If you don't know the language you feel at sea or in a fog. Even the simplest things become insurmountable obstacles. You're afraid of being alone because you might get lost or can't ask for the things that you want. You are vulnerable to unscrupulous locals who take advantage of you. You can't become part of the regular everyday life of the people; instead you are stuck in a bubble with your English speaking companions all the time.
If you have struggled to learn a language in the past, like me, the hardest part was remembering enough words to express yourself simply. You only need a basic understanding of grammar to make simple sentences and get yourself understood. But if you don't have the words, you can't even begin to express your thoughts, feelings and desires.
But that's not enough. Because people talk fast and, even when they speak slowly to you, it all sounds like a stream of noise - remember those squawking sounds of the grown-ups in the Charlie Brown cartoons?
Your ear needs to be able to pick out the spoken words that are often distorted because of the grammar or the informal ways of speaking. It's a bit like trying to pick out a tune from a jazz improvisation. If you don't appreciate jazz then it all sounds like a tuneless noise. But if you love jazz then you can hear the riff or underlying melody, no matter how far from the original it has been transformed.
These three principles form the basis of a revolutionary approach to teaching languages that I developed after years of research.
If you have struggled to learn a language in the past, like me, the hardest part was remembering enough words to express yourself simply. You only need a basic understanding of grammar to make simple sentences and get yourself understood. But if you don't have the words, you can't even begin to express your thoughts, feelings and desires.
But that's not enough. Because people talk fast and, even when they speak slowly to you, it all sounds like a stream of noise - remember those squawking sounds of the grown-ups in the Charlie Brown cartoons?
Your ear needs to be able to pick out the spoken words that are often distorted because of the grammar or the informal ways of speaking. It's a bit like trying to pick out a tune from a jazz improvisation. If you don't appreciate jazz then it all sounds like a tuneless noise. But if you love jazz then you can hear the riff or underlying melody, no matter how far from the original it has been transformed.
These three principles form the basis of a revolutionary approach to teaching languages that I developed after years of research.
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