5 Tips for Learning French Grammar

If you are reading this article, you probably have an interest in learning French and learning French Grammar! Here are some useful tips provided by Alpine French School to help you along the way….

French flag

1. Start from the beginning

When you start learning French, the grammar can seem extremely difficult. Maybe you think you don’t understand grammar in your own language? Well this is a good place to start! Learn the basics of grammar in your own language so you understand how a language works: what is a verb? A noun? A pronoun? French is a very grammatical language so the more you understand about grammar to start with, the easier the journey will seem! When you start learning French grammar, also start with the basics. Learn the present tense of each verb and the basic elements of sentence structure before trying to add in more complicated tenses or to make advanced expressions; as they say “don’t run before you can walk”!

2. Stick with it

It may at times seem like you’re not progressing or that every sentence that comes out of your mouth contains a grammatical mistake, but stick with it! Every time you realise you have made an error, your brain is subconsciously learning from that mistake and you are more likely to say that phrase correctly in the future. Every time you have a bad day or a bad lesson when trying to speak French, you are learning!

3. Little and often

It is better to study for 5 minutes every day, than several hours once a month! There are many little tricks and tools in the modern world to make this easier: there are numerous language learning apps where you can play games while waiting for a train, learn a new word while having your lunch, look up the conjugation of a verb you want to use…..

4. Get a good grammar reference book

A great investment from the start is a good grammar book. You should get one that starts from the beginning with clear explanations and an easy way to find answers to the questions you may have along the way. Don’t worry about the more advanced pages to start with, you might put yourself off. Just start at the beginning and work your way through. Many books now come with an exercise book for you to do practice exercises for each grammar point to ensure that you have properly understood.

5. Get a good teacher!

It is only normal that you will have questions along the way and some things are much more easily explained face to face. All teachers are different, you can find a
French native speaker who teaches only in French or a teacher who speaks your own language to explain grammar points. The main thing to look for though is someone who you enjoy studying with, who can answer your questions with good and clear explanations and someone with whom you feel that your French will progress. That, after all, is the aim!

MUSIC AND LANGUAGES: A BEAUTIFUL DUET OF LEARNING

We hear them, we read them – we write stories and symphonies using them. They both enrich our lives in countless ways. Music and languages serve as essential modes of communication and wonderful expressions of creativity.

Some researchers contend that humans first started creating music 500,000 years ago, yet speech and language were only developed 200,000 years ago. Evolutionary evidence, as interpreted by leading researchers such as Robin Dunbar from Oxford University, indicates that speech as a form of communication may have evolved from our development and use of music.

piano practice

learning music might help with languages

Perhaps this explains why our music and language neural networks have significant overlap and why people who have studied one of these may find it easier to learn the other (http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/feb/27/musicians-better-language-learners). Consider these similarities:

  • Both music and language can be spoken, listened, written, and read.
  • Both have rhythm, flow, tempo, pauses, and the chance to convey emotions.
  • Collaboration/Interaction: Interacting in groups with music and language learning enhances your learning experience.
  • Singers have an additional connection; the more languages you speak, the more songs you can sing.
  • You can start learning a language with small words and short sentences, then graduate to more complex speaking and reading abilities. You begin learning a musical instrument by playing just a few notes, then progress to playing larger phrases of notes and more complex rhythms.

A Beautiful Duet.

With all these similarities, can we conclude that studying one of these skills can help us in learning the other?

Consider this important step in learning a language, which is figuring out where one word ends and the next one begins. As a French language “hobbyist,” this is huge for me. Dave Munger conducted two experiments with speaking and singing specific foreign words to see how quickly and accurately the participants could detect and parse the words. Since fluent speakers don’t generally pause between words, it can be a daunting task. Munger found that the sung words were detected significantly faster with more accuracy. While, they’re not saying that music study is a requirement for learning a foreign language, the extra aural information that music provides does seem to help with in learning a language (http://scienceblogs.com/cognitivedaily/2008/06/19/does-music-help-us-learn-langu).

