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How to focus on lessons? How to start to learn a new language?

 
 
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 12:38 am
I find myself quite hard to focus on my lessons recently. Also, I want to start to learn a new language. How should I start with, music and movies, or something else?
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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 863 • Replies: 14
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jespah
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 05:17 am
@SweetHao1996,
If it's hard to focus on lessons, then maybe you should cut some of the distractions out of your life.

As for learning a new language from music or movies, no. Supplement study with them? Sure. But not as your main teaching tools.
SweetHao1996
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 05:30 am
@jespah,
Thanks for your kindness. Main teaching tools need to be textbooks.
jespah
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 05:32 am
@SweetHao1996,
Yes, and see if you can talk to or at least listen to a native speaker. You can do some of that on YouTube, but understand that people have accents, use slang, and otherwise don't speak perfectly when they are just casually talking.

Also - if you're not interested in your studies, maybe there's a reason for that.
maxdancona
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 05:57 am
@SweetHao1996,
Take a language class. In my experience, if you are serious about learning a new language, the best way to start is to sit down and learn basic vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. The best way to do this is to have a class.

Soon after one or two classes, you can start conversing. When I learned my second language, I started having fun after my second class (and having fun is a great way to learn things). I spoke my new language to anyone who would speak with me, and I traveled (which always helps).

I never really enjoy movies. I did end up watching a lot of soap operas in my new language. They are pretty easy to follow (there isn't much depth), they are reasonably fun and they use normal language (and of course, the actresses are quite attractive).
saab
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 06:45 am
@SweetHao1996,
1. Get into a language class.
2. Learn to ignore the once that like to push ahead and answer all questions.
3. If the teacher always favourize the best ones - get into another class.
4, Do your homework and additional read children´s books with lots of
pictures , also read comic strips and later books for young people and detective stories.
5. How fast you will be able to converse with a native speaker depends on
several things - one is your personality.
6. Your native language might make you think differently than in another
language. Accept it and do not argue about it.
Why is a fork feminin in one language and masculine another? The same
for a bridge and many other words.
SweetHao1996
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 07:46 am
@jespah,
Yes, accent is quite a serious problem. My oral English has a mixed Britain accent, American accent and Chinese accent. Finding a great teacher to talk with is quite important.
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SweetHao1996
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 07:48 am
@maxdancona,
I'm learning my second foreign languange and I find it quite funny at the beginning. Later, I find myself so afraid to take that lesson.
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SweetHao1996
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 07:54 am
@saab,
Quite agree with you. I am not good at maths and my teacher always favourize the best ones so that I get through a hard time in maths classes. Also, I find it quite hard to talk to native speakers because they are not always willing to talk to strangers.
saab
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 10:28 am
@SweetHao1996,
1. Don´t worryabout your accent. Hardly any foreigner can speak another
language without an accent.Native speakers often have a dialect. Often there
is a sound in another language which is close to impossible for a foreigner to
pronounce.
2. Of course it is quite hard to speak to native speakers because they are not
willing to talk to you - but often they behave to their countrymen the same way.
I can travel several hours in a Swedish train and you can hear a needle fall.
In Copenhagen I change train and get into a train taking me to the continent
and there are several nationalities and the compartment is just buzzing.
3. In the beginning when you learn a new language you cannot do many mistakes as you only know a few words and frazes.
As soon as you know more the teacher loves to interupt and correct constant
ly. A teacher should let the student end what they want to say and during the
talking make notes of mistakes and then discuss them afterwards.
ehBeth
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 10:45 am
@SweetHao1996,
Can you access the BBC website?

They have excellent English language teaching resources.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish

the link with Chinese directions (other student languages are also available)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/chinese/
0 Replies
 
ehBeth
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 10:47 am
@SweetHao1996,
One of the areas that people have a lot of difficulty with when learning English is idioms.

I particularly like this part of the BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak

Quote:
The English We Speak is your chance to catch up on the very latest English words and phrases. In under 3 minutes, we help you stay ahead of the pack by giving you must have phrases that you can use in your everyday conversation. Amaze your friends, impress your teachers and delight your parents with these fantasic words and phrases.
saab
 
  1  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 12:06 pm
@ehBeth,
I think you have to be very good in a language to use idioms.
Even jokes and the sence of humor are difficult in another language.
British and Danish humor are very similar, but German and Danish/British do not fit too well together.
There are certain words and frases used in certain groups. You have to know when and where you can use these expressions.
Internet language is international so there it is good to learn frases and exprssions
0 Replies
 
SweetHao1996
 
  2  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 06:57 pm
@ehBeth,
It's so nice of you to give me so many suggestions and the website you gave me is accessible. I will try to learn the way you speak English and behave like a native😊
0 Replies
 
SweetHao1996
 
  2  
Reply Tue 7 Apr, 2015 07:01 pm
@saab,
Well, I will not worry about my accent but make my speaking acceptable. So kind of you.
0 Replies
 
 

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