Friday, February 29, 2008

Efficient Language Learning

Author: mgavr68

If you skim through the Internet, you will be able to find virtually thousands of different language learning techniques and methods, some that will prove to do wonders to your progress while others will tend to slow you down. From free language learning courses online, to course books and educational language games, everyone boasts their technique as "the most efficient language learning method". Well I rounded up a few of these methods that have truly proven to be effective and also explained how they work.

The "Study out loud" method

This method involves uttering out words out loud when studying and focusing as much as possible on conversation, self-talk and verbal rehearsal of words. The Study out loud method has two main advantages. The first one is that you will be able to assimilate what you've studied a lot better if you actually say it rather than just say it in your head, since this way you will be using both your auditory and visual memory. Auditory memory is extremely powerful and when it's combined with visual memory, they're unstoppable.

The second reason for which the Study out loud method is great is that it will get your mouth used to the language, which will help a great deal with pronunciation. It happens to most of us, if we don't practice a language for a long time, we can still "think" that language perfectly and pronounce the words perfectly in our heads, but when it's time for an actual conversation you will need a few days of getting used to. Well this method basically eliminates that buffer time, since you'll be constantly pronouncing the words, literally getting your mouth "used to" the language.

Fun learning

Studies upon studies have been made on the subject and they all proved the same fact: we learn something a lot easier and more efficiently if we've studied it while having fun or at least through a more relaxing method. Fun learning can include anything from using flash cards, playing educational language games in that particular language, watching or listening to media in that language, playing memory games or quizzes and so forth. Take note that fun learning is not as fast as the "normal" learning, but it's more efficient. The only problem is that the amount of information you are able to assimilate through fun learning methods is usually smaller than the one you can assimilate from normal learning methods.

E-learning is a relatively new teaching method that emphasizes on giving the student as much learning room as possible and it focuses on using interactive audio-video components in the learning process rather than the classic course books and lessons. E-learning also bases itself heavily on the student setting his own learning pace instead of being forced a schedule that could make the learning process stressful or annoying.

Because of their efficiency, these methods are gaining more and more popularity amongst websites dealing with language learning and local language courses alike. Actually, you could try searching for one of these sites and if you're not comfortable with the above mentioned methods, you could try to find other ones that could prove to be more efficient in your particular case. Good luck!

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games and become a true polyglot. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Dutch, Portuguese, Arabic and many others.

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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Internet Trips That Perfect Your Foreign Language

Author: mgavr68

It has been stated on numerous occasions and in most specialty books and courses that the best way to learn and to build up on a foreign language is to live in an environment where this language is constantly present.The most obvious choice would be to visit or even move in a country that speaks that particular language but this often involves great costs and requires that you sacrifice a hefty amount of time for the trip (staying there for 2-3 days won't help too much, obviously). However, there is an alternative that can get you surrounded by the language you're learning without involving the costs and time requirements of actually visiting a foreign country: the so called "Internet Trips".

Internet trips will have you surfing the Internet for a learning location that is completely covered with the foreign language of choice. Using your favorite search engine, you could type in a common phrase in that language and click through the various sites resulted, in search of one that has some interesting information to read, view or listen to. If possible, try looking for a site that is completely built in that language, with as little English as possible. You need to feel "abroad" on this site, so it needs to be as foreign as possible in what regards its content.

Forums are also a great place to arrange an e-trip on. It doesn't really matter what the forum's subject is, as long as everyone or most of the participants in the discussions on are speakers of the language you're learning. Getting involved in the discussions, or even simply reading what others have to say about a subject will boost your vocabulary and general knowledge of that language. However, please note that it's a common fact for forum users to use slang, grammatically incorrect expressions or even common spelling mistakes.

The third option is to visit a "live chat" channel using one of the various programs designed for this purpose, or programs that offer live chat channels as an addition to their real purpose. Amongst such programs, we can include the IRC, DC and all of their variations. Visiting such channels gives you a chance to dynamically engage in conversations with native speakers of the language you're learning, but the same hindrance as in the above mentioned forum case remains: grammar and spelling are often sacrificed in favor of faster typing or simply commodity on these channels. Not to mention that sometimes the chat can get overly trivial for no reason, so you might be building on the wrong side of the vocabulary.

This said, I wish you a safe journey. If you're after a more focused location for the language learning subject, you can skim through the numerous sites offering such services. If you find the language you're learning amongst those covered by these sites, try combining them with the above mentioned methods to get a better overall experience of your trip :).

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Hindi, Turkish, Ukrainian and many others.

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Learning A New Language on Your iPod

Author: dstargel

Your iPod is the niftiest little invention, isn't it? You can take it anywhere and listen to whatever music you love best, whenever you like.

iPod audio books are another really fun way to use your Mp3 player. Catching up on Nicholas Sparks' newest release while you are walking makes exercise so much more enjoyable, doesn't it?

Well, now there is yet another cool use for your mobile audio device. Did you know you can learn a new language by using your iPod?

Audio books that teach a foreign language are an easy way to absorb the information you need to know. If you have always wanted to be fluent in French, then listening to the translation of words in English then in French on the train as you commute to work is a great way to soak up the language.

Getting ready for a trip to Spain? Purchase an audio book that teaches proper conversational Spanish! Audio books offer you so many choices and titles that there is a tutorial book for almost any language you choose.

Why not use your spare time to broaden your horizons through your iPod? Hiring a private tutor to teach you Italian used to be the way to go if you wanted to learn quickly and correctly. Now for under $10.00 you can purchase a tutorial in whatever language you wish to learn!

There are audio books that teach Dutch, Czech, Eastern Armenian, and even Mandarin Chinese. These tutorials are slow, repetitious, and methodical which is what you need when you are a beginner linguist.

If you don't have an iPod you can still learn a new language with books on CD. Because CD players are now so inexpensive, almost everyone has one in their home or their car. Some local libraries will rent CD player's out to their patrons.

