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Иностранный для взрослых: Как выучить новый язык в любом возрасте (Becoming Fluent: How Cognitive Science Can Help Adults Learn a Foreign Language)
Мы часто слышим, что изучать иностранный язык взрослым гораздо сложнее, чем детям. Так ли это? Дети действительно быстрее запоминают слова и им легче научиться говорить с правильным акцентом, однако у взрослых есть преимущества, которые дает только возраст: жизненный опыт и навыки. Поэтому учить язык им может быть даже легче, только делать это нужно иначе. Опираясь на исследования в области психологии и лингвистики, собственный опыт преподавания и изучения языков, ученые-когнитивисты Ричард Робертс и Роджер Крез рассказывают в этой книге, как сформировать привычку заниматься, в чем вред зубрежки и чем полезно состояние «вертится на языке», а также как не стать &
219 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2015
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August 22, 2020
2020 non fiction book 6 out 12
Becoming Fluent was an informative and interesting book about language learning for adults backed up by cognitive science.
For some background to my experience, I have been learning French for 5 years. Throughout the way I have discovered things that have worked, andmany that haven't. It was really interesting to discover the science behind why that may have been.
One of my biggest takeaways from this book was the difference between how adults and children learn languages. I know I have fallen prey to the mode of thinking 'I'm too old to learn a new language' or 'if only I was raised bilingual- too late now'. But really, that is an excuse for a lack of commitment and effort. While it is easier for children to pick up certain aspects of language learning- it is never too late. The biggest problem however, is learning that new language as if you are were a child. Instead, you should utilise the skills you have as an adult and apply that into your learning endeavours. As an adult, you have greater knowledge of how language works, and it is much easier to make associations between languages.
I really appreciated the science and studies included that backed up the authors in this book. I haven't read any other linguistic books, but I can imagine the genre has its fair share of 'this worked for me- it will work for you too!' However, it felt more academic than actionable. I would have preferred there to be more practical tips included, or perhaps for them to be condensed at the end of each chapter in a clearer way.
As a young adult, I found myself to be outside of this book's target audience. I think it would be much more beneficial for middle aged adults who have previously learned and forgotten languages. That being said, while I will not necessarily take many tips from the book in the long run, it did make me much more excited to keep learning french and (hopefully) become fluent. Overall, I would recommend this if you need a bit of motivation, but not necessarily if you want a book with actionable tips to improve.
Becoming Fluent was an informative and interesting book about language learning for adults backed up by cognitive science.
For some background to my experience, I have been learning French for 5 years. Throughout the way I have discovered things that have worked, andmany that haven't. It was really interesting to discover the science behind why that may have been.
One of my biggest takeaways from this book was the difference between how adults and children learn languages. I know I have fallen prey to the mode of thinking 'I'm too old to learn a new language' or 'if only I was raised bilingual- too late now'. But really, that is an excuse for a lack of commitment and effort. While it is easier for children to pick up certain aspects of language learning- it is never too late. The biggest problem however, is learning that new language as if you are were a child. Instead, you should utilise the skills you have as an adult and apply that into your learning endeavours. As an adult, you have greater knowledge of how language works, and it is much easier to make associations between languages.
I really appreciated the science and studies included that backed up the authors in this book. I haven't read any other linguistic books, but I can imagine the genre has its fair share of 'this worked for me- it will work for you too!' However, it felt more academic than actionable. I would have preferred there to be more practical tips included, or perhaps for them to be condensed at the end of each chapter in a clearer way.
As a young adult, I found myself to be outside of this book's target audience. I think it would be much more beneficial for middle aged adults who have previously learned and forgotten languages. That being said, while I will not necessarily take many tips from the book in the long run, it did make me much more excited to keep learning french and (hopefully) become fluent. Overall, I would recommend this if you need a bit of motivation, but not necessarily if you want a book with actionable tips to improve.
November 3, 2015
Relatively new book out of MIT Press about second language learning in adults. I felt like this book couldn't really figure out its purpose: to serve as encouragement to adults to stop feeling like the ship has sailed on language learning, to be a summary of the relevant research, or to serve as a repository of tips on language learning.
It did pretty well on the first task, but it was only a small portion of the book - the first full chapter or so. As a summary of the relevant research, it did...okay...but I felt like there were some areas missing. A lot of the research was from more generic cognitive science studies of learning in general rather than language learning, which was fine, but I felt like the book "Make It Stick" covered these better. As for the last, the tips were so dispersed and embedded in the text, that it was hard to remember them without taking copious notes along the way. A summary at the end of each chapter would have been useful. And the book "Fluent Forever" is probably a better source for these.
It's entirely possible that if I hadn't recently read other books covering similar material, I would find this book just fine. But as it was, it didn't feel like there was a lot that was new, just their earnest reassurances to adult language learners that they too can learn another language, just as well as a toddler, if only they leverage on their developed cognitive skills.
It did pretty well on the first task, but it was only a small portion of the book - the first full chapter or so. As a summary of the relevant research, it did...okay...but I felt like there were some areas missing. A lot of the research was from more generic cognitive science studies of learning in general rather than language learning, which was fine, but I felt like the book "Make It Stick" covered these better. As for the last, the tips were so dispersed and embedded in the text, that it was hard to remember them without taking copious notes along the way. A summary at the end of each chapter would have been useful. And the book "Fluent Forever" is probably a better source for these.
It's entirely possible that if I hadn't recently read other books covering similar material, I would find this book just fine. But as it was, it didn't feel like there was a lot that was new, just their earnest reassurances to adult language learners that they too can learn another language, just as well as a toddler, if only they leverage on their developed cognitive skills.
September 12, 2021
2nd read: the audio book stood up to a second reading. This book won’t teach you a language; it will help you think about how you can learn a language as an adult. So helpful.
