How to Learn a Language Fast: Defining Fluency Goals

How To Form The Progressive Tense In Spanish or Gerunds In The Spanish Language

This lesson covers how to form the progressive tense in Spanish or how to form gerunds in the Spanish language. A gerund in English is when we add an "ing" to a verb. For example, "I went dancing" or "I am reading."

In Spanish, the Gerund is used in many of the same instances it is used in English, but sometimes in Spanish we used the infinitive of a verb instead. For example "I love dancing/ Amo bailar." As you can see in this example, in English we use the Gerund (dancing) but in Spanish we use the infinitive (bailar).

Let's look at some more examples of when we have to use Gerund in Spanish.

When we are speaking about an action in process:

"Los empleados est?n trabajando en la oficina en este momento". (The employees are working in the office in this moment)
"Me estaba duchando cuando se cort? el agua". (I was taking a shower when the water stopped.)
It is also possible to use it in the Preterite tense. In this case, the gerund put emphasis on the action.
"Ayer estuve limpiando la casa todo el d?a". (Yesterday I was cleaning the house all day.)
We use gerunds when we are speaking about manner or mood.
"Juan pas? el examen estudiando mucho". (Juan passed the exam by studying hard)
"Voy a la escuela caminando todos los d?as". (I walk to school every day)

Also, we use gerund with conditions:

"Haciendo ejercicio, bajar?s de peso". (Doing exercise, you will lose weight)
"Ahorrando dinero, podremos ir a Europa". (Saving money, we will go to Europe)
With simultaneous Actions:
"Estudio tomando mate" (I study while drinking mate)
"Ellas trabajan escuchando la radio". (They work listening the radio)

We can also use it to speak about Time Duration (with "Llevar"):

"Llevo d?as pensando en ese problema" (I have been thinking for days about that problem)
"Anita lleva 5 meses comiendo verduras". (Anita has been eating vegetables for 5 months)

As you can see, the use of "Gerundio" in Spanish is similar to its use in English, but with some notable instances where it is used differently. Hopefully this exercise will help you utilize the use of gerundio in Spanish more effectively. Remember to practice whenever you can.

Some other tools that I recommend for the serious student of the Spanish language are Breaking Out of Beginner Spanish (available at Amazon.com) and the Verbarrator software which covers conjugating Spanish verbs in all of the various tenses including the progressive tense or gerunds.

Spanish Language Learning and Commitment

The challenge of learning a new language such as Spanish for example coupled with the necessary continuing motivation can be overwhelming at times.

One first step is to commit to commitment and find a way to organise your time, develop a strategy to find time to enjoy your Spanish language learning.

You will notice encouraging progress with your Spanish language skills, let us not look at the months ahead but at the weekly and monthly progress and concentrate on the latter. Your weekly lesson and relevant homework will form the basis of your achievement.

Additional help for the right frame of mind comes from keeping your goals and potential benefits in mind.

If you have bought a property in Spain for example think how much more you will get from the locals by conversing in their language. You may also enjoy new prospects such as increased income through learning the Spanish language. At work your new language can be put to use for business purposes if your firm deals with international companies. If they do not yet do so you may suggest that they start and you then become a more valuable asset to your employer.

Multilingualism is no longer a luxury whereby we learn another language being motivated by cultural interest. Multilingualism is now a necessity. The Spanish language is now the second most widely spoken language in the world. Spanish is one of the six official languages spoken at the United Nations.

You will need to look forward to possibilities such as a visit to the country where the language you are learning is spoken. Being able to communicate without any need for an intermediary.

If you remain unsure about your weekly or monthly commitment to learning a new language you may think in terms of taking an examination. You will then have a date and a time frame, this highly increase motivation. However, you will be tired and tempted to procrastinate at times you may even think in terms of impossibility. No impossibility is not a fact but an opinion.

You will find or discover that as you get motivated and organised with learning your new Spanish language, other aspects of your life will improve too when you apply the very same commitment, it is habit forming.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

~ Aristotle ~

"If you have the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed."
~ David Viscott ~

Armed with a definite purpose, a desire to achieve, we then do what is necessary and possible leading inevitably to gratification and success. We then become bilingual at least. We then speak Spanish.

