Learning By Listening And Answering Questions,Only

[BKKstan]

I have recently purchased an english learning program to enhance my daughters English skills!My first impressions are very favorable!It is not about memorizing words,rules of grammar or critical examination.It is a repetitive listeningwith a focus on answering well presented reinforcing questions as quick as possible from enjoyable short mini-stories.Recommended listening and answering 4x a day for 30 minutes each time for a week on each individual mini-story or more if needed.No pressure to be perfect or learn at the same pace as someone else,no concern about mistakes etc.

I am absolutely no expert in the English language or its teaching.But I have noticed that most Thai students do not retain much English from the multitude of classes that they have throughout their elementary and secondary schooling!My first thought about this is that those that have an interest in learning English, are not provided enough practice time to ''live in the language''!Second thought is that the study of grammar presented mostly by Thai Teachers is to difficult,boring and possibly presented poorly.but even those that might grasp some of it,speak in a non-natural conversational way as they learn mainly through reading!

It is interesting to note that very young children that are unable to read English or understand instructions relating to grammar are the quickest learners!Obviously they learn from listening and practicing conversations,not reading and writing and studying instructions.So litening to fun conversations,answering simple questions seems to me a very good way to learn!

I was wondering if some of you teachers have any thoughts,experience or comments about this type of teaching?

[Scott]

Repetition, repetition, repetition--it's the best way to learn. Then practice, practice, practice.

Try to make sure she doesn't get too bored or turned off by it. Some parents push their children too much.

[Phatcharanan]

Its learning by 'rote'.

Nothing wrong with that of course..........unless you wish the children to become independent learners or critical thinkers.

[Gonsalviz]

You cannot learn to speak English (or any other language)from someone that cannot speak English. Some Thais Will not speak English because they know they speak wrong.

[housepainter]

For an absolute beginner start with the simple 'I am + name.' You can grasp questions: Is he + name. Negatives: No, he isn't.

If you then think about naturally expanding the language you would add: he/she we they. The verb will change: is / are.

Next work on tense: you have the present simple - I am, add the past: was / were.

The name can't change so add a task. 'Today I am ....' but 'Yesterday, I was.

All of this is teaching the basics to an absolute beginner without any mention of grammar.

The conversation is by repetiton and modelling - you give examples to start off.

It's all actually rationally progressive, so think what you'd need or like to add next.

Don't over correct. Teach what's in front of you. Don't get side tracked or respond tangentially to the student.

Remain focussed.

To do this needs a patient, calm manner. It does not need a teaching qualification - believe me.

You'd be surprised what an hour a day can achieve. Time it and stop it. If the moods wrong then don't start it.

No pressure and your wife, partner or kids will hang with you.

Good luck!

[BKKstan]

For an absolute beginner start with the simple 'I am + name.' You can grasp questions: Is he + name. Negatives: No, he isn't.

If you then think about naturally expanding the language you would add: he/she we they. The verb will change: is / are.

Next work on tense: you have the present simple - I am, add the past: was / were.

The name can't change so add a task. 'Today I am ....' but 'Yesterday, I was.

All of this is teaching the basics to an absolute beginner without any mention of grammar.

The conversation is by repetiton and modelling - you give examples to start off.

It's all actually rationally progressive, so think what you'd need or like to add next.

Don't over correct. Teach what's in front of you. Don't get side tracked or respond tangentially to the student.

Remain focussed.

To do this needs a patient, calm manner. It does not need a teaching qualification - believe me.

You'd be surprised what an hour a day can achieve. Time it and stop it. If the moods wrong then don't start it.

No pressure and your wife, partner or kids will hang with you.

Good luck!

Neither my wife or daughter are complete beginners as we have been married over 10 years and I did teach them,early on, the alphabet,reading, writing,sounding of the letters,then syllables phonetically.I was a gruelling taskmaster w/o alot of patience at the time,relatively new ,arrogant and naieve and non-qualified as a teacher!