1st Read: Wow! I expected this audiobook to be dry and a bit boring, but I absolutely loved it! I tutor adults in ESL, and I cannot wait to try out the many ideas I got from this book. It really helped me understand the difference between the way a child acquires language and the way an adult can. Using your cognitive advantages as an adult, rather than attempting to learn the same way a child would, you can learn a language and become fluent, according to the authors. They lay out specific cognitive advantages and the methods adult students can use to harness them. They also explain why one might struggle with the methods used to teach children. By the time I finished reading it, this book had my brain ablaze with new ideas. And the desire to study languages more!
1st Read: Wow! I expected this audiobook to be dry and a bit boring, but I absolutely loved it! I tutor adults in ESL, and I cannot wait to try out the many ideas I got from this book. It really helped me understand the difference between the way a child acquires language and the way an adult can. Using your cognitive advantages as an adult, rather than attempting to learn the same way a child would, you can learn a language and become fluent, according to the authors. They lay out specific cognitive advantages and the methods adult students can use to harness them. They also explain why one might struggle with the methods used to teach children. By the time I finished reading it, this book had my brain ablaze with new ideas. And the desire to study languages more!
September 13, 2019
111th book for 2019.
As a cognitive scientist, who has learnt a second language in late adulthood, and who has started learning a third, I had hoped this book would both inspirational and offer practical advice. It does neither. Unfortunately, the cognitive science it offers is both too superficial to either be of interest to those interested in the science, or to those trying to gain valuable tips how to learn a language effectively.
For instance, there is no discussion of relative word frequencies, use of space-repetition, the value of native materials, whether grammar learning is an effective strategy etc. etc.
Really a waste of time, and a shame as their is a good book on this topic waiting to be written.
2-stars.
As a cognitive scientist, who has learnt a second language in late adulthood, and who has started learning a third, I had hoped this book would both inspirational and offer practical advice. It does neither. Unfortunately, the cognitive science it offers is both too superficial to either be of interest to those interested in the science, or to those trying to gain valuable tips how to learn a language effectively.
For instance, there is no discussion of relative word frequencies, use of space-repetition, the value of native materials, whether grammar learning is an effective strategy etc. etc.
Really a waste of time, and a shame as their is a good book on this topic waiting to be written.
2-stars.
March 27, 2021
Книжка-воодушевлялка для взрослых, считающих, что никогда не выучат этот долбанный английский/французский/корейский/свой вариант.
Никакой cognitive science я особенно не приметила, и вообще сложилось впечатление, что авторы старались пересказать научные исследования так, чтобы получился хорошо продаваемый селф-хелп (по пять for example на один абзац, я прямо вздрагивать уже начала каждый раз). В итоге ни богу свечка, ни черту кочерга: ни практических советов, ни хорошего обзора литературы ждать не нужно.
С другой стороны, может, кому-то пригодится и этот простой набор наблюдений и вдохновляющих фраз: забывать слова — это нормально; учите лексику в контексте; не забывайте про прагматику; акцент — это не ужас-ужас, а часть вашей языковой идентичности; не только у детей хорошая память, надо только знать, как ей пользоваться. Смотрите, контрольная группа выучила сто слов, значит, и вы справитесь.
Конечно, справитесь, особенно если не будете лениться и учить слова за рулем или под звук работающего телевизора.
Никакой cognitive science я особенно не приметила, и вообще сложилось впечатление, что авторы старались пересказать научные исследования так, чтобы получился хорошо продаваемый селф-хелп (по пять for example на один абзац, я прямо вздрагивать уже начала каждый раз). В итоге ни богу свечка, ни черту кочерга: ни практических советов, ни хорошего обзора литературы ждать не нужно.
С другой стороны, может, кому-то пригодится и этот простой набор наблюдений и вдохновляющих фраз: забывать слова — это нормально; учите лексику в контексте; не забывайте про прагматику; акцент — это не ужас-ужас, а часть вашей языковой идентичности; не только у детей хорошая память, надо только знать, как ей пользоваться. Смотрите, контрольная группа выучила сто слов, значит, и вы справитесь.
Конечно, справитесь, особенно если не будете лениться и учить слова за рулем или под звук работающего телевизора.
July 22, 2016
This review is an excerpt from my full review - you can get it along with my 10 pages of book notes at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/blog/becomin...
Why It's Awesome
There are many language learning books out in the market that tell you all about how wonderful the author's methods are. Most successful polyglot-style books follow this system. The logic is that if following certain steps made the author fluent in another language, then you can do the same by copying the steps.
In Becoming Fluent, I detected none of this. The authors do work from their own experience in languages but never claim to know all the answers. Each chapter is based on a new aspect of language learning and gives a neutral summary of what the science says, followed by practical advice.
I've never used or endorsed the "copy a winner" approach, and I don't think it's quite how things work for language learners. Success in language learning is about more than just playing the game right. The more you learn and discover about yourself, your habits, your preferences and strengths in language learning, the more you will approach a real ability to learn any language quickly.
So for me, Becoming Fluent was an outstanding book about language learning because it doesn't tell you what exactly to do. This one is about empowering yourself to find your own perfect method.
What Wasn't So Great
Becoming Fluent is smart and thorough and scientific, which is a big rarity in language learning. It's great to read such a sensible voice in our field. The book comes at language learning from so many different angles that some great aspects get a little lost.
I would have liked the book's action-focused tips to be highlighted or separated from the main text, making it easier to find exactly how to put new insights into action. As it is, Becoming Fluent does require you to put in a few hours for reading, but this is time well spent.
Why It's Awesome
There are many language learning books out in the market that tell you all about how wonderful the author's methods are. Most successful polyglot-style books follow this system. The logic is that if following certain steps made the author fluent in another language, then you can do the same by copying the steps.
