Podcast Changes

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今日はEffortless Englishポッドキャストの変更をお知らせします。
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Podcast Changes　（Friday, April 20, 2007）

The Effortless English podcast will be changing over the next few weeks. I've decided to overhaul the format to make it more useful and interesting to students. When I originally started the podcast, I had mostly an audience of English teachers and very advanced English learners.

However, over the past several months, the podcast audience has grown a lot. Most people who listen to the podcast are English learners... and they are a mix of intermediate and advanced learners.

To help these learners, I will be doing more frequent podcasts. I hope to increase to about 4 per week. I will focus on two main points: 1. Casual conversational English and 2. Motivation and Learning methods.

I'll probably do about 3 conversation lessons per week-- each focusing on slang, idioms, and real "street" English. I'll introduce a new word or phrase, explain it, help you pronounce it, and then tell a very short mini-story to help you learn how to use it.

In addition, each week I'll continue to do one podcast focused on motivation, inspiration, and learning methods. Motivation is very important. I know its easy to get tired, or to lose your energy and enthusiasm for English. I'll encourage you and help you keep that motivation high!



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THE CHILD'S SECRET

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今日はEffortless English（Sunday, March 21, 2004）よりTHE CHILD'S SECRETをお届けします。

THE CHILD'S SECRET Sunday, March 21, 2004 By Dr. J. Marvin Brown

It is common knowledge that when people move to a new country the children will end up speaking the language natively and the adults won't. The widely accepted explanation is that children have a special 'gift' that they lose as they grow up. Even with the coming of the age of science this 'gift' theory went unquestioned, and early linguists thought some special remedy was needed. They proposed that, for adults, languages should be taught and studied instead of picked up. And this idea slowly evolved into present day language teaching.

But are we any better off with present day language teaching? Why, for example, do adults in Central Africa clearly do better when they move to a new language community than our modern students do? Could it be that early linguists (and all the rest of us) were mistaken? Maybe adults can do what children do. Maybe it's just typical adult behavior (not adult inadequacy) that interferes.

THE MISTAKE – Children can do something that adults cannot.

THE UNASKED QUESTION – What would happen if an adult were to just listen for a year without speaking?

OUR ANSWER – Both adults and children can do it right, but only adults can do it wrong.

It seems that the difference between adults and children is not that adults have lost the ability to do it right, (that is, to pick up languages natively by listening) but that children haven't yet gained the ability to do it wrong (that is, to spoil it all with contrived speaking). We're suggesting that it's this contrived speaking (consciously thinking up one's sentences – whether it be with translations, rules, substitutions, expansions, or any other kind of thinking,) that damages adults, even when the sentences come out right). We're also suggesting that natural speaking (speaking that comes by itself) won't cause damage (not even when it's wrong). It seems that the harm doesn't come from being wrong but from thinking things up.

What we're suggesting is this: The reason that children always end up as native speakers is because they learn to speak by listening. And the reason that adults don't is because they learn to speak by speaking.

By AJ Hoge

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With Speaking, Be Patient

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いつもブログを読んでいただき、ありがとうございます！
今日はEffortless English（Saturday, December 30, 2006）より抜粋してお届けします。

With Speaking, Be Patient

I still do not speak Russian with anyone and have no real desire to do so. I guess I would summarize my philosophy as follows; until I can read and listen to a novel, news programs and recorded conversations in Russian and enjoy doing so, I have no desire to speak with anyone. I might be extreme but I feel there is so much I can do on my own to improve in the language, I am not sure that stumbling around in a conversation at this stage in my learning would really help me. I think the same is true for English learning.


--Steve Kaufman of The Linguist (Learn English With The Linguist)

The above quote is from Steve's blog. It comes at a great time for me. As I mentioned previously, I have just restarted Spanish study after a two and a half month break.

