Learning German can be scary if you are a beginner, especially if you have attempted to learn it once before and failed. The reasons take on a variety of forms: the pace is too fast, an overwhelming amount of vocabulary, and problematic memorization. Learning to speak the German language can be made much easier, and the learning process made much faster, by joining any one of these specialist German language schools in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.
Learning German can be an enjoyable experience, and it can also be a very useful skill. Despite the rise of China, Germany stands as the fourth largest economy in the world and the economic powerhouse of Europe. Learning the German language can be a bit more complicated to learn than Spanish for some English speakers. It can be made easier by using word books, and especially illustrated dictionaries. A beginner should practice pointing at objects (or pictures) and repeating the German words for them over and over.
German courses are all about teaching and it’s been proven that students who engage in practicing their lesson often learn more than those who don’t stay engaged. This means that the best German course should give you the information you need in a way that will let you engage with your learning. Try to find German courses that are taught exclusively by fully qualified and experienced teachers. Taking courses in Business German (sometimes called vocational German) can also be highly useful, since it is becoming popular as people see the need for knowledge of German, alongside skills for a specific profession, in today’s global economy.
German is the most commonly used language on the Internet after English. Take note of that if your future is in banking, the investment industry, or government, because Germany is one of the top five sources of foreign direct investment in the USA. As you can see, regardless of what your business future may hold, you will likely encounter a very valuable use for some German language skills.
German is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and more Europeans speak native German than English, French, Italian or Spanish. In Western Europe, German is second only to English as the most often spoken second language, and in Eastern Europe, German is the principal language of business, diplomacy and tourism. German is one of the world’s major languages. It is spoken by around 100 million native speakers and 80 million non-native speakers.
It is particularly important in literature, philosophy, painting, architecture and music. You would be surprised at how many of the most historically important works were originally written in German. It is also an official language of five western European countries, and a second language for many eastern European countries. One encounters German speakers all over the world, as inhabitants of places in South America, Asia, and Africa, as well as tourists. German is thus considered a pluricentric language.
German is not only a language of the past. As prolific researchers and scholars, German speakers produce nearly 80,000 new book titles each year. It is closely related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. Germany is a country that truly works hard and plays hard.
Technorati Tags: German, Important, Learning
“Mein Hund möchte eine Schinkenrolle bitte.”* While I’m sure common phrases uttered in Austrian crime series Inspector Rex may not have helped me navigate the Viennese transport system, they did at least prime my ears to understand when to get off for the “Volksoper”. Watching non-English speaking television has benefits beyond mere entertainment. As multicultural TV channel SBS says, to ‘be a citizen of the world’ means making an effort, and for those of us who cringe at the idea of language classes or car radio cassettes in rush-hour, plain old television osmosis-learning is a fun way to gain entrée into faraway lands.
Every day, Australians watch an average of 3 hours 7 minutes of TV, but few of us watch non-English speaking/foreign need-to-read-that-yellow-text kind of entertainment as shown by SBS, who in 2007 ratings, had a market share of 5.5% . SBS broadcast more than half their programs in over 60 non-English languages and have more than 400 international and local program sources including dramas and comedies from countries such as Denmark, Austria, Italy, and Russia. Some notable shows include the crime/drama series of Unit One from Denmark, which won an Emmy in 2002, the Austrian crime series Inspector Rex, with a team of detectives and their sleuthing German Shepherd, and the Italian ladies of romantic drama Shopgirls.
So in all those hours of plasmatic light or cathode rays with noise blaring from endless Harvey Norman ads, why should one flick the switch over to a foreign TV show for entertainment? Surely the effort of having to READ is just too much after a day at work. Au contraire, the reading bit is easy. And there are so many more benefits of watching foreign television that won’t happen with another Friends re-run, which is just a saga of who will hook up with whom and in the end maybe Phoebe and Joey should have too just to give us that snuggly feeling.
