Easy Language Learning » Foreign Language

Teach Kids A Second Language

Admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:39:01 +0000

It is not easy teaching your child a second language. But it is a rewarding experience teaching them and you can open their young to explore a new world of sights and sounds. Even if you’re not entirely fluent in another tongue, here are 5 simple ways you can help your child learn to speak a second language confidently and easily.
1. Remember the earlier, the better. By the age of two, a child’s brain is sucking up and processing all the information he or she comes in contact with, so it’s an ideal time to start learning a second language. You may think, “But he hasn’t even mastered ENGLISH yet!” That’s okay! Believe it or not, children can easily juggle two (or more) languages at once without the difficulty that their adult counterparts may have if they try to learn the same language when they’re older. Learning two separate languages will also not hinder your child’s reading or speaking ability. In fact, it will actually improve and broaden their vocabulary as they get older, since many foreign language words are used in English as well.
2. It is better to teach your child with some simple words and basic greetings first. Learning a language does take time and repetition, so only move on when your child feels comfortable and confident in using what he or she has already learned. If you’re not completely fluent yourself, but still want your child to have the benefit of a second language, purchase a good dictionary and work book to reinforce what you already know so that you can teach it to your child.
3. You can try to make studying language to be a fun time by setting aside a special “Language-Only” time. Practice the language together with your child through music, books or videos and use this time to speak and play together using only the second language. It’s a great way to build up the child’s interest in another culture and will help him learn the language more completely and thoroughly.
4. If your significant other speaks a foreign language, consider having him or her speak only in the foreign language to the child, while you speak to them in English. This will quickly help the child understand each language’s structure and differences, and he won’t be as likely to get confused. Remember though, language learning is a slow by steady process. Let your child know not to worry about making a mistake or sounding silly. That’s the only way he or she will become confident enough to speak the language on a regular basis.
5. Whenever possible, immerse your child in the second language as often as you can. Taking trips to the place where the language is spoken is a great way to make a language feel “real” to a child. Children mimic what they see, so seeing others speak and use the language in their day-to-day lives will show him that he can do the same!
The most important thing of all is to treat learning a second language like a fun “adventure” rather than a tedious chore. If you keep these tips in mind, it won’t be long before your child is equally comfortable and proficient in both languages! Good luck!

Learning French the Easy Way

Admin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:32:56 +0000

Two years ago, I decided to learn a foreign language, and then I was puzzled, my mother tongue is English, so which language have I to learn? After I searched a lot on which one is most suitable, I decided to learn French. And before you wonder why, I’ll explain my reasonable point of view.

First of all, French is the official language in 28 countries. It is also – like English exactly- spoken in 5 continents, and considered the second global language, and it will support my career building, by allowing me to apply for a variety of positions which requires applicants to be fluent in French, both spoken and written.

Unfortunately, there were a huge problem, which is French language is not easy to learn or to speak at all, I had to learn tons of non familiar words, phrases, and pronunciations. I don’t even have a specified or structured method to learn and speak French. So you can imagine how much confused I was. In fact, difficulties in learning and speaking French made me –in the beginning steps of learning- very uncomforted, and I was about giving up.

The most difficult issue I faced, was the ‘ pronunciation’, it’s really so hard to be an English native speaker, and want to be completely fluent in French in the same time, although French is considered a musical language.

For example, the new sounds in French would make you crazy at first, as they are very confusing, the most obvious example for this, is the ‘French R’. Really it was my curse. Accents also will take efforts from you to expertise them, and to be familiar with.

In addition, you will also face difficulties in the liaisons and silent letters.

Verbs in French also were very hard to learn, each verb is changing in a different way, there’s nothing like (teach, taught, taught), or (speak, spoke, spoken), they all are like irregular verbs (go, went, gone), generally, grammar in French is not easy or clear as grammar in English.

Then it comes to understand spoken French, the best case is to have someone who deals with you in a daily base, so you could listen and speak to him frequently, otherwise, it’s really would take a lot of time and exercising from you.