In Becoming Fluent, I detected none of this. The authors do work from their own experience in languages but never claim to know all the answers. Each chapter is based on a new aspect of language learning and gives a neutral summary of what the science says, followed by practical advice.
I've never used or endorsed the "copy a winner" approach, and I don't think it's quite how things work for language learners. Success in language learning is about more than just playing the game right. The more you learn and discover about yourself, your habits, your preferences and strengths in language learning, the more you will approach a real ability to learn any language quickly.
So for me, Becoming Fluent was an outstanding book about language learning because it doesn't tell you what exactly to do. This one is about empowering yourself to find your own perfect method.
What Wasn't So Great
Becoming Fluent is smart and thorough and scientific, which is a big rarity in language learning. It's great to read such a sensible voice in our field. The book comes at language learning from so many different angles that some great aspects get a little lost.
I would have liked the book's action-focused tips to be highlighted or separated from the main text, making it easier to find exactly how to put new insights into action. As it is, Becoming Fluent does require you to put in a few hours for reading, but this is time well spent.
April 14, 2016
There are many books about language learning in general, but it's great to finally see this scientifically sound account of second language acquisition. I was constantly nodding my head at things that I know to be true as an experienced language learner and coach to language learners, explained in a no-nonsense way drawing on many valid sources. Recommended for people who want to know the facts about adult foreign language acquisition.
May 18, 2020
Nothing super new or unheard of, but interesting nonetheless! The cognitive science is for beginners and some of it is just common sense, so if you already know a bit then you may not be super satisfied. I personally didn't have an issue with it.
Becoming Fluent was pretty encouraging and I recommend it to any of you wishing to learn a second language! :-)
Becoming Fluent was pretty encouraging and I recommend it to any of you wishing to learn a second language! :-)
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May 19, 2023Useful and not quite. It's all about generalization. You can't state an infallible method to learn foreign languages, for the simple reason that foreign languages are not a thing like algebra, with universal and well established rules, or like Shotokan .
While Kreuz's book offers some interesting insights of language learning, his focus on the importance of cognitive science and neuroscience ignores the more holistic and contextual nature of language acquisition. This approach also fails to take into account the complexity of language learning, which is influenced by a range of individual and, many times - social factors. What works for me, does not necessarily work for somebody else.
Kreuz's dismissal of traditional language learning methods such as memorization and rote learning may be premature. While these methods may have limitations, they can still be effective for some learners, especially those who are more intuitively oriented or who need structure and repetition to learn. Kreuz's approach may be problematic, as it relies on the assumption that learners have access to native speakers or authentic language resources. This may not always be feasible or practical for many learners, especially those living in areas without large foreign language-speaking communities.
Ultimately, yes, Kreuz's book could be used as one of many resources for language learners, but not as a definitive guide to language acquisition. No single method can fully capture foreign languages' learning complexity. As one personal opinion I think that direct interaction with the native speaker of the foreign language can be one of the most fruitful methods.
While Kreuz's book offers some interesting insights of language learning, his focus on the importance of cognitive science and neuroscience ignores the more holistic and contextual nature of language acquisition. This approach also fails to take into account the complexity of language learning, which is influenced by a range of individual and, many times - social factors. What works for me, does not necessarily work for somebody else.
Kreuz's dismissal of traditional language learning methods such as memorization and rote learning may be premature. While these methods may have limitations, they can still be effective for some learners, especially those who are more intuitively oriented or who need structure and repetition to learn. Kreuz's approach may be problematic, as it relies on the assumption that learners have access to native speakers or authentic language resources. This may not always be feasible or practical for many learners, especially those living in areas without large foreign language-speaking communities.
Ultimately, yes, Kreuz's book could be used as one of many resources for language learners, but not as a definitive guide to language acquisition. No single method can fully capture foreign languages' learning complexity. As one personal opinion I think that direct interaction with the native speaker of the foreign language can be one of the most fruitful methods.
November 14, 2015
I really liked this book. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't even want to learn a foreign language. Here's the kicker. The book is about cognitive science as applied to foreign language, not about foreign language with the use of cognitive science. The book can apply to an assortment of different situations if you only take time to sit and think about what the book is saying and how could this or that apply to situations outside of learning languages. It's not a difficult connection to make. The book did want me to become a cognitive scientist though. I didn't really know anything like this existed and now, in my mid-30's, I've figured out my life calling. Seriously though, its a good book. I listened to it on my commute. I will listen to it a second time, I may even go purchase a hard copy so I can go in and highlight certain areas and use it for reference in the future. I recommend this book to anyone who finds the human mind and how it works interesting.
September 26, 2020
This is actually NOT a how-to guide to language learning, this is a book on the science behind language learning, which is why I found it fascinating, and actually different from (should I say complementary to) the other 3-4 guides to language learning I have read.
And although the authors give you a lot of the scientific terms of cognitive systems or methods, the book is overall easy to follow along and they give example to illustrate what they mean.
The fact that the author gave some reference to English, German and Korean (my 3 TLs) was the cherry on top!