You always knew you loved your iPod and we have just given you one more reason to. Choosing to use books on CD or iPod audio books for learning a foreign language is a smart decision that will change your life.

They are simple to use and much less expensive than taking a class or hiring a private tutor. Why spend all that money when you can learn a new language in your own home on your own time?

You will most likely be able to find an audio book tutorial for any language you could ever want to learn. Check out online audiobooks today and begin realizing your dream.

About the Author
David Stargel publishes an audio book related website in addition to writing about all sorts of audio book related topics. Shop at http://www.audiobookcottage.com

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Learning A Foreign Language Through Educational Games

Author: mgavr68

If you have children of your own, or if you have a little brother or sister that you've watched growing up, you might have noticed how they started learning your native language. The first words they usually speak out are the ones that they come into contact the most often, usually the name of their parents, parental appellatives such as "mama" or "papa" or "dada" and so forth. Later on, as they are encouraged to express verbally, their vocabulary base will consist of words that they meet in their "daily activities", which for most children simply include eating, sleep and... playing. This is where I actually wanted to bring the discussion to, learning a language through playing and especially through educational games that are specifically aimed for this purpose.

Since most children follow the above mentioned pattern when learning their native language many scientists claim that simulating the process at an older age can produce the same learning effects with a foreign language. The reason for this is that the brain already got used to that specific type of learning and it will adapt easier when confronted with a similar situation later on in life. That's why learning a foreign language through children's games has become increasingly popular among adults, despite the slight awkwardness of the situation. Flashcard games are such an example, a flashcard being a small piece of material with a picture of an item printed on it and a related word (or small text) describing the picture. The image-text correlation is extremely potent when having to memorize words. Using flashcards is a good way to start building the basic vocabulary for the language you're learning and it gives you a first contact with the language pronunciation (you'll need a dictionary for this of course).

Another great way to learn a foreign language is by playing computer games. Although most games are in English (and if you're reading this, you already know English I assume...) some computer games have translated versions for specific languages (mostly German, Spanish, French or Italian). If you can get a copy of one of these translated games it could be a great way to start learning that specific language and have fun at the same time.

A study exists in this sense, where a young English boy that couldn't speak any language but his native one was invited to play a popular online PC game on a French server. Although he was extremely confused at first, the constant contact with the other human players in the game, combined with a natural correlation between what he saw on the screen and the game chat gradually helped him understand the French language. The game experience was almost like throwing him in the middle of say, Paris, with no knowledge of the French language. After living in a foreign environment, hearing and reading a particular language at all times and instinctively correlating words with actions and images one actually starts learning that particular language, a fact proven by the above experiment. This just proves that online educational games (well not necessarily educational ones, but simply "games") may yet become the future language learning centers of tomorrow. To the same extent, millions of players all around the world learn and perfect their English language skills while playing the numerous online games available today.

Of course, there are still "classic" educational games out there that you can try out. Some sites offer several such educational games for languages ranging from English, German, Spanish or Italian to Polish, Romanian, Turkish or Ukrainian (and many more). If you're thinking about beginning to learn a new language, these educational games might prove to be starting point that you need. Some are actually fun and quite addictive and they are a surefire way towards boosting your vocabulary in that particular language.

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Hindi, Turkish, Ukrainian and many others.

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Monday, February 25, 2008

Learn A New Language From Home

Author: aagekold

It always impresses me, when I hear someone fluently speak a foreign language. I find it very admirable when a person learns to master another tongue. Besides my own language (Danish) I was taught English, German and French in school, although French was only for two years and let's just say it has been a while since then. I don't consider myself a master in the English language, but I feel that I can handle myself in just about any situation. As for German I can read it fairly well and also keep up in simple conversations.

Knowing other languages is great when I travel. Needless to say it's a lot easier to communicate with other people, when you don't have to spend several minutes trying to explain a simple question like: "Where is the nearest bus station?" or "Do you know what time it is?". My parents have never traveled much. I know they have always had trouble finding time for it, but I can't help but wonder if the fact that they don't speak any foreign languages plays a role too.

Besides from just wanting to know a foreign language or being able to impress your friends and family there could be many very good reasons for learning one:

- If part of your education gave you the opportunity to work for a period of time for a company in a different country as a trainee.

- Or perhaps you wanted to finish your education at a foreign university.

- Maybe you are no longer satisfied with your job and your life in general and you want to try something completely different like working and living abroad.

- Your kids are all grown up and have moved away and you want try something exciting like working and living under a different sky.

Regardless of your motivation you are still faced with a very big task, which can be time consuming and require you to make changes to your daily life. Those changes are perhaps inconvenient for you or maybe not even possible. I am of course talking about taking classes, but what if you have to be at work or some place else at the same time. There can also be other problems like the course you want to participate in takes place too far away from where you live, or maybe you live in a small town, where it isn't even possible to take a language course.

All hope is not lost though; since it is possible to learn a foreign language all by yourself in the comfort of your own home. You can get complete interactive language packages, which will teach you to read, write and speak and you don't even need to be in the presence of a teacher.

This will of course not substitute many years of regular schooling with professional teachers by your side every step of the way, but that isn't really the point. You are most likely not even looking for big and shiny diploma either. All you want is to get yourself to the point, where a particular language no longer is a hindrance. A new learning experience will then take place, once you have arrived in whatever country you decided upon. What I mean is that getting really good at speaking a foreign language can only be achieved by actually using it and there is no better way than being among people native to that particular tongue.

About the Author
Aage Kold Jensen Countries visited: UK, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Czech Republic, Greenland, Iceland. Website: http://www.speak-foreign.com

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Sunday, February 24, 2008

Learn English Online To Speak In the Global Language

Author: jimzorn

If you are planning to learn English online, then you have made the best decision of your life. The English language has become the universal language, being spoken in all the countries across the mother planet. The rising popularity of the internet has created this small village called the globe, and the global language is none other than English. There are numerous online resources imparting English language learning.

