| Do you think that you can't learn a new language? | | | | programming in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and |
| Think again. Our brains maintain the capacity to soak | | | | Portuguese. Even Chinese and Hindi are available in |
| up new knowledge of all types far into our advanced | | | | some regions. Check with your cable supplier or |
| years. No matter what your background or past | | | | programming guides to see what's listed. Programs to |
| learning experience, you CAN learn to speak another | | | | watch are the news, soap operas and documentaries. |
| language using these six quick techniques.There are a | | | | Have a VCR? Tape a couple of programs and play |
| multitude of reasons for wanting to speak the lingua | | | | them over and over to accustom yourself to the flow |
| franca of another people; travel, business, education, | | | | of the language. Many VCR models have slow-motion |
| personal pleasure, even family or friends. Indeed it's no | | | | and stop-action features allowing you to slow down |
| small feat to habla español, parlez francaise, or | | | | the program to aid your understanding. 5. Listen to |
| sprechenze Deutcsh, but the prestige, financial gains, | | | | Music: In Japan, English students karaoke the Beatles. In |
| personal satisfaction and envy that can accompany | | | | Latin America, students mimic Bruce Springsteen. In |
| this easily nurtured skill can be most rewarding. But, | | | | Africa, the Backstreet Boys rule the airwaves. |
| "Can I really develop good communicative skills in a | | | | Lip-syncing popular songs is all the rage for English |
| new tongue?" you may well ask. Yes, you can if you'll | | | | language learners, so why don't you turn the tables |
| use these 10 quick tricks for heightening your language | | | | and use it to your advantage. Check at music shops |
| - learning experience and incorporating your new | | | | and bookstores for song CDs and tapes. Ask around |
| language into your everyday life. 1. Take a short | | | | for recommendations on where recordings in your |
| course: A number of language courses are | | | | target language might be available. Ethnic restaurants |
| immediately available in most areas at a local | | | | and shops are another good source for music or |
| community college or university. Courses in the | | | | referrals. Lyrics to literally thousands of songs are |
| continuing education department tend to be more | | | | available online. Songs are frequently available online in |
| consumer-oriented, less academic and more focused | | | | many major languages. Check the local library. The |
| on the prospective needs of students like you. The | | | | internet will yield hordes of song titles and stations |
| internet likewise abounds with foreign language course | | | | worldwide in dozens of languages. A good online |
| offerings. You can learn Swedish, Norwegian, Danish | | | | source for starters is which has live global feeds 24 |
| or Finnish via multimedia at . The Definitive Worldwide | | | | hours a day in multiple languages. 6. Read: Stop at the |
| Guide to Learning the Thai Language and Studying | | | | library for a grammar book and some reading material. |
| Thai Culture is online at: if you're up for the exotic. 2. | | | | The grammar book will be an infrequent guide through |
| Mimicking: "Mom, he's mocking me!" Have you ever | | | | those rough spots when the target language grammar |
| heard this complaint when one sibling repeated | | | | differs substantially from English. But don't overburden |
| everything the other said? One imitating word - for - | | | | yourself with grammar and rules. A copious variety of |
| word the speech, sounds even actions of the other? | | | | entertaining magazines exists in most major languages |
| It's called mimicking and it's so effective you'll be using | | | | and unless you're learning Cochimi or Kukapa, you |
| this technique to get talking in record time yourself. The | | | | should be able to find something. A newspaper, |
| procedure is simple, you repeat exactly, | | | | general interest magazine, the bible, brochures, even |
| word-for-word, everything your model says. That | | | | comics can help you along. Short articles are best at |
| model can be a newscaster, character on a soap | | | | first. Although you can wade through one or more of |
| opera, documentary narrator or the voice coming from | | | | those in a matter of minutes, your personal satisfaction |
| your tape player or radio. Don't worry if it isn't perfect. | | | | at doing so will be boundless. Try for hard-to-find titles. |
| Just start by trying to get your tongue around the | | | | You can't pick your family; but you can pick your |
| words. You'll acquire speed and ease with practice. | | | | friends and you can pick conversations with native |
| You may feel silly at first, but persevere. You'll get | | | | speakers of your target language. In the supermarket, |
| there sooner than you think. 3. Reading Aloud: One of | | | | in the mall, in the park, a restaurant or a convenience |
| the most effective language-learning tricks is to use | | | | store - almost anywhere you happen to meet or run |
| the counsel found in The Bible itself at Joshua 1: 8, | | | | into a native speaker of your new lingua franca, don't |
| "...and you must in an undertone read in it day and night, | | | | just stay there mum - say something. People are |
| ..." and again at Psalms 1:2 stating, "... And in his law he | | | | generally flattered that you're trying to meet them on |
| reads in an undertone day and night." Read passages | | | | their own terms or in their own language and are |
| in the target language aloud to yourself. This powerful | | | | usually more than happy to chat. Surely, you can say |
| technique not only develops speaking and | | | | "Buenos Tardes" to someone passing down the aisle |
| pronunciation skills, but contributes to listening | | | | in the supermarket. It's also great practice for breaking |
| comprehension, vocabulary and grammar too. Almost | | | | the ice when you finally light out for foreign soil.These |
| any reading material in your target language will do as | | | | quick tricks in conjunction with a short language course |
| long as it's interesting and fairly short. You wouldn't | | | | will make your language-learning efforts less painless, |
| start an English language learner off by reading "War | | | | more interesting, more pleasurable and much easier. |
| and Peace" now would you? 4. Watch TV: If you | | | | Try to do something each and every day. Just think |
| have cable, is there a station broadcast in the | | | | how green with envy your friends are all going to be - |
| language you're interested in? Many metro areas carry | | | | and start packing your bags. |