July 2009 Archives

I have been feeling wonderful lately with only the help of a little coffee some music and the most excellent of all dreams. I feel bliss and temporary englightenment. This is how I feel but words cannot describe what I am feeling now. Dreams... 

In an article I wrote a few weeks back I talked about Anxiety in the foreign language classroom and the detrimental effect that it can have for learners, and how they choose to progress their further learning endeavors in a language, especially with Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs). I wanted to share some of the research I found on the subject to back up my claims, as well as to give more adequate information to anyone that has chanced upon this blog.

An article from Jstor: Listening Comprehension and Anxiety in the Arabic Language Classroom by Hussein Elkhafaifi. Link: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3588681

An article from Science Daily: Anxiety's Hidden Cost In Academic Performance
Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090623090713.htm

Recently, I've discovered that there is interest between the differing programs out there to study language. While there are uncounted resources to learn a language some of the most well known and popular programs are Pimsleur and Michel Thomas. These programs have been used over and over, and their price shows that they may have something to offer as well, being that these programs are generally quite expensive.

I'll start off by saying that because these two programs are the most popular it doesn't mean they are the best option for all learners, nor does it mean that they don't have very formidable competitors. Often it depends on what language you want to learn, and why exactly you are learning the language. Linguaphone alltalk is language learning system that has books as well as tapes, which are very useful, since in many cases the learning follows a paradigm of a story, which means you are consistently being prepared for real life situations in which you then learn the necessary vocabulary to survive in these situations. I think Linguaphone is one of the better competitors to the most popular programs, but there are still more out there, which come in handy to different sorts of learners.

The Pimsleur and Michel Thomas programs both offer programs that are designed to give the learner a conversational proficiency. The programs can vary widely in what areas they give conversational proficiency, but generally deal with introductions, ordering food, getting from A to B, human emotion, and perhaps even introducing yourself. Neither of the programs really focus on writing ability or reading ability, although some Pimsleur programs do contain short reading sections, but are not integral to the course, since they can be completed at any time within the course. This also means that both the programs will not help with key reading skills that would be necessary abroad, which for me means that these programs are survival courses meant to keep the learner and traveler abroad agile enough to make their way through most situations without being left in the dust. Both of these courses also make excellent companions to traditional courses in the language, and will augment vocabulary and fluency, which is a definite plus and why I would recommend using one of these programs in addition to traditional courses.

There are some key differences between the programs though. The Pimsleur program was developed by researcher Paul Pimsleur, and through his research found that most learners need to repeat a word an average of 80 times before they can actively use and recall vocabulary. The research also found that learners retained more information in lessons of 30 minutes, and any longer was too much, which means Pimsleur has short and to the point lessons packed with content (information via introduction to Pimsleur programs). Thus, the Pimsleur program stresses memorization, but in such a way that words are repeated in context over a long period of time, which means the learner is forced to actively try to remember, but the memorization isn't a rote process that is painful. The process is actually quite pleasant and not very dull at all. The program follows natural dialogue between natives and between foreigners and natives. The conversational variety progresses slowly as the program moves on, but  will review old vocabulary on each step of the journey, so once you finish you have a strong foundation of vocabulary that can be remembered with very little effort. The downside to this method is that conversational variety and ability to speak without a scripted pre-formed sentence is not really a skill that is allowed to develop here. Another reason why it makes a better companion to traditional study. However, I wouldn't say that this program is at all bad for independent study in other circumstances, because in the right context with an avid and active learner this program is really quite useful.

The Michel Thomas program was developed by a linguist of the same name who learned several European languages, and subsequently developed  courses using the method aptly named the, "Michel Thomas Method," which focuses on conversational variety and immediate fluency in a language based on recognition of cognates in the language similar to the  learner's own tongue. The method seems to be exclusive to English, whereas Pimsleur has programs for say Spanish speakers trying to learn English and more, which makes it more usable for learners who do not prefer to learn from English to their target language. In some respects Michel Thomas focuses more on the vocabulary the user already knows and can easily remember, meaning that the method of communication is much simpler, vocabulary acquisition is much faster, and communication is therefore more intimate in some instances than it would be with Pimsleur. This method is particularly useful when the learner wants to express emotion rather than stress survival skills, although the course does not forget key survival areas such as food and travel accommodations. The strength of Michel Thomas is that is provides the learner with very immediate results and with most European languages an active vocabulary of several thousand words, which are learned with little to no effort, since they are cognates. The program also stresses that the learner is not to actively memorize or try to think of the words, but rather let them flow naturally. This is perhaps a blessing and a curse of the program. While stress and anxiety are poor motivators they are also to an extent necessary in small amounts to get the learner to have a quick memory while speaking.