**What is good TV anyway?
The contented sighs one might have when protagonists finally “get it on” are a sign that TV had an effect beyond a mere advertising medium. The ingredients for a good TV show have the aim of tasting good; of entertaining you. To hold audience attention, a TV show must have certain essential ingredients: a good script, good acting and believable characters. You know, those shows that make you believe “Hey it’s Rachel!” Rather than “Hey, it’s Jennifer Aniston who married then divorced Brad Pitt and had a string of mediocre romantic comedies.” Character not celebrity. Good TV ingredients can be sprinkled among many cuisines with varying degrees of taste, whether it be the Aussie barbie of Neighbours, the British beef wellington of The Bill, or the foreign fricassee of shows on SBS.
**Why bother to learn another language?
So what, you reckon TV is only for having a few laughs or drooling over the latest in it-girls and spunky boys, why bother learning more words in some other language? People sprechen zee English pretty much everywhere these days. This may be so, but the natives appreciate any effort foreigners make to learn the lingo, or at least try to pronounce the words. Imagine the oft-reported scenario of French waiters cocking their head in mock confusion over your rounded ays and arrs of hybridised “le water glug-glug le please”. Until they realise you’re from Australia and then that the bottle of six Euro water is proffered to thirsted tongues. The renowned arrogance of the English and Americans of refusing to even say please – even in English – have hardened the garcons and gaullish gals to defend their language behind a protective sheet of fillo pastry.
The easiest of the languages to pick up casually from TV are the European ones, as they don’t rely on tonal variations or squiggly writing.
But what does learning a language really mean? There’s writing, speaking and listening – for sure watching foreign TV you won’t learn how to write the little umlauts and cedillas and which way the thingee goes over the e, but the most important element of languages is being about to speak and understand.
So, when in Rome as they say…
**Learn to Speak and Pronounce
And in Rome you may be, but reading out words from a language dictionary sounds like Dame Edna trying to sing the Marseillaise. So there’s the first benefit learning another language – charming the natives so you won’t end up with overcooked snails thrown petanque style at your backpack.
No doubt the community class German tutor I had went home to a bottle of schnapps to dull the pain of two hours of cringeworthy ocker-isation of his language. “Vass ohben in douitzland see fet swyne mitt hunndden alls swestern ist” – which, if you could be understood by confused Berliners – would earn a mighty slap with some of their bratwurst and perhaps a jail sentence (what’s up in Germany you fat pigs with dogs as sisters). Do you think someone would serve you at Oktoberfest with that accent? Kein Malzbier for du. So that’s why, while sitting on the couch having a laugh, or biting your nails in suspense, your brain is picking up on the tongue-twisting utterances of another land. You hear what is right, and that safeguards against embarrassing faux pas. Just imagine “What would Moser from Inspector Rex say right now.” If you’re pretending to be Inspector Rex himself, the rest is easy. Woof will suffice.
**Learn to listen at real pace
Hearing the natural conversations of native speakers also helps to comprehend a language – those cringe-worthy classroom read-alouds stumble on cedillas and circumnavigate through ^ circumflex thingees. The real world is fast and full of slang that would never mention “baladeurs” in the age of iPods – so don’t bother with your high school language tapes, which were dumbed down for hormonally impaired students anyway. Listening to another language from natives accustoms you to the express train pace of colloquial speech; helpful for those frazzled moments at ticket booths and checkouts.
