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The BALL is in Your Court--Learning a foreign language

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The BALL is in Your Court--Learning a Foreign Language provides anyone who wishes to learn a foreign language with meaningful direction to make their language learning a productive experience. This book answers over 50 commonly asked questions. It will provide the reader with tips and suggestions on selecting learning materials, interacting with native speakers, and finding a language teacher. As a bonus, The BALL is in Your Court contains a list of over 35 ideas for language learning!

86 pages, Paperback

First published July 28, 2013

137 people want to read

About the author

Aurelia McNeil

5 books3 followers

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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Juliet Wilson.
Author 7 books45 followers
August 31, 2015
This short guide is intended to inspire and direct your language learning. Covering topics including learning styles, the origin of languages and the importance of learning about culture alongside language, this is an energising read for anyone learning or thinking of learning a language.

The book usefully helps the reader to identify and overcome their own barriers to language learning, whether lack of self confidence or difficulties with hearing spoken languages. It also helps you decide whether you would be better learning in a classroom (and if so, how to find a good teacher) or by yourself with books and tapes and how much time you can afford to devote to your studies. It goes into some detail on selecting learning materials (including recommending some individual programmes. It also offers some useful techniques for learning and using a foreign language - including circumlocution (rephrasing what you want to say to avoid coming up against words you don't know) It offers suggestions for how to build up your fluency, including suggesting reading a magazine of interest to you (for example, I read the Italian version of Focus magazine, which not only helps me develop my understanding of Italian but also gives me plenty of genuinely interesting articles, many of which are about science.)

The Ball in the title of the book, refers to BALL, an acronym gor Brain Activated Language Learning.

Though by the end of this book you won't have learnt a new language, you will have your mind thinking about how best to go about it. Which is a very important place to start.



Disclaimer - I recieved a free review copy of this e-book.


Profile Image for Nate Briggs.
Author 50 books4 followers
September 1, 2015
A helpful little book that contains facts about language learning—along with a serious dose of self-help. Much of the text is in the form of question-and-answer, which makes it a quick and memorable read.

The “BALL” in the title refers to the author’s invention: the Brain-Activated Language Learning system, discussed in the last chapter of the book.

While it may seem that American English is poised to take over the world via the Internet, learning another language is an ambition that should never be discouraged. As the author notes, it is not only a fascinating intellectual exercise—but a new language opens avenues of understanding not available any other way. It’s a confidence builder, while at the same time encouraging you toward humility as you cope with new sounds and new grammar.

This book is recommended. [Please note that this material was received free of charge in exchange for a fair and honest review— Nate Briggs, for The Kindle Book Review]
Profile Image for Sarah Jackson.
Author 19 books27 followers
October 5, 2015
: If you considering learning a second (or even third) language, this book is a great place to start. Aurelian McNeil is a University ESL Instructor, who is currently studying Albanian and learnt both French and Spanish post school. This is an easy to use resource. In addition to describing the elements of her BALL (brain activated language learning) technique, McNeil examines the barriers people place for themselves when learning a second language, and makes recommendations on teaching techniques and learning materials. The book is set out in an easy to read question-and-answer format, with short, sharp chapters.

I received this book from The Language Professor LLC in exchange for a fair and honest review
Profile Image for Aly.
1,898 reviews69 followers
September 13, 2015
This author provides people suggestions on how to learn other languages. The vocabulary she uses in her book is very professional and sounds as though she has been an educator. Sadly, her ideas are, for the most part, what has already been suggested in the past. There are a few new ideas she has shared, such as information about the Pimsleur Language Programs. Don’t get “bogged” down at the beginning of the book, or you won’t get to the new ideas. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Profile Image for Amanda.
Author 16 books19 followers
November 13, 2015
*received this book through goodreads first reads*

I am not in the process of learning a new language. However, this book is one to read. "The Ball Is in Your Court -- Learning a Foreign Language" has many resources and guidelines to help someone like me learn a language for the first time. Even if I wanted to learn five different languages, this book may help. I enjoyed reading it.
243 reviews5 followers
August 31, 2015
Great book with help and advice on learning a new language. Recommend for anyone who wants to try to learn a new language.
Profile Image for Donna  Chadwick.
121 reviews17 followers
March 22, 2016
really good book l really liked this book and l highly recomend this book to anybody and it was really easy to get in to
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