SEARCH
Mirai Language Systems – Basic Principles of Language Learning & Instruction
Principle No. 2: Language instruction should be logical, well-paced, and consistent.
How are most language textbooks structured? You can probably remember the usual format: each chapter in the textbook starts off with a short text or dialog in the target language, using grammar and vocabulary that the learner is not yet familiar with. Then there is usually a list of vocabulary showing the unfamiliar words and their translations (in the order: target language vocabulary, then the translation in English), and the explanation of one or more grammar points. And at the end of the chapter there are some exercises. This is the structure of nearly all language learning textbooks on the market.
However, recent studies of language learning methods clearly show that this format is far from ideal. It has been found that people learn target language vocabulary better when it is introduced in the order: (1) English, then (2) the target language. People can understand and learn better when they are presented with a familiar concept first, and then link that familiar concept to a new concept, rather than doing it the other way around. Taking this conclusion further: presenting the learner with a long dialog or text filled with unfamiliar concepts and then explaining and translating them into English, as most textbooks do, is not an effective or efficient method of instructing a language. Reversing the order is better.
Mirai Language Systems always introduces and explains words and concepts in English first, and then introduces the target language. This leads to smooth and effective progress in learning. Also, by using this methodology, new concepts or words are never sprung upon the language learner, since this could cause confusion, and besides, has been shown in language learning experiments to be inefficient. This is what we mean when we say the introduction of new vocabulary and concepts should be logical.
In addition, the learning process must be gradual, introducing new concepts step by step, in order to be efficient. Introducing too many new concepts in a short period of time will overwhelm the language learner. For example, many language textbooks aimed at complete beginners of a language will introduce 30 or more new words and concepts of the target language in the very first chapter! This is often too much, and can cause the learner to feel anxiety at having to learn and remember so much at the outset of a course. As such, Mirai Language Systems makes it one of its guiding principles to make the introduction of new ideas and words well-paced, so that the learner can easily follow the material and retain it in memory.
Lastly, it has been shown that learners pick up a language best when the methodology of instruction is consistent and well organized. A well-structured course gives the language learner a much more efficient framework for becoming proficient at the target language.
Get iStart Japanese! on the iTunes App Store Now!!!