**Learn about culture
So, you can sprechen and you can comprende, but the most useful element of foreign TV is the visual element, sort of like looking up swear words in the dictionary at home because they’re not in the study curriculum. Foreign TV gives a backdoor tour that travel brochures photoshopped to paradise perfection won’t show. For example, one could surmise that the Viennese police all drive the latest in Audis or Alfa Romeos, generally live on a diet of ham rolls, and mental patients are treated with the civility of English Lords. And that in Denmark, murders are freaky, everywhere is within one hours’ drive of Copenhagen and interrogating prisoners without a lawyer is no worries as long as you cloud the cramped room with a fog of cigarette smoke. How true this is to real life, I am yet to find out, but watching the landscape used in the show makes me want to go there. Yes, most of the time Denmark looks dreary, windy, and cold, but the homes are exquisite, the streets look clean and they eat danishes, albeit not the ones we’re used to. Every episode of Inspector Rex is a travel spruik for Vienna, even the one in the sewers (typical Austrians, one could eat a schnitzel of those floors). So strong was the love of Inspector Rex that I diverted part of a holiday for four days in Vienna, to have a Rex experience. The hours of dogged detective work helped me to know where the public transport went, that “Prater” fun park was quietest on Mondays and that ham rolls could be found as easily as beer at an Oktoberfest. There’s even an Inspector Rex tour, with your own German Shepherd escort. Watching foreign television also gives a hint at what white-teethed preppy travel hosts won’t show you; the drug scene, the dodgy areas, the racial tensions and role expectations. Stilettos not sneakers while shopping, as shown in the Italian series Shopgirls, which illustrates a point that European women make an effort to look fabulous even when buying milk.
Remember though that even European ladies might succumb to ugh boots in winter, so it’s worthwhile to keep a sceptical raised eyebrow. Sort of like questioning American TV shows and how a chef and a waitress could afford a massive New York apartment, or that all lifeguards have minimum double D buoyancy devices or six-pack washboard stomachs.
The couch potato lifestyle can be pommes frites fabulous by watching foreign TV shows – the sights, sounds and speech will filter into your brain and itch your credit card to rack up some frequent flyer points. So beam that TV remote to foreign television to become a citizen of the world and learn that yes, you can buy ham rolls for dogs in Vienna.
*Note: I fully admit that any foreign language in this article is most likely grammatically incorrect, but hey, at least I gave it a go.
References:
SBS FAQ, 2002, SBS, http://www20.sbs.com.au/sbscorporate/index.php?id=380
List of Australian television ratings for 2007, 2007, Wikipedia,, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_television_ratings_for_2007
Bob Peters, Free-to-air television: Trends and issues, 2005, Australian Film Commission, http://www.afc.gov.au/gtp/wftvanalysis.html
I am a freelance writer and editor specialising in article and review format. I generate story ideas, conduct research and interviews then complete the piece in line with house style and expected deadlines. The underlying philosophy to any writing I do is ?information through engagement?.
Technorati Tags: Entertainment, Foreign, Learning, Sprechen, Television
Every organization understands the value of ongoing education and training. We all want to have a staff of professionals who continue to grow and improve themselves in their specialty, to learn the ropes of their industry, and to learn about your company and your customers.
Active adult learners make the best employees. But many managers and trainers fail to recognize the fact that adults learn very differently than children and younger adults who are in the formal school system.
The Solution
This article is a comparison and discussion of the concepts of andragogy, meaning “the art and science of helping adults to learn”. . . contrasted with pedagogy, the art and science of helping children to learn. There is some discussion about whether androgogy is a theory of learning, a theory of teaching, or a set of assumptions. Despite the controversy, androgogy is a workable concept and an excellent “conversation-piece” to describe many of the issues with adult education and ways it can and should be different from the education of children. What follows are five of the key factors that define androgogy and differentiate it from pedagogy, together with illustrations or examples of how they might be used by an instructor.
The need to know
In a classroom of children, there are some concrete guidelines established by a school board with cultural and demographic information that establish what children should be expected to know by the fifth grade, for example. Adults, on the other hand, may be influenced by the boss or co-workers, or friends and family, or may even be compelled to enroll in some educational programs. For the most part, however, adults determine what they want and need to know for themselves. The largest majority of adults elect to enroll in classes, seek private instruction, or engage in independent learning projects.
It is very important to ensure the course is positioned and marketed appropriately. Perspective learners that select a particular course need to be assured that the course objectives and materials. That would help ensure the adults that enroll have a stronger desire to learn. The instructor should also conduct a short needs analysis (depending on the length and complexity of the course) in the first session to find out WHY each person enrolled and what they expected to learn.
