Language Learning
Why most and how
people you can
fail... succeed
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Brought to you by:
Foreign Language Mastery
How to Learn Any Language Effectively
L2mastery.com

Fact:
The vast majority of
language learners fail
to reach fluency in
their target language
even after years and
years of study.

Test:
Is this because of their:
a) method
b) attitude
c) materials
d) all of the
above

The answer is d).
Nearly all learners fail because of
poor methods,
poor attitudes, and
poor materials.

Let’s now take a look at these
3 factors in more detail,
starting with...

Methods

Before you diss it, you have to
define it. So what exactly
is the traditional language
education method?

The 5 W’s
of traditional
language learning

Who?

Students:
have little or no control over what they
study
do almost no talking, but are forced to talk
before they are ready

Teachers:
choose what will be studied
do almost all the talking
punish mistakes if students do speak

What?

Students spend most of
their time:
memorizing grammar rules & vocabulary
reading or reciting texts
taking tests

Where?

Most studying
takes place:
at fixed locations
under teacher or parent supervision

When?

Most students:
only spend a few hours a week with the
target language
only read or listen to the language
while in class.

Why?

Most students:
only study what is required because it is
required
do not read or listen to the target
language for enjoyment.

In East Asia:
most students study English to pass school
entrance exams
most adults study for advancement at
work.

So what are the results of
teaching and learning
languages this way?

After 10 years of English study,
the vast majority of Taiwanese,
Chinese, Japanese, and Korean
students graduate from university
unable to speak the language
fluently, if at all.

And if you think this is just because
they lack the proper environment,
consider the case of
New Brunswick
(the only constitutionally bilingual
province in Canada)

To help boost the French skills of
Anglophone citizens, the province
created an early immersion
program starting in the 1st grade.
After 12 years of daily study
(and living in a French-speaking region)...

...only 0.68% of
the students reached an
intermediate level in French!
Source: www.cbc.ca (via Steve Kaufmann)

This troubling data shows us that
traditional language education
doesn’t work. But why?
One major reason is that...

Knowledge and skills
are completely different

Traditional language education fails
because it treats language
as an academic subject,
not the physical skill it truly is.

This fact received little attention until
a certain Dr. Stephen Krashen
put forth his now famous
Acquisition-Learning
Hypothesis

This complex sounding theory
can be explained with
a simple metaphor...

Learning is like
memorizing the
parts of a car.

It is a conscious process.
Most schoolwork is of this type.

Acquisition is like
being able to drive
but not necessarily knowing
how the car works.

It is a subconscious process.
Sports and language are of this type.

Most people never reach fluency
because they spend too much time
learning about the language...
...and not enough
time actually
acquiring it.

Acquiring a language does not
require conscious study
of grammar rules.
It happens naturally (and
automatically) when you get lots of
interesting and meaningful input.

So if traditional language learning
and teaching methods are
soooo ineffective, why
have they survived
soooo long?

Three key reasons the
traditional model
has survived:

The Weight of Tradition

Though there have been many
“cosmetic” changes over the
years, languages have been taught in
the same basic way for millennia.

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Most people don’t know
(or won’t admit)
that there are better ways.

Vested Interests

Textbook publishers,
language schools,
teachers, and even
politicians, all benefit
financially from the
traditional education
status quo

But even after we push all these
aside, we are left with yet
another obstacle:
the individual learner
and their...

Attitude

“In language learning
it is attitude, not aptitude,
that determines success.”
~Steve Kaufmann
Creator of LingQ.com
Author of The Way of The Linguist:
A Language Learning Odyssey

So what kind of attitude do
you need to succeed in
language learning?
One must be...

Interested.
The more you like the content,
the more that will stick
(and the more time you will
spend with the language!)

Motivated.
Motivation is fueled by
interest, enjoyment, and
perceivable progress
toward your goals.
Which is why you
must also be...

Goal oriented.
It is not necessary to have serious,
pragmatic goals, but you do
need a direction to aim in.

Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I
ought to go from here?
The Cat: That depends a good deal on
where you want to get to.
Alice: I don't much care where.
The Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which
way you go.
~Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll (via Tim Ferriss)

Whatever your goals, make sure
that they are “SMART”
Specific
Measurable Consider
Attainable these goals
Realistic for example...
Timely

I want to speak perfect Chinese.
...is not a SMART goal.

