Newsletter #8
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"I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish skills by using a range of different methods."
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- (el) trigo = wheatPronounced: trée-goh Type: noun Example: El pan de trigo es más común que el pan de maíz aquí. Translation: Wheat bread is more popular than cornbread here. Copyright 2012, GB Blanchard - Learn Spanish: www.braser.com […]
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Thanks for this very mature post Ramses. I was very disappointed in how our discussion went, as I have no interest in burning bridges with people ultimately sharing the same language learning encouraging message as I am, but I’m glad to see you’ve given it some more thought.
I’ll just add that I’ve never intentionally tried to eliminate my accent/intonation in Spanish. I’ve only ever attempted to eliminate my accent in Portuguese before my current attempt with German. My intonation in Portuguese is currently extremely close to that of a native from Carioca. You can bet that I plan on further improving on my Spanish even more asap, and that it will involve more of the same and of course, input, but only when necessary. So I disagree with your statement that the “communicative” approach can’t get the same native level as what your suggesting. My disagreement with you is never that my approach is “better” than yours, but that you were so quick to dismiss my advice. I’m hoping this newsletter is a mentality you’ll maintain; you don’t have to change your method since it clearly works great for you, but keep an open mind about other methods
Also, just to clarify something I feel you’ve misunderstood and promoted in the newsletter, I’m not claiming zero to C2 in 3 months. I have an (albeit weak) academic background in German and that can’t be ignored. As you know, my definition of fluency is not equivalent to C2. Based on my theory, one could reach B2/C1 in 3 months starting from scratch using the right methods if they are open to certain levels of embarrassment and are willing to be very social to reach their goal. Of course, this is not something everyone can do or would want to do. Please be sure of what you feel is ridiculous. I don’t mind people disagreeing with what I say, but disagreeing with something I have never said goes nowhere.
Anyway, I agree 100% that there are plenty of different ways to learn a language, especially based on your priorities. Your attention to detail means that you would perhaps not enjoy my method which involves making plenty of mistakes publicly from the very start. I focus on the nitty gritty details when I’m already speaking well. I am certainly not suggesting that active immersion is the “best” way for everyone, or that someone happy to take their time studying should pack their bags and move immediately, but different priorities require different focuses and goals.
Thanks for considering this point again. I’m hoping we won’t start arguing unnecessarily again.
I forgot to add that I’m currently doing things a bit different for French than I did them for Spanish. Does that matter? No, repetition is boring
. However, I *do* start with a sick amount of input, because that’s the path – I believe – should take. After that, the road is pretty much open.
@Ramses – Excellent Newsletter! Seems that I always like the posts/newsletters. Guess it is because I believe in your method for learning languages, and I have tried several over the last 10 years. Your last paragraph, though, I thought was key -”There are no bad methods, it all revolves around your goal. The method shouldn’t be the master, is only serves as a way to reach your goal. I think that’s the most important thing to keep in mind, instead of fighting over theories and how someone learns a language.”
It seems like, at least in my experience, that a “combination” method works best to become really fluent. That is, there is a time for input, a time for output, a time for grammar and a time for immersion. What I have seen, and experienced, is that the “standard methods” either start the language student too soon on one of the phases, which is usually grammar or speaking, although I have also seen students do the immersion method thinking in a week or two they will be fully fluent, only to be severely disappointed. Just my two cents.