Language learning is essentially fun, or should be, if it is done naturally, in line with how the brain learns. We learned our first language quite well, without explicit instruction. Unfortunately, the teaching of second languages has been turned into a complex classroom ceremony, consisting of obtuse grammar rules, annoying drills, rote memory and tests. The result is that many people are discouraged from learning languages. Maybe they would not learn their first language if it were taught in this way.
One of the most innovative thinkers on language learning is Stephen Krashen, who has pointed out that languages are acquired through meaningful input and not deliberate instruction. His insights are being confirmed by the latest research on how the brain learns, as described in an excellent book by German brain researcher, Manfred Spitzer, Learning: The Human Brain and the School for Life. As Spitzer says, learning takes place in the brain, not at school.
Here are seven concepts of natural language learning that reflect the most recent research on how the brain learns.
1. The brain can learn languages, trust it.
The brain learns all the time, and, in fact, is designed to learn. Throughout our lives the brain retains “plasticity”, creating neurons, and neural connections, in response to what it sees, hears and experiences. The brain draws its own conclusions from the input it receives, and is better at forming its own rules than understanding logical explanations. The brain is always at work, consuming over 20% of the body’s calories. We can learn languages right into old age, and in fact it is good for the brain to do so.
- The brain develops its own rules, naturally, from the observation of the input it receives.
- The brain takes its time to learn, requiring continued exposure to meaningful and interesting content.
- The brain can prioritize what to learn, dealing with easier subjects first, and more difficult ones later.
2. The brain needs stimulus. Give it massive amounts of meaningful input.
The brain likes things that are relevant and interesting. So if the task is language acquisition, the most important condition is massive and continuous exposure to interesting and relevant language content. At first, when the language is new, it is helpful to reinforce what has been learned by repetitive listening and reading. As we progress we need to find new, fresh, interesting, stimulating and meaningful content.
- We learn better from stories, real conversations, examples and episodes than from rules and facts.
- We learn best from content that matters to us.
- It is easier to listen to and read content is at the right level of difficulty, however the interest and relevance to the learner is the most important consideration.
3. The brain will miss things. We can help the brain notice the language.
The brain learns naturally by observing, constantly labeling and creating its own rules. But the brain can miss things. We should, from time to time, review grammar rules and tables, focus on mistakes we have made, or study specific words and phrases that we have learned. We should also attempt to write and speak, if we feel like it. These activities, which dominate traditional language learning, are, however, optional and minor activities in a natural language learning system. They increase attentiveness but should not take away from the main activities of listening and reading.
- Good language output can only come from absorbing massive amounts of language input.
- When we practice output, speaking and writing, or review vocabulary and grammar rules, we increase our attentiveness to the language.
- Heightened attentiveness increases the ability of the brain to notice the patterns and sounds of the language.
4. Learn to engage your emotions in order to increase learning efficiency.
Positive emotions energize the brain, and increase the efficiency of learning. An interesting story, a powerfully narrated audio book, a person we like – these are the things that will engage our emotions. Uninteresting learning tasks, or negative tension, decrease learning efficiency.
- We should stay with content we like, and discard content we do not like. We should do those learning tasks we enjoy doing.
- We should always combine audio with text, and choose narrators whose voice we enjoy. This will make it easier to listen repetitively.
- We need to like the language we are learning and at least some aspects of its culture.
5. When you learn naturally, you will feel motivated by your own success.
Motivation is the basic motor of learning. Success is motivating, as is praise. Any teaching activity which creates frustration, such as traditional grammar based language learning, can demotivate the learner. In a natural learning environment, the main task of the teacher is to encourage the learner to become independent of the teacher, rather than to impose tasks or explanations on the learner.
- Many of us want to learn another language but are skeptical of our ability to do so, because we have not done it before.
- As the strange language starts to acquire meaning through our listening and reading, our brain feels a sense of reward at this new and unexpected experience. This is highly motivating.
- Give language learning a chance, the results will be better than you think.
6. When we learn, we change. We need to accept this change.
When we learn, our neural networks change, physically. When we learn a new language, we adopt some of the behaviour patterns of another culture and our personalities and our perceptions change. Many of the difficulties that grown-ups face in language learning, come from the a resistance to change. It is often more comfortable to follow the patterns and pronunciation of our own language, rather than to commit to fully imitating the new language.
- Children are not afraid to change. Moving to a new country, they learn the language of their new friends without hesitation.
- Older learners have a stronger vested interested in their own identity, and in what they already know.
- All learners benefit from the help of an encouraging tutor and an enthusiastic group of fellow learners, in order to overcome these barriers to learning.
7. The Internet – the new world of natural learning at our finger-tips.
The internet offers a wide range of content in many languages, many low-cost websites with efficient learning methodologies, online tutors, and people from around the world with whom to talk and interact. The internet becomes the classroom, the library, the source of content, the language laboratory, and the support community. The Internet is the home of the language learning revolution, the natural language learning revolution.
- Internet learning is available whenever we want, at no, or little, cost.
- The iPod or MP3 player and other language resources on the Web have created a natural language learning revolution.
- Join a language learning community on the Web today!
