Lang1. Learning on my own: A broad scope
Lang 1.1. The venture of vocabulary learning level 3-4-5 10-15 min
GOAL. To get new ideas while learning on my own.
TASK1. Read the annex1 and underline the ideas you would like to adapt to your own learning.
TASK2. Which is the first summary idea that comes to your mind after reading the text?
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TASK3. In the text the four aspects of learning are mixed up. Copy three examples of each below.
time: ......................... ......................... ......................... .....................................................................
language work: ......................... ......................... ......................... .............................................
emotional attachent ......................... ......................... ......................... .............................................
task’s management: ......................... ......................... ......................... .............................................
TASK4. On a scale of 1 to 7, how much do you agree with these statements you read in the text:
Ø Books are better than ever. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø It takes longer than expected to become rid of those infamous mistakes. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø You already have a good bit of incentive if you're interested in going forward. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø You miss the fun and the rare experience of the foreign language if you
limit yourself just to reading it. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø There is no reason why you can't learn a language on your own. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø There will be a time when you start feeling stuck on a plateau. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø Don't expect to be able to express yourself like a native. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
TASK6. A couple of items you read may be deserve some attention. Read these expanded passages of what you read. Have you been there?
Point 4. Maintaining motivation will be especially useful to you. So go for extensive use of the language you understand (that is, consuming films, comics, music, or whatever you fancy); as op-posite to get lost in intensive use of it (that is, studying the language: list of words, phrasal verbs).
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Point 5. “It is important to learn to think in the language. So test yourself ten minutes taking notes of something you understand” , both in audio or text, as you would do in your first language.
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TASK7. On a scale of 1 to 7, how enthusiastic you are to start something alike?
Ø Getting your hands on good language materials. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø Find topics that relate to your personal interests quickly. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø Make English another ambience language (Internet, MP3, dual TV or DVD). 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Ø Learning on my own will be a challenging and exciting undertaking. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Annex1. Setting off in a language venture (adapted from a text by G. Fuller)
1. A language is like an ocean: it seems to go on forever. And it does. How far you go depends on your own goals. To be honest with you, it takes longer than expected to become rid of those infamous mistakes and successful enough in our favourite foreign language. The good news is that you don't have to feel alone in your learning.
2. There are some practical realities we take into account. We may have watches but we don not have time! Perhaps, quit sudokus or bonsai commitments. English is in the air. Make it another ambience language. Internet, MP3, dual TV or multilingual DVD are new realities we can not ignore. Books are better than ever (+ CD) and we can borrow from libraries of friends. If you decide to invest in some acquisitions, you can get good advice on what you can put your 120 euros. Your time is free and you can find ways to make the most of your personal study time.
3. Set yourself realistic goals. Don't expect to be able to express yourself like a native. Only when you've lived in a country for years and years will you start approximating what a real native speaker can do. The good news is that you don't have to be a native speaker. You are interested in the practical ability to communicate successfully in the language on those topics that relate to your personal (or professional) interests. So, find them quickly!
What you must do is decide how proficient you want to be and how much time you can devote to that effort. You may find as you get into the language that you enjoy the experience so much that you're willing to invest even more time to it. That's great. In the end, “practice” is the single most important rule for making progress. Read “practice = discipline” here, please. If something goes wrong, perhaps change gear or change task. Do something else with English, just do it.
4. There is no reason why you can't learn a language on your own. It may be a heavy undertaking, but a challenging and exciting one. You'll just have to pay extra attention to the problems of keeping up your incentive and getting your hands on good language materials. A few words of caution as you set off on your language venture. You aren't going to be able to operate as well outside your classroom as you were in it. Here are a couple of things to be aware of.
The problem of incentive.- Obviously, you already have a good bit of incentive if you're interested in going forward in these upperintermediate stage in our EOI on your own. You clearly know what you want: either you're planning to lead a trip, or to live in a foreign country, or to find another job. Or maybe you just have a lot of intellectual curiosity.
There will be a time when you start feeling stuck on a plateau. Then you are going to need extra help in maintaining motivation, so extensive use of the language you understand (that is, consuming films, comics, music, or whatever you fancy) will be especially useful to you. As opposite to intensive use of it (that is, studying the language).
5. I personally feel that you're missing a lot of the fun and the rare experience of the foreign language if you limit yourself just to reading it. But even if this is the case, it's still important to learn to think in the language. So test yourself ten minutes taking notes of something you understand at the same speed you do it in your native language.
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