The most discouraging part of my Spanish learning experience has been the pressure I get from other people to speak. Whenever someone knows I'm learning Spanish, they immediately want to know if I can speak... or they ask me to say something. If they are a Spanish speaker, they try to talk with me. Of course, they are being friendly and I do appreciate the chance to try out a bit of Spanish.

The problem isn't them, its me. Because whenever I have these encounters, I invariably feel frustrated. I can't say much and what I do say is stuttered and hesitant. Worse, I feel an immediate surge of stress when someone springs Spanish on me.

After such encounters, I feel my motivation drop. I begin to question myself. I start doubting. I think, "I'll never be fluent in this language. I don't really need it. I might as well give up."

Its easy to forget that speaking takes time. Speaking is something that naturally emerges after you have acquired a lot of the language through listening and reading. There is a lot of research about this, and I know that. But its still easy to get discouraged when you feel that your speaking ability hasn't kicked in yet. Its easy to think that nothing is happening.

Which is why I was so encouraged to see Steve's post. It reminds me that even Steve, who already speaks 9 languages, still waits for speaking to emerge. It reminds me to remain patient with speaking, and continue to focus on lots of input. Steve has the benefit of experience-- he's done this before so he knows, from personal experience, that it works. But some of us don't have that personal experience yet and therefore need periodic encouragement.

So remember Steve's advice: Before you can read a novel and enjoy a TV program in English, do not worry about speaking. You might need to speak sometimes, you might want to... and that's fine. But don't put any pressure on yourself in regards to speaking. Focus on input, input, and lots of input.

Be patient. Speaking will emerge naturally, without effort.


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Easier Is Better

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今日は４月１７日発行の無料のニュースレターより、Easier Is Betterをお届けします。

Easier Is Better

Many learners focus on difficult English. Perhaps teachers told you that you must read difficult articles to improve your English. Maybe teachers encouraged you to study very difficult grammar.

Well, they were wrong. They were wrong because research shows that the best way to become fluent is to focus on easier English. That's right, you will increase your vocabulary faster by reading and listening to easier English. You will improve your speaking and understanding faster by listening to easier English.

And the opposite is also true-- if you focus on very difficult English, you will learn MUCH more slowly. Your vocabulary, speaking fluency, and understanding will also improve much more slowly.

Research shows that the best way to improve quickly is to read and listen to easier English. What do I mean by "easier". Well, the general rule is that you should understand 90% or more of what you are reading or listening to. 95% is even better.

Dr Constantino, SY Lee, and KS Cho found that students who focused on easy reading had better TOEFL scores than students who focused on textbooks and traditional English classes. Research by Drs. Gradman and Hanania found exactly the same result.

The same is true of easier listening. Those students who focus on fun, easier listening speak better than students who study with textbooks and normal schools.

So what should you do? If you want to speak fluent English in 12 months, you should spend 1 hour a day listening to easier English. You should listen to the same thing many days, until you know it very well. You should choose English that is interesting to you. You should not need a dictionary to understand what you are listening to, or reading.

If you need a dictionary, it means its too difficult-- you should find something easier. Don't waste time with dictionaries. Instead, spend the entire 60 minutes just listening to English. Use that time well. Listen carefully, listen to easier English, and listen to things you enjoy.

That is the key to speaking English well.

Good luck!


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Remembering Naturally

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いつもブログを読んでいただき、ありがとうございます！
今日はAJのブログ（Sunday, April 15, 2007）からRemembering Naturallyをお届けします。
では、今日も楽しく英語にふれましょう！



Remembering Naturally
I have not studied or listened to Spanish for four months. Four months without any Spanish input.

In the past, when I studied languages with traditional methods, this kind of lapse happened all the time. Im a busy person. But more to the point, I tend to do things in spurts. Ill study hard for several months, then take a few months off. Its just the way I like to work.

When I used traditional language study methods, this was a disaster. After a 2 month break, I would forget most of what I had studied. I lost a lot of vocabulary. I lost a lot of listening comprehension. Usually, this discouraged me, and I would give up. I quit. I quit Spanish. I quit Japanese. I quit Italian.