I want to finish this Chinese comic
book by Sunday.
...is a SMART goal.

Patient.
Language learning isn’t hard, but it
will take time to reach your goals.
Progress in physical skills can be
hard to notice, so make sure to...

Monitor your progress
through quarterly audio
or video recording,
NOT tests or
completion of “levels”

Why? Because traditional
assessment tools like written tests
measure memorization of
knowledge, not acquisition of skills.

Moreover, many language schools
encourage students to continue
to the next level or material
so that they can earn more
money, not necessarily
because you are ready
to move on.

Calm and collected.
Try not to get frustrated when you
make mistakes or people can’t
understand you. Both are a natural
part of learning a language.

Negative emotions like fear,
anxiety, anger or boredom
significantly reduce
one’s ability to learn and perform
physical skills, including language.

So how can one remain
relaxed and confident
in language learning?
There are 2 keys...

First:
Don’t speak until you are ready.
Speaking too soon just leads to:
Anxiety, inhibition and frustration when
you can’t communicate your needs, wants
or thoughts
Fossilized errors in your pronunciation,
grammar and vocabulary usage that are
nearly impossible to undo later

“Practice doesn’t make perfect.
Practice makes permanent.”
~Antonio Graceffo
Linguist, Martial Artist and Author of
The Monk From Brooklyn

Be a baby...

Infants spend about 2 years actively
listening before starting to speak.
During this time, their brains are
busy at work subconsciously
organizing what they hear.
Adults should go through
a silent period, too.

Second:
When you are ready to speak,
find a good tutor.
“Good” means:
They are friendly and patient
They can speak a foreign language
They let you choose your own materials
They don’t try to “teach” you the language

Disciplined.
You won’t always feel
like reading or listening.
But if you only do things
when you feel like it...

...you won’t get very far in any kind
of skill-based endeavor. The good
news is that you can strengthen
your discipline just like a muscle...

Every time you complete a task that
requires discipline, the stronger you
become and the easier it is to
complete the next task you
aren’t in the mood for.
For example...

Not a morning person?
Force yourself to wake
up the instant the
alarm goes off.
You will then be
that much more
likely to study
that day.

Last, but not least, we come to the
easiest problem to fix...

Materials

Beyond a complete lack of efficacy,
the traditional language learning
model has 2 other major
disadvantages...

It’s expensive.
Textbooks, CDs and tuition can
add up quickly. Many would be
language learners give up
because they can’t afford
traditional classes.

It’s location
and time specific.
With jobs and families, it can be
really difficult to schedule formal
language classes. And even if you
do, chances are that more urgent
commitments will arise.

Fortunately,
modern technology
has solved both of these problems.

Take podcasts for example...
(free audio or video programs distributed as
MP3 or MP4 files through RSS)

Apple iTunes alone has 100,000+
free podcast series available at the
click of a button, with something
sure to match every interest,
ability level and language.

And with the advent of high-end
portable media players, you can
carry all this content around
with you wherever you go.
Learn anytime, anywhere.

With so much FREE, interesting,
high-quality content available
for download today...

“It’s too expensive”
and “I don’t have time”
are no longer valid excuses!

But with soooo much content
available today, how should one
choose and manage what they
listen to and read?

Topics of interest.
Choose topics that
you enjoy listening
to and reading in
your native language.

Comprehensible content.
If you can’t grasp at least 80% of
the content you read
or listen to, choose
something easier

Most adults choose overly
difficult content thinking that it
will help them improve faster
(and look more intelligent).
In the end, this just slows progress
and leaves you unmotivated to
continue learning.

Use a spaced
repetition
system.

Why? Because researchers have
found that people forget new
information at a fairly
predictable rate.

If you review material at certain
intervals, you can better control
what gets into long-term memory.
So when should you review
for maximum effect?

10 minutes after
1st Review you finish studying
2nd Review 1 day later
3rd Review 3 days later
4th Review 1 week later
5th Review 1 month later

Install iTunes (it’s a free download),
find some podcasts that float
your boat, and start learning
a foreign language today!

Happy
Learning!

For more tips, suggested
resources, and interviews with
language experts, visit:
L2mastery.com

Copyright © 2009
by John Fotheringham
Contact:
john@L2mastery.com