From my experience in learning French, I can advise you to have your own expert guide, to facilitate the process of learning French as much as possible.

Finally, I found it very interesting as well as hard to be a ‘ French speaker’, it was really a good experience.

Top Foreign Languages To Learn

Admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:33:12 +0000

“What are the top foreign languages to learn?” is probably the most frequent question I get asked by people who just start to learn a foreign language. The assumption behind this question is usually that learning any language is an endlessly tiring task. For many, it’s a lot like asking “Which mountain should I climb first? The Everest or the Kilimanjaro?” But what if I told you that you can master any language you set out to learn within 6 to 12 months? Would the choice of languages still be a problem? You may be working on one or even several languages already, then it’s good that you know which languages you want to master. But if you don’t, you might be tempted to ask questions like “which are the top foreign languages to learn”, and “which language is the most useful?”, “which one should I start off learning?” Some people may tell you that “the answer to your question “depends on the goal you want to achieve”, but something tells me that it’s not the answer you’d like to hear. If you have ever asked one of those questions, I suppose you don’t feel strongly towards a particular language and just want to hear some general language learning tips, or maybe you just want to pick up a foreign language as quickly as you can. But what if I tell you that the differences among all those “candidate languages” are almost negligible once you apply the right techniques? What if learning one foreign language is just as easy as learning another one? Which language would you choose to learn then? The fact is, you should never listen to anyone who’s had a good or bad experience with a particular foreign language. Just because someone had a horrible time with Chinese doesn’t mean you will too. Everyone will feel differently about a specific foreign language according to his or her own education, background and social experience. By the way, did you know that Chinese is one of the simplest languages in terms of complexity? The very reason that many people find Chinese such a demoralizing language is that Chinese is dramatically different from all alphabet-based languages. Asking a European to switch to a tonal language all at once is just as demanding as asking you to write with your right foot. However, the same issue is not an issue at all for a new-born baby. Teaching a baby to speak a tonal language with much fewer grammar rules (Yes, day-to-day Chinese has much fewer grammar rules) could actually be more manageable than teaching the same baby a European language with a huge vocabulary and stringent grammar rules such as German. With all that said, the top foreign languages to learn are: Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Russian Those include the official languages of the United Nations. Since you are already reading this article, I presume that your English is well beyond “basic”, which is why English is not included here. How about German, which is not an official language of UN? Let’s see. . . 25% of the European population speak it and it’s the second most popular internet language in the world. The reason German is not listed as a UN Official language is highly political. It should, in fact, be one of the top foreign languages to learn.

