Friday, November 11, 2005

Learning Styles And Their Effect On Language Learning

Before the article take a look at this site;
http://www.readcash.en101.com

This company just keeps getting better and better. If you want to make mone while learning a language try EN101.


Learning Styles And Their Effect On Language Learning
by: Frank Gerace

Note: This article makes special reference to the effect of learning syles in the learning of Spanish but the principles are valid for all language learning.

¡LEER ES PODER!

¡Learning Spanish!

How can you best learn Spanish? It depends on your particular approach to learning. Take a look at the following approaches to learning Spanish. But if you already know where you are, you can skip the following reflections and go back to see what is available for your level ( beginning, intermediate, or advanced ) in Spanish, to sort and search for your specific needs, as well as to read reviews and summaries of the books that strike your interest.

DIFFERENT STYLES

Non-Virgins: Those who studied another language should use the skills they acquired with that language. They know what a conjugation is. They know that verbs are different from nouns. Their previous study gives them some mental hooks to help with their Spanish. They should not throw away their advantage by working on Spanish in a completely conversational manner. They should try to get an overview of some commonplaces in the language. They should get an "old fashioned" grammar and lean heavily on the tables to organize their thought. This type of learner should "invent" Spanish on the basis of what they know of the other language. They will remember a little of the structure of the other language. For example, what is the relation between adverbs and adjectives in Spanish? What is the most common way to express what happened yesterday (past tense)? If the other language is a Western language, they should observe the possible similarities. If the other language is non-Western!

, the very differences can be their starting point to learn the counterparts in Spanish. In short, they should study "the wrong way". This is not for everyone. The learner should know his or herself.

Brains: These folks will operate much like the Non-Virgins. They will progress better by concentrating on the little points that intrigue them such as the difference in usage between the prepositions "por" and "para" and the verbs "ser" and "estar". To master one or two of these elements so characteristic of Spanish will help the learn build on their conquests to go on to master other things. This analytical approach will be of great utility to the persons with the cerebral learning style.

Motor Mouths: The persons who are not afraid to try out their Spanish will progress very rapidly. These folks probably have a little genetic edge over the rest of us. However, we all should try to put together the pieces as we learn them. If there is no opportunity to talk with someone else, then we can tape our attempts. There are two parts to this early talking practice: confidence and pronunciation. The most important thing is to gain confidence or to be thick-skinned enough to speak your piece, knowing that the exercise will pay dividends. However, we should not put off working on our pronunciation until it is too late and we have given up on acquiring a valid accent. There are too many people who after living years in a Spanish speaking country are perfect in their grammar but who have a typical or even stereotypical English accent. There is no need for that. Spanish is perfectly regular in its phonetics. Motor mouths should also work on their accent!

People People: Anyone who likes being with people and who has a need to communicate will progress quickly in learning a language. Many outgoing, friendly people learn language in the "motor mouth" mode. However, other people without the gifts of the motor mouths can gain valuable exposure to the language by just following their social instincts. These folks, however, should not overlook the need to speak correctly. Although they are not interested in traditional grammar in the same way the "brains" are, they must work at speaking correctly. We all know people who learned English years ago, but still say things like, "I am interested to go with you". You don't want to spend your life in Spanish with a similar easily corrected error. Learn it right as soon as you can. The people people have to stay curious about the language.

Learn-while-doing People: I was told once that the only way to learn French was to sleep with a French woman. The idea behind this is that we learn the expressions and words for the activities we are interested in. People who learn like this try to get their Spanish-speaking friends to accompany them as they cook or fix their car. They find that they learn better when their whole body is involved in learning the new words and phrases. For example, the person who learns the word "serrucho" while sawing a board will remember it better than the person (see the "word collector") who just learns the vocabulary from a list.

Word Collectors: This person may be great at crossword puzzles (Crucigramas) in Spanish but rarely gets to speak it. If you find yourself learning words and not getting any further, break out of it! We once had a houseguest, a young man from Spain who came to learn English. There were times when our family would be talking Spanish, and he would echo all the Spanish words with their English equivalents. He had a great vocabulary but never got around to talking English. This kind of learner should alway make sure that they make up sentences to practice using the new words they learn. They can combine their ability with vocabulary with the "divide and conquer" tactic. They should not only invent sentences to use the new words; they should run through diferent grammatical constructions as the setting for their vocabulary.

Divide and Conquer People: Every learner of a foreign language has to learn to incorporate the learning style of dividing and conquering into their own style. If they are "brains" they should concentrate on one grammatical turn of phrase, such as conditions contrary to fact, (If my grandfather hadn't died, he'd be alive today!) until they can handle it.

The people people should repeat in the same conversation the new expression that they just heard. The same goes for all the others. The only way to learn a language is by following the "swiss cheese" method, nibble away at the things you don't know, and master them until they are all gone.

