Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[stream]

Many years ago my friend gave me an advice to read a book "How I learn foreign languages" by Kato Lomb. To tell the truth I hated to learn words, grammar rules and things. This method was exectly what I needed.
The main idea is as follows. You take a book of a good writer that uses
a simple pure language (short stories are the best). What is important it must be interesting for you and the text must not be adapted. And read it without using the dictionary. Sounds funny, dosn't it? But!
Some words you already know perhaps from school, when you were
too lazy to study well . Some word are international, some are of no importance for understanding. There are names of people, geographical names of places. So you won't be so helpless as it seemed at first.
Reading many times the same story you try to deduce the meaning of words and phrases. For me it was a very engaging occupation. Only when you know the meaning of a word nearly for sure you can check it up in the dictionary (just in case ). I assure you, you will never foget the word the meaning of which you got by such a method.
Of cause it won't do any harm to look through grammar first. But it is not the same as to learn grammar, far from it.
It goes without saying that this method is not universally applicable.
Everyone should invent his(her) own method, best for him(her). Or adapt this one if it seems to somebody promising. But I suppose the essence
of this method must be used by everybody to this or that extent for it gives a feeling of the language. Learning words and rules only you will get to know but dead formal tongue.

Tnat is all.

[bud]

That sounds like a wonderful technique, Stream. Thanks for sharing it!

[stream]

Yes, bud. And the thought that you are reading a real book by a real English writer instead of dull exercises and understand it, inspires a lot from the begining.

[bud]

I agree, Stream. A few years ago I was studying Spanish, and I liked reading short stories, and eventually a few novels, much more than any other exercise. I would try to understand as much as I could before looking in a dictionary or asking for help. We all vary in how we learn best, but that works well for you and me!

[Mirea]

And so it does for me, too It's so much more fun to read interesting novels than to do boring exercises There is even a name for that method, it's called "extensive reading".

http://www.extensivereading.net/
_________________
"Who only speaks one language doesn't know his own" Goethe

[stream]

Mirea, I am inclined to think it is good for everybody. Of couse one won't be able to speak standard phrases and read fluenly adapted texts
in a couple of weeks and have the illusion the thing is done!
But in a longer span of time this method will beat any other.
The matter is we are in a hurry to get quick result whatsoever.
And in many cases we are not free to choose among the methods. It entirely depends on our teacher.

I admit I sound too categorical.

[Mirea]

[fceblog]

I do agree that in order to express yourself better, lots of reading must be done. However, for learners of English as a second or foreign language, I would recommend reading how native speakers express themselves when they speak; not just when they write. Listening can sometimes go too fast for students to notice empty fillers, paraphrasing...all those things that make you sound more natural.

Here is a collection of links to find online interviews. Some include audio. You may find your favourite actor or actress there:

http://fceblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/reading-interviews-and-online.html

fceblog
http://fceblog.blogspot.com