Easily Learn Spanish

Admin — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:35:11 +0000

Since Spanish is widely used in many countries, it is ideal to learn the language. It can also be beneficial especially when you travel a lot in Spanish speaking countries. The Spanish language is amongst the most used and popular languages on earth. It is the official language of Spain. The language originated in Northern Spain and eventually spread throughout many countries including Africa, Americas, and Asia Pacific. This is because of the colonization of the Spanish Empire in many nations during the 15th and 18th centuries. About 21 nations speak Spanish as a primary language and these include some countries in Latin America and the Equatorial Guinea. Among these countries, Mexico has the world’s largest population who speaks Spanish. In the United Nations, it is one of the six official languages, too. All over the world, Spanish is the most prevalent foreign language in universities and colleges. Because of this, students in many countries are knowledgeable in speaking the language. Spanish is quite easy to learn. You can even learn it on your own with so many available resources. Just like with any language, becoming skilled at a new one requires a lot of patience, dedication, and practice. You ought to also devote ample time to study. Before going further into learning Spanish, you must get some facts about the culture as well as the language which will give you the foundation in learning it. There are a lot of books, CDs, and cassette tapes which you can purchase to help you become skilled at speaking the language. You can also attend short courses on Spanish. Also, with the advancement of the Internet, many websites are offering online Spanish tutorials from the very basic to the advanced level. The most basic that you ought to learn are the vowels. This is not hard to study as these are generally short words. Afterwards, you can proceed to learning the proper pronunciation of words. It is advisable that when learning the right pronunciations, you must say the words repeatedly until you get it right. Try to listen to the Spanish tutorial audio tapes so you will get appropriate techniques, too. Next to learn is the Spanish grammar. There are also tutorials available for this particular topic. While on the process of learning, it is best to speak whatever words you have learned to familiarize yourself on proper vocabulary and diction. It is also ideal to visit places where people are mostly speaking Spanish and try to interact with them with the words you have already learned. Do not be shy to speak out even though you are not yet that good in conversing with the language. This will allow you to gain a lot of confidence which aids in your learning of the language. Sometimes you tend to make mistakes but it’s natural and there is no need to be discouraged. It can be much worse if you fear to verbalize the words you have learned. Never allow your mistakes to affect your enthusiasm to learn. Just speak up the words, apply them in real world and you will see the amazing outcomes. People are becoming more interested in learning the Spanish language. They want to learn it so that they can communicate well with people when they travel abroad. This is essential as some of the Spanish speaking regions rarely speak in English and it would be very tough for a traveler to move around the cities without grasping even a little of the Spanish lingo. Besides, it is of importance to be aware that many businesses require their employees to speak a second language. There are instances when you apply for work, the employer would ask you if you are well familiar with other languages. If you have the know-how of such language, your chances of being hired strengthen. This will make you more competent compared with other job hopefuls. Furthermore, having the knowledge of this language is also an advantage especially if you are into the professions in medicine, law, science and other field utilizing the Spanish language. No matter what your motive is in learning Spanish, it is crucial that you have the willingness to learn. Seek tutorial materials which suit your needs. Then give your best to master these lessons religiously. By doing so, you will surely be speaking Spanish fluently in no time at all.

Language Course

Admin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 10:33:48 +0000

When anyone wishes to learn a foreign language such as Spanish, French or Chinese, the best way for him/her is to go for a suitable and extensive course which will not only enable him/her to read the language properly but will also help him to speak that foreign language fluently as well as correctly. Of course this will require a continuous and meticulous training on the student’s part, which in turn will allow them to adapt to the language properly and clearly.

To facilitate the student to learn a new language or a foreign language, a good assimilation of the course content is the first and foremost requirement. The content of the course must be adequate enough to permit the learner to have a complete hold on the language. Loquella, one of the pioneers in language learning websites offers extensive courses on languages such as Spanish, French and Chinese. At Loquella the courses are designed at par with the standards that are set by the Foreign Service Institute.

Since the courses at Loquella have been designed in accordance to the Foreign Service Institute method, the learning of a language becomes easy and enjoyable. Loquella puts emphasis on learning to speak the language properly. Thus they have developed scientific and innovative methods to teach a language. There are various language drills which are used to teach a language. The audio lessons also play a major role in making the learning easy and accurate.

The most significant feature about enrolling with Loquella is that it is flexible. Since it is an online teaching site, the learner can learn the language at their own convenience. Loquella also offers various other options to learn a language. The learner can choose the options as per their requirements or wish. This makes the site more flexible and agreeable.

While learning a language at Loquella, the learners get to choose their way of studying from four different options. The first option though only shows the other three options in an order Loquella would recommend for learning. But one can choose according to their wish. The second option enables the learner to listen to the audio lesson first and then read the sentences afterwards. The third option allows the learner to read the English sentences first, then listen to the audio lesson and then learn the foreign language sentences covered in both the English and audio lessons.

At Loquella, the learner can get the flexibility of learning and practicing one option as many times as he wishes. Proper pronunciation is a must have for any learner as it enables him/her to get understood better. Thus conversations in formal and informal topic are also covered to make the learner ready for the day to day usage of the language. Be it Spanish, French or Chinese, conversing in that language is a must do for the learners. It sometimes depends of the determination of the learner as well as interest shown in the the language to get imbibed thoroughly.