Lost Latinos: This person should try to remember the nursery rhymes that they might have learned in Spanish. They should run over the names of their cousins and uncles. All of this will loosen up their rusty language skills. They should listen to how others speak "spanglish" and try to figure out the proper way to say things. They should make a game of trying to spot the influence of English in the Spanish they hear at home or in the barrio. This detective work will make them more aware of correcting whatever bad habits they have picked up. However, don't think that these persons have all the advantages. The person learning from scratch will probably spell Spanish words better than those who know a little Spanish. I'm not sure why.

What works for EVERYONE... There are two activities that will help everyone, no matter what their learning style, move forward rapidly: They are: 1. Passive Listening, and 2. Pattern Response Drills.

1. Passive Listening. Everyone should keep the Spanish radio on as much as possible. Keep the radio or TV on while you doing other things. It has to be the sea of sound that you swim in while you are beginning your study of Spanish. You don't have to concentrate on it; you are not listening to try to understand. After a while you won't hear it but it will be affecting you. Little by little you will begin to anticipate the rhythm of the language, even before you understand everything. You will also begin to recognize certain words. You will begin to hear "beyond" the differences in pronunciation of different people and recognize the underlying word. Once you clearly hear a word or phrase, you can look it up and progressively expand your vocabulary.

2. Pattern Response Drills. You have to run through all the permutations of the new expressions that you learn. For example, suppose you just learned to say. "Pedro tiene cuatro años" rather than translating from the English incorrectly, "Pedro es cuatro". Now to make this new element of the language stick with you, you should go on substituting different ages and the names of different people. You have to be able to say comfortably, "María tiene cuatro años." "Juan tiene ocho años." "Yo tengo treinta años." "¿Cuántos años tienes tú?" "Nosotros tenemos cuarenta años." This type of drill is necessary for all the different learning styles.

Do you want to return to look at beginning ; intermediate , or advanced books? Or you can check out other Books ON Spanish at: http://www.bookslibros.com/spanishbooks.php to help you out.

Or do you want to see our books IN Spanish? You will find books on health, the family, self help, literature, etc. and the possibility to search for any other topic. Check out http://www.bookslibros.com/LibrosEnEspanol.php

Kids Can Learn Spanish! Take a look at: http://www.bookslibros.com/SpanishForNinos.htm

About The Author


Frank Gerace Ph.D has lived and worked in Latin America on Educational and Communication Projects. He currently teaches English in New York City at La Guardia College/CUNY. He provides help to parents wanting to have their children speak Spanish at: http://www.bookslibros.com/SpanishForNinos.htm.


seo is easy

Monday, September 26, 2005

EN 101 update 9-26-05

Well, today is my birthday and I am celebrating by writing in this blog. Haha.
That is OK, since I just don't feel good. I think I am coming down with the flu.
Body aches, runny nose and dizzyness are few of the symptoms I feel.

Anyways, I had a good weekend.

EN101 has been a terrific company for me for 6 months now. I am going to start my Spanish lessons soon, but the reason I joined EN101 is that I thought it was a good business opportunity. I thought people around the world would find it worthwhile and I thought it would catchon around the world before it really catches on in the USA because of the fact that it teaches English as a second language.

It turns out I was right. I haven't gotten rich from EN101 but I have made about $1000 in 6 months and that is from a little effort. It also is something that is growing more quickly now than a couple months ago. I have a team in Hong Kong that is doing very well with this company. It's exploding there. I can't wait to see what happens in a couple of months.

Here is my link to the EN101 website. If you haven't seen it check it out. Test the free course and see how it works. Look at how the business works ans see how you can make money. This is a quality business with a quality product.

http://www.readcash.en101.com

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Back to School, Ways To Help Your Student

Back to School, Ways To Help Your Student
by: Ron Misener

The arrival of September and a new school year looms. For some this is a much-anticipated event bursting with excitement and bolstered by confidence. For others, there is apprehension and even dread. Parents can help their children prepare for school in several ways – while channeling their excitement or quelling some nerves.

First, parents can assist kids by creating a manageable schedule of extracurricular activities that will allow sufficient time for homework and studying. The out-of-school sports leagues, dance and music classes all start taking registrations and it’s tempting to sign up for everything the child is interested in – after all, won’t being active and busy keep them out of trouble? There is definitely some truth to that, however, a healthy balance must be maintained. Most students can handle no more than two or three extra-curricular activities a week while juggling curricular demands. Remember to schedule time for homework and home study too! Primary students need 15 to 20 minutes a night; intermediate students need about an hour. High school students will likely have an hour or two a night.

Another way parents can help their children prepare for school is to talk with them about the importance of interacting appropriately with their teachers and how to act in class. Role playing certain common situations might help a student learn to deal with asking for extra help, asking permission to use the restroom or tactfully make a suggestion or contribute to a discussion. Although teachers do not always ‘teach’ these skills directly, they may nonetheless expect students to know them and may even draw conclusions about a student’s demeanor and skills from the way they present themselves in such situations. Let the kids in on the secrets of successful in-class behaviors as well. These include sitting up and slightly forward, ‘tracking’ the teacher as s/he moves in the classroom, nodding to indicate listening and participating by either answering or asking questions.