Advantages of Online Learning

Online learning of a language, especially English offers many distinct advantages. First and foremost is the fact that online English learning can be self-paced and self-directed. When you start to learn English online, you need not adhere to a specific time schedule of classes. Moreover, you may choose from many methods and techniques available. This also means that the student is free to select the most appropriate technique of learning based on her skills, interests and needs. Last but not the least, the cost of learning is very low compared to those in conventional methods of learning. In short, if you are planning to learn English online, you save your precious resources in terms of time, money and efforts.

Contents of Online Learning

English language, presumed to be one of the richest languages, offers a wide variety of items to learn. Assuming that you are at an intermediate level to learn English online, the syllabus will be different from those at basic and higher levels. In general, the online learning of English language starts with the alphabet and numbers. Once the student has mastered these, she is exposed to words (the vocabulary) and composition. The arts and literature come towards the highest end of the hierarchy.

Boston English Language Institute offers many courses in the English language stream. These certification courses vary from one to eight months. Belford University offers a bachelor's degree in English and English Literature for those having work experience of four years. Ellis College at New York offers an online Bachelor's degree. Their focus is on preparing students to face challenges in the professional world. Other universities offering three year Bachelor programs in online English are U of Southern New Hampshire, U of Illinois, American Military U, and Fort Hays State U. Getting notes or teaching material is easy - you get it through the internet in the form of workbooks, test papers, tutorials (video and audio).

You can start to learn English online in different ways. You may choose to subscribe to free and paid online courses teaching online English language. You may also opt for purchasing ebooks and CD's that you can study offline. However, you must remember one thing all the time - not to forget to complete the exercises given at the end of each chapter. This not only tests your gained knowledge, but also offers a new punch of motivation for you to learn English.

Online learning of the English language can be a wonderful experience. You will suddenly find yourself in the middle of the world with your first steps in learning English. Such is the prowess of the English language.

About the Author
Jim Zorn is web master of the Guide to Distance Learning. Please visit to learn more about online colleges and universities, distance learning degrees, majors and courses offered as well as distance learning technology. http://www.guide-to-distance-learning.com

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Saturday, February 23, 2008

English Intonation: The Noun And Verb

by: Frank Gerace

Listen and Learn: The Different Intonation of the Noun and the Verb
Intonation, the "music" of a language, is perhaps the most important element of a correct accent. Many people think that pronunciation is what makes up an accent. It may be that pronunciation is very important for an understandable accent. But it is intonation that gives the final touch that makes an accent correct or native. Often we hear someone speaking with perfect grammar, and perfect formation of the sounds of English but with a little something that gives her away as not being a native speaker.

Therefore, it is necessary to realize that there are three components to an accent, pronunciation, intonation, and linking. In other places we will examine pronunciation, the proper formation of vowels and consonants, and linking, the way that syllables within a word, and the beginning and ending of words come together.

But what interests us now is the issue of intonation, and in particular the difference in intonation in saying the same word (same spelling) when it is used as a noun and when it is used as a verb. It is a perfect example of how meaning affects intonation.

We will try to hear clearly the difference that intonation makes in the daily use of a proper North American English accent. The practice with the following examples will help you to notice, practice, and master the different intonation patterns that you will discover as you concentrate more on your use of North American English.

Intonation: Noun or Verb

Knowing when and where to stress the words you use is very important for understanding, and is part of a good accent. A clear example is that of the different stress in nouns and verbs.

It will be useful for you to be aware of the stress in both cases. Here is a list of a few that will get you thinking and give you some practice in identifying them and using them correctly. Underline the syllable that is stressed, and write a brief explanation to indicate that you understand the difference. I start the exercise with two examples, the words "suspect" and "present". You do the rest. And make sure you pronounce the words OUT LOUD.

Usually (although there are some exceptions), the stress of a verb is on the last syllable, and that of a noun is on the first syllable.

It will be useful for you to be aware of the stress in both cases. Here is a list of a few that will get you thinking and give you some practice in identifying them and using them correctly. I start the exercise with two examples. I have indicated the stress with CAPITAL LETTERS. You underline the syllable that is stressed, and write a brief explanation to indicate that you understand the difference. You do the rest of the table. And make sure you pronounce the words OUT LOUD.

to susPECT: meaning, to have an opinion
a SUSpect: meaning, a person under suspicion

to preSENT: meaning, to give, to introduce
a PREsent: meaning, a gift, now

Now, you do the rest of the table, underlining the accented syllable and defining the word to emphasize your understanding that the accent goes with the meaning.

to conflict, a conflict
to contest, a contest
to contract, a contract
to convert, a convert
to convict, a convict
to incline, an incline
to insult, an insult
to object, an object
to permit, a permit
to present, a present
to produce, a produce
to project, a project
to protest, a protest
to rebel, a rebel
to recall, a recall
to reject, a reject
to research, a research

Practice on the following sentences that contain some of the words of the list used buth as noun and as verb. Underline the accent and read the sentences out loud

You need to insert a paragraph here on this newspaper insert.
How can you object to this object?
I'd like to present you with this present.
The manufacturer couldn't recall if there'd been a recall.
The religious convert wanted to convert the world.
The political rebels wanted to rebel against the world.
The mogul wanted to record a new record for his latest artist.
If you perfect your intonation, your accent will be perfect.
Due to the drought, the fields didn't produce much produce this year.
Unfortunately, City Hall wouldn't permit them to get a permit.

About The Author
Frank Gerace Ph.D has worked in Latin America on UN and national Educational and Communication Projects, and has taught in Bolivian and Peruvian Universities. He currently teaches English in New York City at La Guardia College/CUNY. He provides resources on accent reduction and the proper American English accent at http://www.goodaccent.com/

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Friday, February 22, 2008

Intonation In English: Expressions Of Two Words

by: Frank Gerace

Listen and Learn: The Intonation of Two-Word Expressions

Many people think that pronunciation is what makes up an accent. It may be that pronunciation is very important for an understandable accent. But it is intonation that gives the final touch that makes an accent correct or native.

