I hear language learners say sometimes, “But the language I’m learning is so much harder!” We’re convinced that, when it comes to aural/oral language (leaving aside all script/reading), you can learn any language on earth equally well. That’s what Tom and Betty Sue Brewster taught us in their language acquisition course at Fuller back in the early 80’s. “It’s all mumbo-jumbo anyway.” They’re all equally hard. They’re all equally easy. Their rationale (and ours too) on that is simple: Around the world, most all babies learn to speak the BASICs of the language of their parents around the same time, without any big-time foreign language study curriculum. They mostly learn by listening — and mimicry. Of course, if you don’t want to take 2 years of listening before you sound like a two-year-old, you can speed things up quite a bit. For example, the GPA approach is really highly-respected these days:
https://growingparticipatorapproach.wordpress.com/
(Do you have a better website for learning the GPA approach? What are the best books on this approach?)
Of course, the precursor of this approach, in many ways, was LAMP, by Tom and Betty Sue Brewster. You can still order LAMP and the other Brewster books (Bonding, Language Learning is Communication, Community is My Language Classroom) John at… Search4Wisdom, PO Box 17367, LA, CA. 90017, or email him at jtierwat@earthlink.net . Read more about the LAMP method at…
http://www-01.sil.org/lingualinks/languagelearning/waystoapproachlanguagelearning/TheLAMPMethod.htm
We’ve written Betty Sue Brewster to see if she’d consider releasing LAMP as an ebook of some kind.
What’s YOUR most favorite book/resource of all time for language learning? Maybe you recommend a course? PILAT is no longer offered as a separate course at MTI, right? But you can still study language acquisition techniques at TRAIN International and similar locations, right?
http://traininternational.org/Acquire.html
Where is YOUR favorite course in language acquisition?
And what’s your favorite website to learn about all these options?
Thanks in advance for your help in gathering these resources.
Here’s my top recommendation for preparation for any environment!
http://www.icctonline.org/
Betty Sue Brewster recommended this vendor, John (who sells on Amazon under the name, Search4Wisdom) as the best source for LAMP. http://www.amazon.com/Language-Acquisition-Made-Practical-Learners/dp/0916636003/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A20KG67U7DG46S
He will sell the book for $40 if you order via the email above though — which is a $10 savings off the Amazon price.
Peter Pikkart did an amazing job of applying the principles of LAMP in his wonderfully-useful book LACE.
From the introduction: “The LACE method of language learning seeks, as much as possible, to re-create the way children learn language. … [It’s] a combination of activities and techniques which serious language learners, notably Bible translators and missionaries, have used effectively.”
The system includes TPR (Total Physical Response) and using a Language Helper (as in LAMP).
It is available FOR FREE at this link.
http://www.pikkert.com/files/FIELD%20MANUAL%20(9).pdf
Although I have reservations about recommending Tim Ferriss’ writings carte blanche, his material on learning languages is very helpful.
Start with this blog post “How to Learn a Language in 3 Months”
http://fourhourworkweek.com/2009/01/20/learning-language/
and then browse through his related language-learning blog posts here
http://fourhourworkweek.com/category/language/
At Good Neighbor Insurance and in our recommended links, we’ve been telling everyone about iTalki.com. There is both a paid version but also a free area which our staff has used/is using to speak and get help learning language from tons of native speakers.
iTalki online language learning connects native speakers all over the world both for a price, and also for free! (https://www.italki.com/)
Italki allows you to select from professional tutoring, informal tutoring, even instant tutoring by people currently online (no need to schedule a session) but we have also found you can use both the community section and instant messaging to begin conversations and give and receive help learning language for free with native speakers all over the world who simply want to help or who wish to help you, while also honing their English skills. You can write a paragraph (or letters) and ask for help with correct grammar, ask questions, and more. These friends can then be spoken with on WhatsApp or Skype directly, at no charge. In fact, we haven’t had to go looking for speakers, once we said we were interested in learning Russian. We have had more friend requests, and people to speak with, than we can handle! It’s a brilliant social platform and service and we highly recommend it. Some of the languages covered can be seen here – http://www.italki.com/languages. Check it out!
Some others places to learn a foreign language, that we list are:
Open Culture – The best free cultural and language tools on the web in quite a few languages (but no Uzbek!). http://www.openculture.com/freelanguagelessons
Busuu – Like iTalki above, this “freemium” platform and app encourages collaborative learning by offering users the unique opportunity to learn the language and practice their listening, writing, reading and speaking with assistance from a rapidly growing community of native speakers. https://www.busuu.com/enc/
Duolingo – A lot of people are hooked on DuoLingo’s unique presentation and system to learning language. I am not one of them, but you might give it a shot. (limited languages: Android = https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duolingo&hl=en and iOS = https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/duolingo-learn-languages-for/id570060128?mt=8
For apps, check out our recommended travel apps for learning language because this has already gone too long!
If this subject is of significance to you, the International Congress on Language Learning is coming up in April:
https://www.mti.org/conferences/icll-international-congress-on-language-learning/
Many of the great leaders in language learning in missions will be there and we’ll be discussing how to help others learn effectively and how organizations can support their people well for language learning.
I have inherited and bought part of the legacy of the Brewster family which includes LAMP (Isbn: 0916636003) and other books and materials. I am working on bringing the strengths of this legacy to serve this generation of cross cultural workers. I welcome communication and encouragement in this important work. LAMP and other books are still available through me.
LAMP as it existed in the 80’s is now available on our website: searchforwisdom.org. We will continue to seek to update and improve this site as one support for those interested in Missions.