Crazy About Spanish? - Study With Learning Spanish Like Crazy

Spanish is a beautifully romantic language that is not only the second most widely spoken language in the world, but it is also a language that is relatively easy to learn and master for anybody. Learning this language these days is easy as you certainly have a co-worker or a fellow student whose native language is Spanish that you can practice with. Spanish is also the third commonly used language on the Internet.

There are endless number of reasons why you want to learn this particular language, but if you want to succeed quickly and easily while having fun too, make sure you buy a great learning Spanish software like Learning Spanish Like Crazy and practice every day regularly. You will master this easy to learn language in no time.

Learning the Spanish language has never been easier. More and more tools and software programs are at your disposal. Learning online gives you many benefits: you can learn whenever you want and wherever you want. This way of learning is a great solution for people who have less time and money to spend. You do not have to take part in expensive classes following a strict schedule and studying with a few other people together. Learning Spanish Like Crazy is a great, intuitive product that makes learning Spanish easy and fun.

Learning Spanish Like Crazy is a software program that will help you learn to speak Spanish quickly and effectively, even if you have no prior knowledge of the language. It's an absolutely great product for those who enjoy learning through video and audio, and want to watch an engaging woman who knows the language and knows how to teach you quickly and easily. I believe that this language program is perfectly suited for individuals who prefer to listen and watch than to read long printed materials or references for instructions.

The Learning Spanish Like Crazy program gives you the full benefits of learning a second language in the comforts of your own home and in your own preferred time. This is a completely audio based system with 30 lessons per volume that is using everyday spoken Latin American Spanish. By using this software you won't have to memorize words and phrases individually, instead you will learn useful and practical speaking techniques that is going to help you to learn this language. The conversations you will learn a real everyday life situations that you can use right after you learned them.

Business English - Don't Neglect The Business Element

If you needed some dental work done, you wouldn't go to an automobile mechanic. This conclusion is so self-evident that it seems like a ridiculous one to make. Nevertheless, thousands of individuals in need of Business English training do something as ridiculous and end up wasting their time and their money.

The fact is that many of the English schools that offer training employ teachers/trainers who have absolutely none or very little real experience in the corporate world. Often the trainers that work in these schools, many of which are huge chains with offices throughout China, hire individuals that have never and will never be able to hold down a decent corporate position in their home country. Neither have they experience in running their own enterprise.

Yet, it is common for the big corporate English chains to promote these types of individuals as skilled Business English trainers, and they do this by fabricating the profiles of their trainers. Yes, they actually lie about the backgrounds of their trainers. However, do you really want to spend your money paying for a Business English trainer who has no business experience? That's not something I would settle for, and it isn't something you should settle for either!

If you're going to invest your valuable time and money on Business English training, then you should not just be provided with a trainer whose mother tongue is English, you should also be provided with a trainer who has real experience working in a corporate environment or has experience running their own company.

This is invaluable in not just helping you improve your English speaking, listening, and writing skills, but also in helping you to sharpen up on your business skills at the same time. Why would you settle for anything less?

All Business English trainers should have rich backgrounds and real experience in a variety of fields. When you choose a Business English training company you should be confident you are going to be learning from a highly competent and professional individual.

Unfortunately, many of the large English training franchises employ backpackers and fresh university graduates who have no business savvy or experience. These are just the types of trainers you do not want to spend your money on.

Business English training is a big investment of your time and money. Only choose a company that employs highly qualified and professional trainers. Remember, don't neglect the business element.

How to Find Audio Translation Services

Finding a good translator can be difficult, especially if you do not know where to look. Audio translation services are somewhat rare depending on where you are located. The first thing that you need to do when you are preparing to contact someone about getting a piece of audio translated is to make sure that your audio is clear enough to translate. After you have done this you can begin to search for a translator.

The best place to find a translator is at a university or other establishment that has professionals that are fluent in the language you are trying to translate. Generally at a university you can find professors that will be willing to help you translate a piece of audio. You should not approach them, however, thinking that you will get a free translation. In some cases the professional will translate just for the love of it but in other cases you will be required to pay a fee for your translation.

