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How to be a successful foreign language learner

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Sanjay Nair
Sanjay Nair

The document discusses strategies for learning French as identified by a survey of students at the English and Foreign Languages University. Key findings included that students found using French in daily life through movies, music, online chatting and games to be helpful approaches. Formal language learning through schools and tutorials was also considered important to build a strong foundation. Taking a positive and casual approach while experimenting and not fearing mistakes supported effective language acquisition.

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How to be a successful foreign language learner
French, as it is spoken today by a vast Francophone population, began to become standardized with Charlemagnes conquest of the Gauls and Franks in the 16th Century. The history of the modern French language in France emerged with the combination of Latin and Proven巽al. French is used as the official language of 22 countries and is the co-official language of several others, including Belgium, Canada, Haiti, Madagascar, and Switzerland. It is spoken as a first language by 51 million people in France and Corsica; in Canada by 7.2 million; in Belgium by 3.3 million; in Switzerland by 1.2 million; in Monaco by 17,000; in Italy by 100,000; and in the United States by nearly 2 million (primarily in Maine and Louisiana) We interviewed a group of BA (Hons.) French students in the English and Foreign Languages University and some students who learned French as optional language as part of studies in the university. The main objective of the assignment is to find out some helpful techniques and strategies to make foreign language learning lucid. Our group is consisted of students of French as the optional foreign language, and therefore we gave preference to develop methods for easy learning of the French language in this assignment. Twenty people were interviewed in total and accordingly we came up with the following report of the survey conducted by us in the campus.
Do you read books and journals? Did you make use of podcasts and radio? Did you play online games? Did you translate from second language into first language and vice versa? Did you learn from online tutorials? Did you make use of a dictionary? Did you memorize? Did you chat online with native speakers? Did you watch movies and listened to music? . Did you find it useful to think in your second language?
Name of Movies News- Online L2 Music/ Make No fear of Online Games Dicti- Memo- Trans- Under- Thin people papers/ Chat Enviro- radio/ Sente- Mistakes Tutorials onary rize L2-L1 stand k Books nment podcasts nces Every In L2 Word Adithya Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Dee Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Changte Vandha Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y a Nagend Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y ra Raza Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Shonali Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Sumeg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Suman Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Pradeep Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Navneet Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y h Aman Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Nayana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Mangilal Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Supriya Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Dharme Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y ndra Pranchi Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Richa Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Sushma Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Shyamil Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y i Pamir Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
LEGEND A. MOVIES 25 B. NEWSPAPER/BOOKS C. ONLINE CHAT 20 D. L2 ENVIRONMENT E. MUSIC/PODCASTS F. MAKE SENTENCES 15 G. NO FEAR OF MISTAKES YES H. ONLINE TUTORIAL 10 I. GAMES NO J. DICTIONARY K. MEMORIZE 5 L. TRANSLATE L2-L1 M. UNDERSTAND EVERY 0 WORD N. THINK IN L2 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
USING LANGUAGE IN DAILY LIFE: Taking a fun and casual approach- Taking a fun and casual approach towards learning of a foreign language can make it easier to learn. Watching movies, playing games, reading books and newspapers, listening to music, watching podcasts in the language which you intend to learn are wiser steps because these audio visual effects fills up our senses and makes remembering it possible at a quicker pace. Experimenting with the Language- Trying to experiment and coming up with new ideas while learning a foreign language is necessary. Experimenting with the language using using different phrases and words by talking to the native language speaker can improve language proficiency. Practicing and utilizing- If you're learning a new language, it is important to keep practicing the language in order to maintain the gains you have achieved. This "use-it-or-lose-it" phenomenon involves a brain process known as "pruning." Certain pathways in the brain are maintained, while others are eliminated. If you want the new information you just learned to stay put, keep practicing and rehearsing it.
Play of vocabulary and grammar- Learning vocabulary and grammar is the most basic and essential step towards language learning. Playing different word games online and picking up words from the dictionary makes the vocabulary stronger. A strong grammatical background adds up to the language learning skill. It is very necessary to practice grammar everyday to be thorough with the language both verbally and written wise. Using language explicitly and learning from mistakes- Just like a toddler when he starts learning a language, he keeps mumbling and fumbling with words by using it explicitly, so should we, not caring about our mistakes for only through making mistakes we learn. To have a fluent grip on the language, we should speak no matter what mistakes we make in the process. Joining language schools and tutorials- To have formal learning of a language is very important to strengthen the background of the language being learned. It gives you the right base because it is systematic and starts with the basic material and then goes to the higher level. It is utmost necessary for proper language learning. Learning about the history of the language- Learning about the history and background of the language make it more interesting. Knowing how the language sprang up that is origin of the language and how much its spoken around the world, which places of the world is very intriguing and make language learning more interesting.
Taking a positive approach- It is very important to rid your mind of any prenotions you have the difficulty level of the language you are learning. One should make sure to take a positive approach to language learning to bea successful language learner. Simple and lucid self improving strategies- We should make efforts on our own to develop the skills in the language by the means of small self improving strategies like practicing spelling, grammar and mechanism of writing. Attitude and aptitude- Keeping the right attitude and aptitude towards language learning is very necessary. It is beneficial in the long run. It helps in the improvement of the personal ability to grasp the language and also to think and reflect what we are learning.
Henceforth, according to the survey that we conducted we come to the conclusion that people prefer to learn language through fun means mostly like movies, music, online chatting and games etc especially a language French which is considered to be one of the toughest yet upcoming language in international scenario. Though it doesnt mean that other strategies could be ignored they are equally important to make language learning successful. French is one of the official languages of the United Nations and also widely spoken around the world. We enjoyed doing the survey and it was certainly a learning experience for us.
BY GREESHMA SHEETAL SANJAY PRASHANT

