Actually, we don't all learn language the same way--it depends on the  
language.

Andrea

On Jan 26, 2009, at 3:35 PM, Steve Kaufmann wrote:


> My readings of the most recent research on how the brain, including  

> Spitzer  suggests that we do all learn more or less the same way,  

> and we learn a second language more or less the same way as the  

> first, although we have new knowledge and certain habits that help  

> and hinder us.

>

> I think that immigrants to the United States needs  to be able to  

> understand what people are saying. Learning a few phrases may be a  

> short term band-aid solution, but input based learning will get  

> them to reasonable fluency a lot faster than formal instruction. In  

> that I agree with Krashen.

>

> I think we need to take a hard look at the ESL teaching model for  

> learners of all levels of literacy in their own language. For  

> people with limited literacy in their own language the challenges  

> are even greater, but I doubt that a form-based, grammar heavy  

> approach would work with these people.

>

> Steve Kaufmann

> www.lingq.com

>

> On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 12:24 PM, Joan <owlhouse at wwt.net> wrote:

> I do not believe that all people acquire language in the same way -  

> perhaps we all acquire our first language in a similar manner, but  

> not additional languages.  I'm sure there are many people - one a  

> good friend of mine - who do learn a language best by listening to  

> it.  A friend of mine spent an entire year in Mexico just listening  

> to the language before she ever opened her mouth to speak but, when  

> she did, she was speaking fluently.

>

> That, however, would never be my preferred method of acquiring a  

> language.  I think it's a mistake to assume that spending all of  

> your time listening to a new language is going to satisfy  

> EVERYBODY.  Research also shows that we all have a preferred  

> learning style, and that must also be respected during the language  

> learning process.

>

> But more importantly, for adult immigrants and refugees living in  

> the United States - they simply do not have the luxury of learning  

> by listening.  They have to speak to meet their survival needs.   

> They have to know how to ask for things and get around in the world.

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Steve Kaufmann

> To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List

> Sent: Monday, January 26, 2009 1:59 PM

> Subject: [EnglishLanguage 3567] Re: Working withlearners with  

> limitedliteracy - posted for Martha Bigelow

>

> I attach a recent letter from Stephen Krashen to a newspaper in  

> Korea. My question is why try to teach beginner learners to speak  

> English, when research suggests they are better off to remain  

> silent until they have listened to, and possible read, a lot of the  

> language.

>

> Steve Kaufmann

> www.lingq.com

>

>

>

> Sent to the Korea Times, Jan 23, 2009

>

> A better path to English

>

> Korea is making a very serious mistake in emphasizing speaking in

> English class ("Speaking to get more weight in English class," Jan

> 21). Research done over the last three decades has shown that we

> acquire language by understanding what we hear and read. The ability

> to produce language is the result of language acquisition, not the

> cause.

>

> Forcing students to speak English will not improve their ability to

> speak English. The best way to improve speaking is therefore to

> increase the amount of comprehensible listening and reading that

> students do, and the easiest and most cost-effective way to make this

> happen is to develop libraries of interesting and comprehensible

> English books and recordings to supplement English class. Setting up

> libraries would be far more efficient than bringing in expensive

> foreign teachers and setting up English camps.

>

> I hope policy-makers will consult the extensive research on second

> language acquisition, some done by Korean scholars, and consider

> easier, better and less costly ways of improving English in Korea.

>

> Stephen Krashen

>

>

>

>

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