NOTES
-he realised that what he perceived as a lack of progress was a function of his own expectation -> measure it by what he didn't know yet= glass half empty perception
-memorisation (flashcards, learning texts by heart) are at a cognitive disadvantage for an adult learner and lead to demoralization
-metacognition : thinking about thinking
-metamemory : thinking about memory
-metalinguistic awareness : know how the language works (e.g. DO things with it, lie, joke, be polite etc) rather than just knowing the language itself
-strategic problem: wasting time peeping his studies rather than actually studying
-planning fallacy : misjudging how much time/effort/money it will take the accomplish a goal
-in mental simulation, progress focus planning (what it takes to reach goal) > outcome of what will happen once goal reached --> refuse stress and more helpful in reaching goal
-counterfactual thinking : occurs after the fact and focuses on what might have been
-rather than labeling all items in your home, better to remind yourself of each object you encounter in target language, if can't remember, look it up, then think of a way to associate this word with other ones in TL -> spoon -> "i need a spoon to eat cereals"
-fertilizer fallacy: if a little bit of fertilizer makes the plan grow, why not using all of it -> will actually burn plant -> don't give your brain root burn -> learning info a bit at a time (aka distributed practice) is superior to cramming (massed practice)
1-determine what is realistic
2-go public with your goals
3-find a study buddy
4-study at the same time each day
-self-efficacy: person's belief in her ability to perform a task, reach a goal, overcome obstacle (different to self-esteem which is about overall worth as an individual)
- if have feeling of low self-efficacy in language learning, then failing at it = self-fulfilling prophecy -> because you expect to fail, you are sabotaging your effort without realizing -> self-efficatcy is based on DOING rather than being and therefore CAN be transformed through learning
-self-handicapping (doing badly on purpose) & situational attribution (putting in situation in which you will fail, to be able to blame it on the situation, e.g. drinking before an exam -> "would have been ok if I hadn't been hangover)
phomene = sound of language / grapheme = written form of the sound -> don't don't always correspond e.g. in English FISH could have been GHOTI (enough, women, nation)
-overgeneralise: when using a new word/structure a lot, sometimes inappropriately
- 복잡하다 = complicated "pork chop"
-fossilisation = can do most things in TL and no longer have the need for improving, natives don't correct you anymore bc small mistakes only -> leads to slower improvement and even going backwards
-rhetorical question : making a statement + asking for agreement -> in korean adding 죠 to root form of adj/verbs -> using this allow more natural way of speaking than just statements
-idiomatic expressions well worth learning = improves proficiency + cultural awareness -> in K the expression "a pie in the sky" (something that you hope will happen but is very unlikely to happen) is "a picture of a rice cake" 그림의 떡 (Something you desire, but can’t have or afford -> e.g. 세계 여행을 가고 싶지만 그림의 떡이다) -> this idiom uses easy words and can be easily learn early in
-American's "idle chitchat" when talking to strangers in waiting places, elevator etc bc uncomfortable with silence -> they don't understand it can be seen as non-meaningless to non-Americans, can be seen as rude, overly forward, an attempt to establish intimacy or misunderstood as the beginning of a genuine relationship
-high-context cultures (Japan, China, Korea...) leave many things unsaid, as same-language speakers share same cultural context, silence has a meaning, have speech style set up as "in group" and "out group" -> say foreigner as "outside country person" in JCK, or saying "our country" in K and if an american says "our country" it might be mistaken as meaning Korea still.
-low context cultures must adjust when moving to high-context cultures -> be prepared than much of the background information's implicit, that their use of the language makes them an outsider, and may be considered rude when asking too many questions or try to get to the bottom on an issue
-bilinguals > monolinguals on selective attention and multitasking but take longer to retrieve words and have smaller vocabularies
-feeling that native speakers speaks fast -> when one listens to native language, it sounds like the speaker pauses slightly between words but it's an perceptual illusion -> perceptual and cognitive systems are able to segment the sounds into words because they know all the words, unlike a non-native
-on accent -> if issues, then work around by chantings words or giving more context -> when Richard says 번역하다 "to translate", it often sounds like 폭력 "violence", but if he says "translator", it becomes clear because there isn't a word for "violencer"
-false friends = false cognates -> Menü in German isn't the Speisekarte but the day's special, a Puff isn't a burst of air but a bordello and Gift isn't a present but poison.
-Anglo-Norman (dialect of Old French) terms into English commoner language due to Norman invasion still there-> a lot in legal docs : last will and testament, cease and desist, aid and abet are the same idea in both languages -> many Romance terms came to replace Germanic terms, leaving pairs of synonyms : Moon (germanic) and Lunar (romance)
-cognate = similarities in similar languages e.g. Main (FR), mano (ES- IT)...
-speaker's receptive voc : know the meaning of but might not actually write or speak -> a college educated speaker of English has a receptive voc of about 17 000 words
-low-road transfer (use well-reheard material in another context) is useful for scripted activities e.g. greetings, politeness -> emphasizes outcome over process
-high-road transfer requires actively looking for pattern and connections in the material -> takes more time and effort but better payoff bc flexible -> emphases process over outcome
-Roger hearing dialect German and Hoch Deutch between switch on and off -> missed the chance to take advantage of high-road transfer in trying to to look for similarities and differences between this and the Hoch Deutsch he learnt
-minimising distractions and attention switching during study can decrease cognitive load
-many believe that reading out loud in TL will improve reading and speaking abilities and fluency, and while helpful, it is a shallow task as student focuses on the pronunciation and aren't processing the text deeply so the memorization of the voc and content will be poor
-similarly, hearing and parroting is also shallow -> would be better to paraphrase what you heard because then it's meaning + sound
-many believe that writing over a word over and over would create muscle memory aka better retention, but again it's shallow -> breaking the word apart into meaningful components would be a deeper task
-maintenance rehearsal (repeating a phone number that you just heard) = very ineffective way to retain information
-in contract, elaborative rehearsal -> process info at deeper level and allow better long-term memory -> by focusing on meaning, e.g. for vocal, rather than simple repetition, it's better to paraphrase, thinking about how word connect to other words, or how the word relate to yourself (selfish -> are you selfish?)
- Ebbinghaus and memorization of nonsense syllables : forgetting curve -> retained only 60% after 20 min, 40% after 1h...