Intonation is the "music" of a language, and is perhaps the most important element of a correct accent. Often we hear someone speaking with perfect grammar, and perfect formation of the sounds of English but with a little something that gives her away as not being a native speaker.

Therefore, it is necessary to realize that there is more than the correct pronunciation of the vowels and consonants of a language. This is very important and we do stress it in other articles. But it is only one of the three components to an accent, pronunciation, intonation, and linking.


In other places we will examine the correct pronunciation of vowels and consonants, and linking, the way that syllables within a word, and the beginning and ending of words come together.

But in this article we will look at how the difference that intonation makes in the daily use of a proper North American English accent. The practice will help you to notice, practice, and master the different intonation patterns that you will discover as you concentrate more on your use of North American English.

Two Word Stress

Knowing when and where to stress the words you use is very important for understanding, and therefore, as part of a good accent. A clear example is that of stress in two word expressions.

According to whether it is an ordinary two-word expression or a special, set expression, the place of the stress changes. In an ordinary expression the two words are used to describe something like a "white HOUSE" (meaning a house that is painted white, and not blue or gray). In this case the most important note is the noun because we are talking about a house that happens to be white. Similarly, a "fat BOY" is an overweight young male.

But sometimes short two word expressions are set or "consecrated", (that is, they mean something special) and have to be made different from similar expressions. One example is "the WHITE house" where Mr. Bush lives. In this case, the emphasis is on the adjective because we are more interested in stressing that it is the house that is known because it is white. In the same way, "FAT boy" is the nickname of a boy, chosen because the word fat emphasizes his weight.

It will be useful for you to be aware of both types of two word expressions. Here is a list of a few that will get you thinking and give you some practice in identifying them and using them correctly. Underline the syllable that is stressed, and write a brief explanation, for both uses of each phrase. I start the exercise with two examples. You do the rest. Make sure you say the phrases OUT LOUD!

WHITE house
In Washington

white HOUSE
House painted white

LIGHT bulb
Shines with electricity

Light BULB
A bulb that is not heavy

Now do these, underling the syllable that is stressed, and defining the word that has the indicated intonation.

Dark room, Dark room
A cold fish, A gold fish
The paper box, The paper box
An old key, A door key
A nice watch, A wrist watch
A sticky web, A spider web
A clean cup, A coffee cup
A toy gun, A water gun
A bright star, A movie star
A new ball, A foot ball
A sharp knife, A steak knife
An old brush, A hair brush
A dry leaf, A fig leaf
A pointy tack, A thumb tack
A blackboard, A black board
A green house, A green house

For more articles on intonation, search with the keyword "intonation".

About The Author
Frank Gerace Ph.D has worked in Latin America in UN and national Educational and Communication Projects, and has taught in Bolivian and Peruvian Universities. He currently teaches English in New York City at La Guardia College/CUNY. He provides resources on accent reduction and the proper American English accent at http://www.goodaccent.com/

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Thursday, February 21, 2008

Best Way To Learn A Foreign Language

by: Richard Henderson

I have never quite understood how to learn a foreign language. It is a shame too. Learning a foreign language is pretty necessary in this day and age. If you learn foreign language, it makes you more employable in a variety of areas, as well as enhancing your cultural experience. Say what you want about modern translations, but until you learn foreign languages you never get to experience the beauty of foreign writers. Nevertheless, I have only managed to learn a foreign language once, and it was so difficult for me that I doubt I will ever try it again. It was just too much work!

I managed to get all the way through college without ever successfully completing a learn foreign language program. I took a little bit of French in high school, but I dropped it after a couple of semesters. In general, I was a good student. Most subjects came easy to me, but I couldn't manage to learn foreign language no matter how hard I tried. I loved French culture and French literature, and I desperately wanted to learn how to speak French, but it just wouldn't come. I ended up taking an American sign language class to get rid of my learn foreign language requirement. Even that was difficult!

I struggled with learning a foreign language all through college. I went to a liberal arts university that demanded it, and I knew that I could not graduate with the degree that I wanted unless I managed to learn foreign language. I tried using how to speak French software, hiring a private tutor, and working with conversation partners, but nothing worked. I only successfully managed to learn foreign language when I finally went abroad. I spent a year in France, and it was one of the most difficult years of my life. Ultimately, however, it was also one of the most rewarding. I would never have managed to learn foreign language without it, you see.

To this day, I believe that the only way to really learn foreign languages is to completely immerse yourself in another culture. If you can speak English at all, you will not learn how to speak a foreign language. Instead, you will keep falling back on your English skills. If you need to learn foreign language in order to interact on a daily basis, however, it will come much more quickly. If I learned a foreign language in a year, you can probably do it using the same methods in six months!

About The Author
Rich Henderson runs his own internet marketing business from home. Check out these great Learning Online resources or the more specific Learn Languages Online. http://www.learningonlinenow.net/

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Sufficient English Language Knowledge, A Must-Have In Today’s Society

If you’ve ever had problems in communication with others because your familiarity with English is not as it should be, then you need to change all that by starting to study courses with a qualified teacher. Choosing the right person to aid you or the right intensive English course is an important decision and should be given a lot of thought as it directly determines the results you will gain at the end of the day.

Have ever had difficulties in communicating with your associates, partners or just friends from abroad because you couldn’t always understand what they were saying or because you couldn’t make yourself understood? Have you been feeling left out of a debate because your knowledge of English was not as advanced as it should be? Did it ever occur to you that your business success was held back by this particular problem and that you could do so much better if you could remedy it? If the above describe a situation you’ve experienced, then it is time to find out how you can tip the scales in your favour. First of all, acknowledging that it is high time you took some measures is the foremost step in putting the conversational handicap behind you permanently. English has slowly become a universal language, spoken in all fields of activity, from education to business, and it is conventionally established that every person involved must know the minimum required for his message to be understood entirely. Therefore, deciding to study English and get help in trying to overcome your problem is a necessary step and it will pay off almost instantly. All it takes is patience, devotion and hard work, as well as a well qualified teacher or an Intensive English course.