Finally, parents can help students set up their study area in the home with the proper lighting and supplies. The computer is best placed in a shared space – off the kitchen for example so that whoever is preparing dinner can keep an eye on internet surfing, help with keywords for searches and generally monitor for safety. Basic supplies should include plenty of pens and pencils, lined and unlined paper, construction/ colored paper, markers, crayons, pencil crayons, a sharpener, corrector fluid or tape, glue, tape, ruler, geometry set, dictionary/thesaurus (or online), and perhaps a timer. The timer can be used to plan the homework session so that each subject gets some time and variety maintains interest and encourages more effective use of time-on-task.

When the first day comes let them help prepare a healthy lunch they will actually eat and send them off with a reassuring hug. Ask specific questions when they come home – go beyond – ‘How was your first day’ so that you get more than a one or two word response. Ask what they’re excited about, what is worrying them, what supplies they might need, who their teachers are and what they remember about them. Back to school can be a positive time for the entire family!

About The Author
Ron Misener
This article courtesy of http://www.university-phoenix.com

Travelling words language course

Here is something I found on the internet today.

http://www.travellingwords.com/index_english_free.html?hop=tcservices

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Learning English is important to millions accross the world.

This company, EN101, has been growing trmendously across the world since it started
a few months ago. In fact it has grown more in other countries than it has here in the USA.
That is a little surprising since it is a company based in Oklahoma and the owner is American.
However it also understandable since people all accross the world would like to learn English because of the importance it has on being successful in this world. English is the number 1
business language. Americans are huge consumers. The rest of the world wants a piece of the US consumer market. So learning English is vital.

So along comes EN101 where not only can these people learn English but they can make good money also.

Here is the breakdown of what countries are taking part in this world wide rush to learn English and make money through EN101.

This is from the CEO and founder of EN101 and is dated July 22nd 2005:

Hello all,
There have been a lot of enqiries about just how fast we are
growing, and exactly where the growth is...
Well, here you go!
En101 Grand Total - 28,476 Members in 145 Countries - In just 22 short
weeks!
RU 7184
KG 3523
US 2303
UA 1831
MY 1436
UZ 1422
KZ 1420
DE 1080
PL 939
AU 762
IL 750
LV 595
MD 575
EE 559
LT 524
CA 441
SG 319
ID 292
MN 269
CN 249
BY 154
ES 124
NZ 121
HK 115
IT 113
GB 102
CH 89
FR 75
TH 72
JP 64
AT 62
TW 47
IN 45
AZ 42
MX 39
NO 37
BE 35
AR 31
PH 30
NL 28
SE 28
VE 28
ZA 28
RO 25
CZ 24
BG 22
TR 21
KR 19
SV 16
FI 15
IE 15
SK 15
HT 13
PT 13
DK 12
CL 11
LU 11
PE 11
GE 9
NG 9
AM 8
BR 8
GR 8
UY 8
AE 7
MV 7
CO 6
DO 6
IR 6
PK 6
TJ 6
BN 5
CM 5
EG 5
GP 5
MA 5
RW 5
UG 5
VN 5
ZW 5
SA 4
ZM 4
BO 3
CR 3
CY 3
EC 3
GY 3
HU 3
IS 3
KN 3
LA 3
LC 3
NI 3
PR 3
SI 3
VI 3
VU 3
CG 2
CS 2
IQ 2
KE 2
LB 2
MO 2
MT 2
PA 2
RE 2
TM 2
VC 2
AG 1
AS 1
BD 1
BJ 1
BZ 1
CI 1
CK 1
CU 1
FK 1
FM 1
FO 1
GH 1
GI 1
GL 1
HN 1
HR 1
IO 1
JM 1
JO 1
KI 1
LI 1
LK 1
LR 1
LY 1
MK 1
MM 1
NP 1
OM 1
PW 1
SL 1
SY 1
SZ 1
TT 1
TZ 1
VG 1
WS 1
YE 1
Have a wonderful weekend and keep up the GREAT WORK!

Best Regards,
Richard McCullough
CEO
En101, INC

****************************************

Now there are well over 30,000 members.
Join here to learn English and to make money while doing so.:
http://www.readcash.en101.com

Monday, August 01, 2005

Learning English online is simple and affordable.

The amazing thing about this product is the technology. How can they make it so easy to learn a language online? The cost though makes it affordable to most people around the world. It is
only $69 for a 6 month membership! That's about $11 a month! Just $11 a month to learn English. What a deal! Besides that, you can earn money simply by referring your own website to others and have them signup.

Join here: http://www.readcash.en101.com

Here is an ad I did for this company and opportunity:
http://www.1spot.biz/cba.php/aipt05.php

newsletter from EN101. July 2005

Here is the july 2005 newsletter from EN101.

A lot of great information inside it.

http://readcash.en101.com/web/newsletters/newsletter3.aspx

Learn English online

This blog will be devoted to helping those who want to learn English online through EN101.

It also will be for those who want to learn other languages online.

The members who join will be given some advice in the future not only about learning English or any other language but also on how to make money with this terrific course.

Here is the link for anyone who isn't a member yet:
http://www.readcash.en101.com