If you choose to find another means of translation you can try looking on the internet for language experts that offer their services. Sometimes you can find experts in your area that offer audio translation services. In other instances you may be required to mail your audio file either in email or snail mail to the expert. If you are doing this you may want to make a back up copy to insure that nothing happens to your media. If you are doing this you will most certainly incur a fee unless, again, you find someone through personal connections or other means that simply loves to translate.

The cost depends on the length of the recording, how clear it is, how quickly it can be translated, and how easily it can be translated. In other words, there are some places that offer a base fee but it will likely come down to the recording itself that determines cost.

A short clip may cost as little as $100 or so while a longer clip can get into the hundreds. Finding dependable audio translation services is key. You can find just about anyone who thinks they can translate but you need to make sure that you check references and reviews before entrusting your money and project to just anyone.

Generally a translation can take as little as a day to have done or longer. Again it depends on the audio that is being translated. If you are looking for translation services make sure that you check all your options and find the best translator.

Ways You Can Use To Learn Spanish

A decision to learn Spanish can be a great addition to your overall lifestyle as time goes on. Regardless of if you are interested because you need it for school, work, or even because you are just interested in another culture, you will discover that this is a very fulfilling choice. The info listed here are some suggestions that you can use to help you with learning the language to the best of your abilities.

What's your personal learning style?

It's a good idea to take an interest in understanding what your personal learning style is. This will help you to be able to study your languages easier than you may be able to believe at first. When you are able to find out what your most dominant learning style is, you will be able to have a clearer focus on ways that you can use to help you with studying anything that you want to know.

Learn Online
You can generally get information about the learning styles via online tools. You will find that there are some short quizzes and tests which will be able to give you information about the styles that help you understand and remember the best. This information will be a great help to you overall because it will allow you to be able to understand how you can memorize things more easily.

Learning Spanish Visually
People with visual learning styles should take an interest in programs that can stimulate them in a visual manner. Options such as reading, using flashcards, and other unique methods will be able to capture the attention of the individual. If the subject is more interesting in terms of visual notions, it will be easier for you to remember what you have studied during that time.

Learning Spanish With Audio
If you find that you are able to remember easier in terms of what you have heard instead, you should find methods that will allow you to listen. Think about using audio book programs to assist you with learning pronunciations or sentences. You can also use things such as music, television, and conversations to help you gain more vocabulary usage overall.

Learn Spanish - Hands On!
If you are able to learn more by using a hands on method, there are also options. Think about using a program that will help you to be more involved and interactive while you are studying. You should look at options such as computer software or various other methods that will engage you in a unique manner when you are studying your language.

When you are able to find some interesting methods that will be able to challenge you and gain your interest, you will be able to memorize the language easier. People who have a difficult time learning a language are generally not using the right methods to help them memorize what they need to know. If you have been having a harder time studying lately, you should consider which methods that you are currently using.

Overall, it isn't a difficult task finding out how to learn Spanish in your spare time as long as you use the right methods. You will probably have to try many different styles before you find an option that will work the best for you. If you continue to practice and use your vocabulary often, you should have no problem learning the language fluently. Vocabulary audio is what helps me the most.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Troyer

Key Things to Consider When Choosing An English School To Study At

At some point in nearly everybody's life comes a time when studying or working in another country pops into one's head. This is common practice throughout the world and is a move that can bring much happiness in success.

Whilst moving temporarily or indefinitely to another country is appealing, the idea of taking your belongings to a country that speaks a foreign language is one that is slightly more challenging and one that might require a little more thought.

Many people choose New Zealand as their preferred destination, being that the climate is comfortable, the people are friendly, quality of life is excellent and opportunities are wide spread.

However, before you head over there you'll want to track down an English school in the town or city you'd like to move to. Deciding where to head to will often come down to your lifestyle preferences, people you know, accessibility and being able to find the best quality institute to carry out your English studies.

Perhaps the best place to learn your new second language is Auckland. The "City of Sails" is by far the biggest city in New Zealand and a city that is very welcoming when it comes to immigrants. If you decide to stay on in Auckland after the completion of your studies, then you can rest easy knowing that there are plenty of opportunities available to you.

