Here is the key to learn a language: Learn words
Before you learn grammar, take classes, watch foreign TV, work from books, learn 2000 words using native speaker audio file. What good is grammar without words? How can you get anything out of a class without knowing the words. You will get frustrated and think you do not have a gift. But the truth is everyone has the gift to learn languages. How can you understand or speak to anyone without the words of a language? Learn the words anyway you can. Eveyone finds their own way.
I like flashcards, like in my program. But mnemonics is good, or word list, but drill the words until you know about 2000 individual words. Then you can learn the grammar or anything else in a month or less. That is the secrete to learning a language fast. I promise.
The 7 specific ways how to learn a language fast and easy: These techniques are time tested ways to learn a language fast, and they work. If you know a better technique to replace any of these, please write me. However, to date, these are the best ways to learn a language fast and easy. My software incorporates many of these and is based on audio visual associations of words and audio.
1. Acquisition
Theory:
Second languages are learned, while, native languages are acquired. What does this mean? When you learned your native language you did not learn complex grammatical structures or rules. Your brain put together and extrapolated patterns of speech based on subconscious learning.
Application:
The key component of language acquisition is a low stress encouraging environment, this helps subconscious learning. This is most important. It must be fun, low stress and sensory rich. A child’s world is low stress and has a lot of sensory stimulation. In this program we use brainwaves and rich hots, this helps further to achieve this state. Acquisition is really subconscious learning.
2. Word Frequency
Theory:
If you learn 1000 words will know about 80% of the words spoken, 1500 words are about 85%, 2000 words, 90%, and 3000 will be over 95% of the words you hear and use. This is the language.
Application:
Study the high frequency words. How? Flashcards. Set a goal, of about 50 words a day for a month. One month at 50 a day will bring you to 1500.
What are the most common words? Question words, prepositions, basic verbs and adjectives. For example: why, what, who, when, how, on, over, in, by, in front, behind, I love, I want, I see, I said.
Have trouble with pronunciation, try speaking with an accent. What do I mean? If learning French, practise speaking your native language with a French accent, every word. Many words are the same, only the accent if different, because these are words that come from antiquity, that is ancient Latin and ancient Greek.
3. Mnemonics
Theory:
‘An old man does not forget where his wallet is.’ What does this mean? If it’s important to you brain will remember. Why? Because a large component of memory formation is based on emotional or limbic responses. How can we use this to learn languages? We can use mnemonics.
Knowledge is a tree. That builds on what you already know like branches extending outward. Your neurons are branches, they need something to grow from and connect to. This is what mnemonics does.It gives you something for your brain to connect and grow from. When charged with an emotional component then your memory is reinforced.
Using your imagination is fun. Sit back close your eyes and learn.
Application:
Using mnemonics an association of words help retention and recall. Make up your own mnemonics, these will be more meaningful, if they are absurd or funny this will add an emotional component, that will assist memory retention.
If you are good at making associations and study hard you would learn your first 1500 words in about a week.
What an example of a mnemonic? The Polish word for fame is Slawa Pronounced swava . Imagine only that only the most Sauvé actors and actresses become famous.
If they are funny and charged with emotion all the better.
Now we must emphasize that these are only helpers, used in conjunction with image-sound associations, not a pure replacement. We use our program to see and hear the words, and when they get stuck, we use a mnemonic. This makes the learning synergistically powerful. You need native speaker sounds or your pronunciation will be unrecognizable. I recommend mnemonics as memory helper, because used as the only method then your language will be slow and staccato, that is why we developed this program.
Another mnemonic technique for learning grammar: The grammatical zoo.
Take a grammatical trip to the zoo or botanical gardens: Associate word endings (which really is what most of grammar is) with the first letter in an animal or plant name.
Imagine you take a trip to a zoo. Grammar cases, for example, imagine the area you see in the zoo has a sign “the accusative case”. And if the accusative case has noun word endings of “E” and “A”. then the animals name should start with these letters in that part of the zoo. For example, if the accusative case ends in “E” and “A”, then you see animals that start with “E” like eagle elephant and eel. Or “A” like aardvark. In the plural form imagine you see several aardvarks, this means the plural form of the accusative case takes “A” as the ending. This is a fun way to learn Grammar. Use your imagination.
Is this not the most enjoyable way to learn grammar?
4. Drill grammar
Theory:
Adults think in abstractions. This is an advantage over children. Therefore, some could argue that children learn languages slower than and adult because they do have the ability to think abstractly about grammar or vocabulary.
Application:
Review the basic grammar rules and verb congregation, not just using charts but do some drills. Just get a basic understanding of these, do not go over board at first. Just the basics as more will slow your progress on learning words. Reinforce grammar and verbs with drills.
5. Word building
Theory:
Words have roots. From these roots often are build numerous variations. So if you learn one root words this would equate to 5 or more other words. Further most European languages will give you a lot of free vocabulary because of Latin’s influence. So once you learn the basic words many of the scientific or academic words are the same in all languages.
Application:
While reading try to see other words from the root word.
6. Context- translations/TV
Theory:
We all learn and like to learn in different ways. Trying many things will help your brain build a horizontally integrated memory. That is your brain will store parts of you memory regarding your language in more areas of your brain.
Application:
Watch films and media. Read children’s books translate things, listen to music. Every little bit helps.
7. Speak – image streaming
Theory:
“Your get more of what you reinforce.” The more you do something the more it is reinforced. Practice speaking the language. Bring more of what you have in your subconscious online with a technique called image streaming.
Application:
The most important thing is to converse with whomever you can, whenever you can. If you have no one, use a technique called “image streaming”. This technique was developed by Win Winger. It is as follows: close your eyes and describe out load in rich sensory detail what you see in your spontaneous, that is, undirected visual images you see in your mind’s eye or imagation. These images must be something that your mind spontaneously creates, not something you are trying to visualize. Another important aspect of this technique is, that you must speak to an external object, either a person or a voice recorder. Win Winger invented this technique call “image streaming” which claims to increase IQ with this technique. It works because it connects radically different parts of your brain, spontaneous visual imagery and speech centers, bringing more of your subconscious online. When you describe in sensory detail to an external object or person what you see in your imagination’s spontaneous, non directed imaged, then your brain makes connections that are deep and rich. Whether you use image streaming or people, speak.