The learners’ self-concept
The self-esteem of children is fragile yet fairly malleable. Most children can be persuaded to take part in various activities using fairly simple methods. Adults, however, sometimes have self-concept issues that interfere with learning. Overcoming a self-developed label, such as “I’m not technical” or “I’ve been out of school too long” can interfere with an adult’s participation or success in a learning endeavor. It is important for the instructor to ferret out these concepts if they are causing problems, and to address them directly. When I encounter a student with a self-concept issue of “I’m not technical, and this assignment is technical, therefore I won’t try it.” I break down a web-development assignment into smaller pieces and go through it on an individual or small group level, using a comfortable and familiar metaphor, such as following a recipe to bake cookies or building a house. (The learners themselves often suggest a good metaphor with some intelligent questioning.) One early success in a course often goes a long way toward resolving this difficulty.
The role of learners’ experience
Children generally have fewer unique experiences to draw knowledge from, partly because they have had less time to accumulate it and partly because children in public school have a similar experiential background. Adults often have rich layers of experience that are very different from one another and that provide excellent, relevant and compelling learning material, if it can be tapped for a course.
I recently attended a process planning workshop hosted by IBM. There were six attendees, all of whom were from related departments at Wells Fargo. In a needs assessment, the instructor hit on an issue that we were having. She scrapped the generic example used in the course materials and used our “case study” instead. She incorporated our example throughout the course as an example. My classmates and I were very motivated by the opportunity to solve a real world problem during the course. The course became much more powerful for us because it was immediately relevant.
Readiness to learn
The curriculum for children is often designed so that courses follow the predicted developmental stage of the child, courses build on each other in sequence. With adults, the instructor cannot make such assumptions. Material taught before the student is ready to begin using it will not be as effective as material that can be used right away. As an example, I was part of a team that delivered software training to a group of people. The training was successful, and got excellent reviews. However, the software that was supposed to be delivered and used at the conclusion of the training was delayed by two months. We were asked to design and deliver a refresher course (at a considerable cost to the company) because the students were not comfortable using the software because of the delay between matriculation and availability.
Readiness to Learn also addresses the potential of learning disabilities and other disabilities. Many adults have disabilities that were not diagnosed when they were children, so this possibility (and eventuality) must be addressed.
Motivation
Children can be motivated to learn nearly any topic by an enthusiastic and supportive teacher. Adults need more specific motivation. As an example, many adults engage in learning activities with anticipation of a better job. By providing placement services, networking opportunities, and marketable certificates; a learning opportunity can better meet that expectation and hence, more effectively motivate students to complete and excel at the program.
It is important for an instructor to understand the concepts of androgogy when teaching adults. In many key factors, there is a significant difference between adult and child learners. By designing courses with the needs and characteristics of adults in mind, an instructor or educator stands a much better chance of success. When designing educational programs for your company, design your training programs for adults.
References:
Charles, S. and Pasupathi, M. (2003).Age Related Patterns of Variability in Self-Descriptions: Implications for Everyday Affective Experience. Psychology and Aging, 18 3 524-536.
E-Text Merriam, S. et al.
Adult Learning Theories, Principles, and Applications. University of Phoenix, John Wiley and Sons. Llewellyn, G. et al (2002) Home-based Programmes for Parents with Intellectual Disabilities: Lessons from Practice. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, l 15 4, 341-354.
Principles of Pedagogy and Androgogy, University of Phoenix Material. Retreived December 10, 2003 from https://mycampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/resource.asp
Paula Williams is the host of Ravenwerks, a community for ethics, etiquette and effectiveness in our multicultural world.
www.ravenwerks.com
Technorati Tags: Adult, Adults, Creating, Education, Learning, Organization, Overwhelmingly, Programs, Successful, supposed
This amazing step-by-step video training system shows anyone go from just a complete newbie to a preficient and confident Photoshop Elements user in no time at all.
Click here to buy the product or to see more information!
You will discover how to edit your digital photos in a simplistic and fun package.