Although the market is bursting with different self-learning courses, cassettes, how-to-learn-at-home videos and other similar items, it is advisable that you acquire the services of a professional English teacher instead. Choosing the latter option will allow you to absorb more information, learn English terminology, and study English phonetics, all in a more natural way and in record time. Certain grammatical and vocabulary issues would be impossible to learn using a cassette, for example, while a qualified professor can lead you through an ongoing study of the matters. Also an important benefit of this kind of learning is its inter-human aspect, allowing you to feel more comfortable throughout the learning process. A residential English summer course could be the ideal answer. A family stay can be ideal but also can prove complicated. Staying in a residence offers independence but if the course organizers can assure a mixture of nationalities then hopefully you will be speaking English all day. A few courses offer the presence of teachers all day, this is obviously very recommendable.

However, you should pay great attention when choosing the person (or institution) that will instruct you as not all so-called “professional teachers” are indeed professional nor have the same qualifications. Neglecting this aspect can result in a series of drawbacks in the knowledge you gain, and consequently the results would not be the ones you had hoped for. Consider devoting a fairly long amount of time to this decision by studying different offers via the Internet or agencies, gathering opinions from people who have acquired the services of a certain teacher and make your choice based on the conclusions you draw from all these sources. In conclusion, choosing to learn English or to improve your English language skills is a compulsory step, especially in the business world nowadays, as it allows you to make your ideas heard and also comprehend other people’s opinions. Leave your pride aside and get help from a professional and you won’t regret it even for a second.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim McKeown, after studying zoology at Cambidge University Tim has spent 4 summers attending the intensive english summer courses with http://www.movingoncourses.com/

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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

English As A Second Language

by: John Davison

The English language is the most commonly spoken language on Earth, either by native speakers or by people who have learned it in addition to their first language. More and more people everyday have the desire to learn English as a second language. The type of people who wish to learn it run the gamut from children in other countries who are required to learn English as part of their school curriculum, business professionals that wish to be able to communicate with their English-speaking peers, to immigrants who come to English-speaking countries such as the Unites States who need to learn the native language in order to gain employment, citizenship, and acceptance in their new home country. If you decide to become certified to teach English as a second language (TESL), you could be providing an invaluable service to thousands of people.

As an instructor of English as a second language, you have the option of going abroad and living in one of dozens of countries where there is a high demand for qualified instructors. You may also remain at home, and teach new residents of the United States how to speak, read, and write the language. Either way, you need to be certified to provide instruction. Because there is such a high demand for instructors who are qualified to teach English as a second language, language schools are highly selective when it comes to hiring new teachers. Receiving your certification exhibits your drive to potential employers and shows that you are serious in taking on this challenging new career. Certification can be earned by taking courses at one of several campuses nationwide, and there are also certification course programs available online. Receiving your certification for teaching English as a second language will unquestionably prepare you to be a more effective and successful teacher by instructing you on how to teach grammar, vocabulary, speaking, writing, how to motivate your students, how to manage a classroom, and how to construct lesson plans. If you decide to teach English as a second language in another country, obtaining your certification will also better prepare you for a move abroad, which can be intimidating and stressful. You will have the confidence in knowing that you are entirely qualified to perform your new job, which will help to alleviate some of the stress in immersing yourself into an entirely new country and culture.

Teaching English as a second language has many personal benefits. If you teach abroad, you will have the opportunity to break down stereotypes regarding our own American culture. You will learn about new cultures and traditions. You will be able to travel to neighboring nations. You will become self-reliant and self-assured, and you will no doubt make many new friends. In teaching English as a second language, will be able to develop your communication skills, which will give you a confidence that will help you to excel professionally and personally.

You will find that teaching English as a second language is a mutually beneficial experience for you and your students. Not only are you representing your own country and culture if you teach abroad, and imparting your personal knowledge of the English language and your culture onto others, but you are also learning about other individuals and their experiences and their traditions and their language. And if you are teaching stateside, you are providing a precious service to new residents of the United States. You are giving them the power to communicate in their new homeland. This power will enable them to find jobs, seek educations, and possibly gain American citizenship. That makes for an exceptional experience to have in your memories.

Find the essential information on where and how to learn a new or second language at English as a Second Language.

About The Author

John Davison is a director of numerous Internet companies and is a published author. Many articles have been produced on a variety of subjects with excellent content and depth. All his articles may be reproduced provided that an active link is included to http://www.foreign-languages-school.com/

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Monday, February 18, 2008

A Really Fun Way Of Learning New Languages!

by Amaury Hernandez
After studying around 30 minutes French or German I start to get tedious and anxious. It has always been like this, and not just for languages, but for almost everything: math, chemistry, programming, etc. About a year ago, I found a really good way of studying languages, which never got me tired or anxious.

After a good research, I remembered I had a game called The Secret of Monkey Island, the CD version, which came in several languages. I began playing it in Italian (I didn't know any Italian, 0%, nada), and after around 30 minutes, I noticed I started to understand a lot of words. After beating the game in 2 days, I was able to talk some Italian (just some... I wouldn't survive in Italy... or maybe I would, but just because the Spanish is like a brother to the Italian). Then, I decided to start the game again (damn, I love that game), and during this second time I was able to understand around 70% of what the characters were saying. And after beating it the second time, I started it in German. Well, I guess you got the point by now.

The most important thing about this technique isn't how fast I started to get a catch about the words, grammar, etc., but how long I lasted playing the game! When I study French the classical way, I only last about 30 minutes without a headache... when I study French playing a video game, I only last... well, I'd last until I gotta go to college.

If you believe you can stand against studying languages the classical way, do it! You'll learn in a better quality way. But if you are struggling because of all those headaches, I recommend to try this out.

Don't have a video game to start studying? Well, you can download The Secret of Monkey Island. This game is so old they made it abandonware (it's free). Or you can buy a video game which comes in several languages.