Knowing which English school to select is of huge importance. You need to do your research and find out several things, such as the quality of lecturers, surrounding facilities, number of students, costs, nearby accommodation and the overall reputation of that institute.

You'll also need to establish the date your course commences, how intense it is likely to be, how many breaks you'll get and when it finishes. A sign of a quality institute that offers English as a second language is one that has a range of varying levels. Basic, specialised intensive, specialised super intensive and one-to-one are all options open to you.

Auckland is rich in culture, meaning you are likely to be among many different nationalities at your new English school. Who knows, you may end up meeting someone from your home town or city, or even your local neighbourhood. Either way, you can be confident that Auckland will make your transition very comfortable and easy.

If possible, you should try to live with someone that speaks English. This will enable you to pick up the language and get to know Auckland so much quicker.

Tools That Are Available To Those Who Want To Learn Spanish

For those who work as a professional find that there is a greater need to learn Spanish. For instance there are quite a few jobs that have as a requirement that the candidates who are trying to fill them be bilingual. Some though discover following an attempt to learn that it is not an easy task to accomplish. This is especially true for those who have difficulty when it comes to memorization of vocabulary, tense, forms of words, and sentence structure.

There are many online exercises and other resources that are available to help in in the learning process. One such exercise that is available are the drills one can practice for learning correct verb choices. Thus one can gain the confidence in their skills for speaking the right forms to participate in many every day conversations.

One other exercise that is offered online for many of the same outlets is what can be used to build one's vocabulary. There are tests a person can take at certain intervals to accurately assess what level one is at while acquiring understanding in regards to the meaning of words. Thus allowing one a chance to discover their weak points and be able to take steps to strengthen them.

Another resource that is available in one's quest to learn Spanish is prerecorded video. An individual will be able to see and hear the correct way to string words together in a sentence, the correct pronunciation of some difficult words, and in what context they should be used. Thus allowing a body to be able to at least answer simple questions in the language in less time than they may have thought possible.

Television is also an excellent source for learning another language. All one need do is turn to a channel that features programming whose principles speak in that tongue and carefully listen while watching the visual cues to figure out what it is they are saying. In this way one will be able to get an idea about how the vocabulary one is learning is used in every day situations.

Another learning tool that one can acquire is an audio recording or two. They can be listened to almost anywhere there is an available player such as on the drive to work or in the home. Thus on can have practice in learning meaning, proper grammar, and in perfecting one's pronunciation.

One other important aspect of language learning that one must consider is the cultural context. One must take the time to understand the history of the region of the world where it originates because of the fact that the meaning of words are greatly impacted by such things. Thus if one does not bother themselves to try and understand who they really are talking to then they really could not be as fluent in the language as they would hope they would be.

If one wishes to learn Spanish words there are many tools available to help a person in that endeavor. True fluency though may only be possible if one can somehow immerse themselves in the culture of origin for a while. Thus a Spanish language course will be able to have a much better grasp of such things as slang, inside jokes, and those words that are said in polite company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Troyer

Three Essential Things One Must Know for Learning French Easy

Learning French easy is not as demanding as many think. To realize fluency in language takes several months or years of training, but to master French to the level to have the ability to engage in essential conversations isn't difficult at all. In fact, follow easy rules and you may be surprised how fast your learning goes and speaking confidence increases.

Make mistakes

The simplest way to learn French is to create millions of mistakes. The confidence in languages is accomplished not by sitting in the class rooms but by practicing it as often as you can in authentic life environment. Where to start and how to do it?

First of all, assume a mental point of view that you are going to make mistakes, actually loads of them. Make it your objective to screw up as often as possible. Unmistakably invite friends to fix you and reward them with praise once they take notice of you saying nonsense, principally the little understandable mistakes.

'An expert is a man who has made the whole set of mistakes which can be made, in a narrow field', said physicist Niels Bohr.

Don't waste your energy learning too many words.

To learn how to speak French really fast, stick with essential words. Make a list of nouns, verbs, and adjectives which have to do with your needs. Also, be sure you know basic numbers and colors.

