Pivotal Book
Review
How To Learn Any
Language:
Quickly, Easily,
Inexpensively,
Enjoyably and on
Your Own
 |
by
Barry
Farber |
This book describes the
following:
·
How the
author came
to be fluent
in 18
languages
·
The system
that the
author uses
to learn
languages
The author also describes the relationships and quirks of
many
languages in
the world,
and provides
an
abbreviated
grammar
primer.
His main themes are:
·
The
traditional
high school
and college
approaches
to learning
language are
ineffective
·
A
systematic,
multi-pronged
approach to
learning
languages is
effective
à
Practicing a
target
language in
every spare
moment
brings
language
mastery
He makes the
point that
there is no
magic way to
learn a
language.
You have to
work at it
and dedicate
yourself.
The
study of a
language
needs
consistency,
and resolve;
plus the
ingenuity to
fill every
spare moment
with study.
The key to making quick progress is by creating and
maintaining
momentum.
Barry Farber
also
mentions the
importance
of
developing
the right
accent.
The author’s system pieces
together a
textbook,
grammar
book, phrase
book,
dictionary,
cassette
program,
flashcards
and a
newspaper to
develop a
sustained
focus for
learning a
language.
One chapter
deals with
clever
mnemonic
devices for
memorizing
new words.
Example:
I've
remembered
that 'kar
lo' means
'he is cold'
in Hebrew by
imagining my
friend Carlo
shivering.
The more
far-fetched,
the better,
probably.
[From the
Classroom
Toolkit]
The author demonstrates a passion for learning languages
that
inspires
learners of
any content
area. The
author's
philosophy
of 1.) using
every method
and modality
of learning,
2.) finding
connections
between what
is already
known, 3.)
using every
spare moment
for learning
and 4.)
measuring
progress
provide a
model for
all types of
learning.
Teachers that show their students how to make use of the
personal
learning
styles for
learning
practice
will provide
their
students
with a
life-long
learning
skill.
This book is
available from
Amazon
|
List Price:$12.95
You pay:
$10.80
|
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