About the Author

I and some other people are working towards making a language learning community, where anyone can come by and start practicing new languages for free and/or help others learn. Visit our Foreign Language Learning Blog and start discovering some valuable tips and information for your language learning. We are working really hard at this project, and we hope you can come visit us.

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Sunday, February 17, 2008

3 Steps For Successful English Learning

by Leo W.

Hundreds of ESL students and other people ask me the same questions. How to speak English fluently? or How can I improve my English conversation? skill? or What is the right way to learn English?

I used to answer them based on their obstacles until I discovered their common problems and finally came up with the easy-to-remember steps. Now, if anyone ask me I would simply advice them to think of the word CEK (it similarly pronouce like the word SEX which everyone knows very well!!) which stands for

-- Change Attitude -- Expose yourself -- Keep talking

-- Change Attitude --> From my experience, this is the most common problems for anyone who wants to learn english. The point is you should realize that your goal is to communicate with people in English.

You do not want to be an english professor or a professional translator (Well, if you want to be please skip this article Immediately) so do not worry about 100% correct grammar.

It is acceptable for the beginner to say he don't know instead of he doesn't know as long as the listener understands what you are trying to communicate. At least it is less annoying for them to wait for you 1 minute to produce each perfect sentence.

-- Expose yourself --> This step means to expose yourself to English environment. Of course, it is better if you could come to US or UK to study or learn English but I would say that you don't have to.

This is the year 2006 and English is already everywhere. movie, music, newspaper, articles and hundred of tourists who walk pass you everyday can be great learning sources. Another easy way is to go through the content of this website and ask if you have any questions.

-- Keep talking --> Whenever you have a chance to talk or to test your skills, just do it. You can even assume situation and talk to yourself.

Do not worry about mistake. Everyone makes mistake, Tiger Woods, David Beckham, Madonna etc. Who are you? Come on. Let's go out and create your own lessons.

About the Author

Leo W. is the webmaster and author of http://www.kinglishschool.com/

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Saturday, February 16, 2008

How To Improve Vocabulary When Learning a Foreign Language

Author: mgavr68

Vocabulary improvement is undoubtedly one of the key elements in any language learning process, regardless if you're learning French, English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese or any other language, no matter how "complicated" it is and what its rules are. Actually, obtaining an initial vocabulary base is one of the key elements you need to focus on when learning a foreign language and afterwards, increasing your vocabulary is a constant process you need to go through. There are several means to do so, some of which we will be going through below.

Translated texts

Using translated texts is a great way to improve your vocabulary, especially in the beginning stage of the language learning process, when you can't deduct words out of the context from a foreign text, simply because you don't understand it at all. Having a translation of the text however, allows you to form links between the words and their meanings. Obviously, it's important that these texts are kept simple and clean and that they don't use words that can have several meanings that would only confuse you.

Mnemonics

Although not necessarily a "new" method, mnemonics have been proven to be very effective in allowing students to memorize new words. The "trick" behind mnemonics is to link words in your native language to words in the new language and form visual images from the two. Oftentimes, these images will be far from common, sometimes they will be bizarre or interesting, which will only make them easier to be remembered. To give you some insight on how to use mnemonics, we'll take a look at the famous "yellow ice" example used in several free online courses as well as in many course books: the Spanish word for ice is "hielo" which resembles the English word yellow. This automatically forms a visual image of "yellow ice" which will help you remember the connection between the two.

The Dictionary method

The Dictionary method is a continuous effort and unlike some of the other vocabulary improvement methods, it won't be that fast, but it will definitely be long-term effective. What this method is all about is trying to learn a new word in the language you're studying on a daily basis. Open up the dictionary at a random page each day, spot a word you don't know and memorize it and what it means. This doesn't sound much indeed, but in fact you will be learning several words at once with the help of the dictionary's explanations. If you manage to form a study rhythm with this method you'll be on a constant vocabulary improvement streak.

In conclusion, one thing you need to always keep in mind is that a language's vocabulary is the foundation you will be working on and if this foundation isn't strong enough, the other parts of the structure won't be extremely stable as well. Besides the above-mentioned methods, you will be able to find several more on websites dealing with language learning techniques, some of which will prove to be well suited for you, whereas others will prove to be a waste of time. It will be your call to judge which ones you will take upon.

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games and become a true polyglot. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Dutch, Portuguese, Arabic and many others.

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Friday, February 15, 2008

Learning English In Four Easy Steps

Author: webcorp


So, you want to learn to speak English. That is great. There are a ton of great resources out there that can help including over 49,000 ESL websites.

Now if you are like most other ESL students reading this article then you already have a fairly good notion of the English language. You most likely are looking for a place to practice and enhance your English skills. So, here are four easy steps to do just that.

Step Number One: Preparation

Since you already have a fairly good notion of English you don't need to start all over with the ABC's and the verb "to be". Take stock of your current skills and find out where you are weak. Once you know what you need to learn...all you have to do is learn it.

So, pick out something from your list of things that you know you need/want to learn. Take a few minutes to analyze why you want learn this information, and make sure you focus on that particular point while studying. It is super easy to get side-tracked onto other topics.

If you do see something of interest while you are on your search for information...make sure to take note of it so you can come back at a later time. But for now...FOCUS on the task at hand!

Step Number Two: Practice

Now that you know what you know what you want to learn, jump over to Google or Yahoo and do a quick search on your chosen topic of interest. From there you should be able to find sites that will provide you with tools and resources such as audio files, video files, exercises, and tests to practice what you want to learn.

Step Number three: Use

Alright! You are rip, raring, and ready-to-go! You studied what it was you wanted to learn, and now you need to put it into use in real life situations. Use what you just learned on your friends and acquaintances. Hit the forums and try out what you now know. Try to use it at least thirty times to really assimilate it well and make it a part of you.

Step Number four: Evaluate

Once you are done for the day, sit down for a few minutes and evaluate how you did. Did you learn everything that is required? Are you still weak in certain areas of this topic?

Take note of these things, and use them in your planning time tomorrow as you restart the cycle. Make sure to do these four steps everyday, and you will steadily see your skills progressing. So now...just go do it!