But this time, I'm using a Listen First, Effortless method to learn Spanish. I don't study grammar rules. I don't memorize vocabulary lists in textbooks. In fact, I don't use textbooks.

Learning this way, I find that once I learn something, I keep it forever. I don't forget.

Today, after a 4 month break, I listened to about an hour of Spanish. I listened to some of my old audio files. I was happily shocked that I could still understand them very well. I hadn't forgotten. In fact, I was amazed at how easy it was to start again after such a long break.

This is very encouraging. By using an Effortless method, I know that when I learn something I really learn it. I will have it for the rest of my life. So even if I get busy, or take a long break, I will not go backwards. I will be able to start again at any time, and I'll immediately start at the level I had stopped at.

This makes language learning seem easier. I know I can do it in bite-size chunks... at my own pace.

All that time spent using textbooks is a waste, because you will forget most of what you study.

To learn and keep English for life, use a Listen First, Effortless method.


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Jmemorize

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いつもブログを読んでいただき、ありがとうございます！
今日はJmemorizeシステムについて紹介致します。


Jmemorize
Today I started using a vocabulary review program called Jmemorize.

Basically, its a computer flashcard system... but it schedules the review to maximize long term memory. Its a very simple program, but I find it useful.

Of course, I am not using it to review random lists of words. I always learn my Spanish vocabulary from articles and podcasts. Once I meet a word in a real context, I sometimes save it for later review.

To be honest, I've never liked doing vocabulary review. Usually I prefer to just listen to the article again as a way of reviewing.. instead of focusing on individual words.

But sometimes it can be helpful to review words or phrases that just aren't "sticking". For these, a program like Jmemorize is helpful. You can download Jmemorize for free at: http://www.jmemorize.org/


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TPR Storytelling

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いつもブログを読んでいただき、ありがとうございます！

今日はMini-Storiesで使われているTPR Storytellingについてご紹介します。Effortless EnglishのMini-StoriesはAJがストーリーを作り、その話を元にPoint of View Mini-Storiesでリスニングを通して文法を修得しようという試みです。昨日もご紹介しましたが、Point of View Mini-Storiesでは、同じ話を、現在、過去と過去完了、未来と時制を変えてゆき、その話を通して自然と文法を身につけらるようになっています。下記のTPR Storytellingに関連するAJのポッドキャストも参考にして下さい。では、今日も楽しく英語にふれましょう！

< TPR Storytellingに関連するAJのポッドキャスト >

Mon, 19 March 2007　Point of View Mini-Stories
Tue, 13 February 2007TPR & Listen First
Sun, 17 December 2006 Storytelling
Sun, 17 December 2006　Storytelling Mini-Story Example

By AJ Hoge

参考までに
TPRStories.comより

TPR Storytelling is a method for teaching foreign languages that was invented by Blaine Ray, a Spanish teacher in Bakersfield, California, in 1990. Concerned that his students were disinterested in the unexciting process of learning a language from a textbook, he began to use James Asher's Total Physical Response to teach Spanish. Asher says that students acquire their second languages as they acquired their first languages. Our students learn as babies learn. Therefore, we should not expect them to produce the language before they have had an ample amount of time to listen to it. Blaine experienced great success, and the students began to be excited about his class. Although TPR has been the most effective method for acquiring a second language since it was invented in the 1960s, Blaine found that after hitting the "TPR wall," he was unsure of what to do to move from the imperative to the narrative and descriptive modes of speech. He found that changing from commands to the third person singular allowed him to tell stories, a long-term memory technique. He found that asking the students to act out the parts of the characters in the stories preserved the highly effective physical element that had been so powerful in Classical TPR. As the technique was developed over the years, it became an all-encompassing method and methodology. The method combines Dr. James Asher's Total Physical Response (TPR) with Dr. Stephen Krashen's language acquisition strategies, allowing us to teach grammar, reading and writing along with vocabulary.

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