What's the best method for teaching a foreign language?

Answer 1

While there can be no one best method, after 30 + years of teaching languages, I have found that TPR followed by TPRS very effective..
TPR was developed by Dr. James J. Asher in the 60s as an answer to his research question, 'Why do perfectly intelligent adults have difficulty learning a second language?" The TPR method asks students to respond to commands (stand up, sit down,) that become increasingly complicated (when Joey picks up the red book, Alice will take the green book and walk to Fred, who will count to 10). (skyoakspublications.com/ Teaching Language Through Actions (book)/ The Instructors Notebook) There are guides on the skyoaks site with lesson plans for a years worth of TPR.
Many of us found TPR magic the first week or so, but difficult to sustain. TPRS (Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling) was started in the late 80s and continues to develop and change due to input both from its proponents and from its critics. I could write probably thosands of words about it, but basically we do three things: introduce three phrases with a targeted structure and vocabulary (wanted to eat, needed, the fat cow) (the strangeness is purposeful to hold students' interest).
Practice the phrases with questions, gestures, props until the students understand them well.
Create a story with the students by asking them targeted questions about the vocabulary.
Point out grammar points briefly (3-15 seconds) during the conversation.
students read by translation related story/text by translation.
start over.
I've done a poor job explaining. Please go to at least one of the websites cited--they are all linked together--and consider TPRS.

Answer 2

I taught Spanish in NYC Public schools for many years. I find that very balanced approach (rather than subscribing solely to one methodology) provides the most variety and the best chance of teaching a diverse group of learners. Here is an idea of how I structured a week's work of lessons...

Day One: Introduce new vocabulary in a fun way using lots of realia and props to make things concrete. Vocabulary items should not just include words in isolation but also stock phrases. I recommend only speaking in the ttarget language during this lesson. Keep the lesson almost entirely oral for the first 3/4 of the period, then bring in written forms of the words at the end. Ask a lot of questions starting with ones that allow the kids to answer non-verbally (Point to the t-shirt.) Then yes/no (Does the t-shirt have long sleeves?) Then either or questions that have the answer words embedded in the question (Is the t-shirt yellow or red?) Then questions with a one-word answer not found in the question (What color is the t-shirt?) and finally questions that require a whole sentence (What do you wear on a sunny day?)

Day Two: Build on yesterday's vocab by scripting a short dialogue that kids can rehearse and perform. It should include common sentence structures, questions and answers, conversational phrases, etc. For example...

A: Look at that.
B: What? The blue sweater?
A: No, the yellow t-shirt. I like it
B: Me, too. But is it cotton or polyester? I prefer cotton.
A: Yeah, me too. (checks tag) 100% cotton. Excellent
B: Are you going to buy it?
A: I don't know. I have no cash with me. Do they accept credit cards?
B: Yes, I think so.
A: Cool.

Let the students have fun, practice, rehearse. Correct their pronunciation. Then have them rework the dialogue to use some other vocabulary items - reward creativity and willingness to take risks. The man purpose of this day is to use the vocab in context and also to help the students develop their ear so that certain phrases "sound right"

Day Three: Now go over the grammar in the previous day's dialogue. A lot of students are perfectionists and want to understand how the language works, so a clear explanation of grammar is welcomed. Written exercises can also be done today. I usually start by having kids list words or phrases, then write sentences, then paragraphs. For example I might ask them to list the clothing they are wearing. then add a descriptor to each. Then use those phrases to write a few sentences describing their outfit. Later, I might put all their descriptions in hat, have each kid pick one and try to figure out which of their classmate's outfits is being described. Note: On this day, I do not always speak in the target language so that I can give the students clear explanations.

Day Four: Find real artifacts that use the vocab/grammar topics being dicussed: Newspaper articles, magazine stories, Video clips, songs in the native language, etc... Review any

Day Five: Quiz or Self-Assessment

Answer 3

There are lots of conventional methods for teaching a language, but one that I read about (and tried in a limited way via a cassette course) seems to achieve rapid results. It is called either 'Suggestopedia' or 'Accelerated Learning' and is based on the teachings of Bulgarian Georgi Lozanov. It was popular in eastern Europe during soviet times and enabled people to learn a language very quickly. My ski-instructor in Bulgaria learnt English fluently in 3 months.

It is based on getting the whole classroom atmosphere right (colour, temperature, music, arrangement of the chairs, etc). Its a total immersion technique, with all instruction in the target language. There are activities like standing in a circle and throwing a ball to another student while calling out a word that has been learned.

Some of the books on it contain a whole load of mystical mumbo-jumbo about how it works (super-consciousness and weird terms like that). Just ignore that.

Answer 4

As a teacher you should "Learn it completely"
Be proficient in the usage of vocabulary & Grammer.

The student who comes to learn from you should be impressed and gain confidence that s/he is not wasting the hard earned money.

There are lot of books, CDs and casettes. Printed exercise books are available in large book stores. Select them and periodically test the development of the student for the efforts that you put.

There are computer aided programs. If the student has computer operation abilities / skills, that is sufficent to answer certain objective type questions.

For pronounciation also there some Audio/video CDs that go along with any computer.

Rest is your luck but you should not compel a student and hurt often because of some kind of tongue twist errors.

Answer 5

after haveing a good vocabulary and grammar background you have to visit the particular country for a longer period.

There are a lot of people who can write in their second language but have troubles to talk. When you go to a foreign country do NOT take somebody with you who can talk your native language.

Answer 6

General guidelines are to start learning the language as early in life as you can. Practice reading, writing and speaking it as often as possible.

Something that a couple friends of mine complained about when they took college level Spanish 101 was that the instructor refused to speak to them in English at any time and expected them to already know the language as if they were natives simply becasue she was one, and would not translate or explain anything that was new to them.

Answer 7

If you want to learn a foreign language I totally sugguest the Pimsleur language learning system. I have used it to learn German and Spanish and my boyfriend has used it to learn Chinese. It is spendy, but so worth it, if you are serious about learning the language.

Here is some information about the system:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimsleur_language_learning_system

Answer 8

for TEACHING one? hmm. Well try and come up with little songs for the nouns and stuff, my last years teacher did that and it helped a lot. like (for german... nouns) we went
Ich I Wir we
Du you (singualr) Ihr you (Plural)
Er He Sie they
Sie She Sie (polite)
Es It

that helped a lot. umm . play games for vocab tests like split them into teams and have a person for each team go up to the board and see who can write the word the fastest &correctly(only given the definition)
Teach them the stuff from the book, like Questions and various answers. Or have them partner up and talk back and forth. And have them write the stuff out.

thats all i remember that my teacher did. hope it helps

Answer 9

There is no best method . The one suitable for you may be regarded as the best

Answer 10

Read the book as you're listening to the cd of same.