June 23, 2011
In general, learning to write in a foreign language is much more difficult than learning to speak it. If you’re looking to develop in both areas, it’s usually a good idea to learn speaking first before starting on writing lessons.
Why? Largely, because that’s how language facility is naturally formed. Think back to when you were a child. Did you learn to speak first or did you learn to write first?
Additionally, think about what goes through your mind every time you write in your native language. Don’t you “speak” the language mentally as you commit it to a page? How will that be possible if you can’t speak verbally?
Written language is also more complex than spoken language. Even in your native language (English, we assume), written material is typically more lexically dense than spoken ones. Plus, spoken language gives you the benefit of gestures and body language — communicative elements you don’t get to enjoy when putting text to a page.
If you’ve been trying unsuccessfully to learn reading and writing in a target language, consider your currently ability to hear and speak it. Perhaps you need some more fluency as foundation before moving on to those more advanced language skills.
August 4, 2010
Need some tips for improving your second language writing skills? Follow these:
- Don’t write in English, then translate. You’re writing ends up closer to a machine translation than anything. Always start writing in the target language, right from the get-go.
- Think in the target language. Writing in a foreign language is always best accomplished when you’re also thinking in that foreign language. Not only is it faster, it helps to acclimate your mind into forming concepts using a language other than English.
- Try forming sentences in your head before writing them down.
- Stick to vocabulary, phrases and other constructions that you’ve already studied.
- As a corollary to the above, avoid taking risks by being inventive. Doing so often entails unnecessary guesswork. Stick to what you know and be creative with that.
- Keep your primary reference material, such as a dictionary or a foreign language software, nearby. Use it generously for cross-checking syntax and looking at examples.
- Avoid copying sentences and paragraphs from other sources. You’ll never learn to write in the new language that way. Instead, rephrase or rewrite them.
In practically any language, the most important aspects of writing remain constant: clarity, good structure, proper syntax, well-developed points and proper grammar. The same holds true whether you’re writing in English, Chinese or French, so focus on those things throughout your attempts at written materials in any language you’re learning.
June 1, 2010
Want to write better in your target language? Read newspapers from the home country.
Newspapers, quite simply, are the best source for current and interesting information written in your target language. Since they’re geared towards a general audience, they’re usually written with an informal, usually colloquial, tone. As such, they mirror, in many ways, how people actually communicate in that country.
Study how newspapers construct their sentences, especially the lifestyle and entertainment pages. Do they prefer them long or short? Do they lead off with verbs or nouns? What tenses or voices are they written in? Quite simply, they are the best type of writing to emulate for language learners, as they’re focused entirely on being able to communicate events in as clear a manner as possible for every possible reader. Combine this with the writing and exercises in your comprehensive language software and you will likely be looking at faster-paced improvement than merely doing your regular modules will allow.
How do you find newspapers in the target language? While that would have been an excessively difficult task many years ago, the opposite is true now. With almost all periodicals and publications now available on the web, all you have to do is make a few quick searches to get yourself all the news you can consume.
February 1, 2010
Why do we have language? So we can communicate. Sure, we can probably understand each other (somewhat) using hand gestures and grunts, but you have to admit – language does allow for a richer, more complex interaction.
Language consists of four main skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. While each area does help you develop the others, proficiency in one won’t ever guarantee the same level of ability on the rest.
If you want to communicate in a language, you’ll have to learn to speak and write in it. Those two abilities are widely different. In fact, while most second-language learners eventually develop proficiency in the former, many of them never develop skills in the latter. Now, why is that?
Speaking is natural. If you spend time among a group of native speakers of a language, you will eventually pick up bits and pieces of its speech. However, the same isn’t likely to hold true for writing. Putting words to paper, quite simply, is a learned skill – one you should spend considerable time building up.
There are differences in structure and style. When we speak, we rarely bother with formal grammar. In writing, we almost always make sure we write in an organized and structurally-correct manner. Obviously, the former is much less intimidating, making it easier to just dive in and embrace.
Writing is permanent. When you write, there’s a feeling of durability to the form, as the words you commit to paper can literally last a lifetime (and then some). Speaking, on the other hand, is more immediate, allowing you to express your thoughts to people right on the spot.
Understanding these differences helps you gain an appreciation for the learning you’re going to be doing, whether you’re taking language lessons or using a language training software.
December 5, 2009
Speaking and writing, in any language, consists of two very different skills. While one can definitely benefit the other, learning each one is something you will need to pursue independently.
When immersed in an environment where a particular language is used, especially as a child, we pick up the speaking aspect naturally. It’s as good as automatic, provided we have people interacting with us to allow the experience to happen. Writing, on the other, hand has to be taught. Without directed instruction, even in an immersive environment, it’s unlikely you will learn how to put language to paper.
For language learners, this is a very important distinction to draw. If you think you can write in a language without being able to speak a decent amount of it first, you’re kidding yourself. You can’t put your thoughts down to paper simply because you can’t formulate them without having the ability to express yourself in speech.
As such, you have to at least speak at the most basic level, before moving on to reading and writing. Remember that when designing your own language learning lesson plan, so that you don’t end up wasting more time than is necessary.
Most language acquisition software do take this into account. That’s why they integrate different mediums such as audio and video, apart from text. Doing so, you can learn in an immersive manner without being forced to read (or write) materials that you can’t comprehend.
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