-on cognitive overload : driving with music on/conversation while on easy roads and turning it off because driving task has become more difficult and here conversation or music would put you on cognitive overload ; have time pressure will show how much of the student's ability has become automatic -> time tests are better for high-proficinecy student but not can impair the low-ones
-on interference effects : when studying a list of voc (nouns) and feeling frustrated about making loads of mistakes, instead of giving up, it is better to shirt study to a different set of words (adj or verbs) or task (e.g. to grammar). when you will return to the nouns, your recall might have improved -> this is called a release from a proactive interference -> so, it's wise to study different material types over short period of time rather than one on a long one -> e.g. rather than 30min voc and 30 min grammar, it is better to do 15 min voc, 15 min grammar x2 and then take a break
-positive info gets remembered more easily than negative (in voc, grammar, content...)
-encoded specificity : when your memory is better when the context in which you learnt the material matches the one in which you are ask to remember the material -> to lessen the impact of encoded specificity, take advantage of distributed practice effect -> if you have 2h study time, then study 1h, do something totally different, come back and study material again is better + study same material in different contact -> this doesn't mean at home and then at library but rather, study material through notes and then study them trough practice with native speaker
-keep in mind that with distributed practice, you will do worse every time you return to material -> this is normal and is what you want to happen bc the goal is to give you the opportunity to forget and relearn at a new time -> relearning is after than learning and the material is reinforced in a different way
-memory palace technique
-mnemonic devices -> "my very educated mother just served us nine pies" for Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto
And although the authors give you a lot of the scientific terms of cognitive systems or methods, the book is overall easy to follow along and they give example to illustrate what they mean.
The fact that the author gave some reference to English, German and Korean (my 3 TLs) was the cherry on top!
NOTES
-he realised that what he perceived as a lack of progress was a function of his own expectation -> measure it by what he didn't know yet= glass half empty perception
-memorisation (flashcards, learning texts by heart) are at a cognitive disadvantage for an adult learner and lead to demoralization
-metacognition : thinking about thinking
-metamemory : thinking about memory
-metalinguistic awareness : know how the language works (e.g. DO things with it, lie, joke, be polite etc) rather than just knowing the language itself
-strategic problem: wasting time peeping his studies rather than actually studying
-planning fallacy : misjudging how much time/effort/money it will take the accomplish a goal
-in mental simulation, progress focus planning (what it takes to reach goal) > outcome of what will happen once goal reached --> refuse stress and more helpful in reaching goal
-counterfactual thinking : occurs after the fact and focuses on what might have been
-rather than labeling all items in your home, better to remind yourself of each object you encounter in target language, if can't remember, look it up, then think of a way to associate this word with other ones in TL -> spoon -> "i need a spoon to eat cereals"
-fertilizer fallacy: if a little bit of fertilizer makes the plan grow, why not using all of it -> will actually burn plant -> don't give your brain root burn -> learning info a bit at a time (aka distributed practice) is superior to cramming (massed practice)
1-determine what is realistic
2-go public with your goals
3-find a study buddy
4-study at the same time each day
-self-efficacy: person's belief in her ability to perform a task, reach a goal, overcome obstacle (different to self-esteem which is about overall worth as an individual)
- if have feeling of low self-efficacy in language learning, then failing at it = self-fulfilling prophecy -> because you expect to fail, you are sabotaging your effort without realizing -> self-efficatcy is based on DOING rather than being and therefore CAN be transformed through learning
-self-handicapping (doing badly on purpose) & situational attribution (putting in situation in which you will fail, to be able to blame it on the situation, e.g. drinking before an exam -> "would have been ok if I hadn't been hangover)
phomene = sound of language / grapheme = written form of the sound -> don't don't always correspond e.g. in English FISH could have been GHOTI (enough, women, nation)
-overgeneralise: when using a new word/structure a lot, sometimes inappropriately
- 복잡하다 = complicated "pork chop"
-fossilisation = can do most things in TL and no longer have the need for improving, natives don't correct you anymore bc small mistakes only -> leads to slower improvement and even going backwards
-rhetorical question : making a statement + asking for agreement -> in korean adding 죠 to root form of adj/verbs -> using this allow more natural way of speaking than just statements
-idiomatic expressions well worth learning = improves proficiency + cultural awareness -> in K the expression "a pie in the sky" (something that you hope will happen but is very unlikely to happen) is "a picture of a rice cake" 그림의 떡 (Something you desire, but can’t have or afford -> e.g. 세계 여행을 가고 싶지만 그림의 떡이다) -> this idiom uses easy words and can be easily learn early in
-American's "idle chitchat" when talking to strangers in waiting places, elevator etc bc uncomfortable with silence -> they don't understand it can be seen as non-meaningless to non-Americans, can be seen as rude, overly forward, an attempt to establish intimacy or misunderstood as the beginning of a genuine relationship
-high-context cultures (Japan, China, Korea...) leave many things unsaid, as same-language speakers share same cultural context, silence has a meaning, have speech style set up as "in group" and "out group" -> say foreigner as "outside country person" in JCK, or saying "our country" in K and if an american says "our country" it might be mistaken as meaning Korea still.
-low context cultures must adjust when moving to high-context cultures -> be prepared than much of the background information's implicit, that their use of the language makes them an outsider, and may be considered rude when asking too many questions or try to get to the bottom on an issue
-bilinguals > monolinguals on selective attention and multitasking but take longer to retrieve words and have smaller vocabularies
-feeling that native speakers speaks fast -> when one listens to native language, it sounds like the speaker pauses slightly between words but it's an perceptual illusion -> perceptual and cognitive systems are able to segment the sounds into words because they know all the words, unlike a non-native
-on accent -> if issues, then work around by chantings words or giving more context -> when Richard says 번역하다 "to translate", it often sounds like 폭력 "violence", but if he says "translator", it becomes clear because there isn't a word for "violencer"
-false friends = false cognates -> Menü in German isn't the Speisekarte but the day's special, a Puff isn't a burst of air but a bordello and Gift isn't a present but poison.
