How to Learn a Foreign Language—What You

“Really” Need To Know

Dr. Michael A. BrookshawDepartment of English and Foreign Languages

Winston-Salem State UniversityJune 28, 2007

Goal

• To provide basic information necessary for a clear understanding of the “true” nature of learning a second language.

Quote

• “ A man who does not know a foreign language does not know his own.”

---Goethe

Goal of all Foreign Language Study

• To communicate with a native speaker of the language

What is Language?

• Language, the principle means used by human beings to communicate with one another. Language is primarily spoken, although it can be transferred to other media, such as writing.

• MSN Encarta

General Language Facts…

• Over 6,800 Tongues• 8 Countries account for more than half

of all languages• There are 832 languages in Papua New

Guinea• India has 15 official languages• Over 1000 languages are spoken in

Africa

Most Widely Spoken Languages in the World

• 1. Chinese (Mandarin) 1,075,000,000 • 2. English 514,000,000• 3. Hindustani 1496,000,000 • 4. Spanish 425,000,000 • 5. Russian 275,000,000 • 6. Arabic 256,000,000 • 7. Bengali 215,000,000 • 8. Portuguese 194,000,000 • 9. Malay-Indonesian 176,000,000• 10. French 129,000,000

Rationale for Learning Another Language?

• Knowing another language brings opportunities• Better knowledge of other peoples & cultures• Read and understand more• Employment advantages• The World is at Your Fingertips• You become a Citizen of the World (Globalization)

General Reasons People Learn a Second

Language…

• Personal• Professional• Social• Educational

What do People Generally Speak About?

• Family• Business• Personal Care• Travel• Food

What is language really about?

• According to Ricardo Gonzalez it is about patterns, time expression. He notes:

• There are 15 ways to express time• A word must be repeated 15 times to be

stored in long term memory; a structure 60 times

• The Parts of Language Make the Whole• Repetition is the “Mother” of all Learning

Second Language Acquisition

• An understanding of second language acquisition can improve the ability of mainstream teachers to serve the culturally and linguistically diverse students in their classrooms (Fillmore & Snow, 2002; Hamayan, 1990). While significant professional development is necessary to gain a full understanding of second language acquisition theory, some key concepts can be quickly understood and applied in the classroom.

• Current theories of second language acquisition are based on years of research in a wide variety of fields, including linguistics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and neurolinguistics (Freeman & Freeman, 2001).

How Languages are Learned

• Learning a Second Language Involves an Understanding of Second Language Acquisition and Includes:

• How the First Language is Learned• Theoretical Approaches to Second Language

Learning• Factors Affecting Second Language Learning• Learner Language• Second Language Teaching and Learning in the

Classroom• Myths and Facts about Language Learning

Language Learning Myths:

• Learning a language is fast and easy.• Children learn languages better• Adults are too old to learn a language• Fluency is easily accomplished

Why Spanish?

• The historical connection• 4th largest Spanish Speaking population

in U.S.• 2000 mile border with Mexico• Current demographic reality• Continental reality of the Hispanic world• Dissolving Borders: Globalization

The Spanish Speaking World

400,000,000 speakers

• Venezuela, 21,000,000• Colombia, 35,000,000• Ecuador, 5,000,000• Perú, 23,000,000• Chile, 14,000,000• Argentina, 34,000,000• Uruguay,3,000,000

• Bolivia, 7,000,000• México, 93,000,000• Guatemala, 10,000,000• El Salvador, 5,000,000• Honduras, 5,000,000• Nicaragua, 4,000,000

The Spanish Speaking World

400,000,000 speakers (2)

• República Dominicana, 7,000,000

• Puerto Rico, 3,000,000• Las Filipinas, 3,000,000• Estados Unidos,

25,000,000• Costa Rica, 3,000,000

• España, 39,000,000• Guinea Ecuatorial,

500,000• Cuba, 11,000,000• Uruguay, 3,000,000• Panamá, 2,000,000• Paraguay, 5,000,000

The Spanish You Already Know

• Mosquito• Chocolate• Banco• Radio• Discoteca• Vitaminas

• presidente• mamá• animal• especial• constitución• ángel

More Spanish You Already Know

• Montana• Nevada• Colorado• Arizona• Florida• California

Spanish in the last 10 years…(1)

• Surge in the Spanish population nationally• Spanish is more of a necessity than a choice• Spoken by 39 million Hispanics• Not speaking Spanish can be a handicap• There is nothing foreign about Spanish

anymore• Spanish dominates all other languages in the

public schools

Spanish in the last 10 years…(2)

• The need in the workplace for Spanish is tremendous

• The president,himself, gives his radio address in Spanish

• Language and culture of Latin America have flooded the nation

• 83% of college students study Spanish• Demographics demand that you learn

Spanish

Spanish Facts… (1)

• The second language of the U.S.• Hispanics are the largest minority• The U.S. has the 4th largest Spanish

population in the world.• Hispanics are becoming politically and

economically powerful.• The U.S. is being “Hispanized”

Spanish Facts… (2)

• The U.S used to be Mexico until 1848• The U.S. has a intimate history with all

things Spanish.• Hispanic language, art, culture have

exploded.• Our heritage is locked in Spanish• The U.S. has always had Spanish

influence

What a Good Language Learner Needs to Have for a Successful

Experience

• Basic Understanding of and information about Language

• Positive Attitude about Second Language Learning Process

• A Desire to Communicate with Someone who Speaks a Language Different from your Own

• Commitment to the Language Learning process• A Basic Language Foundation (words- 1500-2000)• Appropriate Strategies and Techniques (method)• Time to Learn and to Practice • Memory Ability• Realistic language goals and objectives

What Can Learning a Second Language do for Me?

• Improve Analyzing Skills• Enhance creativity• Increase English Vocabulary• Change Cultural Attitudes• Augment Higher Order Thinking Skills• Enhance Memory• Improve Writing in English• Improve Test Taking Abilities• Enhance the Learning of the Native Language &

Culture• Enhance Knowledge of Cultural Diversity

A view on language learning…

•

“Many of us have the experience of trying to learn another language and then giving up because it is too demanding, which translates into not making the progress we expect.

• This is why you have an enormous advantage as soon as you realize that learning a language is not straight-forward. This understanding means that you can actually start to learn it without being discouraged when your progress is slower than you want it to be. You can improve because you are in the position to set yourself realistic and achievable goals, and you can reach these precisely because they are realistic.

• Learning a language is a long term occupation and you have to return again and again to words, expressions and grammar that you have already learned and then forgotten. It is true that there are exceptional individuals who soak up new languages easily as adults, but they are in a tiny minority.”

• www.downloadalanguage.com

The Tongue-Tied AmericanCongressman Paul Simon,

1980

• “The United States has fallen far behind other nations in foreign language skills and this decline creates certain problems and challenges.”

• “At every port of entry into the United States we should erect a sign:

• -WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES-• WE CANNOT SPEAK YOUR LANGUAGE

John Naisbitt (1982)Megatrends

Thinking Globally…

For Americans, it is self evident that this is the time to learn another language--and learn it well. The size, proximity, and economic promises of Latin America make Spanish an attractive choice…. To be really successful, you will have to be trilingual: fluent in English, Spanish, and computer.

--p.78

Review

• Goal: Basic Information on Language learning• Definition of Language• General Language Facts• Rationale for Language Learning• The Nature of Language• Second Language Acquisition• Language Myths• The Reality of the Spanish-Speaking World• Traits of a Good Language Learner• Benefits of Learning a Second Language

Final Quotes…

• “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

-Nelson Mandela• “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be

those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

-Alvin Toffler• “We must be the change we wish to see.” -Gandhi