Steve Kaufmann is a former Canadian diplomat, who has had his own company in the international trade of forest products for over 20 years. Steve is the founder and CEO of LingQ.com an online language learning system and Web 2.0 community. Steve speaks ten languages, having recently learned Russian at LingQ. Steve maintains a blog on language learning.
FANTASTIC ARTICLE! This is the best I’ve seen yet on how one should approach learning a new language. There is so much more to it than one thinks, and, they do truly have to have some sort of interest in the language or culture as you mentioned for it to stick.
Be prepared if you are going to attempt to learn a language that is written with symbols other than the characters of the alphabet you are familiar with. English learning Chinese (myself) can be a challenge, you are really learning 1.5 languages.
ActiveChinese.com is what my local community college is using, great stuff. I have a study guide here that is growing as I take the course.
http://www.marcellusmiles.com/active-chinese-study-guide/
Steve from the tips you give in this article I had you pegged for a scientist – spot on observations about how the brain functions.
It really can’t be stressed enough how much the brain is a learning machine – we just need to understand the best way to feed it information. That’s why your mention of using emotions in learning struck me – I wrote about this from a neuroscience perspective recently, and it’s easily the fasted way to form long lasting memories.
Cheers
Patrick
Really wonderful article.You are right from birth of baby her brain is active and she creat her own meaning what experiences she received.You expain very nicely.Another point you mention that from speaking writing child learn very fast then learn grammeritical junk.
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Great, I already speak two languages English and French, I will definitely use this in the future and share this article with my friends.
Excellent explanation of how the brain works, you did not get bogged down too much into the details, it kept me interested till the end.
Fab
Personal Development Blogger
Hi Steve,
Most people refrain from picking up a new language because they are afraid of the difficulty they face. This article can definitely help to inspire others to pick up new languages.
Cheers
Vincent
Personal Development Blogger
WTF? And what do you base that observation on? Maybe it’s that, or maybe it’s also a matter of people not having enough time to devote to study. Life does have a way of getting in the way of things like that.
I spent some months with an Italian group. First i was not able to understand their words but associating things i made an idea about what they were saying. regarding the talking i did not said a word because i did not want to spell it wrong. But after some time, i just started to talk with them and they were surprised that i spoke so good their language. It must be the fact that i passed a learning period and when i felt enough prepared i let the words came out of my mouth.
Great Post Steve.
I certainly agree that the immersive “let your brain do its thing” method of learning is far better than the rote rinse and repeat method used traditionally.
Another great site for this method is http://www.livemocha.com.
Thanks for this post. One observation I thought was especially useful is that adults often avoid new learnings of any kind, whether it’s a language or something else, because of their fear of change. Adopting a curious or “childlike” mindset toward life is key to helping us grow as human beings.
Nice post. I’ll have to check out the language learning website.
I like the post because it’s really current with the direction language acquisition is taking.
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I think it really depends on a person’s learning style.
For example, I’m all about patterns and I love to know why.
Natural language learning drives me nuts because I only get snippets and I don’t understand the why of something. And if I can’t understand the why I can’t transfer the pattern to another situation and I don’t actually learn anything.
For me the best way to learn is to get the grammar (the whys) and then apply it in a practical way.
I teach English here in Spain and as a teacher I prefer to teach this method as well because my brain can’t wrap itself around the “a bit here a bit there” approach to grammar.
Interestingly enough, when I arrived here in Spain and took language lessons we learned grammar and context (and culture) – the exact way I prefer to teach.
Fashions change in everything, including teaching styles…
Hi this is cherry , I have spent a few months building a site to help me and ultimately everyone else learn foreign languages(built for any language). I am trying to find people who would like test out the site (and use it to learn at the same time) and give me feedback on it on how to improve it. Any person who helps out would have a large say in the sites future direction and structure. Would you be interested? The site is called Sanbit : http://sanbit.com .
Do you know anyone else who might be interested in using the site to help them learn foreign languages?
Sincerely,
cherry
Thanks for this article Steve. I had an AHA moment when I saw the sixth point and noted down for myself:
“When we learn, we change. Do you refuse to learn, because you’re afraid to change? Is this resistance keeping you from taking action?”
Great lesson.
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Hi Steve,
A nice article.
My take on the issues you raise:
http://blog.learn10.com/2009/03/16/10-ways-to-learn-a-new-language-for-free/
I am increasingly of the impression that I need to be promoting the benefits of learning a language, as opposed to any particular method of doing this. Especially within the UK and other English speaking countries.
I really enjoyed this post. Particularly the comments on using things that you enjoy to help you to learn or using things that interest you. I think that this is vital to language learning. To find something that you will want to do daily, that keeps you learning. Like you said the brain is always working and we need to find things to feed it.
A great post of relevant and true comments.
Tim Dow
Love the concepts, especially, #6
“When we learn, we change. We need to accept this change.”
That’s what I was talking about in the last of my Ten Tips for Learning Languages: http://eligerzon.wordpress.com/2009/06/19/ten-tips-for-learning-languages/
“10. Be the Language.” And I think you’re right that that’s the main thing stopping adults, and I might even say “U.S. Americans”, from learning foreign languages: resistance to adapting the customs of another culture.
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