Overcoming the challenges of learning a new language and being able to communicate successfully increases self -esteem and self -confidence. Studying a foreign language, therefore, opens doors and opportunities
This article is sponsored by Alpadia Language School. Here you will find a more exhaustive explanation.
Learn a foreign language It offers a series of benefits that go beyond the simple ability to know how to communicate in a language other than one’s own. Improves job and career opportunities; He expands the network of contacts, thus ending up enriching his social and cultural life; promotes the intercultural understandingbecause those who know more languages learn to build bridges between communities, and not barriers. The mind is continually stimulated, and an active brain involves Best cognitive skills in memory and concentration. Even traveling becomes easier and more rewarding: when you are able to communicate with the local population you can completely immerse yourself in the culture of the place and have more authentic experiences.
Overcoming the challenges of learning a new language and being able to communicate successfully increases self -esteem and self -confidence. Studying a foreign language, therefore, opens doors and opportunities. However, it is important to understand to which approach to rely and attend a language course abroad, such as those proposed by Alpadia Language School. Following lessons abroad can be a way to deepen your linguistic skills and know a different culture, thus leaving your comfort zone.
Which are therefore the More effective methods for learning a foreign language? Let’s see together the approaches and ways to be able to learn English or another idiom since young people.
How to learn a foreign language: approaches and methods
There are various methods, more or less effective, to learn languages, but What is the best way? And how do you not miss the motivation? Today we begin to study a second language (usually English) since the kindergarten, albeit through games and nursery rhymes.
Children usually teach languages through an approach called Total Physical Response (TPR), conceived by the American psychologist J. Asher in the 70s. The basic idea is to promote language learning through the synchronization of facial mimicas, body movements and precise gestures, so that the boy or girl lets himself be guided by participating actively, as Asher himself explains in his own book Learning Another Language Through Actions.
Each new lexical or grammar element comes internalized through the body: The little ones repeat the teacher’s gestures and learning takes place while having fun. This method is mainly used with the little ones, but to beginners of all ages.
Going forward in the school path change the Applied approachesbut often to study a second language more in depth it is better to rely on Accredited schoolswho organize courses with private lessons, travel abroad and study holidays.
Let’s see what are the Most used methods to learn a foreign languagebut it is good to say it immediately: there is not only one “right” way.
The direct method: “thinking” in language
The direct method Instead, it focuses on the actual mastery of the language as a practical communication tool. The difference compared to the traditional method, Puren always explains, lies in the fact that the use of the mother tongue as a bridge is avoided and instead focus on oral learning through Interactions between teachers and students on daily topics.
This interactive method emphasizes imitation, intensive repetition and intuitive learning, encouraging students to learn by observing and practicing. The transition to writing is considered a tool to consolidate the skills acquired in the oral use of the language. The students are “Forced” to think directly in the language And this favors thenatural acquisitionbut it could be frustrating for beginners: it is difficult to understand the instructions without knowing anything (or little) of the mother tongue. However, in classes with few participants, such as those of the study holidays organized by Alpadia Language Schoolsit is possible to guarantee sufficient practice for each student.
It is essential to adopt a Modern teaching method and effective to offer carefully structured and engaging courses for each level of competence. With small classes, a school like Alpadia It promotes an intense interaction between teacher and students, offering numerous opportunities to practice the language both inside and outside the classroom.
The classic method: emphasis on grammar and translations
During middle and high schools the so -called is used classic methodalso said grammatical-traductivean approach that is often used even at university. This method focuses on the analysis and translation of literary texts in the chosen foreign language, rather than on the practical use of the language in daily communication.
The approach to learning is mainly based on the storage of entire sentences, onapplication of grammatical rules and repetitive exercises. In this context, explains the professor of Christian Puren language sciences in his work Histoire des méthodologies de l’enseignement des languages, The teacher takes on a central roleguiding the students in the selection of texts, in carrying out the exercises, in formulating questions and correcting the answers. If on the one hand this approach consolidates the grammatical bases, on the other it is often unreachable For students, sometimes, even boring must be admitted.
The communicative method: we use contemporary newspapers and television
This method of studying language was born in the 70s and considers language not only as a communication tool, but also emphasizes theimportance of social interaction and context. It focuses on the individual needs of students, who are evaluated in advance to customize the didactic contents.
In this context, particular attention is given to the development of writing skills, which include understanding of information and the ability to draw up texts. Use of authentic materials from daily lifefor example newspaper articles and television programs, which allow you to deepen the understanding of the country’s culture. This approach allows you to apply your linguistic knowledge in real contexts, but there may be gaps on grammar.
Total immersion with study holidays
Leave for one study holiday It allows students to completely immerse themselves in the language they are learning, coming into contact the culture of the host country. Professor Antonello Maggipinto (1) explained the origin of the term “linguistic dive”, A lemma introduced by Wallace E. Lambert, Canadian psychologist, in an attempt to experiment with new methods To allow English language students to learn French.
The students, following a specific educational project, are immersed in the second language and use it both to learn subjects such as sciences, history, geography and others, and to follow educational pathseven interdisciplinary. With this approach it is possible to:
- acquire communication skills to be applied in both formal and informal contexts;
- Create bonds of friendship with people from all over the world and develop essential linguistic and intercultural skills;
- Participate in engaging and fun lessons conducted by tutor and native speaker teachers.
Many language schools offer this type of experiencebut before leaving and “immerse yourself” in the adventure, various secondary aspects must be verified, but which can make the difference, such as: excursions and extra activities organized by the school, accommodation and meals, 24/7 assistance.
There Alpadia Study Holidays help students, between 8 and 17 years old, To adapt to the culture of the country they study their language, accompany their students in every step of this experience, offering the possibility of staying in the family or in a residence in sharing with students from other countries. The learning methods that we have seen, therefore, are combined: courses of your choice between French, English or German and travel abroad, class lessons with a few prepared students and teachers and many extracurricular activities, but also one full immersion in the culture of the country they will choose.
How to choose the right method to study a second language?
Learning a foreign language is an exciting journey that requires commitment, constancy and variety of approaches. There is no universal method that works for everyone, effective for the various objectives and contexts in teaching languages. The ideal is combine different methodsexperimenting with different strategies and relying on language schools capable of developing programs that allow children and teenagers to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to open the doors to higher opportunities in their future to integrate into social and professional contexts.