At Loquella, learners from all age groups can learn a language proficiently and accurately. The innovative methods and the techniques used by then are unique and definitely noteworthy. For further details please visit loquella. com.

The Importance of Learning a Second Language

Admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:35:56 +0000

Learning a second language can be difficult: it takes much time, patience and practicing. Knowing a second language can create a better understanding of different cultures, open job opportunities; help with academic success, make traveling easier, and help people communicate throughout the world. A foreign language can take the learner out of the comfort zone and allow them to experience different cultures; also it has been reported that learning a second language gives the brain more stimulation (BBC News, 2004). In the United States only 30 states have said that English is the official language (Wikipedia, 2007). In Miami, Florida residents who do not speak Spanish have difficulty interacting with the large population of Latin Americans; making conducting business harder for business owners. The Associated Press reported in 2008 that 58. 5% of the population speaks Spanish as their primary language in Miami, Florida. If any one wanted to take a vacation to Miami it would be wise to have knowledge of the Spanish language. Learning any second language can help people travel better. Allowing the traveler to interact with the locals and enjoy their time, instead of becoming frustrated because they have no way to ask questions, ask for directions, and especially dining. Not only is learning a second language better for traveling, but also for the mind. BBC News (2004) reported that the University of London conducted a study in which 105 students, 80 of which was bilingual; the study reflects that the bilingual students had more of a “brain boost”. There was more evidence of advanced learning and stimulation of the brain. These scientists believe that language learning helps improve the brain power and creates advancements in learning. One study said that learning a second language can help delay dementia (Hyltenstam & Viberg, 1993). . By learning a second language it is possible to keep the brain functioning better longer. A Second language can also provide the learner or speaker with many different job opportunities. All around the world there are jobs that need foreign language speakers. Interpreters for the Armed Forces and other government agencies are good professions that require speaking a second language. These jobs come with benefits, good pay, and the chance to travel around the world. A foreign language speaker has broader choices when it comes to career paths. Even if the speaker is looking for a job in Human Services, they will be very helpful in communities or countries where English is not the primary language. Speaking a foreign language will help expand peoples’ outlook on the world, and help disprove cultural misconceptions. . Music in a second language is a form of art, knowing the language helps better appreciate the music. The academic study of foreign language is also considered an art. Learning a foreign language will allow students to participate in new studies, do good research, and will not limit the learner by only English language research. Foreign Language Studies start early now, in most high schools around the United States it is required that students participate in a Foreign Language class (this does not mean four years of foreign language). If all colleges and universities made a language study required it would not only benefit the student but also the university. Having diversity in studies makes the university more interesting and shows the university, promotes cultural awareness. One poll conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and the Ohio University said that 14% of the adult American population has taken four years of foreign language courses, and only 17% of people with a college degree did not take any foreign language studies. This poll shows a larger population of college graduates has taken a foreign language course (Hargrove, T. , & G. H. Stempel III, 2007). Learning a foreign language may be difficult but with time and practice a student can become very efficient. Mastering the skill is the hardest part, using it is easy. Not too many Americans speak a foreign language fluently because they just do not have the time to learn. They fail to realize that they can truly benefit from speaking a second language. First it stimulates the brain; then can open up job opportunities, and help in academic success. Most importantly the learner becomes aware of the different cultures around us everyday. Our country is a melting pot; it is very important to be aware of the cultural differences around us. References Hargrove, T. , & H. Stempel III, G. (2007, Summer). Americans wistful of foreign language in highschools. Scripps Howard News Services. Abstract retrieved October 21, 2008, from http://newspolls. org/story. php?story_id=65 Hyltenstam, K. , & Viberg, A. (1993). Introduction. In K. Hyltenstam & A. Viberg, Progression and Regression in Languages (pp. 1-3). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved October 23, 2008, from http://books. google. com/books?id=D5vMWphwQr8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 In Miami, Spanish becoming Primary Language. (2008, May 29). The Associated Press. Abstract retrieved October 23, 2008, from http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/24871558/ Languages of the United States. (2007). wikipedia. Retrieved October 23, 2008, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States Learning languages “boosts brain”. (2004). BBC News. Retrieved October 24, 2008, from http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/health/3739690. stm