-Anglo-Norman (dialect of Old French) terms into English commoner language due to Norman invasion still there-> a lot in legal docs : last will and testament, cease and desist, aid and abet are the same idea in both languages -> many Romance terms came to replace Germanic terms, leaving pairs of synonyms : Moon (germanic) and Lunar (romance)
-cognate = similarities in similar languages e.g. Main (FR), mano (ES- IT)...
-speaker's receptive voc : know the meaning of but might not actually write or speak -> a college educated speaker of English has a receptive voc of about 17 000 words
-low-road transfer (use well-reheard material in another context) is useful for scripted activities e.g. greetings, politeness -> emphasizes outcome over process
-high-road transfer requires actively looking for pattern and connections in the material -> takes more time and effort but better payoff bc flexible -> emphases process over outcome
-Roger hearing dialect German and Hoch Deutch between switch on and off -> missed the chance to take advantage of high-road transfer in trying to to look for similarities and differences between this and the Hoch Deutsch he learnt
-minimising distractions and attention switching during study can decrease cognitive load
-many believe that reading out loud in TL will improve reading and speaking abilities and fluency, and while helpful, it is a shallow task as student focuses on the pronunciation and aren't processing the text deeply so the memorization of the voc and content will be poor
-similarly, hearing and parroting is also shallow -> would be better to paraphrase what you heard because then it's meaning + sound
-many believe that writing over a word over and over would create muscle memory aka better retention, but again it's shallow -> breaking the word apart into meaningful components would be a deeper task
-maintenance rehearsal (repeating a phone number that you just heard) = very ineffective way to retain information
-in contract, elaborative rehearsal -> process info at deeper level and allow better long-term memory -> by focusing on meaning, e.g. for vocal, rather than simple repetition, it's better to paraphrase, thinking about how word connect to other words, or how the word relate to yourself (selfish -> are you selfish?)
- Ebbinghaus and memorization of nonsense syllables : forgetting curve -> retained only 60% after 20 min, 40% after 1h...
-on cognitive overload : driving with music on/conversation while on easy roads and turning it off because driving task has become more difficult and here conversation or music would put you on cognitive overload ; have time pressure will show how much of the student's ability has become automatic -> time tests are better for high-proficinecy student but not can impair the low-ones
-on interference effects : when studying a list of voc (nouns) and feeling frustrated about making loads of mistakes, instead of giving up, it is better to shirt study to a different set of words (adj or verbs) or task (e.g. to grammar). when you will return to the nouns, your recall might have improved -> this is called a release from a proactive interference -> so, it's wise to study different material types over short period of time rather than one on a long one -> e.g. rather than 30min voc and 30 min grammar, it is better to do 15 min voc, 15 min grammar x2 and then take a break
-positive info gets remembered more easily than negative (in voc, grammar, content...)
-encoded specificity : when your memory is better when the context in which you learnt the material matches the one in which you are ask to remember the material -> to lessen the impact of encoded specificity, take advantage of distributed practice effect -> if you have 2h study time, then study 1h, do something totally different, come back and study material again is better + study same material in different contact -> this doesn't mean at home and then at library but rather, study material through notes and then study them trough practice with native speaker
-keep in mind that with distributed practice, you will do worse every time you return to material -> this is normal and is what you want to happen bc the goal is to give you the opportunity to forget and relearn at a new time -> relearning is after than learning and the material is reinforced in a different way
-memory palace technique
-mnemonic devices -> "my very educated mother just served us nine pies" for Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto
May 31, 2021
I thought this book was pretty good. It manages to both inspire confidence and manage expectations. That's impressive. I found that the authors managed to cobble together a surprisingly good and solid read that's enjoyable just because. “Becoming Fluent” is worth reading for the reading alone, never mind if you actually have a desire to learn another language or not.
The book is well written and well put together. A few enjoyable anecdotes, sprinkled in among the explanations of how we learn languages, even managed to provoke a chuckle or two from me. Well played language nerds!
The book is well written and well put together. A few enjoyable anecdotes, sprinkled in among the explanations of how we learn languages, even managed to provoke a chuckle or two from me. Well played language nerds!
November 8, 2024
very nice!! mostly stuff i already knew, but that’s not the books fault. very linguistic-y and surprisingly technical, which i personally really enjoyed, but i can see how it would deter some people from reading.
July 24, 2016
As someone who has learned and forgotten and vaguely recalled perhaps a dozen languages over the years, this book on learning a language at any age was a delight and packed with information on the latest science and research on learning. The main point is that you are never too old to learn a language and in fact the older learner has some advantages over the younger ones. Of course, I read that section very closely. The experiences described did match many of my own as I returned to a language I had learned some years ago and set aside. It is coming back and now I know why after reading this book.
The book is short, humorous at times, and perfectly clear in all the science reviewed. Highly recommended for those who love the idea of learning a second (or third) language later in life or are just interested in what cognitive science is up to.
The book is short, humorous at times, and perfectly clear in all the science reviewed. Highly recommended for those who love the idea of learning a second (or third) language later in life or are just interested in what cognitive science is up to.
January 20, 2022
Overall a very positive and feel-good book with some decent tips in as to how to make learning another language easier. But it definitely falls into the trap that cognitive science often does, where it overexplains facts and tips with complicated theories just to say something that the average person has figured out very long ago. Still, an enjoyable read
February 17, 2021
Fun read! I’d say the info provided in this book is useful if one has no experience self studying a language. At this point in my journey, I feel time is all I need to reach the level I want to be at. Nice to keep in mind these things for the future!
June 16, 2022
Dummies' guide to cognitive psychology, plus some hints and motivation for learning languages as an adult. I've already read a fair few dummies' guides to cognitive psychology, and had already come across (and applied) most of the hints for language learning. That is to say: I didn't really get much out of this (and listened it on a whim because it was free on Audible!). But others might find it useful - particularly if their specific need is to move past the stage of "I'm too old to learn a new language."
