Contents
- Traditional method VS deductive method
- What do you think is the most effective way to learn English?
- A practical method even for the little ones Sounds
The method commonly used for learning a new language has been the same for several decades. It involves the classic frontal lesson usually explained to a relatively homogeneous class of pupils.
Even the textbooks used are divided into more or less standard teaching units: we generally start from a text or a dialogue that anticipates the topic to be treated, then we move on to the actual explanation of the grammar rule, to followed by a series of completion exercises, and sometimes a speaking activity and a writing activity.
For years, teaching a foreign language has also meant setting a path that starts from grammar and then gradually broadens the perspective. First extending the vocabulary and expressions, and then to a specific sector depending on the focus school attended, like an English business school (literature, culture, economy, etc.).
Many people have learned English in this way, perhaps even correctly. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly true that grammar constitutes a good foundation for building the entire language, especially for those who will use the language in specialized fields or work directly abroad.
But is the classical method the only one available for learning English or, in any case, the only one that works?
In reality, this is not the case: there are several alternatives methods, each with its pros and cons.
Traditional method VS deductive method
For example, the traditional method is inductive: the teacher explains the rule and exercises to verify that it has been assimilated correctly.
On the contrary, there is also a deductive method:
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Learning English while living in an English-speaking country
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Watching audiovisual products, or, again
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Reading in English without having any basics
According to the deductive method, first, we immerse ourselves in the language and live it, and thanks to this, we deduce the rules, the meanings of the words, the formation of sentences, and so on. It is a bit like the method used by those who go abroad without knowing the language and learn it on the spot simply by speaking it.
What do you think is the most effective way to learn English?
Learning by doing.
Then there is the possibility of learning English also through a natural acquisition. Based on the principle of learning by doing or learning by thinking. It is possible to learn the language in another way, different from the traditional one.
Learning the language naturally means, in short, studying it as if you were not studying. Just as we learned our mother tongue when we were children, we will also acquire a second language.
When we learned to speak as a child, they didn't immediately put a grammar book in front of us because we still didn't know how to read or write, nor did we understand what was happening around us. We were, however, always in contact with people who spoke, we listened a lot and, partly by imitation, at a certain point, we started talking.
First, a few words, the fundamental ones, and in the meantime, we also practiced understanding how to position the tongue to reproduce the sound we had heard. And then, little by little, we learned to pronounce words well, add new terms to our vocabulary, and compose more complex sentences.
The natural method for learning a language works in the same way: it is an original and innovative model which, albeit in its simplicity, and despite imitating the learning of the mother tongue, is still not very widespread. Another peculiarity of this method is that it can also be taught to very young children since we were very young, even when we learned the mother tongue.
The advantage is that by teaching a language to a small child, the learning process will begin immediately, and the child will absorb the information that surrounds him like a sponge. In addition, as children, we learn much more, while our brains tend to memorize less as we get older.
So, it is possible to learn from a young age because no books are needed, and this is a double benefit because children learn a lot more and faster. Moreover, using this method until the child reaches a reasonable level of English, the child may become bilingual.
A practical method even for the little ones
But how does the teaching of English work through this method on such small children? Unlike what you think, the information is not learned by chance, but the work behind it is expertly organized in steps by professional teachers. Regularly, and with difficulties that respect the level and age of the child, are introduced.
Children and adults must not feel the pressure of duty but feel free to express themselves. With songs, games, workshops, and an environment where only English is spoken, the person will learn English simply while having fun.
Along with the activities organized at school, it will also be important to make this information their own, practicing listening in English even when the course is not attended.
This is to allow the child not to forget what he has learned and because one of the fundamental steps to learn a language is to practice it constantly and regularly, or you will gradually risk losing pieces.
Learning English, therefore, is not only possible at any age but also using methods other than the most commonly used, methods that are proving to be valuable and effective.
