Learning Language

By Karen Haid

We’ve all admired young children speaking what seemed to be the most elegant
French or a particularly articulate Chinese, thinking that the child in question must
certainly be exceptionally gifted. But upon reflection, we reason that this is obviously
the child’s mother tongue, and we realize that we, too, would have had the same
capacity to dazzle non-English speakers when we were toddlers.

Often the ability to speak two or more languages is reserved for those lucky few
raised in bilingual households, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Anyone with the
capacity to learn a first language has the aptitude to learn a second. So why does it
seem so daunting?

Many parents have themselves studied languages in classroom settings throughout

their student careers, unfortunately without ever having gained any real
competency. Thus, the way in which one learns a language remains a mystery to
most and seems a formidable subject for many homeschool parents to approach. It
may be comforting to know that over the past century the language experts also
have struggled and experimented in this area, and they certainly have not finished
their work. However, looking at how language was taught in the past and examining
the thought behind the methods developed over the last century can help dispel the
“it’s all Greek to me” aura that often hovers over this important study.

Two Historical Methods

A very early technique of language learning is the Grammar-Translation Method,

historically used in the study of classical languages (Greek and Latin) and applied to
the study of foreign languages at the end of the eighteenth, throughout the
nineteenth, and into the twentieth centuries. Simply described, this approach centers
on the translation of phrases and literary texts, focusing on grammar and its rules.
Lessons are taught in the student’s native tongue, and vocabulary is learned through
translation. The Reading Method is a variation of this approach, developed in the
1920s under the supposition that limiting the activity to reading alone was the most
practical and effective way of learning a language.

These historical, formalistic methods are often considered to be what one thinks of
as traditional language learning. The major disadvantages are that the target
language is not actively used, vocabulary and grammar are taught isolated from
context, and the texts themselves are treated as mere exercises. In the twentieth
century the focus of language learning shifted from academic reasons to
communicative necessity, prompting a plethora of theories, studies, and new
approaches. Many of these methods attempt to imitate or capture, each in its own
way, the process of mother-tongue language acquisition.

The Direct Method

Perhaps in complete opposition to the Grammar-Translation Method is the Direct

Method. Developed in the first half of the twentieth century, it places its emphasis on
the student actively using the target language in realistic situations. The mother
tongue is never used; translation is forbidden; material is first presented orally with
an emphasis on speaking and listening skills; grammar and culture are taught
implicitly. Instead of going back and forth between two languages, thinking in the
target language is encouraged. Techniques include reading aloud, the pairing of
images and words, role-playing, and employing paraphrases and synonyms to
explain words.

The Direct Method strives to replicate the total immersion of a child learning his
native language, but can this experience be duplicated at an older age and/or in a
classroom several times a week? Many of the principles of this method have validity;
however, strict adherence to a system of this sort, particularly outside the country of
the target language and with relatively minimal contact time, can sometimes lead to
frustration.

The Audio-Lingual Method

The Audio-Lingual Method, developed for American troops in Europe during World
War II, is based on behavioral theories from earlier in the century. Here, language is
seen as a mechanical activity, and learning occurs via the acquisition of linguistic
habits. Students practice language patterns through structured dialogues and drills,
with an abundant use of tapes (CDs) and visual aids; emphasis is placed on
pronunciation; memorization and mimicry are encouraged; explicit grammar
instruction isn’t given.

Of course, components of Audio-Lingualism continue to be used regularly today.

Indeed, with the learning of any subject, a certain amount of repetition is important;
however, from the 1970s onward this system fell from popularity as a complete
methodology with the rise of the concept that language is a system of
communication and should therefore be taught with an end goal of communicative
competence. New approaches took into account the person as a whole, recognizing
the importance of a positive relationship between student and teacher, student with
other students, and student with his or her environment.

Contemporary Methodologies

Another valuable learning theory that has greatly influenced language teaching and
has led to new methodologies is the idea that students are all individuals with
differing strengths, weaknesses, and ways of learning. For example, Total Physical
Response is a method that purports language must first be internalized before verbal
participation is possible. In teaching, classroom roles would be similar to those of a
parent with a child in which the child must respond physically to the words of the
teacher. This type of teaching works well with students who need to be more
physically active. A good example of a TPR exercise would be the game called Simon
Says, and with some imagination, features of this method can be used with older
students as well.