These download video tutorials that can also be viewed online will enable you to look over David Peters shoulder as he reveals a complete package of photo editing tips that will help you in understanding all of the tools that Elements have to offer.
These video tutorials will highlight on the importance of each individual tool and to start you off there is a very cool sample video that we convey the learning method of David Peters elements video tutorials. Discover how to quickly and easily solve one of the biggest photo- editing difficulties that virtually everyone suffers from!
Click here to buy the product or to see more information!
“Learn Elements Now” reveals all of the following tools and editing tricks;-
… Find and view all my photos and video clips for quick editing
… Add backgrounds, shadows, and lighting to them
… Fix my common photography problems like red-eye, blurring, and color issues
… Crop and resize my photos without compromising quality
… Make my photos look their best with easy-to-use editing tools
… Easily perform more advanced retouching and enhancing thanks to the easy image-selection tools, and amazing compositing capabilities
… Share my stories in imaginative photo books, scrapbook pages, slide shows, and my own web galleries
… And all the other cool digital editing tricks which will increase creativity to editing your digital images.
If you need to master Adobe Photoshop Elements in no tome at all, so you can quickly and easily edit your digital photos, and impress your family and friends… then this is definitely for you…
The very latest tips on leaning photoshop and elements editing software along with simple to follow videos. You will be provided with the first steps to get to grips with learning Photoshop tricks and you will build up your confidence as an Adobe editing software user.
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http://www.theshopforyou.com
Technorati Tags: Elements, learn, photoshop
If you are familiar with the Windows environment, then distance learning Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 courses can provide you with the tools you need to communicate effectively and picturesquely. Microsoft’s statistics reveal that more than thirty million presentations are made everyday and this tool has proven invaluable to those who want to organize, illustrate and deliver ideas effectively using pictures, animations and graphics. You can make your presentations in a classroom, conference hall or at a teleconference with ease! You can hold your audience spellbound while you help them focus on issues with every slide and drive home your points sequentially. The play of light and sound will mesmerize your audience and they will leave your presence with confidence in your ideas and your handouts in their folders.
Content of the Course
Distance learning Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 students will need to build up an understanding of how the software works. The courses are designed to impart the necessary skills by simulating the entire process and enabling the students to understand the concepts over the duration of the course. Beginner, intermediate and advanced level courses are available for those who do not want to plunge into the process of learning at one shot. Students can learn to use this tool individually and in groups. Most of the courses begin with introductory lessons on features of PowerPoint 2000 such as the interface elements including slide sorters, outlines and views; presentation basics such as setting background and foreground colors, inserting animations and pictures, inserting transitions, creating custom slide shows and so on. Once the student has mastered these, he is taken through the process of working with text, modifying outlines, creating handouts, making notes, integrating with charts and other Microsoft Office products. Finally the students learn how to integrate audio and video with their presentation and pack the presentation for transmission over the internet or on CDs.
Universities and Institutions
The Florida Gulf Coast University and the Central Connecticut State University provide innovative distance learning Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 courses apart from courses on other Microsoft Office tools. The Southwestern University also provides Microsoft Office Training on all office Tools including Microsoft PowerPoint 2000. ICS Learn has an extensive course on Microsoft Office 2000 leading up to Microsoft Office Specialist Certification and Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 is one of the topics under this course. KnowledgeNet, SkillPride Online Training and a number of similar institutions provide courses on Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels for its students.
If you are holding a job that demands a lot from you in terms of presenting facts and ideas to your seniors and colleagues, it is important that you acquire the all impressive skill of using this tool to convey your ideas. Distance learning Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 courses will help you learn while you continue working at your career!