May 15, 2017
I started it because I'm addicted to linguistics. When I saw the authors were connected with my alma mater I was really excited.
I had learned a lot of this material in my classes although there was some new tidbits of information in here for me. It was also nice to have citations and places to look up new information. Not everyone majors in psychology though.
I found that this information was more academic and less immediately implementable. The authors seemed to intend for the info to be very down to earth, based in science, and ready for the reader to implement. I feel in terms of usability, the information was not direct enough for all readers. I already employ many of these study habits myself because of my major, however, many people need things more explicitly spelled out. I think a recap section at the end with very direct and actionable bullet points would be a nice touch.
I also felt like the book ended rather abruptly. I hit the turn page button and it was over and I was like WOAH.
Glad I read it though. Plan to refer to it in the future. Enjoyed looking at a few different matters from perspectives I was not used to. The discussion on cognitive overload was particularly useful to me.
Something that I found interesting was the chapter discussing schemata, I have not had much difficulty dealing with this. Perhaps a little bit in Japan with clerks in department stores but other than that not much... yet. I also haven't been homesick or culture shocked yet either but maybe that will come soon. I hope not.
I had learned a lot of this material in my classes although there was some new tidbits of information in here for me. It was also nice to have citations and places to look up new information. Not everyone majors in psychology though.
I found that this information was more academic and less immediately implementable. The authors seemed to intend for the info to be very down to earth, based in science, and ready for the reader to implement. I feel in terms of usability, the information was not direct enough for all readers. I already employ many of these study habits myself because of my major, however, many people need things more explicitly spelled out. I think a recap section at the end with very direct and actionable bullet points would be a nice touch.
I also felt like the book ended rather abruptly. I hit the turn page button and it was over and I was like WOAH.
Glad I read it though. Plan to refer to it in the future. Enjoyed looking at a few different matters from perspectives I was not used to. The discussion on cognitive overload was particularly useful to me.
Something that I found interesting was the chapter discussing schemata, I have not had much difficulty dealing with this. Perhaps a little bit in Japan with clerks in department stores but other than that not much... yet. I also haven't been homesick or culture shocked yet either but maybe that will come soon. I hope not.
January 19, 2019
I often dream of relearning the two foreign languages that I once knew well -- German and Russian -- so that I could once again read great works of literature with ease in their original languages. I also think that it would be fun to learn ancient Greek to read Homer and Plato in their own words, or maybe Hebrew, or, perhaps, since I live in Los Angeles, it would be good to move my elementary knowledge of Spanish to fluency. A few years ago, I tried to teach myself Spanish, and it seemed to be going well until I tried to move up to listening to Spanish language radio and television and was so overwhelmed with the flow of words that I let the project drop (at least for a while).
This book is a great source of encouragement for me and for people who share my language ambitions. It convincingly puts forward the thesis that, although certain lanuguage learning abilities are reduced as we age, such as memorization and accentless pronunciation, they are more than compensated for by experience and knowledge of the world that older people generally have in greater measure than the young. So you are never too old to learn a new language; you just have to use different techniques that play to the strengths of a mature mind.
There was nothing really new in the learning techniques that the authors suggest or in the arguments that they use to support their thesis, but the book was well written and convincingly argued, and it gave me a message that I wanted to receive.
This book is a great source of encouragement for me and for people who share my language ambitions. It convincingly puts forward the thesis that, although certain lanuguage learning abilities are reduced as we age, such as memorization and accentless pronunciation, they are more than compensated for by experience and knowledge of the world that older people generally have in greater measure than the young. So you are never too old to learn a new language; you just have to use different techniques that play to the strengths of a mature mind.
There was nothing really new in the learning techniques that the authors suggest or in the arguments that they use to support their thesis, but the book was well written and convincingly argued, and it gave me a message that I wanted to receive.
January 7, 2016
I picked up this book because I have studied many foreign languages in my life, but I forget them faster than I learn them! After having read Becoming Fluent, I feel I have taken away a lot of useful techniques that I can apply to my learning. Some of them I have been using subconsciously (such as leveraging my old knowledge to form associations with the new), while others I've been doing wrong (such as setting strict studying routines).
Overall, I found this book clearly-written, well-structured and very valuable, and I would recommend it to foreign language learners of all levels. Here's however the catch: the authors approach this subject from the cognitive science angle. I personally found it very interesting to learn about meta-cognitive models, scientific findings and what they mean to our daily lives, but the studying tips come at the end of each chapter and can be a bit vague at times, so potential readers should keep this in mind.
Overall, I found this book clearly-written, well-structured and very valuable, and I would recommend it to foreign language learners of all levels. Here's however the catch: the authors approach this subject from the cognitive science angle. I personally found it very interesting to learn about meta-cognitive models, scientific findings and what they mean to our daily lives, but the studying tips come at the end of each chapter and can be a bit vague at times, so potential readers should keep this in mind.
July 4, 2016
Honestly, this book was not what I thought it was. I was looking for something that could help identify ways to better learn a foreign language using cognitive science, as the title of the book suggests. But the title is definitely misleading. The first part of the book was a bit more geared for that purpose, but I left with basically no techniques, tricks, or methods to apply to my language learning endeavor. If you are interested in cognitive science, then this will certainly be an interesting book. If you are looking for useful tips on how to more effectively learn a foreign language, look elsewhere. There are many other good books on the subject.
February 1, 2017
Much of this book serves as a cheerleader for adult language learners (You can do it!), which -- anyone trying to learn a foreign language certainly needs along the way. In addition, it explains the science and function of the adult mind and how to use them to your linguistic-expanding advantage. I discovered a few new insights, and found that most of the concepts rung true -- as I have already observed, experienced, and learned from them over the past few years of studying Italian and Spanish, myself.