Looking back.I wish I had read and understood your post!It would have been much easier on all of us!Anyway,I muddled through,we all survived and we communicate in English relatively well,although neither of them qualify to learn at a university that teaches all courses in English!Since my daughters present goals are to major in English and migrate to America,we are preparing her for those goals.

All her ''buddies''are from school and they only speak Thai,so her English learning has waned as most of her talking is with her other teenage friends rather than her parents,a teenage phenomenum!It has become more difficult to keep her ''living in the language'' of English,which I am of the impression is needed to become fluent in the language(not having to translate everything)!So to keep her on task of studying and improving her English fluency,I have purchased a listening and answering program that she listens to repetitively 2-3 times a day for 30-60 minute sessions.It focuses on conversational English with the common idioms,contractions and verbal phrases in relatively short simple MP3 audio mini-stories of aproxiamately 2 minutes in length initially,then the same story is expanded to approx. 45 minutes with reinforcing amd simple comparative questions mixed in to be answered as quickly as possible.The goal being ''deep learning''fluency while expanding conversational vocabulary!

I am interested in feedback from others on this approach,which was my motive for posting this topic!

But,your response also interests me and I would like you to expand on it by sharing more information,if you don't mind?

I would like to know how long you have been using this method,the age of your pupils and some comparable results you have attained?Especially those results relative to fluency!

Thank you very much for your reply.

Edited December 13, 2010 by BKKstan

[housepainter]

For your own case I'd suggest you formalise certain key times of the day as periods when English is spoken. For example, if it is possible to have a joint traditional meal time; all members present and seated together.

The act of sharing food, distributing, enquiring, asking, explaining, helping, rejecting, adjusting can be accomplished in English. Also, the old task master you - can always withhold the food if there's not enough talk!

The simple turning of the pages of a newspaper can be a fountain of information. The present continuous tense [ verb to be + ing ] can be focussed upon in describing each picture. Past tense can be re-freshed by way of yesterday's paper being compared with today's updated story.

The point is that grammar remains descreet being acquired without being force fed rote learnt. The example above in brackets is for your benefit, whereas teaching some one should focus upon; question - what is she doing? Answer - She is reading. The grammar is perfect the need to understand why, is removed.

If your kids have grasped introducing themselves and being able to talk on a subject that is known and predictable, eg some thing about their own lives then they have the skills to build upon this. Also, if they have the ability to follow instructions, both written and verbal, that is, directions to a shop or how to use a micro wave, then they have acquired a further language skill. Finally, if you add the completing of forms, some kind of note taking meant for others, then you've just about covered all there is to a language. There are forms odf all kinds ready to be picked up every time we go anywhere. Collect a few and take them home. You've got instant reading for understanding before you ever get to filling one in.

A lot of fun can be had by leaving notes for each other around the house. It can be as light hearted in approach as that.

The next stage would be to simply build upon that.

You will hit the brick wall of not understanding and will have to introduce the target vocabulary. For example, specific words are needed for traffic situations; inter-section, crossing, fly-over, under-pass. That kind of terminology like idioms, has to be explained. But then the acquistion of such an expert vocabulary serves to advance the ability of the learner.

I'm not going to blow any trumpets on here so don't ask again.

I think again the less you say the better. Some of the glue may be missing in parts from what you hear but don't stop the flow in order to stick one bit correctly. Let it go.

I'd be wary of doing anything to death. Hence the amount of listening for understanding by way of machine. If you offer something live then it demands a response. the tape can be ignored. therefore, a few minutes of your own quality input can illicit the best response. Also, remember the dirth of ability found amongst Thais is due to their non use of the language.

Therefore, have them own it. Have them use it. The less you say the better.

Finally, at this time of year why not have them devise a Xmas family quiz to be given in English. Devise set topics, movies seen, places visited, things broken, etc etc and have them plan the questions, deliver the quiz, explain the procedure, award the points, settle disputes and declare the winners.

All living English. Alive, meaningful and fun. Moreover, not a whiff of school about it!