Bunny -
influences". Music and musical rhythm to place the learner in a relaxed state, called Psuedo-
Language Acquisition
Passiveness, (also ref. Krashen-Terrell, 1983; the Affective Filter Hypothesis) and to pace or
Teaching Your Children structure the linguistic material also figure heavily in this approach. But using this method, learners
Another Language must still "visualize" a context for the material to aid in its memorization. Materials are dramatized
The Advantages of Learning through varying tone and rhythm of audio readings the learner listens to. Cognitive skills such as
a Foreign Language context visualization and memorization are not actively applied to learning during stages of sleep.

The Psychological Factor Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP)

Languages as a Science
Fair Project Neuro-linguistic Programming or NLP is a collection of techniques, patterns and strategies for
The Ventriloquist's Lesson assisting effective communication, personal growth, change and learning based on a series of
underlying assumptions about how the mind works and how people act and interact. (Revell and
Tips for Foreign Students Norman, 1997) In the mid-1970s, John Grindler (Bandler and Grindler, 1982) and Richard Bandler
What is the Hardest (Bandler, 1985) developed NLP as an alternate form of psychological therapy. A series of step-by-
Language to Learn? step procedures that would enable people to improve their lives, therapist could use these techniques
in building rapport with clients, gather information about their views and help them to achieve goals
What Makes One Language
and bring about personal change. (ref. Richards and Rodgers, 2004)
Harder or Easier Than
Another
A behaviorist approach though, requires conscious effort and application of cognitive, meta-
cognitive, communicative and social strategies. (Rubin, 1987) As such, this does not take place in full
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Advice on Learning Any Foreign Language -- Learn Faster!

during stages of sleep. Conscious, active effort and application are genuinely required over an
When Is The Best Time To extended period of time for full benefit.
Start Learning A Foreign
Language Apart from theory, methodology and didactics, language is a communicative tool. It allows us, as
Which Is The Easiest humans, to share our knowledge, thoughts and ideas in a way and at a level that none of the other
Language To Learn animal species ever can. But what actually constitutes good practice in English or foreign language
learning? How can we identify or become a good language learner?
Why Johnny Can’t Parlez
Why Should you Learn About the Author:
Words You Never Use in
Your Mother Tongue Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an ELT Teacher Trainer, English language learning expert author and
Why You Should Learn to university professor in Cali, Colombia. He has published more than 350 articles and academic papers
Speak a Foreign Language and presented at numerous EFL teacher training and TEFL conferences throughout North America,
South America and Europe. For comments, questions, requests, to receive more information or to be
added to his free TESOL articles and teaching materials mailing list, e-mail: lynchlarrym@gmail.com
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