Guys, you have reason to boost your confidence according to some of the foreign language education material I have been digesting. They all intelligently affirm that the best way to learn a new language is through emotional involvement. And you, at least 3/4 of the class, are the perfect example of the emotionally involved language learner.
In this post I will shortly reiterate an idea that I found across foreign language learning/teaching media, varying from scholarly journals to blogs. Learning a language, doesn't mean memorizing words and grammar rules as much as it means learning how to complete tasks by effectively using words from that particular language.
It explains why people, after having spent maybe hours studying and applying grammar rules in exercises, after memorizing words etc, are at a loss for words, and like frozen, in an impromptu class dialogue. You have been observing rules and words, but not learning how to use them with people to fulfill a task, to get a message across, trying to use the right word, the right intonation, the right facial expression even, to have the message make the right effect on the right people.
It's analogue to my statement that I will only know how to effectively use words in a blog, when my students will start commenting and writing their own posts, and when other people interested in learning and teaching languages will do the same. Because that is my purpose of writing this blog. As long as I keep writing without feedback I am simply practicing trying to find the right techniques to get my message to work.
Although this should give you confidence, as you are already involved emotionally with people that speak Albanian, and so in all likelihood you will be exposed to situations where you will be required to have your words fulfill a purpose rather than use them only for their sake, there is a catch. Although your efforts need not always be successful, the effect produced in you while using Albanian should often be an adrenaline rush: your emotions should be on the positive side like hope, excitement, benevolence, curiosity, trust etc.
Because it is precisely that emotional involvement that, if morose, like :depression, hostility, dejection, exclusion etc, will not only ruin your chances for acquiring new language skills, but take away your ability to express yourself clearly even at a level that you have already acquired.
You have to try to stay positive, and you will attract positivity, and you will learn more!
I am working on making these posts shorter but usually my thoughts are voluminous and with a lot of implications that I like to express in writing as well.
I want to hear your thoughts!
In this post I will shortly reiterate an idea that I found across foreign language learning/teaching media, varying from scholarly journals to blogs. Learning a language, doesn't mean memorizing words and grammar rules as much as it means learning how to complete tasks by effectively using words from that particular language.
It explains why people, after having spent maybe hours studying and applying grammar rules in exercises, after memorizing words etc, are at a loss for words, and like frozen, in an impromptu class dialogue. You have been observing rules and words, but not learning how to use them with people to fulfill a task, to get a message across, trying to use the right word, the right intonation, the right facial expression even, to have the message make the right effect on the right people.
It's analogue to my statement that I will only know how to effectively use words in a blog, when my students will start commenting and writing their own posts, and when other people interested in learning and teaching languages will do the same. Because that is my purpose of writing this blog. As long as I keep writing without feedback I am simply practicing trying to find the right techniques to get my message to work.
Although this should give you confidence, as you are already involved emotionally with people that speak Albanian, and so in all likelihood you will be exposed to situations where you will be required to have your words fulfill a purpose rather than use them only for their sake, there is a catch. Although your efforts need not always be successful, the effect produced in you while using Albanian should often be an adrenaline rush: your emotions should be on the positive side like hope, excitement, benevolence, curiosity, trust etc.
Because it is precisely that emotional involvement that, if morose, like :depression, hostility, dejection, exclusion etc, will not only ruin your chances for acquiring new language skills, but take away your ability to express yourself clearly even at a level that you have already acquired.
You have to try to stay positive, and you will attract positivity, and you will learn more!
I am working on making these posts shorter but usually my thoughts are voluminous and with a lot of implications that I like to express in writing as well.
I want to hear your thoughts!
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