Technorati Tags: 2000, courses, Distance, Learning, Microsoft, points, Powerfully, PowerPoint
Learning disabled children aren’t the only ones with books targeted toward them. A growing number of resources for teens have been made available in recent years as well. The teenage years are often tumultuous ones, with new social rules to abide by and one’s post-high school future to worry about. The added pressure of having a learning problem certainly doesn’t help to reduce the stress that teens face, but the good news is that there are some entertaining, informative, and inspiring books that have been written to aid them in realizing their full potential. Some of the very best include:
1. The Survival Guide For Teenagers With LD* (*Learning Differences), written by Rhoda Woods Cummings, Gary L. Fisher, Pamela Espeland, and L.K. Hanson, $12.95 (paperback), available on Amazon.com
This no-nonsense guide covers a great deal of information, from social skills to taking control of one’s own education. The writing is accessible and concise, managing to cover a lot of ground without glossing over anything important. The text is laid out in a reader-friendly format, with a clean font and ample room between lines. Frequent illustrations support the authors’ writing, and enhance textual meaning for visual learners. A great introductory guide for teens who have just been diagnosed with learning problems.
2. Learning Outside the Lines: Two Ivy League College Students With Learning Disabilities and ADHD Give You the Tools for Academic Success and Educational Revolution, written by Jonathan Mooney and David Cole,
$14.00 (paperback), available on Amazon.com
Perhaps the most encouraging advice for teens on how to handle scholastic difficulties is the kind that comes from those who have experienced them personally. Mooney and Cole not only found ways to work around their learning disorders, but they went on to attend Ivy League colleges. This book communicates the all-important message that higher education is certainly not off-limits to those with learning issues. Teens will appreciate the humor and warmth of this book, along with the practical advice of those who have faced struggles similar to their own.
3. My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir, written by Samantha Abeel, $15.95 (hardcover), available on Amazon.com
Abeel’s intimate account reveals the life of a creative and intelligent person who faced tremendous difficulties in the early part of her academic career. For the author, school was a fun place to learn new things and socialize with friends until the second grade, when she realized that she was falling behind her peers in many areas. Abeel spent another five years wondering what was hampering her scholastic progress, until finally, in the seventh grade, she was diagnosed with dyscalculia. While many books about learning disabilities treat the period immediately following diagnosis as one of crisis, the author saw it as a time of relief and recovery. A well-written and inspiring tale.
Jane Saeman runs an In-Home Tutoring service called Aim High Tutors. Find out about how to help your student reach their full potential at http://www.aimhightutors.com/blog .
Technorati Tags: about, Books, Disabilities, Learning, Teen
Traditional French language learning has generally been of the “listen and repeat” type, either in class or by way of the old tape systems that I’m sure some of you remember (I certainly do). Although more recently we’ve have CDs and DVDs we’re still presented with the same old methods on them. Now however, at last we have more advanced interactive French language software and in recent years French lessons you can download straight to your pc.
But are they any good or is it just technology for the sake of it?
Like everything else there’s some and some. If you search for free French language software you’re going to probably restrict yourself to a few MP3s you can download. No bad thing in itself as it’s always good to have something to listen too. Every little helps.
You might also find a few mpeg clips that you can view online and why not? If they’re free, what have you got to loose?
The problem is that sooner rather than later you run out of useful information. Not surprising really, most of these guys are trying to make a living so they’ll give you a free taster in the hope that you’ll buy the main French software product. Nothing wrong with that, that’s good business sense, but sadly for us it means we’ve got to put our hand in our pocket!
So do we get good value once we’ve done so? Well for a start there’s plenty of choice from kids ages upwards. There’s also a big price range, from around dollars to several hundreds, and from what I’ve seen so far, you get what you pay for.
At the bottom end you’re not getting much more than the free stuff. In the mid-range things get more interesting and at the top you have to say you’re getting pretty comprehensive French language tuition. Most of these are going to come on CD or DVD although there are a few learn French downloads now available that you just pay for and copy straight from the server to your computer. No waiting for the mail and in at least one case a considerable saving over competing products – around $100 instead of $250 or more.
But $100 is not cheap. You can get quite a few books or basic old-fashioned CDs for that money. What makes this course so superior?
Well really we can forget about books straight away. If you’re an advanced French learner then there are books for verb conjugation and grammar that will prove useful but for the beginner you need to actually hear the language, to hear a French person speaking. You just can’t get that from a book.
