For my 20 time project, I decided to learn the language of Italian. I have to admit, there were times during this week that I felt that I was getting in over my head. I mean, a whole language! I've been speaking English for over 10 years and I still don't get it all, in fact, sometimes I even get lost in conversations. This commitment will surely test both my learning abilities and concentration.
One thing that I fear is mixing up Italian with Spanish, because of the vast similarities of the two languages. Nonetheless, I feel as though I had made pretty decent progress over just this one week. I speak at a very basic level and I am able to have short conversations with my dad. The fact that I have learned this much Italian, in just one week, the equivalent of, I would say, a good 5 solid years of classroom-taught Spanish (numbers, short phrases, etc.), really makes me question the education system.
This upcoming week, I hope to improve on my success and learn even more.
Interesting thought on the education system. How would it work better for students to learn a language?
ReplyDeleteInteresting thought on the education system. How would it work better for students to learn a language?
ReplyDeleteI think that we are learning, languages especially, the wrong way. We learn better interactively versus a teacher just saying things. One way of learning anything efficiently is through picture. Throughout hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors have only needed to remember images- routes, people. etc.- our brain is hardwired to recognized images much easier than words. For example, what is easier- memorizing a phone number or the faces of a few people? We need to take advantage of this gift given to us.
DeleteI think that we are learning, languages especially, the wrong way. We learn better interactively versus a teacher just saying things. One way of learning anything efficiently is through picture. Throughout hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors have only needed to remember images- routes, people. etc.- our brain is hardwired to recognized images much easier than words. For example, what is easier- memorizing a phone number or the faces of a few people? We need to take advantage of this gift given to us.
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