While I like both of the courses each of them have their own individual drawbacks. The Michel Thomas Method has been developed into many other languages since Michel's death, including languages such as Russian and Arabic, however the efficacy of these courses in languages that don't match the method so easily is quite debatable. Furthermore, the Michel Thomas Method preys on the fact that English is an international language, which makes it difficult for foreigners to use if they aren't familiar with English. While Pimsleur is much less faulted because serious research has given applicable methods that work across languages but the same vocabulary is not as readily applicable with this program as with Michel Thomas. The programs are essentially equal in the applicability and usefulness to the learner. While I can see results more quickly with Michel Thomas, I am much more confident and fluent after have spent time with Pimsleur. I also find the Pimsleur program to be much more mentally stimulating and fun than I do the Michel Thomas program. The Michel Thomas program also has a more sociable aspect to it, which means that during the audio lessons there is regular conversation about the history and development of the language, as well as the stress of the learners that learn with you during the course. Although with Michel Thomas it is much more challenging to hear the perpetual mistakes of the learners through the program, than to just make it past your own mistakes, and not pickup on the mistakes of the learners. This makes Pimsleur much more personal and accessible, because you are not sharing the experience with others, but rather trying it yourself, instead of with the learners. I find Pimsleur more challenging, yet more accessible than Michel Thomas, because it focuses on retention rather than quick fluency tricks. In summation, I would say the proper program depends on the learner, and the amount of fluency he or she wants to develop. I would definitely recommend Pimsleur for serious learners and Michel Thomas for casual learners that want to wet their feet and gain some fast fluency. 

In a recent article from New Scientist and one from the BBC  it was reported in a new study that monkeys appear to have the ability to recognize grammatical structures. the study tested the reaction monkeys had to learning the addition of a morpheme either as a prefix or a suffix, and when the suffix or prefix or the established morpheme was added the monkeys established then the researchers threw a curve to see if the monkeys would catch that the pattern was thrown out incorrectly.

The research appears to indicate that this implies that monkeys has an innate ability to recognize grammatical structures. However, I would say more accurately it means that monkeys can recognize patterns, and therefore pick out incorrect attempts to work within these patterns. Although I am not saying that the monkey isn't capable of recognizing grammar, but rather that the experiment does not accurately test or assess the grammar abilities of the monkey.

In a recent article by Scientific American High Fructose corn syrup has been discovered to impair memory. The substance which is in many foods that are processed today is touted widely by corn growers and supporters as perfectly safe, and many ad campaigns in the US have also pointed to the very safe nature of the substance, which of course is dubious, especially when many of the products paired with High Fructose corn syrup also contain carcinogens and preservatives, which really should not be on the market is the FDA had an sense. It is becoming more and more advisable to avoid corn syrup whenever possible and opt out for the healthier choices. Finding products made from real cane sugar really makes sense, although the taste takes a little bit of time to adjust to.

In a related article from Science Daily caffeine has been discovered to reverse effects of memory impairment, and the equivalent of 5 cups a day has been found to help significantly with this impairment, which would mean a very effective treatment for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. In incredibly interesting thing to think about, which of course makes me even more fond of my morning coffee. Although it does make me wonder what the effects of soda are on the memory overall, does the caffeine and fructose boost help or hinder?

A really nice spoof of the High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercial 

As a long time internet user I am interested in the development that takes places everyday within a virtual world where people have an increasingly limitless method of communication, and each day new surprises and method of communication across borders, cultures, and languages are created. Each day something new surprises me. Technology which once would have been seen as needless and more than superfluous has found our way into the everyday life. It has all created wonderful benefits and other terrible consequences.

I will list just a few of these changes that are taking place on the web:

Twitter: Twitter is one of those programs that has become popular, because it can connect people quickly, and doesn't overwhelm users with too many features. Simplicity is the backing which keeps it going. Recently, this connection tool was used to orchestrate protests in Iran as well as help the media around the world get a very good idea of what was happening in the country. People in Iran could share what their government didn't want them to share. Perhaps most troubling for all governments of the world is that with globalization it becomes almost impossible to have full control over what goes in and out of a country.

Youtube: Youtube has been changing rapidly ever since it began. Now people use Youtube almost everyday to listen to music, see family videos, learn something new, or for entertainment better than the Television. Youtube has allowed us to produce our own entertainment and to publish it so that thousands of people can see it. Building communities around real people and support for every group that needs some. Although trolls will never leave the internet people are able to look past everything that detracts and build real communities around each other, communities that support other people, and have done genuinely good things. More recently, Youtube has announced the introduction of their Beta Channels, which are an increasingly hated *new* feature, although they have been in development for more than a year. These profiles lack a lot of functionality and usability. The motive behind the change is one that is designed to make Youtube more profitable, but also cut down on bandwidth usage, which according to some reports is near $2 million a day. It will be interesting to see how Youtube deals with user discontent over a broken design that needs to be repaired.

The Pirate Bay: This file sharing site has also been a challenge to world institutions, especially copyright, which is in some sense fair and in other senses not. While I believe that paying for art is a good practice many corporations have exploited copyright to make a killing. People are no longer willing to pay more than an album is worth, and the Pirate bay gave people a way to fight back against this injustice. The owners were recently sued and slapped with fines and prison sentences. Unfortunate, considering Swedish law and the injustices that were numerous through the trial process. In a decision that will ultimately lead to the downfall of the bay the owners are arranging a deal to sell it to a gaming company. Of course, the owners were left with little choice in the matter, after their loss in the trial, it will mark a giant change on the internet. However, I hope it will spur people to create a bigger and better network that will back against those that take too much advantage of consumers for their own benefit. In a way you could see an unethical element to both sides, however TBP certainly didn't get a change at a fair fight. Corporations simply don't deserve to win because they have more money.

Livemocha: This doesn't really fit with the other, but why not. I am impressed with this website time and a again. They have introduced paid courses now, which are at an affordable price, and it looks as if they will introduce a paid tutoring system soon  as well. The lessons on the website are not perfect, in fact, they tend to be be filled with some errors which keep learners on their toes, and may be utterly confusing for a novice to comprehend. The website is an excellent supplement to traditional classes or intensive self-study. It is also a wonderful place to make new friends.