How to Study Foreign Languages

264 Pages·1999·10.91 MB·

by  Marilyn Lewis (auth.)

HOW TO STUDY FOREIGN LANGUAGES
HOW TO STUDY
Series editors: John Peck and Martin Coyle
Titles in the same series
How to Begin Studying English Literature (second edition)
Nicholas Marsh
How to Study a Jane Austen Novel (second edition) Vivien jones
How to Study Chaucer (second edition) Robert Pope
How to Study a Joseph Conrad Novel Brian Spittles
How to Study a Charles Dickens Novel Keith Selby
How to Study an E. M. Forster Novel Nigel Messenger
How to Study a Thomas Hardy Novel john Peck
How to Study a D. H. Lawrence Novel Nigel Messenger
How to Study James Joyce john Blades
How to Study Linguistics Geoffrey Finch
How to Study Milton David Kearns
How to Study Modern Drama Kenneth Pickering
How to Study Modern Poetry Tony Curtis
How to Study a Novel (second edition) john Peck
How to Study a Poet (second edition) john Peck
How to Study a Renaissance Play Chris Coles
How to Study Romantic Poetry Paul O'Fiinn
How to Study a Shakespeare Play (second edition) john Peck and
Martin Coyle
How to Study Television Keith Selby and Ron Cowdery
Literary Terms and Criticism (second edition) john Peck and
Martin Coyle
Practical Criticism john Peck and Martin Coyle
Studying History jeremy Black and Don M. MacRaild
How to Study Foreign Languages Marilyn Lewis
HOW TO STUDY
FOREIGN
LANGUAGES
Marilyn Lewis
MACMILLAN
© Marilyn Lewis 1999
All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of
this publication may be made without written permission.
No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted
save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence
permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency,
90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP.
Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication
may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
The author has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this
work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published 1999 by
MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS
and London
Companies and representatives throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-73667-8 ISBN 978-1-349-14868-4 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-14868-4
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling
and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99
To Rhys and Monica who have helped in so many ways
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
X
General Editors' Preface
Xl
Author's Preface
Xll
PART I WHAT IS INVOLVED IN LEARNING
A LANGUAGE?
Choosing a language and a course 3
1.1 Why learn another language? 3
1.2 Choosing a language 9
1. 3 Choosing a course 11
Summary of advice 25
2 Knowing a language: what does it mean? 26
2.1 The form of the language 27
2.2 Language use in different situations 32
2.3 Putting language together 35
2.4 Describing language 36
3 Language learning: comparisons and contrasts 41
3.1 First- and second-language learning 41
3.2 Ability and method 46
3.3 Making a difference: Successful strategies 53
3.4 Strategies for better thinking 56
3. 5 Organisational strategies 57
4 Language learning: memory and motivation 66
4.1 Information about memory 66
4.2 Factors affecting memory 70
VII
viii CONTENTS
4.3 Techniques for remembering 72
4.4 Motivation and attitude 76
5 Setting goals and measuring progress 90
5.1 What are your goals? 90
5.2 Measuring progress 95
6 Keeping a learning journal 101
6.1 Definitions and reasons 101
6.2 A language learner's journal 110
6.3 Summary of advice 119
PART II STRATEGIES FOR LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
7 Vocabulary learning 123
7.1 Finding new words 123
7.2 Understanding word meanings 125
7.3 Recording new words 126
7.4 Remembering new words 129
7. 5 Self-testing 131
7.6 Using new words in natural language 132
8 Listening to a new language 134
8.1 The listening process 134
8.2 Opportunities to listen 138
8.3 Types of listening 141
8.4 Practical ideas for listening 149
9 Speaking fluently 151
9.1 The process of learning to speak 151
9.2 Making opportunities to speak 157
9.3 What do I say? 163
9.4 Practical ideas for speaking 166
I 0 Learning grammar 168
10.1 Processes of learning grammar 168
10.2 Practising grammar 176
Summary 180
CONTENTS IX
I I Reading for several purposes 182
11.1 The process of reading in a new language 183
11.2 Types of reading 188
11.3 Reading in action 189
12 Literature in the language course 197
12.1 Why study literature? 197
12.2 Making the most of your literature study 199
13 Writing in a new language 203
13.1 Levels of writing 203
13.2 General advice 207
13.3 Practical ideas 210
14 Culture and language learning 213
14.1 What is involved in studying culture? 213
14.2 Sources of information about culture 217
14.3 Cultural knowledge for particular contexts 219
14.4 Cross-cultural communication 223
Conclusion 231
IS Language examinations 233
15 .1 The content of the examination 233
15.2 Examination techniques 241
Summary of advice 244
Questionnaire 245
Further reading 249
Index 251
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks are due to all the students who took part in this study. In
particular I would like to thank the following who gave extra time:
Monica Bayldon for her account of learning Spanish overseas; Adrienne
Dench for her reflection on learning Dutch; Jae Ho for his account of
what he wants in a grammar book; Gareth Lewis for answering many
extra questions; Gong Lidu for his cultural information; Graeme Smith
for his mind map and for ideas about learning journals.
In addition I want to offer sincere thanks to three people whose help
was vital to completing the project: Breon Gravatt whose ideas and
practical help are reflected in both the content and the organisation of
the book; Alison Kirkness for her detailed and incisive comments after
reading the draft; Rhys Lewis who took time to make computer ar
rangements when Auckland was hit by an electricity crisis in the final
days of this book's preparation.
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