There is no difficulty to create a list of your words in English and make use of any of freely accessible internet tools to get the French translation. Google it up and you may be surprised how many free English to French translation sites you will find.

The next step is to put in these words into English sentences and describe what you do, notice or think. As an example,: 'It is a rouge apple' or 'This is my chien '. Without doubt utilizing French terms into context you will memorize them a great deal better.

The same principle of Less is More applies to grammar.

Study just a few French conjugations for primarily first-person singular or 'I' plus second-person singular or ' You' in the past, present, and future tenses, with everyday phrases that illustrate them. Besides, learn a basic French sentence structure.

Keep in mind, don't put off. Even those easy methods as listening for 10 minutes each day to French audio lesson or singing along the easy song might help you getting familiar with the sound of the language which in time settle into your long term memory.

The next stage to really make learning French easy and fast is to obtain high quality French language software. This can add steroids into your language mastering. There are many engaging French language programs available that should keep you motivated for the long run.

Critical issue to keep in mind prior to spending hundreds of dollars for learn French software, be certain that you inspect other options that offer the same content and the quality (and often better) for considerably less cost. Understand which features to look for, and you will easy locate the good as well as comprehensive French language course.

Three Major Benefits Of Interpretation Services

Interpretation services make life easier for all the people requiring translations thanks to the skilled people proficient in another language. Many people living or visiting here do not speak and comprehend English, local procedures or common documents. Businesses have offices or relationships in foreign countries and need assistance with communications. Interpreters able to assist in this arena are well-paid for their communication efforts.

Immigrants in particular encounter communication problems in their new country. Because many families who have migrated to the United States continue to use their native language at home, even first and second generation Americans have trouble translating information from English to their native tongue. Many times literal translations do not convey the meaning.

These problems exist in all areas of life. Doctors and hospitals need interpretation services to make sure they have accurate information on the patient, understand what the problem is and that the patient understands the treatment given. Court systems require a translator any time a witness or a person charged with a crime is unable to comprehend and answer questions. Even registering a school-age child requires filling out complex forms and providing necessary information like birth dates and vaccination records. Buying or selling real estate, signing legal documents and making appearances in county, state and federal offices are terrifying for anyone unable to understand what is happening and why.

Conducting business and purchasing property in foreign countries is a common way of life. Hiring an interpreter to read, explain and draft documents in another language is a common sense safeguard. A person fluent in that language can warn companies of commonly used American words carrying negative meanings and rewrite business phrases to simplify communications. Having someone able to translate legal documents reduces expensive mistakes.

Anyone fluent in a foreign language has a very marketable skill. With the amount of world travel, even hotels and resorts benefit from having translators in all languages available. If a visitor from Saudi Arabia, Spain or France has a medical emergency, someone speaking that language can be called. Enterprising people with different language skills could form a service. All kinds of requests could be handled with one call, from handling a traffic ticket for a visitor from Rome to explaining the tipping expectation when dining out to a group of Chinese businessmen.

As people visit different countries, move to foreign locations and conduct business around the world, interpretation services become more valuable. Anyone fluent in a second language has marketable skills and can be well-paid for helping individuals and businesses through life and life's issues. Finding a niche is easy as translators can work with people or paper. If they want to work with people, they can be an interpretor. If they want to work with paper, they can easily find work as a document translator.

Benefits of Learning Italian

ITALIAN

Benefits of Studying Italian for Australian High School Students

There are many good reasons for studying Italian. It is derived from Latin, and to a large extent, so is English. Knowledge of Italian actually improves one's understanding of English. In many respects Italian is very similar to English and is the easiest language for an English speaker to learn.

Many English words relate back to Italian. For example, the English word 'dormant' relates to the Italian 'dormire' (to sleep). Likewise 'feign' relates to 'fingere' (to pretend). Another example is 'renal' which relates to 'rene' (kidney). Students of Italian can often deduce the meaning of more complex English words, such as 'augment' - 'aumentare' is an Italian verb which means 'to increase'.

Italian is a phonetic language which means you write it as you say it. Italian is one of the romance languages and so is melodic as well as easy to pronounce. Best of all, studying Italian for the HSC results in credit points for many University Bachelor degrees!

