Language Logic: a book rec. for language learning

[Colleen in NS]

Hello,

 

Here is the perfect place to post a review I wrote last year about a book that really helped me understand what is involved in learning a foreign language. Hope it helps someone.

 

"I just want to recommend a FABULOUS book that I found in our local library, about learning a foreign language. It's called Language Logic: Practical and Effective Techniques to Learn Any Foreign Language by Robyn Matthew. She's a young author in British Columbia, who calls herself the WordNerd. The book is advertised as the missing link in foreign language learning. It was published just last year.

 

I have been reading posts here for months, trying to figure out how to piece together foreign language learning. I've read reviews about various programs and books out there, but could NOT get a big picture in my mind of how the whole process works. I finally figured out a few months ago that grammar plays a role in foreign language learning. And it finally dawned on me the other day to search my library system for a book on foreign language learning. I found several, but this one is the one that stuck out to me.

 

This book gave me the whole picture of learning a foreign language - a picture that was not in my mind before. To me, this book is to foreign language learning, as the WTM is to how to give your kids skills to learn content for the rest of their lives. It's also written in a friendly, funny tone, just like WTM.

 

Ms. Matthew tells her story of how she started off learning French in grade 8 and loved it. Over the next 4 years of French, though, she struggled and couldn't figure out why. She tells of how she put off French in university as long as possible, until she found a professor who could answer her questions about the language, and then she took off again with mastering French on her own. She figured out techniques along the way, and figured out that language learning has a logic to it, so she worked for 10 years on putting together her book, so that others could see the patterns that she figured out in language learning.

 

Here's the quote that really made it come together for me: "Regardless of the language you wish to learn and how 'different' languages appear to one another, the principles of learning a foreign language are the same. Every language has a logic, and all require the development of two essential and often downplayed skills: grammar and vocabulary. These two elements are indispensable tools in learning a foreign language because they provide the foundation necessary to acquire the other four basic skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Thus, it's not what language you wish to learn that matters but how you approach the task!"

 

There are chapters that explain how adults ARE able to learn foreign languages easily, as long as they understand the adult learning process. She explains how it's different from the learning process of a child. I found these two chapters so enlightening and encouraging to this 40 year old!

 

There are also chapters on grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, listening/comprehension, and speaking/pronunciation, and the end of the linguistic journey (mastering a language).

 

It's a book full of tips, humour, illustrations from pop culture, etc., but it's not JUST that. It's a book that explains the process and logic of learning a foreign language. And THIS is what I was missing.

 

I got so excited skimming the book, that I e-mailed Ms. Matthew to tell her how much I appreciated it, and to tell her about my early foreign language experiences (pretty much the same as her first four years). I told her about being a homeschool Mom who wanted to teach my kids foreign language. She e-mailed me back right away, and told me that another homeschool Mom had recently told her basically the same as what I said, and long story short, Ms. Matthew is attending a homeschool convention this weekend in BC because of that other Mom! I think her book is a fabulous book to help Moms like me who knew nothing about this process. It truly is to me like the WTM was - my beginner's, comprehensive map to homeschooling, and now the same for foreign language learning.

 

Sorry this is so long, but I just had to throw it out there in case there are others of you who have long wondered about this process. I think the book will help me tons more now in evaluating language programs out there. Now I know what questions to ask!

 

Here are some links to check out. The word nerd site was working yesterday, though not right now. It's Robyn's site.

 

http://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/Stories/sfunews10040707.shtml

 

http://www.amazon.ca/Language-Logic-...ustomerReviews

 

http://www.amazon.com/Language-Logic...2513382&sr=8-1

 

www.word-nerd.ca"

[Sarah CB]

Thanks, Colleen. I've actually had this sitting on my bedside table for about 3 months. I think it's time to crack it open!

[Storm Bay]

Thanks. I found it on Amazon, and have "saved it for later" in my cart for when I have a book budget again.

[Nan in Mass]

Thank you! I'll have to look for it.

[nmoira]

I dunno. I read almost the entire book, but my initial impression was that it was a lot of work and fuss and complicated systems to learn one language. The author is sitting on a stack of dictionaries on the cover, which led me to assume she'd be talking about her experiences learning multiple languages. As far as I can tell, she has learned French, and spent much of her lifetime doing it.

