A lot of language learning techniques exist but I’d like to summarize in a single post a few that I use and feel are worth knowing. Any technique is useless unless it found to be interesting, if one struggles with a technique, it isn’t worth continuing as it will become a numbing task over time, and lead to short-cuts. Short-cuts are often inefficient.
Consider this a type of memory-minder for these techniques:
- Listening-Reading
- Shadowing
- Scriptorium
- SRS
Listening-Reading
As the name says, L-R is about listening and reading in the target language. Material needed is the target language text and audio plus a source language translation. In short summary:
What to do:
1. Read the source translation – read to understand what will follow.
2. Listen to the target audio and read the written text in the target language at the same time – hear the right way to read the text, learn to separate the oral words in the flow of speech.
3. Review source translation and listen to the source text at the same time, repeat 2-4 times to understand almost everything. (focus on this point to assure that the meaning of the words is being captured, pause and review single words if there is an issue)
4. Read out loud, repeat after the recording until the text is fluid (see Shadowing), as many times as needed and as closely to the pronunciation as possible.
5. Translate the text from the source language into the target language being learned – this can be orally and/or in writing (see Scriptorium too).
A good, if long and emotional, thread on this can be found here: L-R Method
Shadowing
Shadowing a text is listening to and simultaneously echoing a recording of a foreign language. I find it to be a highly effective tool. Early in acquiring a language there is “blind shadowing” (without a text) which focusing on the phonetics only. But I use mostly supported shadowing with either Assimil texts or bilingual books which often contain the target L2 text on one side and the source L1 on the other side of the page.
Prof Arguelles describes his method and has posted several videos. In summary, it is important to be active (walking, biking or, gasp, ironing?) and with the beat of the physical activity articulate the texts thoroughly in a loud, clear voice. It’s about creating automatisms. Different people learn in different fashions, and it may well be that the most effective way for you to use this technique is in a less military fashion than I am demonstrating. Prof Arguelles highlights that this is most efficient when followed to the letter — fast activity, correct posture and clear and loud pronunciation. I must admit that often I shadow in the car while driving because I have time for it then and still need to make it into my exercise routine. Shadowing sessions are usually short – max 15 minutes.
Scriptorium
Scriptorium is the written version of shadowing – it’s writing a text down sentence by sentence in a structured manner. Again Prof Arguelles describes this and shows some videos. Basically, read a sentence aloud, and write the text down while again saying each word as it being written, and finally reading the sentence aloud as written. A session is about 15-30 minutes of copying a page of text or Assimil lesson, paying attention to the sentence structure, words and not rushing. It’s a good exercise for over-learning a text.
SRS
SRS or Spaced Repetition Systems are just flashcards and a learning algorithm to space the frequency of review of learned cards. Various software exists for this and I’ve used Anki, Mnemosyme (recommended) and Flash my Brain (for the iPhone or iTouch, recommended). In another post I’ve covered some of the risks of misusing SRS.