The Silent Way Method focuses on problem solving, in which the student discovers
the language, its rules, and its functions through inductive reasoning. This method
could be considered the opposite of Audio-Lingualism as the teacher only prompts
the students, who must work out the problem for themselves. An everyday example
of this approach’s application occurs when a teacher doesn’t correct a student
outright but instead indicates that a mistake has been made by means of a gesture
or a question, thus allowing the pupil to come to the right answer on his own.

The aim of the Communicative Approach is communicative, not linguistic,

competence. Grammar is taught, but more as a reflection rather than a systematic
means to an end. The target language is the normal medium in the classroom;
lessons are active and student-centered, using functional language for real-life
situations. All four skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—are developed in
a variety of ways, using authentic resources as much as possible, particularly for
intermediate and advanced levels. Student errors are seen as part of the natural
process in a learning environment in which students are trying to use the language
creatively and spontaneously.

What’s Best for You?

So what is the best approach? Teachers need to examine all methods and
incorporate the most effective aspects of each according to their particular situations.
Generally, a mix works best, and many find that the Communicative Approach is the
most successful all-around method. Furthermore, incorporating a variety of activities
within the focus of each lesson helps reinforce key points while maintaining interest,
particularly with beginner, intermediate, and younger students.

How to begin is always a difficult question, but when to start is sooner rather than
later. The first decision is which language to study—one from the family’s heritage,
one for future work or vacation possibilities, or one for which there is a good mother-
tongue teacher in the community? Are there siblings or friends studying the same
language for possible interaction and group activities? Is the parent/teacher already
familiar with a language to be able to start out and/or help the student?

While a proficient (preferably native) speaker is always a plus in a language teacher,

with planning and study a parent can do more than he may think, especially if he has
some knowledge of the language in question. Naturally, at a certain point the
student will need to have contact with a qualified speaker; however, even those
fortunate enough to be able to hire a language tutor will find that assistance and
reinforcement outside the lessons can be a great asset to the learner. In this regard,
basic courses and textbooks must always have an audio and/or video component.
Answer keys are essential with exercise books. Pictures and illustrations are
indispensable in beginning and intermediate books, with public libraries often being a
good source for supplemental material.

But even with the most careful preparation, how a student reacts in a new language
situation is not easy to foresee. An otherwise confident, outgoing individual may
withdraw when suddenly faced with the prospect of expressing himself in an
unknown language. Therefore, correction should be gentle and criticism avoided. The
student shouldn’t be pushed to speak before he or she is ready, and an approach
compatible with his preferred learning style will increase motivation and
effectiveness.

Learning a language gives one the opportunity of experiencing a culture. Those

youngsters we’ve heard speaking French and Chinese are impressive, and they have
something to share. Give your child the tools to see what they have to say.

Language Games/Activities for Beginners

(to be conducted in the target language)

Simon Says
Easy Card Games, i.e., Go Fish
Bingo with words and pictures
Matching games with words and pictures
Role-plays, i.e., with introductions using toys and stuffed animals
Pantomiming animals
Rhythmic chanting with clapping
Singing with hand motions
Tic/Tac/Toe and Hangman with vocabulary

Resource Materials—General Shopping Sites

www.WOR.com (foreign language resources)

www.MultiCulturalKids.com (multilingual and cultural resources)
www.ApplauseLearning.com (multilingual resources)
www.LittlePim.com (foreign language resource for infants and toddlers)
www.MultilingualBooks.com (multi-lingual resources)
www.ISSA.nl/rc_bs.html (children’s literature published in many languages)
www.BilingualJourney.com (Spanish)
www.Alphabet-Garten.com (German)
www.ABCKinderladen.com (German)
www.ChinaSprout.com (Chinese)
www.Childbook.com (Chinese)

Karen Haid is a certified ESL and Italian language teacher who, having learned two
foreign languages as an adult, wonders how many she would have spoken had she
begun her language odyssey sooner.

Copyright, 2011. Used with permission. All rights reserved by author. Originally
appeared in The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, Winter 2010-11.

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