Inspired by Comprehensible Input
You should read the post if you haven't yet.
Do you think this approach will actually help when learning a language I’m already good at, like English? I can understand almost everything I read and about 90% of what I listen to. But when it comes to speaking or writing, I struggle. The same goes for German, and, oh no, on Russian. Even with a huge passive vocabulary, I feel like a kid when I try to speak or write.
When I prep for my English classes, I have to script all my phrases to show my intermediate students how one sounds more advanced.
If you know any blogger who is 1) a woman, 2) English-speaking, 3) smart, knowledgeable, and cute, and 4) not too aggressive in her marketing strategy, please post the link below 😀
By the way, I didn’t mention: I’ve started teaching German officially at a private center in Serbia. I even have a student who only speaks Serbian, which is an amazing experience.
That’s why I haven’t been active on Journally lately.
I do keep up with everyone’s posts, though. It was one from our great Ully that pushed me to write this note.
I wanted to use the "willy-nilly" expression but couldn't decide where to put in.
The picture shows me trying to master English, German and Serbian at the same time. My husband is the man on the left😂
There's no secret. If you struggle when you try to write, then you should write and read more. The more you do it, the better.
A passive approach is, of course, pivotal but will get you only so far. At some point you have to take a more active approach to fill in the gaps in your knowledge and skills.
Your pronunciation won't improve on its own if you don't practice. Some people seem to have a knack for acquiring accents, but if you're a mortal like me, then you should look for advanced pronunciation courses which are based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). I do have some great resource to recommend, but mainly for a southern British accent.
Also, an advanced grammar book will help you consolidate and widen your knowledge. The book Practical English Usage by Michael Swan is, and I'm quoting the book itself, intended mainly for advanced students and for teachers of English as a second language; it may also be useful for teacher trainers and material writers. This book has more than double the number of pages of the well-established English Grammar in Use.
Comprehensible input, in my opinion, only addresses one aspect of language learning: language acquisition. It's important to understand that the expression of the language you acquire depends solely on you. You have to actively speak and write — preferably to people who will correct your mistakes (much like parents). Journaly is the perfect place to address the written part, but for the spoken part, you need to find someone willing to listen and correct and instruct. I work with Norbert on his spoken English on ZOOM and would be happy to work with you too if you like. Just let me know. Great post!
Thanks all for recommendations and editing! @CocoPop спасибо за предложение! Мой английский становится все хуже и хуже из-за немецкого. Следующую неделю я в отпуске, а потом можно и поработать. Но только надо не только get, но и give. Можно и на русском разговаривать половину времени ))
Спасибо, Даша! Это было бы здорово))