What about audio CDs though, you might ask, you can hear people speaking on them. Well yes, but it really is just the listed-and-repeat style learning that most people soon find quite tedious.
Modern French language software downloads really involve the student. You have the audio tracks that you always have had (and which you can still copy to a CD or MP3 player) but now you also have illustrated interactive lessons and vocabulary and word games. The software is constantly challenging you and responding to your answers. As a result you feel involved and your rate of learning accelerates dramatically.
We can’t really criticize the old tape systems. Back then, that’s all there was. To translate them to CDs was really a bit of a cop-out. Fortunately some companies have taken advantage of the technology to provide truly immersive learn French downloads that vastly increase our ability to absorb whilst greatly reducing the time it takes us.
Get free, independent tips and advice on learning French plus six free professional French lessons here: how2learnfrench.com
Technorati Tags: Downloads, Fast, French, Language, learn, Learning, Software
If you want to learn Chinese, you are about to undergo a very challenging proposition. This language consists of many complex characters that represent both a sound and meaning. It is going to take quite a bit of effort on your part to properly learn all the various aspects of the Chinese language.
The Chinese language is written in Chinese characters or hanzi. In order to learn modern Chinese you will need to commit about 5000 hanzi to memory. This is going to be a very challenging task for someone who’s unfamiliar with a language such as this.
While learning the characters, keep in mind that they are used to represent actual physical things and abject concepts. If you can learn what each component represents and get that image in your head, you will eventually build up in the library of the components of each character. With your mental images, you need to attach the meanings and the pronunciations of each one of them as this will make your learning easier down the road.
There are many books out on the market that will allow you to make this process easier. Some of these books we use illustrations and stories with Chinese characters that explain their meaning and create a fun environment for you to learn not only about the language but how to properly speak it and write it.
You may also want to take a class in writing Chinese characters. This will ensure that you do them correctly and make you much more familiar with the art form. If you do that, you can then make up cue cards for yourself that you can study off of during some idle time. As you do this you will start to notice some recurring themes in the characters in your association will begin to come together. The more characters you learn, the easier it is to expand your library of characters.
Want to learn Chinese? Read this review of what I feel is the best online course going. Click Here
Technorati Tags: Chinese, learn, Speak, want
Often considered the pastime of teenaged boys, the truth is, people of all types are eager to learn to play guitar. Playing guitar can be rewarding in a variety of ways, whether approached as a casual hobby or with the goal of becoming a serious guitarist. Either way, there are many ways to learn. Which is best for any one person depends on a variety of things, such as the person’s natural ability, desired learning speed and personal learning style. Common to each of them is the need for dedication and patience.
Many people choose to start their guitar-playing education by consulting with a guitar teacher. One on one lessons can be very helpful, as there is always someone there to guide you step-by-step, from the very basic skills to more advanced techniques. Teachers can provide valuable feedback, and can clearly demonstrate the proper techniques. They can also adjust lessons to a person’s particular skill level and learning pace. This can keep novice players appropriately challenged without demotivating frustration.
For more practical knowledge about how to learn to play guitar, books can be an informative resource. From explaining the techniques and theory involved in guitar playing to illustrating key concepts, books make it possible to re-review sections whenever necessary, or skip past concepts already understood. However, books are limited in their ability to comprehensively describe complex techniques, and often work best in conjunction with other learning methods.
Like books, “learn to play guitar” videos offer flexibility in learning and have the added benefit of being able to explain techniques step by step. Videos make it easy to re-review lessons at the desired pace, and lessons can be repeated as often as necessary until the concepts are well understood. As with books, familiar concepts can be bypassed, allowing the player to focus on the areas that need the most work. Used together with books or private lessons, videos can be very helpful in the learning process.
Regardless of the learning method(s) chosen, there are certain fundamentals that are key to success. Patience is important; very few people are able to pick up a guitar and play complex songs right away. Setting realistic goals and appreciating even progress that seems minor can help avoid frustration and boost motivation. Of course, practice is also vital. The more a person practices, the more natural guitar playing becomes, and what once required concerted effort and thought can become second nature. Practicing reinforces the lessons learned, and lays the groundwork for future learning.