Italy and Australia

Italians and Australians share a common love of independence and sport and tend to be very adaptive. Italian is the second most spoken language in Australia after English with over 850,000 persons claiming Italian ancestry. There are significant trade ties between Italy and Australia. Australia imports annually over $5,000,000,000 from Italy and exports over $1,500,000,000 to Italy. The mutual attraction of each country resulted in 660,000 Australians visiting Italy last year and an ever increasing number of young Italians visiting Australia, especially Cairns, Alice Springs, Sydney and Melbourne.

Special Attraction of Learning Italian

So many aspects of our daily lives in Australia have been influenced by Italian style or products. One thinks of fashion and designers such as Armani, Fendi, Gucci, Prada, Valentino and Versace and fragrances such as Bulgari. We all like to admire sports cars such as Alfa Romeo, Ferrari and Lamborghini. We take for granted the Italian penchant for coffee, mineral water, gelato and everyday dishes such as focaccia, panini, pasta, polenta and risotto. Our acceptance of wine is very largely a result of the Italian influence.

Knowledge of Italian is extremely useful for intending students of law and medicine. It is mandatory for students of music and opera. Italian is a most appropriate language for Catholic school students. After all, the official language of the Vatican City is Italian and the Pope is expected to communicate in Italian.

Finally, Italian is a fun language to learn and use; be it in Australia or overseas, especially in Italy! It is well worth considering the many benefits of studying this beautiful language.

How To Speak Proper English

If you are unable to speak English and wish to learn the most famous language in the world, there are several ways by which you can do so. When learning the English language, the first thing that you must understand is that the accent of a person cannot be altered. However, if you are undertaking an English learning course, it would really speed up the English learning curve. But, it is not necessary to opt for a learning course for the English language, because there are alternate ways of learning this famed language as well.

If you wish to learn by yourself, the first thing that you need to buy is a good dictionary. If you have never ever tried to learn the English language, it is important that you properly go over the English language dictionary. It would be a much better decision to buy a dictionary that has pronunciations in it as well, as this would help in setting up your accent and making it much easier for you to learn this language easily. Pronunciations would also help in eliminating a heavy accent, as it would make it much easier to go over different words that are difficult to pronounce.

You can also learn English language online, because there are several courses that allow a person to learn this language with ease. There are several different 'how to speak English fluently' courses that are available online, some of which are even free as well. However, the effectiveness of free courses cannot be judged properly because they might not include detailed information that might be otherwise included in paid courses. If you are seriously interested in learning this language, then the first thing you should look for is a proper institute that actually teaches English language properly.

Variation of accents while speaking English

In order to assess whether an institute is good or not, you must check whether the tutors that are teaching English language are good teachers. If you are from another language speaking nation altogether, you would have an accent as well. And, depending on the language that you use, your accent might vary from being a very thick one or a slight one. For instance, Germans have a different accent as compared to the Portuguese, because their languages are different, which affects their speaking capabilities.

Some English learning institutes also offer accent reduction courses as well, and depending on the need for which you are learning the English language, the need for reducing your accent might vary as well. For instance, if you have applied in a firm and the usage of English is considered a prerequisite, then you must try to reduce your accent and make it much better so that it is easily comprehensible by other listeners. Taking English learning courses might also help in fixing your grammar and may also improve your writing skills, as most of the people are unable to fix their grammatical errors and mistakes and unless they are able to properly learn the language, getting rid of such errors is very difficult.

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ESL Children - Advantages to Teaching Your Child English

Whatever your motivation, cultural heritage or just wanting your child to enjoy the benefits other ESL children do, teaching your child English will provide them with advantages that will last for the rest of their lives.

Here are a few of the main benefits to teaching your child English:

Your child will have amazing opportunities when it comes to their career, education and social experiences like travelling. So many paths will be open to them for speaking English, it is almost unimaginable.Cultural awareness - You are teaching your child great things about cultural diversity and through teaching them to speak English, you are giving them great insight into other cultures around the world. Whether this is connected to their own heritage, or you just want to give them a better start in life, this experience will be fantastic for your child.Children who speak multiple languages have been shown to score far better on verbal and non verbal tests than their monolingual (single language) contemporaries. This coves a whole range of areas: communication, lateral and logical thinking, even multi-tasking! Teaching a child another language makes them more creative with all languages and gives them a flexibility they would not have otherwise.

