10/13/2014 [What is the Best Way to Learn a Language?

] - [VOA - Voice of America English News]

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05/17/2014
What is the Best Way to Learn a Language?
What is the Best Way to Learn a
Language?
From VOA Learning English this is As It Is. Im Anna Matteo in Washington.

Today on, As It Is, we will hear about something our listeners do every day they hear, read or
watch VOA Learning English -- learning a second language.

We will hear whether being surrounded by a foreign language, or immersed in it, is the best way to
learn a language. Or are traditional lectures with grammar rules and vocabulary lists the best way
to learn to speak like a native speaker.

Steve Ember has more on that topic.

What is the best way to learn a new language? A small study of foreign language learning in
adults compared two methods. One is known as the explicit or classroom method. This is the kind
of traditional classroom teaching where students are taught a lot of information about grammar
rules.

The other method is known as the implicit or immersion method. The idea here is to learn much
the way children do when they learn a native language. That is, by being with native speakers and
absorbing the language that surrounds them, generally without a lot of explanation. Teachers may
combine these two methods into what Professor Michael Ullman calls immersion-style classroom
teaching. But is that necessarily a better way to learn a language?
Mr. Ullman was the senior investigator for the new study. He is a professor of neuroscience at
Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington. He says he was surprised to find that
combining the two methods might not help the brain in processing the new language.

MICHAEL ULLMAN: "You know, if my life were on the line, and I had to learn a language, what
would I do? I'm not sure. One possibility would be that, to start with explicit and then go to
immersion, right? Start with classroom and then go to immersion. But there is this possibility that
classroom could hurt later immersion. That's what, you know, one possibility of interpreting our
data."

The twenty-one adults in the experiment learned Brocanto2, a thirteen-word language created for
the study. The words and grammar rules relate to a computer game similar to chess that the
learners played. For example, "Blom neimo lu neep li praz" means "The square blom-piece
switches with the neep-piece."

The researchers tested the people three to six months after they had learned the language, to see
how well they could remember it. The study found that those who had learned it with the
immersion method had brain waves similar to those of native speakers of a language when
speaking that language.

Professor Ullman says those who trained with the classroom method also became more native-
like in their brain processing. But only the immersion group showed full native-like processing of
the grammar. Still, he says teachers should be careful how they use the results of his study.
10/13/2014 [What is the Best Way to Learn a Language?] - [VOA - Voice of America English News]
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MICHAEL ULLMAN: "You know I would not make any curriculum changes based on this.
Nevertheless, it is suggestive, and I think it warrants further research to see whether in fact what
kind of training might in fact be best not just for reaching the native brain bases but also for, you
know, maximum proficiency in different aspects of language, like grammar, you know, syntax and
lexicon. So I think further research is warranted. And it may be, for example, that a combination of
classroom and immersion might be best. But we don't know that."

I'm Steve Ember.

And Im Anna Matteo.
So which way of learning a language is working best for you? Do you think immersion is the best
way to learn a language? Or do you believe the traditional lecture model is good enough? Let us
know in our comment section!

And find us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for more Learning English stories.

http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/what-is-the-best-way-to-learn-a-language/1916346.html
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Many people desire to lose weight for a variety of different reasons. Drastic weight changes are not sustainable in most cases,
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UNIVERSITY HEALTH SERVICES
Health Promotion Resource Center (SSB 1.106)
24-Hour Nurse Advice (512) 475-6877
Please call (512) 475-8252
for more information.
Copyright 2010 The University of Texas at Austin University Health Services, All Rights Reserved HO - Tips Losing Weight.indd 10112010
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