Learning to play the guitar has both its rewards and challenges. With patience and perserverance, even the most novice guitarist can find themselves playing recognizable tunes that previously seemed impossible to master. Whether pursued as a part time hobby, or with the aspirations of becoming a professional guitarist, the choice to learn to play guitar is very rarely regretted.
TeachYourselfHowToPlayGuitar is an online portal with expert articles about essential guitar tips and guides. To learn more about how to effectively learn to play the guitar, visit http://www.teachyourselfhowtoplayguitar.com for free access.
Technorati Tags: Effective, Guitar, learn, Methods, Play
I recently had the chance to talk to an American living in Japan, who had mastered the Japanese language. He told me he first took some free language lessons online, but those didn’t clear up much so he followed a local language course in his home town. Slowly, he managed to build up his knowledge and eventually he learnt Japanese but as he told me, it was a long, hard process that almost drained him of his energies.
Since I noticed this is the case with more and more people that start learning Japanese, I decided to write up a small guide featuring a few fun ways to learning Japanese “organically” instead of following a strict, boring and oftentimes annoying step process.
Now I’m not a scientist, but I do know that when we have fun doing something, we automatically learn new information without even knowing it. Take a medieval themed PC game for example. While playing it and having fun, you’ll also be learning bits and pieces of history. The following Japanese fun learning methods are based on the same concept.
Fun Ways to Learn Japanese – Anime and Manga
Oftentimes these two terms are confused. Manga means “comic book” in Japanese, whereas the Anime refers to the animation of a Manga comic. Think about the X-men comics… they were “Manga” first (the actual comic books), after which they became Anime (the cartoons) and nowadays, they’re a movie series. Anyway, it doesn’t really matter what you call them, Anime and Manga are a good way to learn Japanese naturally and they’re quite fun to watch/read.
One particular advantage of Anime and Manga is that most of these comic books or cartoons have a limited word and phrase list in use. You’ll be amazed how quickly you can catch on to these basic words, so Anime can be used as a starting point to your Japanese learning process.
Fun Ways to Learn Japanese – Movies and Music
I’d rate movies a much better learning source than music, but hey, if you’re into Japanese music, why not use it as a helping hand in your learning process? Movies have the advantage of offering the audio-video combination which helps you understand what’s going on easier. They can also be subtitled in English, which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the quality of the subtitles (however, since Japanese words often have extensions in English translations, subtitles can be more harmful than helpful).
One movie I found particularly interesting in this sense was “The Last Samurai” starring Tom Cruise. I won’t go about the movie’s plot, suffice to say that an American veteran finds himself trapped in a Japanese samurai settlement, learning their ways and learning how to speak Japanese. While the Japanese folk are teaching Tom Cruise some of their language, you’ll be picking it up as well.
Fun Ways to Learn Japanese – Flash Cards
Flashcards are well known to be a great way to learn a new language, but they’re even more useful when learning Japanese. Using flash cards to learn Japanese is fun and it will boost your vocabulary in no time. If you can’t find suitable flashcards on the Internet or in local stores, try making your own! Just cut up some cardboard in matching sizes, write an English word on one side and the Japanese translation on the other and practice with it. Try splitting the cards up in nouns, adjectives, verbs and so forth so they’re easier to handle. You can also try drawing up what the word on the flashcard illustrates and it doesn’t really matter how skilled you are in drawing: even a rough sketch or a silly stick figure will help your brain memorize words easier.
I didn’t add raw conversation in between these fun learning methods, simply because if you’re that far into the Japanese learning process as to be able to hold out a conversation, then you really don’t need the above mentioned methods. I found that learning Japanese, more so than any other language, is like a rolling snowball. The further down the hill the learning process is, the faster it goes and the bigger your knowledge base gets. Once you get started, it’s easy to become fluent in it. Just remember, learning Japanese is only as hard as you let it become.
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