So why is every parent not doing this and why is your school system not giving you better opportunities?

Well, many parents have fears that by teaching their child a second language they maybe holding their child back during the most important years of their development - early childhood. An often told figure is that ESL children are 7 years behind their monolingual counterparts when it comes to schooling. I understand that this seems pretty scary to parents and if you believe this figure, it's a big risk to take. You may also fear that your child will be embarrassed at school by their inability to keep up.

The great news is, this isn't true! If you teach your child English from birth, you can expect a 3-6 month delay in the time it takes for your child to learn to speak. New studies have been done that show the development of your child will be hardly affected at all. They have also found out the bilingual children tend to accelerate beyond children that only speak one language pretty quickly. Children that speak two languages score better in verbal and non-verbal tests. This includes areas like mathematics, communication and logical thinking. So, rather than delaying your child's development, you are actually giving them a spring board for greater learning!

These benefits also continue for the rest of your child's life. MRI scans used during studies of bilingual in comparison to monolingual children and adults have shown that bilingual people actually use a different part of their brain for every language. As your brain is a muscle, bilingual people are giving their brain a better life long work out. This is shown in the fact that bilingual adults actually score better in intelligence tests than those that speak only one language. Another great fact is that speaking multiple languages actually delays conditions like dementia for years!

So give your child the best opportunities. Start teaching them at home and enroll them in a program for ESL children as soon as you can. The mental, social, economic and health benefits are out of this world!

How To Learn French Quickly And Easily

When I went on holiday to France in the summer of 2008, I had to learn some French quickly. My old neighbours from Gloucestershire, England had recently emigrated to the LOT region in the south-west of France, and had invited me over to stay with them for the whole of July. Great! But I could not speak a word of the language... I had heard that the French people have a reputation of intolerance for visitors who would not even TRY to speak their language, so I was determined to learn a few words. Well, it was already June, so I had just three weeks to go. I had to pull something out of the bag...

After poking around on the internet for a while I decided that a course by Michel Thomas looked like the best bet. He had created a course on CD, called simply 'French'. So I then looked on Ebay and found several pre-owned copies were available. A few clicks later, and my CDs were in the post. My package arrived two days later, in perfect condition. I had chosen the deluxe edition, which consists of eight CDs. The first two form the introductory course, and are also offered as a very useful stand-alone product, with the remaining six CDs going into greater detail. Michel has devised his own system of language learning in which he asserts that it is the responsibility of the teacher to convey knowledge, as opposed to the student having responsibility to learn. He stresses the importance of not trying to remember words and phrases, but instead we must 're-member' or re-construct those words in English that actually come from French. Early on, Michel quotes Alexander Dumas' observation "But English is all French, merely badly pronounced!" He also imparts that the backbone of a language is its verbs, going on to say that there are some 2000 verbs in French that have exactly the same meaning and spelling as their English equivalents.

The pace of learning is relaxed, but rapid. Michel's method involves himself talking informally to two students. At all times, he insists that the students must not try to remember French vocabulary, but rather they must convert, or 're-construct' the English words back into French. The method is simple. Michel asks a question, and the students must then reply in French. Our part, as listeners, is to join in with the students, pausing the CD as necessary so that we give our own answers first. The questions and answers become more complex as the course progresses, and we find ourselves speaking more and more French, apparently having learned the phrases automatically!

The course subtitle is '8 Hour Course'. While this is the run-time of the CDs, and you will certainly learn a great deal in your first eight hours, there is little doubt you will have to (and want to!) revisit the course over several sessions. This is a great way to learn French in a relaxed and informal manner, with absolutely no requirement to learn difficult tables of verb-forms and masculine/ feminine nouns, etc. I found that after only a few days I was able to construct whole phrases, and both ask and respond correctly to questions while abroad. Indeed, I was even complimented on my abilities by several French people I spoke with. If you want to learn to speak the French language quickly and easily - get this course!

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