 

While it is a slim volume and doesn't have as many techniques as Language Logic, I greatly enjoyed and was inspired by the spirit and enthusiasm of Barry Farber's How to Learn Any Language (available remaindered at B&N).

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

As far as I can tell, she has learned French, and spent much of her lifetime doing it.

 

LOL! And that's enough for her to make her a specialist in language learning, based on experience? One language? And one's that's an official language in her own country?

 

hey guys, that makes me the uber-expert! LOL :lol:

[Colleen in NS]

I dunno. I read almost the entire book, but my initial impression was that it was a lot of work and fuss and complicated systems to learn one language. The author is sitting on a stack of dictionaries on the cover, which led me to assume she'd be talking about her experiences learning multiple languages. As far as I can tell, she has learned French, and spent much of her lifetime doing it.

 

The book does have a lot of repetition in it. And I can see why you'd mention her just mastering French so far (though I read somewhere she is working on Arabic, tackling it with her "language logic" skills, and I'm blindly assuming Arabic is very different from French). But this is what the book simply boiled down to for me:

 

I have been reading posts here for months, trying to figure out how to piece together foreign language learning. I've read reviews about various programs and books out there, but could NOT get a big picture in my mind of how the whole process works.

 

Here's the quote that really made it come together for me: "Regardless of the language you wish to learn and how 'different' languages appear to one another, the principles of learning a foreign language are the same. Every language has a logic, and all require the development of two essential and often downplayed skills: grammar and vocabulary. These two elements are indispensable tools in learning a foreign language because they provide the foundation necessary to acquire the other four basic skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Thus, it's not what language you wish to learn that matters but how you approach the task!"

 

The book helped me to understand the basics involved in working on mastering a foreign language. I just tossed it out there in case someone else was puzzling over the foreign language learning process like I was. It was the one book about it out of several I had from the library, that appealed to me, despite all its repetition.

[Joan in GE]

and would like to compare it to Opal Dunn's Help Your Child with a Foreign Language....

 

LL is much more for older students. HYC is good for younger and completely inexperienced ones as she has lots of practical examples for real beginners....LL has lots of good insights (like the aspect of humor) and is helpful for overseas living, but maybe not as useful for beginners...If you have money and time for both LL is not a bad investment...

 

im1personexperience...

Joan

[Colleen in NS]

Thanks for posting this wonderful article. I certainly have a look on it.

 

You are welcome!! I posted in hopes that it would give others some insight on all that's involved in foreign language learning. It was the first book I found that turned on quite a few lightbulbs for me. And now Jean in Wisc.'s comments on the Spanish thread on the high school board.

[cathmom]

I just got this book and am reading it now. I will let you know what I think.

[cathmom]

I'm getting frustrated. It feels like I have been reading for pages and pages and she hasn't said anything. I'm having flashbacks to Sense and Sensibility LOL!

[Rosie_0801]

I felt the same for a large part of the book, but didn't by the end.

 

Rosie

[cathmom]

good to know!

 

I'll definitely keep at it - I spent $25 for this thing!!!

[Colleen in NS]

I'm getting frustrated. It feels like I have been reading for pages and pages and she hasn't said anything. I'm having flashbacks to Sense and Sensibility LOL!

 

That's why I said in my review that it can get very repetitive. BUT it was the first book I read that explained all the parts of language learning to me. I was able to extract from it that language learning involves reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, and listening. Before reading it, I thought learning a language was all about speaking and listening, with some reading thrown in - so I thought I was stupid for not REALLY getting a language. The book helped me to see learning patterns. There might be other books out there that do the same thing without so much repeating, but I haven't come across them yet.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

I was able to extract from it that language learning involves reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, speaking, and listening.

 

To be a bit clearer, there are four areas of expertise in language learning.

Passive:

1. reading

2. listening

Active:

3. writing

4. speaking

 

Grammar and vocabulary are tools to help you achieve the four competencies.

[Colleen in NS]

To be a bit clearer, there are four areas of expertise in language learning.

Passive:

1. reading

2. listening

Active:

3. writing

4. speaking

 

Grammar and vocabulary are tools to help you achieve the four competencies.

 

Thanks, I knew I was confusing something in there, but didn't have time to figure out what or how to fix it!