Back to the Basics
Can you recall how you mastered your language?
Think back to the time you learned to speak. How did you learn your lingual skills? Did you memorize words, phrases and sentences? Wasn’t it as basic as listening and repeating? Hearing the same things over and over, inculcated in you by your parents until it was your own.
The same goes with those who by the age of 8 are bi or trilingual. It’s the constant repetitiveness coupled with the occasional questions and practice or usage.
Granted, there are so many ways to learn a language and everyone learns or is motivated by a certain method or way of education. I’ve been teaching in Korea since 2001, and I can assure you that there is no magical system. Nevertheless, a serious learner will always find a way.
A contributing problem or dilemma is you’re studying English outside of an English speaking community. So you’re learning and communicating in the English language at most 2 out of 18 hours a day. How will you ever tackle and master a language with so little usage? A very few find a way leaving the rest lost in limbo. There is a method that when put to use, works.
I call it “Back to the basics” or “The 5 steps”. I’ve used this method in not only teaching others, but also learning Korean for myself.
I’ve used this method when I worked for Samsung Publishing, Kids Brown Forum, while teaching 14 doctors at Samsung Hospital and with business classes. Truthfully speaking- regarding the students that followed the 5 steps daily- I’ve seen major progress from as little as 1 to 3 months.
The 5 Steps
Please find a movie, TV show, news channel, a cartoon or even a YouTube or TED Talk clip. Videos are excellent because you can learn facial expressions, gestures, various ways of speech and mannerisms.
1. WATCH: Watch 3~5 minutes with no Subtitles
2. REPEAT: Watch the same 3~5 minute clip, but this time repeat after each person. English subtitles are okay to use. Make sure you repeat with the exact tone and volume. It will really help you sound more natural and like a native later.
3. ANSWER & SHARE YOUR OPPINION: Watch the same 3~5 minute clip with no subtitles, but this time every time you hear a question, stop the video and answer in your own words (in English). Or you can pause the video and share your opinion. For example: A handsome guy or pretty girl is singing…, stop the video and share your opinion; “wow! You’re pretty and you sing very well too”. Do this throughout the 3~5 minute video clip.
4. TRANSLATE: Watch the same 3~5 minute clip, this time turn on the Korean subtitles if you have them. (Not looking at the screen) Listen to about 10 seconds, pause and translate what you heard into Korean. Rewind and check the subtitles to see if you were close. Do this throughout the 3~5 minute video clip. This step by far will be the most difficult and nerve racking, but don’t give up.
5. USE IT: Use English throughout the day. Surround yourself with it.
Read easy English books. Reading plays a crucial role in understanding sentence structure, learning new vocabulary and understanding grammar usage.
Listening to and singing English songs.
Find or make a friend that speaks English and use it.
While walking, riding the bus or driving..., say what you see or feel. For example; while I was walking to the bus stop from Gachon campus I spoke more than 35 Korean words and learned 2.
Whatever I saw (or felt) I spoke: sidewalk -인도 /tree -나무 /ugly girl - 못생긴 여자 /short guy- 작은 남자 /cloud- 구름 /wind- 바람 /hot- 더워 /skin-ship - 스킨십 /car- 자동차 /etc….
The 2 words I learned were crosswalk and cherry blossom (횡단보도와 벚꽃).
If you really want to learn a language, surround yourself with it and use it every day. With the first 4 steps you don’t need a native speaker because the video is your companion. Daily going through steps 1~4 takes less than an hour. As mentioned in the outset, I use this method myself and in various situations I find myself thinking in Korean! Step 5 you can do throughout the day; anywhere.
If you’re serious about learning English give “The 5 Steps” a try for about 2 weeks. Like everything else in life you try for the first time; it will be challenging, but worth the effort.
Source of the all photographs: Google
Zude Zacchaeus Wilson
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