1) How to deal with new vocabulary you want to learn
I agree with this, but he over-emphasises his point. He says, "Never, never ...". Well, let's say you can always use other techniques as well: the specific name of a plant: why not the Spanish translation sometimes? oak: roble (and 'similar' trees); a nationality adjective: why not pairing up the country and the nationality, like Holland - Dutch? Etc. But he's basically right!! Use this technique, but sometimes it's good to have another or several! You can always write Johan Cruyff is Dutch ... or is he Catalan?
2) Burn your grammar-rule books!
He says so, not I, or experts like Michael Swan, Christina Lathan-Koenig and many others! He's right, we may overemphasise grammar and especially grammar 'rules'. Yes, it's true that you often lose spontaneity when speaking because you're making an extra effort to use the correct grammar - perhaps it's a price some people have to pay. But I think research shows you sometimes need to talk about English and not only in English, even if the purpose is communication. So you have the right classbook in the sense that it deals with grammar in a balanced way, putting it in context, deriving it from texts (oral texts included), etc. In any case, he's so demagogic when he says, 'It's not your fault!'. If we were like him and you didn't study any grammar but still you couldn't speak English fluently, we could also say, 'Well, it's not your fault. You know, some people's brains are better at getting the grammar and the language in general. Two people listening to the same amount of correct English: different results. But that's life - biological life. It's not your fault'. Yes, teaching/learning rules for the sake of rules is stupid (in our context)! But you want to be understood, for example, and you weren't born in California, and ...
3) LEARN WITH YOUR 'EARS', not with your 'eyes'
First and foremost! Except for his secondary points (no grammar, only things which you understand 95-100%, or 'difficult' listening only if you read the script as well ...) I quite agree!!! Especially because you are Spanish speakers (and the spelling/pronunciation relationship in Spanish is quite different to that of English, and the tradition dictates that you have to spell correctly rather than pronounce correctly) and many other reasons - LEARN WITH YOUR EARS: LISTEN A LOT, DON'T TEND TO THINK OF THE WRITTEN WORD, BUT THE SPOKEN WORD/PHRASE/SENTENCE... He may not know why he's right, but he is!! Finally, it's also good to listen to texts that are a bit difficult, yes (for example, for specific purposes), but MAINLY LISTEN TO TEXTS (in the technical, broad sense) THAT YOU BASICALLY UNDERSTAND. Have a variety, but I agree that listening to 'basic-intermediate' things to begin with is really more powerful.
4) Deep learning
Repeat again and again the input, what you learn. He really exaggerates!! But he's basically right. It's impossible for teachers in Spain to 'teach deeply' because one has to deal with too many lessons. Who can convince the authorities, or the students, or anyone? But let's not exaggerate, please! Actually, he is not quite honest or he makes a mistake unconsciously: he tells you to repeat 100 times (!) and he says he is constantly 'listening to the Past tense' as a native speaker ... Of course. Because language recycles itself. But I promise he doesn't listen to the same story 100 times.
Repeat again and again the input, what you learn. He really exaggerates!! But he's basically right. It's impossible for teachers in Spain to 'teach deeply' because one has to deal with too many lessons. Who can convince the authorities, or the students, or anyone? But let's not exaggerate, please! Actually, he is not quite honest or he makes a mistake unconsciously: he tells you to repeat 100 times (!) and he says he is constantly 'listening to the Past tense' as a native speaker ... Of course. Because language recycles itself. But I promise he doesn't listen to the same story 100 times.
5) Point-of-view mini-stories
Oh, my gosh! What's he saying? After centuries of English teaching/learning research! I don't much believe in this. For one thing, it's sooooooooo artificial. For another, you'd get extreeeeeeeeemely bored. And I think it wouldn't work. And he's tricky himself! And ... and ... Anyway, in case you want to listen to him:
6) Real material, no textbooks, etc.
Well, again, I agree with him - except that he's tricky about - or ignorant of - the English textbooks' reality. The truth is that both real material and textbookks are very useful. One of the reasons is that English textbooks (still very different to those for other languages) are based on real material!! I promise! Come on, it's 'English' book authors and teachers and linguists and, yes, sometimes excellent actors, but authentic material. Much more authentic than his mini-stories, for sure. How demagogic and biased and ...! Hear his parody (with a tedious intonation): 'Hello. How are you?' 'I'm fine, and you?'. Is that your experience when you study English? It would probably be if you studied, say, Greek, or Spanish, or Portuguese, and even German or French (not necessarily). Anyway, he's right in many ways. For example: above all, read or listen to things that you like! Use your English for your life, for topics that you would read in Spanish, for example. And it doesn't have to be for children (= no obligation). Many of you can even read real stuff for adults, of course.
7) (Are you still here?) True fluency
True fluency? Oh, for goodness' sake! You may guess why I don't recommend this. Like real coversation, he says? I think things are not usually 100% bad (or good, at that), so, suppose, if I had to teach, say, one child who happens to like this (not 20-25 grown-ups) ...
So, you see - he says 'all the rules' and I would say ... about 70%. The thing is, in my opinion, when he's right, he's quite right!
Useful and interesting thoughts both, yours and his. Regarding this issue your common sens is similar to mine
ResponderEliminarThanks for sharing it.
Have a good day!
Carmen
http://allphonetics.blogspot.com/2011/10/logical-song-for-syllabic-consonants.html
ResponderEliminar