January 15, 2016
It helps, if you're over 35 and have no idea of what your cognitive limitations are. I was expecting a plan-a strategy-for how to tackle a language, but the book itself is not bad. It mostly focuses of tricks and strategies for a certain mindset to tackle a language. So, while this book was not for me, I'm sure that people who have an inkling to learn a language, but feel they don't have the capabilities will find this book highly helpful.
November 4, 2019
Not sure if this will help you become fluent in a second language, but I think it will motivate you to start studying. The authors will convince you that your age is not a barrier to learning. You’ll learn tips for studying as well as the cognitive science that backs up their claims.
I had a second language acquisition class in grad school, so the content wasn’t new to me, but I still enjoyed reading it. I recommend it to my fellow MATESOLers! It’ll bring back memories. :)
I had a second language acquisition class in grad school, so the content wasn’t new to me, but I still enjoyed reading it. I recommend it to my fellow MATESOLers! It’ll bring back memories. :)
July 24, 2016
Interesting book that refutes common misconceptions about the disadvantages of being an adult (rather than child) foreign language learner, and tips about how to tip the odds in one's favor. More detailed practical examples would have been nice, but this was a quick and entertaining read.
January 26, 2018
This book was so boring and didn't really teach anything. I would not recommend it at all.
I did learn a new acronym though:
Some lovers try positions they can't handle ~ to remember the bones of the hand.
I did learn a new acronym though:
Some lovers try positions they can't handle ~ to remember the bones of the hand.
March 8, 2019
It's all about learning and how to learn a language, as an adult language student, learn the idioms, practice with a buddy. Practice with fluent speakers, speak it home. All good hints, many more tips in it.
June 3, 2016
More encouraging than strictly useful, though encouragement can be useful.
March 31, 2022
I’m a language teacher, and I completely nerded out over this book! I can see how it might be a little technical for people not wanting academic, “nerdy” content, however.
October 27, 2024
I read this book because several people in my family have attempted to learn foreign languages as adults. Consequently, I was looking for tips that might could be helpful.
The premise of the book was that adults actually could learn a language better than children in many ways, except for specific areas such as acquiring accents.
In the end, I think they would have been better served just to admit that a child will clearly learn a language, faster, and easier than an adult. It’s simply ridiculous to imply anything else.
Still, their point is valid that there are tips that an adult can follow to try to learn a language, and the authors were comforting as they reminded the reader that an adult CAN learn a language and probably faster than they realize.
If anyone wants a synopsis of the best parts of the book, I have that written out for my daughter and I can include that separately.
…….due to an OVERWHELMING response by my legions of fans, here is a summary of the 12 points that were most interesting from the book.
1. It is a myth that adults do worse in language learning, however, it is true that children often are less intimidated so they feel more free to learn.
2. People feel that they must cram as much language as they can in a day. There is no proof that multiple hours of study help.
3. Figure out what time is the best time to study per day and establish that pattern.
4. don’t be afraid to make the mistakes.
5. Inform people around you that your goal is to learn the language and they are more natural to help you learn it.
6. kids have an advantage on accents
7. reading really is a great way to help learn the language, even though a learner is naturally going to want to focus on speaking to learn the language
8. For vocabulary, focus on areas of subjects that interest you. You’ll learn those more quickly and build confidence.
9. Most languages are spoken at the same rate of speed so to imply that someone in Japan speaks faster than someone in English would speak is untrue.
10. There really is a connection between understanding somebody speak and being able to see their lips move. So make sure when you are speaking to somebody you are making direct eye contact.
11. Expressions are one of the hardest parts of learning a language because they don’t make a literal sense. However, they are very important to learn. The trick in learning them is realizing that there is a logic and a commonality in most languages when it comes to expressions.
For example, when we say, my heart is broken, that actually means we are sad. Across most cultures when they use an expression about sadness, they will refer to the heart.
12. Cognitive overload is real. Steps have to be taken to recognize when it has occurred.
The premise of the book was that adults actually could learn a language better than children in many ways, except for specific areas such as acquiring accents.
In the end, I think they would have been better served just to admit that a child will clearly learn a language, faster, and easier than an adult. It’s simply ridiculous to imply anything else.
Still, their point is valid that there are tips that an adult can follow to try to learn a language, and the authors were comforting as they reminded the reader that an adult CAN learn a language and probably faster than they realize.
If anyone wants a synopsis of the best parts of the book, I have that written out for my daughter and I can include that separately.
…….due to an OVERWHELMING response by my legions of fans, here is a summary of the 12 points that were most interesting from the book.
1. It is a myth that adults do worse in language learning, however, it is true that children often are less intimidated so they feel more free to learn.
2. People feel that they must cram as much language as they can in a day. There is no proof that multiple hours of study help.
3. Figure out what time is the best time to study per day and establish that pattern.
4. don’t be afraid to make the mistakes.
5. Inform people around you that your goal is to learn the language and they are more natural to help you learn it.
6. kids have an advantage on accents
7. reading really is a great way to help learn the language, even though a learner is naturally going to want to focus on speaking to learn the language
8. For vocabulary, focus on areas of subjects that interest you. You’ll learn those more quickly and build confidence.
9. Most languages are spoken at the same rate of speed so to imply that someone in Japan speaks faster than someone in English would speak is untrue.
10. There really is a connection between understanding somebody speak and being able to see their lips move. So make sure when you are speaking to somebody you are making direct eye contact.
11. Expressions are one of the hardest parts of learning a language because they don’t make a literal sense. However, they are very important to learn. The trick in learning them is realizing that there is a logic and a commonality in most languages when it comes to expressions.
For example, when we say, my heart is broken, that actually means we are sad. Across most cultures when they use an expression about sadness, they will refer to the heart.
12. Cognitive overload is real. Steps have to be taken to recognize when it has occurred.
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