Best way to learn a foreign language

[clarityat3am]

Outside of taking college classes (which I can't fit into my schedule right now) I'm up for suggestions on the best way to learn Polish on my own. Recommendations and pros and cons of different methods would be much appreciated. Right now I'm just working on basic pronunciation by randomly picking a new word every day to remember but I'd like to do more in the near future. Thanks!

 

[unosdostres14]

I think you can buy little kits of like a video and a book and stuff that teaches you different languages.

 

[clarityat3am]

I'm looking for opinions on which of those kinds of things along with other methods that would be most beneficial and useful. Basically I don't want to waste my money on junk.

 

[wizard2c]

reply

Maybe you can contact Bobby Vinton, the singer.

 

[anitram]

Do you speak any other Slavic language? That would be most helpful.

It is a difficult group of languages to learn for an anglophone.

 

[clarityat3am]

No I don't speak another Slavic language but the Polish guys at work say that I get the pronunciation pretty well (that Polish ancestry helps I think), but apparently they don't feel like teaching it to me.

 

[u2popmofo]

Try to find or meet a native speaker of said language. Then just try to speak with them, even if it's just basics. I personally have found that any kind of conversational based study is the most effective method, you get both listening and speaking study at once. Also, you are forced to find out how to say things or make sense of things you havent previously studied. Good times

 

[Zoomerang96]

callan method works best, i believe.

look it up.

 

[clarityat3am]

It looks like Callan is just to learn English. Am I missing something?

 

[Liesje]

This isn't exactly a method, but what helped me learn German real well was to NOT translate from English into German. For example, if you're making yourself some flashcards or lists to learn words, DON'T use the English word and then the Polish word. DO draw the object you're trying to learn and then write the Polish word. Make sense? It helps b/c you will actually learn Polish, instead of learning to translate from English to Polish. I'm not sure how Polish is, but German sentence structures are a bit different than English even though English is a Germanic language. By learning German instead of practicing translating English into German, it helped with the conversational aspect and being able to speak or write German sentences faster. Also, I think it helps to just get a feel for the language by listening and speaking even if you have no idea what you're saying. Maybe download some Polish pop music and practice singing along. Then when your grammar is better, you'll have a better feel for the language and you'll just *know* when something is right or wrong.

 

[Zoomerang96]

It looks like Callan is just to learn English. Am I missing something?

hmm...well i taught callan myself for a period of time.

essentially what is, is a form of teaching that uses repetition. every new word that is taught in the 1 hour lesson is said no less than a dozen times.

it's a lot like advertising. you won't remember a commercial unless it's highly offensive or divine, if it's not repeated over and over again.

it's the way we remember things, by saying them over and over again.

 

[clarityat3am]

This isn't exactly a method, but what helped me learn German real well was to NOT translate from English into German. For example, if you're making yourself some flashcards or lists to learn words, DON'T use the English word and then the Polish word. DO draw the object you're trying to learn and then write the Polish word. Make sense? It helps b/c you will actually learn Polish, instead of learning to translate from English to Polish. I'm not sure how Polish is, but German sentence structures are a bit different than English even though English is a Germanic language. By learning German instead of practicing translating English into German, it helped with the conversational aspect and being able to speak or write German sentences faster. Also, I think it helps to just get a feel for the language by listening and speaking even if you have no idea what you're saying. Maybe download some Polish pop music and practice singing along. Then when your grammar is better, you'll have a better feel for the language and you'll just *know* when something is right or wrong.

That sounds pretty good. Right now I'm just trying to get my brain to think in Polish sounds and then to put those back down on the paper the same way. Not doing anything intense or anything right now and I'm going to work on grammar and verbs, etc after I feel I've got the pronunciation pretty well. At least that's the plan I keep telling myself will work for me. I'd still like to find a progressive program that includes all the intricacies of learning the language that you'd get in the classroom though.

 

[Zoomerang96]

ah polish...what a language.

i'll be in poland in less than a week. are you 7ealous?

 

[clarityat3am]

ah polish...what a language.

i'll be in poland in less than a week. are you 7ealous?

 

[ylimeU2]

I've found that the Living Language CDs are pretty useful. Well, for German, anyway. I'm not sure if they have a Polish edition, but if they do, you might want to check it out. The set I have comes with the CDs and only German is spoken on them (which I have found the biggest help). The course book follows along with the CD lessons and has self-quizzes at the end of each lesson. The set I have also came with a phrase book and dictionary (I have the Complete Beginners Course-If I remember correctly, you can get sets that have more or less included).

Finding someone to practice with, even if it's just listening, is also a big help. You get an ear for the pronounciation that way.

And good luck. Teaching yourself a second language can be tough, but stick with it. It's a great goal to work towards. Don't get discouraged. I had to remind myself everyday that I was learning a completly new language and it wasn't going to happen over night.

 

[DeadMansParty]

I'm looking for opinions on which of those kinds of things along with other methods that would be most beneficial and useful. Basically I don't want to waste my money on junk.

Most libraries carry audio cd's for learning launguages, I know both of the ones closest to me do, and then you dont have to spend any money