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How to be a successful foreign language learner

  • 2. French, as it is spoken today by a vast Francophone population, began to become standardized with Charlemagnes conquest of the Gauls and Franks in the 16th Century. The history of the modern French language in France emerged with the combination of Latin and Proven巽al. French is used as the official language of 22 countries and is the co-official language of several others, including Belgium, Canada, Haiti, Madagascar, and Switzerland. It is spoken as a first language by 51 million people in France and Corsica; in Canada by 7.2 million; in Belgium by 3.3 million; in Switzerland by 1.2 million; in Monaco by 17,000; in Italy by 100,000; and in the United States by nearly 2 million (primarily in Maine and Louisiana) We interviewed a group of BA (Hons.) French students in the English and Foreign Languages University and some students who learned French as optional language as part of studies in the university. The main objective of the assignment is to find out some helpful techniques and strategies to make foreign language learning lucid. Our group is consisted of students of French as the optional foreign language, and therefore we gave preference to develop methods for easy learning of the French language in this assignment. Twenty people were interviewed in total and accordingly we came up with the following report of the survey conducted by us in the campus.
  • 3. Do you read books and journals? Did you make use of podcasts and radio? Did you play online games? Did you translate from second language into first language and vice versa? Did you learn from online tutorials? Did you make use of a dictionary? Did you memorize? Did you chat online with native speakers? Did you watch movies and listened to music? . Did you find it useful to think in your second language?
  • 4. Name of Movies News- Online L2 Music/ Make No fear of Online Games Dicti- Memo- Trans- Under- Thin people papers/ Chat Enviro- radio/ Sente- Mistakes Tutorials onary rize L2-L1 stand k Books nment podcasts nces Every In L2 Word Adithya Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Dee Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Changte Vandha Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y a Nagend Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y ra Raza Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Shonali Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Sumeg Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Suman Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Pradeep Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Navneet Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y h Aman Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Nayana Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Mangilal Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Supriya Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Dharme Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y ndra Pranchi Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Richa Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Sushma Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Shyamil Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y i Pamir Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
  • 5. LEGEND A. MOVIES 25 B. NEWSPAPER/BOOKS C. ONLINE CHAT 20 D. L2 ENVIRONMENT E. MUSIC/PODCASTS F. MAKE SENTENCES 15 G. NO FEAR OF MISTAKES YES H. ONLINE TUTORIAL 10 I. GAMES NO J. DICTIONARY K. MEMORIZE 5 L. TRANSLATE L2-L1 M. UNDERSTAND EVERY 0 WORD N. THINK IN L2 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N
  • 6. USING LANGUAGE IN DAILY LIFE: Taking a fun and casual approach- Taking a fun and casual approach towards learning of a foreign language can make it easier to learn. Watching movies, playing games, reading books and newspapers, listening to music, watching podcasts in the language which you intend to learn are wiser steps because these audio visual effects fills up our senses and makes remembering it possible at a quicker pace. Experimenting with the Language- Trying to experiment and coming up with new ideas while learning a foreign language is necessary. Experimenting with the language using using different phrases and words by talking to the native language speaker can improve language proficiency. Practicing and utilizing- If you're learning a new language, it is important to keep practicing the language in order to maintain the gains you have achieved. This "use-it-or-lose-it" phenomenon involves a brain process known as "pruning." Certain pathways in the brain are maintained, while others are eliminated. If you want the new information you just learned to stay put, keep practicing and rehearsing it.
  • 7. Play of vocabulary and grammar- Learning vocabulary and grammar is the most basic and essential step towards language learning. Playing different word games online and picking up words from the dictionary makes the vocabulary stronger. A strong grammatical background adds up to the language learning skill. It is very necessary to practice grammar everyday to be thorough with the language both verbally and written wise. Using language explicitly and learning from mistakes- Just like a toddler when he starts learning a language, he keeps mumbling and fumbling with words by using it explicitly, so should we, not caring about our mistakes for only through making mistakes we learn. To have a fluent grip on the language, we should speak no matter what mistakes we make in the process. Joining language schools and tutorials- To have formal learning of a language is very important to strengthen the background of the language being learned. It gives you the right base because it is systematic and starts with the basic material and then goes to the higher level. It is utmost necessary for proper language learning. Learning about the history of the language- Learning about the history and background of the language make it more interesting. Knowing how the language sprang up that is origin of the language and how much its spoken around the world, which places of the world is very intriguing and make language learning more interesting.
  • 8. Taking a positive approach- It is very important to rid your mind of any prenotions you have the difficulty level of the language you are learning. One should make sure to take a positive approach to language learning to bea successful language learner. Simple and lucid self improving strategies- We should make efforts on our own to develop the skills in the language by the means of small self improving strategies like practicing spelling, grammar and mechanism of writing. Attitude and aptitude- Keeping the right attitude and aptitude towards language learning is very necessary. It is beneficial in the long run. It helps in the improvement of the personal ability to grasp the language and also to think and reflect what we are learning.
  • 9. Henceforth, according to the survey that we conducted we come to the conclusion that people prefer to learn language through fun means mostly like movies, music, online chatting and games etc especially a language French which is considered to be one of the toughest yet upcoming language in international scenario. Though it doesnt mean that other strategies could be ignored they are equally important to make language learning successful. French is one of the official languages of the United Nations and also widely spoken around the world. We enjoyed doing the survey and it was certainly a learning experience for us.