About the Author
Travis Waack is an author and webmaster. You may view his collection of educational related resources at http://official-education-reosources.com

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Thursday, February 14, 2008

How To Memorize Words

Author: mgavr68

One of the first steps we take when learning a language, be it our mother tongue as children, or a foreign language later on in life, is expanding our vocabulary by memorizing words (usually nouns and adjectives at first). Memorizing is done naturally when we're living in an environment that forces that particular language on us (such as our homes as children, or as visitors in a foreign country) but it can also be "forced" through several methods. The following article will try to present some of these methods that could help you learn how to memorize words faster when learning a foreign language.

Flashcards

Flashcards are the basic tools for word memorizing and although they are used mostly with small children, they can also be useful for grown-ups when learning a new foreign language. Basically, a flashcard is a piece of carton containing an image of a noun (usually nouns, although they can oftentimes contain colors, actions and so forth) with the appropriate word describing it and possibly, a small text that explains what the object is. They are a good way to take your first step into the vocabulary of the foreign language you are learning and they can be fun to use together with your children.

Using Mnemonic Links

A mnemonic is generally described as an abbreviation or a symbolic representation that helps humans memorize a certain "something" easier. Mnemonics are used to enhance and develop the assimilation of data into memory and there's no better use to them than in learning a new language. Since when you're gradually building your new vocabulary for the new language you will inevitably translate and think those words out in your mother tongue, you can use such a mnemonic to make this translation easier to memorize. For example if you've just learnt how to say "seaside" in the foreign language you're studying, imagine a picture of the seaside and then switch back between the native and foreign language words of what you're seeing. The image, which is easier to remember than a word, will act as an intermediate between the two languages.

Memory Enhancement Medication

There are several natural supplements out there that help you memorize stuff faster and for a longer period of time, as well as help with concentration during the learning process. Some of the herbs that are known to have a memory enhancing effect include Ashwagandha, Reishi, Ginseng, Bacopa, Mucuna Pruriens or Fo-Ti. Ginseng is one of the most popular in the list and it is widely used as a supplement in language learning classes as well as generally used by students before exams or during the school year. There are no side effects to these herbs but you might be allergic to one, so it is best if you visit your medic before taking any of them, asking if you are allowed or not to start a long or short-term memory enhancement plan.

There are also several vitamins and nutrients that could help out with memorizing new words, the list including: carnitine, lecitine, carnosine, choline, inositol, tyrosine and several others, but these are not the point of our discussion.

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Hindi, Turkish, Ukrainian and many others.

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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

How To Improve Your Vocabulary

Author: mgavr68

Picture learning a new language as building a house from scratch. You can't wait to handle the design, buy the furniture or decorate the rooms, but first you need to go through the hard process of actually raising it from the ground. The vocabulary of a language is both its foundation and it contains the words that you will have to use as "bricks" when building it and although it's not crucial to have a huge amount of bricks, the more you have the bigger the house, hence the higher the comfort. Actually, taking the discussion back to the linguistic field, studies have shown that we only need 100 or so "core words" from a language's vocabulary in order to be able to handle basic communication. But that's comparable to having a single room apartment, when you might need a 2 story villa, so we need to see how we can improve the number of bricks we can use.

I'm presuming you already have a relatively solid grasp of the basic vocabulary of the language you're trying to enhance, or we wouldn't be talking about "improving" one's vocabulary but rather on how to learn it from scratch. If you've learnt the language from a course book or with the help of some online lessons, you probably have a limited amount of basic words, since these courses focus on a little bit of everything, including spelling, grammar, pronunciation and so forth, leaving little room to concentrate strictly on your vocabulary.
Reading and listening are two of the most important ways of increasing your vocabulary in a specific language. Whenever you have the chance to listen to someone speaking that language, or if you get your hands on some article written in it, make sure you do your best to understand it, focusing on the words that you don't know. If you can't "guess" them out of the context, have a dictionary near you to help you out with these new words. Especially if you're reading instead of listening, make sure you get the pronunciation right for the new words (dictionaries usually offer the pronunciation of the word besides its translation).
Another good way to increase your vocabulary is to engage in interactive activities in that particular foreign language. Educational games can be a fun way of expanding your word pool as well as playing a computer game in that language, trying to relate what's happening on the screen with what you're reading/hearing in case you stumble on some new words.
Last but not least, you could practice what language courses call the "A new word each day" game. Make it a habit to look up a new word in the dictionary each day and memorize it. Of course, you shouldn't stop at rare, practically useless words; instead, focus on commonly used words that are new to you, words that you actually have the chance of using in day-to-day conversation. If you combine this method with other vocabulary improvement ones, the daily amount of new words will probably be high enough to make it count, but small enough to not overload your memory with stuff that you are just going to forget the next day.

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Hindi, Turkish, Ukrainian and many others.

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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Early Language Learning Is Best

Author: mgavr68

We all know the importance of play in early childhood and research shows that childhood is the best time to learn new languages. For this reason alone, the Internet has a great deal to offer young children developing foreign language skills. By using flashcards and matching games, children are able to build their vocabulary skills and memorize words according to the picture they belong to. Children love to play games and education can go hand in hand with the games they play. This is indeed a great combination of factors that can lead to a solid foundation for a child's language learning skills.

You cannot simply learn basic language concepts - learning to read is an added bonus. By reading recreationally in another language you are building, perhaps the greatest skills in that language and fostering a love of reading at the same time. The best of all worlds really as so much gets lost in the translation of great literature. Reading in and of itself is a great vocabulary builder in any language. As you come across a word you don't know the meaning of, look it up in the dictionary. You've just improved your vocabulary without even going to too much effort. Even if you can't be bothered to look up its exact meaning, you will be able to deduce it from the context on most occasions. This is even more important to children, who will form up a solid vocabulary early on (they'll improve their native language vocabulary at the same time as they improve the foreign language one).

