Learning a foreign Language

Thanks for the repsonses,

@Alex R

• the difficult Sacndanavian accents sound an interesting challenge. Sweedish maybe.
• the idea of 'structure' being a basis for learning makes sense
• that research I mentioned would mean that meaning and probably therefore structure would play an important roie in learning a language as opposed to mechanical or rote learning.

@spektral

• Rosetta Stone is probably out of my budget at the moment but it does look a very interactive and thoughtful approach (from the quick look I had). What would you say was the main learning style implemented?
• Japanese certainley would be a challenge, but I would really like to achieve a fairly steady learning curve to help improve my self-confidence. Although I have a friend in Japan I would be much more likely to visit France or Sweeden. It sounds an amazing language to learn, write and use. The culture too..have you visited there?
• Learning from picture cards is interesting. Did you just look through them until something clicked? I have heard about people putting words on the relevant objects around the house. There seems to be quite a distinction between written and spoken words? How does that work out for Japanese? i am unfamiiar with carachters and therefore don't see a pattern.

@Imp of the Perverse

• Thanks for your long post. Its interesting that you 'memorize hundreds of words in a day but find listening-skills really difficult'. I suppose that points towards a learning style based around the visual? What are your thoughts on 'structure', I guess I mean the grammar system of verbs etc?
• Watching a foreign program or film (repeatedly) sounds like a good idea. I also thought of just playing a 'learning a foreign language' CD in the background whilst doing something else would be helpful. Just to try and get my head around the sound. As I have said I really like doing 'accents'.
• Your ideas about visual learning sounded great. Are the images always somehow connected to both the foreign and the native word? How does that process actually work in practise I wonder. For example you are in a shop in france and want to buy and egg, which is something you know you want to do because you want scrammbled egg. So, do you think of the english word then the French (via a connecting image) or do you think of the image connected with egg and then the French word? I hope this makes sense as I am still trying to pin point the processes myself.
• Frequency dictionaries....... that does make sense.....along with a 'little everyday', which would maybe tie in with playing a foreign language Cd in the back ground..

Finally I wonder if anyone knows if there are any online resources/tests that help identify your 'learning style'. I think this is an interesting area I could explore. By learning a Foreign Language, it could help identify how a person might learn most efficiently. I am not sure if this is something that is really explored in school.

Thanks again

Thanks for the repsonses,

@Alex R

• the difficult Sacndanavian accents sound an interesting challenge. Sweedish maybe.
• the idea of 'structure' being a basis for learning makes sense
• that research I mentioned would mean that meaning and probably therefore structure would play an important roie in learning a language as opposed to mechanical or rote learning.

@spektral

• Rosetta Stone is probably out of my budget at the moment but it does look a very interactive and thoughtful approach (from the quick look I had). What would you say was the main learning style implemented?
• Japanese certainley would be a challenge, but I would really like to achieve a fairly steady learning curve to help improve my self-confidence. Although I have a friend in Japan I would be much more likely to visit France or Sweeden. It sounds an amazing language to learn, write and use. The culture too..have you visited there?
• Learning from picture cards is interesting. Did you just look through them until something clicked? I have heard about people putting words on the relevant objects around the house. There seems to be quite a distinction between written and spoken words? How does that work out for Japanese? i am unfamiiar with carachters and therefore don't see a pattern.

@Imp of the Perverse

• Thanks for your long post. Its interesting that you 'memorize hundreds of words in a day but find listening-skills really difficult'. I suppose that points towards a learning style based around the visual? What are your thoughts on 'structure', I guess I mean the grammar system of verbs etc?
• Watching a foreign program or film (repeatedly) sounds like a good idea. I also thought of just playing a 'learning a foreign language' CD in the background whilst doing something else would be helpful. Just to try and get my head around the sound. As I have said I really like doing 'accents'.
• Your ideas about visual learning sounded great. Are the images always somehow connected to both the foreign and the native word? How does that process actually work in practise I wonder. For example you are in a shop in france and want to buy and egg, which is something you know you want to do because you want scrammbled egg. So, do you think of the english word then the French (via a connecting image) or do you think of the image connected with egg and then the French word? I hope this makes sense as I am still trying to pin point the processes myself.
• Frequency dictionaries....... that does make sense.....along with a 'little everyday', which would maybe tie in with playing a foreign language Cd in the back ground..

Finally I wonder if anyone knows if there are any online resources/tests that help identify your 'learning style'. I think this is an interesting area I could explore. By learning a Foreign Language, it could help identify how a person might learn most efficiently. I am not sure if this is something that is really explored in school.

Thanks again