The clock starts ticking
Starting tomorrow morning you are going to practice English, Spanish, French or another foreign language. For the next 6 days, for 8 hours a day, you will work on grammar, pronunciation, watch videos and listen to audio materials. You will write short notes, shopping lists and play games in the target foreign language. All very well, BUT, within a week, is it really reasonable to think that you will be fluent in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Chinese or any other foreign language?
Of course, no.
Could you learn a lot?
Yes.
Could you handle key words and phrases?
Safe.
Could you carry on a very basic “conversation” with someone in the foreign language?
Maybe.
However, many language institutes and foreign language programs give prospective students the distinct impression that in 48 hours, a weekend or a week, they can “speak” the foreign language of their choice. This is misleading for students, but often quite profitable for the language institute or program directors.
How sad.
Learning any foreign language is not an easy, quick or simple matter. True mastery, if it is ever achieved at all, can take years of practice and hard work. This doesn’t have to be a dull, boring affair. Foreign language students can and should enjoy the most of the process. They must continually apply their ever-improving foreign language skills to converse with friends and neighbors, perform daily life tasks, interact with locals who speak the target language at work, shop, try a variety of foods, and generally , soak up the associated culture. with your target foreign language.
functional ability
When considering or continuing to learn a foreign language, you should not heed the outrageous claims of super-fast foreign language acquisition. Instead, focus on building functional ability.
You might think, for example, can you:
o Ask or give directions?
or Tell the time?
o Shop and haggle over purchased goods?
o Carry out a bank or other financial transaction?
Present yourself?
o Order food and drinks in a restaurant or on the street?
or Haggle with a street vendor?
or make “small talk” with a stranger?
By focusing on what you can do in the foreign language, you will change your view of your long-term acquisition vs. short-term progress, enjoying developing your skills along the way.
So, starting tomorrow morning, you are going to practice English, Spanish, French or another foreign language. For the next 6 days, for 8 hours a day, you will work on grammar, pronunciation, watch videos and listen to audio materials. You will write short notes, shopping lists and play games in the target foreign language. Only this time you will be concentrating on developing your functional skills, that is, what you will be able to do in your target language.
No, you can’t learn a foreign language in 48 hours, but you can take a few steps towards greater fluency.