Benefits of Learning Languages

Admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:33:24 +0000

Many people enjoy learning languages for the pleasure of learning something new and there are people who want to learn a new language to satisfy their career requirement. In the present globalized economic environment, demand for employees with knowing many foreign languages has become a necessity, because of increasing role of export -import . Learning a new language will help in three ways 1) It will help to keep our brain active. 2) For people with a well established career it will help gain promotions or while undertaking international travel it will help them to interact with their counterparts personally which will help to develop positive rapport with the clients. Depending upon an interpreter is avoided. 3) It will help to utilize new career and employment avenues. In this article we shall explore about the various career and employment opportunities which will be available to us because of learning new languages. Multi National Organizations. These are business organizations with business interest in multiple countries. And this necessitates the employees to travel to their oversees manufacturing units, interact with clients in those countries for example local vendors of spare parts, dealers, etc and in such circumstances knowledge of the local knowledge will prove to be an asset. Similarly for people working in those units knowing employers language will help them to have hassle free communication with their employers. Ability to speak in a foreign language will help a person to get a career opportunity in the hospitality and tourism industries. Interpreting and Translation. Once high degree of proficiency in a foreign language has been acquired by a person these two areas i. e. translation and interpretation provides excellent career opportunities. Inspite of many people learning foreign languages, still when they suddenly have to meet a foreigner speaking a language which has not been learnt by them the service of a highly qualified interpreter becomes a vital necessity. An interpreter has to work in two ways. They are as follows: 1) Simultaneous translation has to be done in events like conferences. 2) The interpreter has to make consecutive interpretation i. e. he listens to a speaker and when the speaker pauses the interpreter translates and such a work is done in events like a business meeting. So my dear readers start learning a new language for the pleasure of learning something new, it will certainly add zest to life and also it will help to keep your brain active. There are chances for you to get a new career or business opportunity which will improve your finances along with increased satisfaction level. And in this internet era learning a new language can’t be a Herculean task. One need not go to a school in the evening hours or weekend. Sitting inside the cozy comfort of your home you can attend an online course and learn a language. It is so easy. What you require is an urge to learn and excel. To all my dear readers of this article and aspirants of language learning.

Studying Vocabulary When Learning a New Language

Admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:39:08 +0000

Learning vocabulary words is critical part of learning to speak a foreign language, next to grammar. If you can say any words, how can you speak the language? Learning vocabulary words isn’t always easy. In a perfect world, we would be able to look at a word and never remember it. This way, we could learn hundreds of words a day. Unfortunately, this doesn’t usually happen. For some, remembering the words is simple. For others, it is very difficult. If you practice some simple steps, hopefully you will be able to learn in a short period of time.
The key to studying a new vocabulary word is using it and seeing it over and over. If you can use a language program that has this quality built in, you are in luck. If not, there are ways to simulate it.
Put together a list of words you want to study in the first day. You might pick 10 completely unrelated words. Start by writing down the list with the target language first then English. Read through them a few times. Next, pick your first term. Read through both translations 10 times out loud. Now look at the target language word. Does it remind you of anything that be used to help you remember what it means?
For example, the Spanish word for paper is papel. This one is simple because the the beginning of the word looks just like paper. Now, every time you need to know the word for paper in Spanish, try to remember that papel looks like paper.
Now, you should repeatedly use the word. Try to write three to five sentences using the word in different ways. When you finish it with each word, write them down on an index card so that you can use them on flashcards later on. Carry them with you when you know you’ll have some free time to use them. This way, you can constantly be looking at them and reviewing them. When you are finished with vocabulary each day, don’t just move on to the next set of words and forget the rest. Always keep them all in mind.
Also when you have free time, try to construct sentences as you think using your vocabulary words. You don’t want to just remember the word when you see it, you want to have it mastered so that whenever you need it, you don’t have to think first, it just comes out. For example, you might always know that papel means paper, but will you always know how to say paper in Spanish? Papel needs to just pop in your head.
This is how you will become fluent. You need to know each word inside and out. Try to think in your language. It’s a great way to use your language whenever you want even if you don’t have any study materials. Also, you won’t look weird speaking in another language because you are only thinking it. The key to learning any language is by practicing. As they say, “practice makes perfect!”