We should also be reminded that the sense of achievement when you play a musical instrument or speak another language in public for the first time is unparalleled. I’m a music teacher – not a scientist – but I’ve seen many children and adults become transformed individuals because they learned Spanish, Italian, Chinese – or music. Better job prospects, social lives, and major shots of self-confidence – who wouldn’t want that?

Author Bio:
Terry Smith (www.applegatemusicstudio.com) teaches piano and voice privately in the Phoenix, Arizona, USA area and teaches piano online anywhere. He uses the innovative Simply Music piano curriculum. He also serves as music director at a local church and directs music for local theater.

Top 5 Twitter Language Learning Accounts

While you may be comfortable spending thousands of dollars taking in-country language courses, there are even better and easier options thanks to the internet. Provided you have an internet connection, a computer or a mobile device, learning would be pretty easy.

Twitter

There’s nothing as motivating as browsing an up-to-date Twitter account that allows you to learn languages as easy as A, B, C. To anyone eager to learn languages, these Twitter accounts will give you insights as all of them tweet about languages with the accounts having language teachers, translators or interpreters. Below is a list of the top 5 Twitter language learning accounts you surely want to follow.

English Tips for You @EnglishTips4U

English Tips for You offer you an even better and fast way of learning English for free. Being active since September 2010, Indonesia’s first ever Twitter learning portal allows you the chance to learn the English language for free. With more than a thousand videos and photos, you’ll surely have a wide variety of information to help you easily learn English.

The best part, English Tips for You is always up-to-date so of course you’ll have the latest information the moment you click the ‘Follow’ button. Moreover, the account offers you new unique words every day on the ‘Word of the Day’ segment.

Dictionary.com @dictionarycom

@dictionarycom is Dictionary.com’s official Twitter feed where you get updated with new words and the latest word trends. What’s more, this learning language account feeds your mind with the latest quotes from world-renowned figures that’ll surely add some motivation to your life. Dictionary.com’s Twitter account additionally provides you with fascinating information about English words.

Judy Jenner @language_news

Being an entrepreneurial linguist, translator and certified court interpreter, Judy Jenner offers you the latest in language news in the @language_news Twitter account. Judy Jenner provides you an interactive platform with more than eight thousand language enthusiasts following the tweets closely.

As an author raised in Mexico City, Judy Jenner ensures you get the latest language news with keen concentration on language translation staying active since 2008.

Cath Cellier-Smart @Smart_Translate

With over fifteen thousand up-to-date tweets and more than four thousand followers, @Smart_Translate is your learning language account to follow especially because Cath Celleir-Smart is a well-vast French to English translator.

To any English enthusiast @Smart_Translate provides you interesting links to English Language articles sure to increase your knowledge of English. This language learning account offers you the latest information on language translation.

German should be fun @LearnXDGerman

You probably thought learning languages was all about reading articles, right? German should be fun, creates a different twist away from just reading articles. The learning-based Twitter account provides you an opportunity to learn how to speak the German language with more than three hundred funny audio clips that you can download for free.

The Twitter account boasts of more than forty-two thousand followers since its signup in 2011. Get the latest German tweets from @LearnXDGerman with their English translations just five minutes later.

Wrapping Up

Twitter is easily available and pretty easy to use. Therefore, you’d gain a lot following these Language Leaning accounts.

5 Sites to Help You Become an Expert in Language Learning

Are you looking for a site where you can become an expert in language learning? Here are 5 websites offering services that will sharpen your brain and learn a new language.

Learn

how to learn a languages using the web – source

Babbel

Babbel has put together a language program that will help you learn different languages including: German, Spanish, French, Italian, Swedish, Portuguese and much more. It offers online language courses through its website and an app.

You will go through a sequence of courses containing different lessons. Every lesson takes 10-15 minutes and includes:

· A dialogue

· New vocabulary words

· Grammar instruction

· Review of what is learned

Why Babbel?

