![]() This is the second topic in our "Smooth Transition Series" which is dedicated to students entering the Secondary School System for the very first time. Kids entering the Secondary School system face many challenges one being the new subjects which they now have to study. They no longer have to do just Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies but are also learning doing subjects such as Music, Home Economics and of course Foreign Languages to name a few. Today in the "Smooth Transitions Series" we will be looking at a few ways in which kids can adjust to learning a new language. All Secondary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago offer at least one foreign language to its students. In most cases this would be Spanish since Spanish is the first Foreign Language of Trinidad and Tobago. In other schools (such as the school the Grade A Blogger attended) new students are now given the task of learning two foreign languages. now learning one new language can be difficult but two can sometimes lead kids to feel a bit overwhelmed but fear not parents and students! As always the Grade A Blogger has come up with a few tips on language learning and a few sites to assist you on your journey to academic success. 1. Set realistic expectations It is natural to feel uncomfortable in a language class. You're used to being in classes where the mode of communication -- the language of instruction -- is a given. In a language course, however, it is the mode of communication itself that is the focus of instruction. For this reason, a language course is different than most other courses you will ever take. Not understanding and making mistakes -- things that are negative learning indicators in other courses -- are a very natural part of the language learning process. Accept the fact that you will not understand everything. In fact, at the very beginning, you will not understand much at all. Remember that during the initial period of adaptation your ear and your mind are adjusting to the sounds and the rhythm of the language. Though you will not understand all of what is being said, you will be amazed at your increasing ability to make sense of the language. Remember that the only way to learn the language is through practice, practice, and more practice; in the course of practicing you will make many errors … and you will learn from them. 2. Break study time into smaller chunks Research shows that language students learn more effectively and retain more when they study frequently and forshorter periods of time than if they study infrequently for extended periods of time. Try to study each day, and whenever possible, several times a day. This means, for instance, doing a few homework exercises each day rather than doing all homework assignments the night before they are due. In addition, there are many otherwise mentally "idle" moments during the day when you can work in some studying. For example, you can review vocabulary while eating breakfast, recite the alphabet while showering, count your steps as you walk between classes, name as many object as you can in the target language on your to way school, take your vocabulary flash cards with you on a road trip. There are many moments during the day when you can squeeze in a few minutes of practice time. Through the repetition of material, it will be come increasingly familiar, until it eventually becomes an automatic part of your language repertoire. 3. Learn vocabulary effectively Vocabulary is the most essential element of communication. The more words you know, the more you can say and understand. The absolute best way to learn vocabulary is through the use of flash cards that you make yourself. Purchase a set of 3 x 5 index cards and cut them in half. (This makes them small enough to carry everywhere.) Write a vocabulary word on the front and its English definition on the back. As you learn more information about each word (e.g. plural forms of nouns, principle parts of verbs), you can add these to the cards. There are many ways you can use flash cards as a learning tool. To help you learn and remember noun genders, for example, you can color code the nouns by gender, either by using colored cards or colored ink. When studying, organize words in meaningful groups (e.g., by noun gender, in thematic categories, regular verbs vs. irregular verbs). Shuffle the cards or groups, so that you use the stack(s) in a different order each time. Use the cards in both directions: first look at the foreign language words and try to recall the English definition. Then shuffle and look at the English definitions and attempt to remember the foreign language words. Flash cards offer many possibilities. Take advantage! Stay tuned for Part 2 of this topic where we will discuss Language Learning on the Web..
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Author Charlene Morris Archives
November 2017
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