Published on 12, July, 2020
Hey folks.
Quick question if I may please. Just curious if anyone is aware of difficulties with learning a new language (be it adults or children) is common enough for people on the spectrum to be note worthy?
I always struggled with them in the parts of education where I was required to try and learn them, the obligatory year of French and a smattering of German back in comprehensive and I recall never enjoying the lessons one bit compared to my interest in the natural sciences. Beyond that I always had great trouble expressing myself in general but especially in hand written text, right at the tail end of my education I got a check and was told I had a relatively mild form of dyslexia, which I've tried my best to self correct over the years. Yet now, in hind sight, it occurs to me that it could be more than that.
Anyway, I'm trying to self learn Swedish with no formal education and minimal help from my partner. I can, through force of will, and nothing but overwhelming flooding get some to stick from a comprehension standpoint, as translation of the written form is little more than brute memory. But using it creatively, especially speaking I'm finding daunting to say the least. I'm sure some of it is simply my low confidence and lack of structure and peers but as I said, just curious if this is a "thing" with Aspergers (if I have it that is).
Thanks in advance for anyone that can provide any kind of info' on this.
Matt.
Yes, that is exactly one of the reasons why I am here. I want to be become Advanced in English. So, I want English around me everywhere.
I do not talk much to people, I prefer not to and avoid them as much as I can.
But it is good for me to read and write. I like that.
In a way, to become more advanced, writing on a forum is quite a good exercise too, isn't it? Not structured obviously, but still useful.
It seems pretty good to me! Actually I thought you were a native speaker... But then I wouldn't really know. In that case Duolingo won't work, it assumes that you know English "perfectly" and want to learn another language. Online should work great for you though, if you find a nice website - it's a lot more relaxing without fearing role plays and without anyone putting pressure on you.
What's your native language? Mine is German.
I remember role playing.
They were really awful for me. I was struggling so much. It was like torture to me.
Never, ever role playing again in my life.
I really like English. I feel that my English is not perfect. I know some basic English.
I would like to become really good in English and become Advanced.
Give it a try then - it is definitely simple, you just decide for the language and the amount of time you want to spend (although I find 5 min per lesson way to short, that was enough in the beginning but when it gets more complex it does take longer). But you can always do more or less. The only issue would be if it upsets you to not achieve your daily dose because sometimes you just don't have the time. It requires no communication with other people. Ultimately that's the purpose of learning a language, I suppose, but to start with I think it's quite good to just learn enough words to say simple things, especially if you find the very act of communicating difficult. Guess "real" courses aimed at autistic people could be quite good, small groups, none of the stupid role-playing... but with online courses I don't think there is so much of a need for that, you just need to have a look and try to find one that suits you.
What language would you like to try?
Maybe a simple website.
Simple to navigate around.
I find languages very difficult to learn.
One of the problem is communication with other people. I find it really difficult.
What are specific things you would like it to have or not have? I find Duolingo quite good, at least for vocabularies. I like particularly that it is quite flexible in terms of accepting translations that are correct but are not the same as it taught you. A friend used something else (not sure what) and this was very rigid - maybe it was a bit autistic ;-) This would drive me nuts. Duolingo uses whole sentences, maybe they all do that now. It's not specific for autistic people, but then, if you have met one autistic person...
Are there websites out there who help autistic people to learn languages and are designed for autistic people to learn languages?
Thanks for response and encouragement Margaret!
I tend to believe that when (and it's still some time off) I get into a classroom that things will be easier. I can't really get any structure to my self studies and frankly atop of the language are the other vast changes in my life that I'm having to learn to cope with too. Pressure of a different(ish) culture, being pretty much left out in the cold by the state here (for now) a new and first marriage and the bazillion ways and expectations that brings. Plus my wife doesn't really seem to think that whether I have something on the spectrum or not is important, I suspect she thinks that I think of it as an excuse.
Anyway, sorry for the whinge, back to Memrise for me. Enjoy weekend, or what remains of it folks.
Hi Matt, I speak French, as well as English. But I learnt the French by living in Switzerland for a year. I had done French at school, and it didn't make much sense to me. Moving to France several years later I enrolled on a course for French speakers who struggle with the written language due to dyslexia etc, and I made excellent progress. I moved back to the UK 9 years ago and took my French A Level and got a B. I did i in one year instead of 2. So, being on the spectrum needn't hold you back if you need to go to sweden to live!!!
Keep going as a little is worth more than nothing, if you get what I mean.
Margaret