· User experience- Like a software, it has an attractive design, it’s intuitive with no bugs

· Content- A team of experienced language teachers offer real-world requirements of language learners

· Explanations- The site has good grammatical explanations

· Pacing- Lessons are taught at a pretty pace

· Review Manager- This feature contains a lot of vocabulary words you need when learning

Livemocha

Livemocha is the world’s leading language learning community with more than 5 million registered users in 200 countries.

What makes it good?

It has good features of social networks due to a large number of registered users. Therefore, it offers a large base of potential language partners and tutors. Users of this reciprocity-based system get corrections from native speakers

There are many languages to learn. LiveMocha currently provides learning in 35 languages. Some of the languages are Catalan, Brazilian, Arabic, Bulgarian, French, Greek, Hindi, Hebrew and more.

The site offers a lot of free content including 3 free units, each with 5 or more lesson per unit. There are also a broad range of speaking, listening, writing and reading activities.

Guardian.com/education/languages

This language section contains the recent news and updates about languages. You will get profound articles on language news and analysis on universities, colleges, schools and other learning institutions. The information on this section offers tips to students who want to learn a new language and helps them on how to get started.

Telegraph

You should read this site because it offers education and student advice. Moreover, it offers exam and revision techniques that help students in their education life. You will get expert advice on UCAS, GCSEs, University clearing and A Levels. This online source is a reputable and authoritative website with content you can fully rely on.

Lifehacker

When you visit this link you will learn how to learn a language in 90 days. You will also understand the benefits of being a bilingual such as meeting different people, different emotions, and different cultures. Other benefits include several cognitive benefits such as reduce cognitive biases, Alzheimer’s boost brainpower, boost concentration and reduce distractions.

You will also learn how most people make mistakes about language learning. In addition, the article has gives basic strategy of quick language learning. This includes: having right resources, getting a private tutor, find friends or joining an online language community. Finally, the article offers a 90-day plan for learning a new language.

Speak Like A Native – Learn The Lingo In Foreign Climes

This time of year sees many changes for younger people – many of whom might well be leaving home for the first time in order to work or study. Some might be lucky enough to have the chance to do so abroad and whilst it can be a nervous time, it’s also one of great excitement. One of the biggest challenges for anyone making this transition is learning enough of the language to get by as they settle in and get used to their new surroundings.

Before you go

Try and get at least the basics before you go. Even something as simple as learning the alphabet of that particular language and how to count to ten. These basics – along with some simple greetings and salutations can make the transition seem that bit easier. Many Smartphones and suchlike have special apps that can help you learn basic phrases – some even with pronunciations too, so it can make speaking/repeating the phrases easier. It can be worth downloading and trying some of these to find the one that suits you best.

While you’re there

Get out and about as much as you can – take day trips, visit local markets (and yes, even the nightlife) to try and complement your learning and any language classes you’re taking as part of your move. The more you immerse yourself in local culture, the more you can pick nuances of language up and get used to it all. Be aware and always be safe though, don’t put yourself in situations that you may find it tricky to get out of, especially if you’re lacking in confidence with speaking the language.
Use social media to help you! Things like Facebook and Twitter might not seem like they would be of much use, but they can be a real boon to help you look at how words are written in foreign languages and how syntax is formed. Join local groups and try to interact with local people to practice.

The practicalities of moving

Of course, learning the language isn’t the only factor you’ll need to consider when you move but it will help you with all the other choices and decisions you need to make before and in the initial stages of your arrival and as you settle down. It’s important to be prepared on every level and to know what to do if something goes wrong too. Knowing how to deal with officials and being able to communicate with them effectively can also make things a little easier. Though, in truth, if you are really stuck – you can very often find someone who speaks your native language to help you out.

Languages in the Fashion Industry

According to the Guardian, learning languages is of the utmost advantage in the fashion industry for one reason: fashion is international and if you want to be able to communicate with peers in the fashion capitals of the world such as Paris, New York and even Japan, you have to be able to speak in their language. According to them, fashion companies are now actively looking for language skills in new hires. For old hires, companies are offering language lessons to enable their employees to be able to communicate with peers abroad.