You can find free online courses in many different languages. While these courses are meant to be used along with formal language lessons, they are still a great source of knowledge and education about other languages. I highly encourage you to take it one step further though and actually study the culture of the people whose language you are learning. It is so much more interesting when you can put faces to the words you are hearing.

Childhood is by far the best time to learn a foreign language. By teaching and encouraging your child about other languages and cultures you are opening the doors of the world of learning and understanding to them. Take care that you make the process fun and game like so they will wish to continue their language studies and perhaps some day surpass the lessons you are able to provide them with. If you can give your child one gift a love of learning is the best gift you can offer. Foster it early and promote it often. Your child should be successful in every endeavor with these early lessons.

About the Author
Increase your foreign language vocabulary at http://www.InternetPolyglot.com by playing online games. The site contains thousands of lessons in different languages from English, Spanish, French, Russian to Hindi, Turkish, Ukrainian and many others.

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Monday, February 11, 2008

5 Ideas to Teach Prepositions to Your ESL Students

Author: Shannon

Tani It doesn't have to be difficult to teach prepositions to your ESL students. Granted, prepositions are a little bit harder because they are more of a concept than a mere vocabulary word. However, students are probably familiar with these words in their native language, so they can catch on quite quickly. Here are five of my favorite ideas for teaching prepositions:

1. Use flash card games. You probably have some flash cards illustrating the different prepositions. If not, then you can easily print some out for free or make your own. You can use these cards to play bingo, memory, or any of your favorite games.

2. Say the Opposite. Most prepositions have opposites. It's a good challenge to have the students say the opposite. For example, if you say "in", they must say "out". It's extra challenging if you show them a card and have them say the opposite because your first reaction is to say what's on the card.

3. Place the toy. Give each student a toy. I like to use small plastic animals. Sit in a circle and, as a group, practice using prepositions by having everyone put the animal "in front of you", or "on your head". Then, tell each student to put their animal somewhere around the classroom--"under the chair" or "in front of the door". If your students are more advanced, you can have them tell another student where to put their animal.

4. As a Group. One thing that I have found to be very fun is to direct the students around the room. Say "Everybody stand next to the sink!" and when everyone has gone there, change to a new place. If you're very daring, and have fairly young students, you can instruct them to "Jump over me." or "Stand on me."

5. Create an Obstacle Course. Set up a small obstacle course around the classroom using tables, chairs, and anything else you might have in the classroom. Students enjoy getting active and being told to "crawl under the table" and "walk around the chair three times".

These are just a few of my favorite ideas to teach prepositions to your ESL students. Hopefully you'll be able to find something that works with your students.

About the author
: Shannon Tani has many years of experience teaching ESL preschool in Japan. She writes and maintains http://www.teach-esl-to-kids.com/ Teach ESL to Kids, are source for teachers of (very) young ESL learners.

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Sunday, February 10, 2008

Improving Vocabulary - Seven Ideas for ESL Students

by Celia Webb

Do you want to improve your command of the English language? Many English as a Second Language (ESL) learners reach a point where their English does not get any better. They have learned the basics they need to function in an English-speaking society, but not the large vocabulary which would help them speak and read more fluently. Sometimes it is difficult to get past this point. Here are some ideas on what to do to increase your English vocabulary.

1. Keep your own personal word list file. As you come across words you do not know, write them down in your list, look them up in the dictionary, and write down the definition. Organize words by categories. For instance, you could have categories for Foods, Sports, Politics, Crafts, Action words, Technology, Descriptive words, and more. The process of writing the word down, looking up the meaning, and categorizing makes you spend more time on the word. You will create several different images of the word in your brain and that makes it easier to recall the word later.

2. Get both the audio and the written version of a book. Listen to the audio while you read along in the book. This way you will hear the correct way to say the words. Find out whether the reader is British or American. Information on the reader is usually on the back of the audio package or in the write-up if you are looking in a catalog or on-line. Choose readers who are from the country you plan to visit or live in. The accents between British and American speakers are different. When you are first tuning your ear to understand English, it will help if you choose a speaker from the country where you plan to spend time. Listen to a chapter at a time. Underline words you do not know. Look those words up in the dictionary. Write them down in your personal word list file (see tip 1).

3. If you are in an English-speaking country, visit the local library. Join a book club. Most book clubs meet once a month to discuss a book read by all of the members prior to the meeting. You will benefit in two ways. First, you will read a variety of books which will use varied vocabulary. Second, you will get to talk with others about the book. You will have the opportunity to hear native English speakers talk, plus you will have a chance to speak. Don't worry, if you feel shy about speaking, you don't have to say much until you feel more comfortable. Most people are very understanding about how hard it is to learn English.

4. Read English language newspapers and magazines. You can scribble all over these as you make notes about the words you do not know and will be adding to your personal word list. Most papers are written so an eighth grade student can understand. Nevertheless, the stories will contain great words for everyday conversations and also keep you up-to-date on new words entering the language.

5. Choose books with glossaries. This way you can read the book while you wait in line or ride the train without carrying a dictionary. Glossaries are included in books to explain either advanced or topic-unique vocabulary. Thus using the glossary is likely to add to your knowledge of words.

6. Play word games. Any type of word game will help. Crossword puzzles exercise your understanding of word definitions. Word Searches help you recognize spelling patterns. Scrabble exercises both spelling and word recognition. Newspapers often have word puzzles located near the comics page. You can also buy books of word puzzles at magazine stands.

7. Check out the verbivore.com website for connections to lots of great websites on the English language. You'll find connections to word games, vocabulary development, language reference material, grammar and usage, language columns and more. You can find this website at http://www.verbivore.com/. Click on the "Language Links on the Net" page.

By using these ideas you can improve your English vocabulary. Get started today!

About the Author
Celia Webb is an author, illustrator, and company executive. She and her husband, Mack H. Webb, Jr., founded Pilinut Press, Inc., publishing advanced readers for children and ESL students. Their website http://www.pilinutpress.com/ offers more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for their entertaining and educational books.

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