Learning English Online

Admin — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:38:49 +0000

There are many ways in which you can learn the English language online. Learning English online is of great help especially for people who wants to go abroad for the sake of their studies or for their jobs. There are many ways in which you can study English. But the online courses which have emerged are of great help since they offer comprehensive courses. In these courses the beginner gets to know about the basics of the language and can analyze the language with the skills imparted to them by online tutorials. Therefore in recent times, most people prefer the online courses than the rest. Get help from tutors: The best way to study English is to take the help of tutors who teach English. They will come to your house and teach you. From some experienced people you can take help and study the language in the best way. Watching foreign movies (English) helps a lot: : Another way in which one can grasp the language is by watching the English movies. When you see the people in the movie expressing their emotions in some foreign language then you will gradually learn that language (English here) very easily. Story book is recommended by online English tutorials: : Reading a lot of story books can help. This is because of the fact that when you are truing to read anything in a foreign language (and especially a story), then it is extremely easy to learn that language. Reading story books is also recommended by the online English tutorials. Recommended newspaper reading: : Reading newspaper is also of great help since you get to know about the world and also your own country from the newspaper. It is much like thinking in English, a foreign language. When you start thinking in English you will learn this language very quickly. Exams help to understand where you stand: : Give exams in English. Online courses offer this help and you can actually test your skills and the knowledge that you have obtained so long by giving the test. The online schools actually offer these tests. When you give the test then you get to know more about the language. Language skills are polished and sharpened: : Pronunciation and language skills: when you study in an online school you get a clear idea about the language and the pronunciations. In English pronunciations are of great importance. When you study from an online school, your language skills are polished and sharpened.

Denver Language School

Admin — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:49:11 +0000

Denver Language School: Follow These Easy Steps to be Part of This Multicultural World and Explore Far Beyond Average Knowledge

So you want to find a a Denver Language School? Imagine being able to master a foreign language and opening your eyes to a complete new and interesting culture. There are about 195 countries in the world, each with unique costumes, sceneries, ideologies and native languages. Linguists calculate that there are about 5,000 to 6,000 forms of communication that allow humans to communicate to others their thoughts and feelings.

You’re probably thinking that English is the most spoken language. Well, please think again. It’s mandarin Chinese, yes this beautifully complex speech is pronounced most often around the world than others. In Denver Languages School the noise of foreign intrinsic words jump right off the walls of students who every day chose to more involved in this global community.

Spanish, Chinese, German, Italian, French, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, English, among others are all taught in the most effective ways. Each element of a language like grammar, speaking, listening and writing are all included in personalized classes at Denver Language School.

So next time you sit across from a visitor and see the expression on his face, you’ll understand. Some day, you’ll live those same feelings you can only perceive if you comprehend more aspects of the new culture. You can also experience the bliss of guiding him around in his native language. How is this possible? By mastering a new languages, of course. Imagine all the new people you can talk with if you study more.

The rewards of mastering a second language could be used all around, from personal to professional growth, they are limitless. There are many careers that would benefit from this extra knowledge. For example, if you’re a marketing consultant and a company wants to sell their products in other countries. To make this possible you need to understand their culture and to do that you should master their language.

You can realize all this and fulfill your thirst for knowledge of diverse cultures that make up the human race. Accompany one of the numerous students at Denver Language School that have chosen to transcend far beyond the average knowledge people have.

Follow These Simple Steps to be Part of This Multicultural World and Transcend Far Beyond Average Knowledge: Denver Language School- www.LanguagesLCI.com

By: Denver Language School