The fashion industry: a global player in the international business field.

Fashion companies are being careful with how they encourage employees to communicate in new languages. According to Aldo Liuori, the global head of PR and Fast Retailing at Comptoir des Cotonniers, it is very important to check your communication. Aldo says, “If you are not able to fully understand what someone is asking or telling you, take a step back and ask them to repeat. Even though I started many years ago, that has been a true success factor for me”. He recognized early in his career the value to his career that learning languages would bring.

Uniqlo Global Flagship Store ユニクロ

Uniqlo has shops in several countries – source

Speaking foreign languages might be the key for success.

Even the British fashion industry is beginning to buy into the idea that foreign languages brings a certain and unbeatable advantage to the industry. The British Fashion Council today recommends that people learn new languages if they want a competitive edge in the global market. Kat Salcross, the marketing administrator at New Look, agrees completely with this. She took a degree in French and Spanish and according to her, “It would definitely have been difficult to have done the job without my language skills. To be able to speak in French rather than just English made everything more efficient.”

She recalls a visit to France and Belgium when she had to do a presentation in French. That she could speak and understand French was a big advantage to her and she noted that the people she gave the presentation to didn’t have language skills. In her words, “the store managers couldn’t have explained everything in English that they explained to me in French”.

Patrick Clark agrees with Kat. When the Guardian met up with him, he was leaving for Milan to report on Fashion Week for the fashion magazine Schon. He says that although English is the most commonly spoken language in the fashion industry, is learning languages as been of great profit for him when he has to report on fashion events in non-English speaking countries. “Anyone you meet at Fashion Week is potentially a colleague. I’ve created a lot of links in Milan with people by speaking Italian – a photographer we’re working with now is a friend of a friend.”

But which are the right languages to learn? French and Italian are indispensable, but the market today is leaning towards China and Japan because this is where the bi buyers are. And the problem happens to be that most Chinese and Japanese people don’t speak English.

Clearly, if you want to be a success, you should start learning languages.

The Language Class and International Corporate Training in London.

If your company operates at international level and your staff needs language training our company is very happy to help. We can supply corporate language teachers who can come to your offices and teach directly to your staff.

Multilingual children in British schools

According to the Telegraph, multiculturalism is sweeping British schools at alarming rates. In fact, out of over 15,000 primary and secondary schools, an amazing 1,755 include students that speak English as a second language. While the multi lingual wave is rapidly sweeping the school system, David Cameron believes there is still no cause for major concern. Earlier in the week, the PM stated that Romanian and Bulgarian immigration to the country was at a “reasonable level.” This, of course, coincides with the lifting of work restrictions, which has enabled moderate numbers of mainland Europeans to enter the UK. Cameron is also keen on limiting net immigration, citing recent reports that the nation is no longer under mass influx due to past Labor requirements.

While the PM is more concerned about a post-Labor era in the UK, the numbers still don’t lie. Based on recent reports, one out of every nine children in Britain speaks English as a second language. In fact, all it takes is a visit to your local school to witness a myriad of languages being spoken in the playground. For example: The Luton School cited 98.9 percent of their pupils as ESL speakers. This means their native languages and mother tongues are simply not English. While the Parliament discusses current immigration laws, over 14 languages are spoken and have been heard within several British schools. While multiculturalism helps tear down communication barriers, building bridges between native and foreign born students is still a trying task. In Luton, they have now employed translators at parent-teacher-meetings. This is truly a pro-active approach by the community and certainly in line with recent requests from Ofsted.

This is great news for Luton, who are also counting on immigrant parents to help their children assimilate into British society. This includes more help for immigrant students that want to learn and master the English language. English is vital for new arrivals that want to enhance their education in British schools.

London 11-08-2012

London is multicultural – source

 

British Police To Learn Polish

British police have always been known for their smart appearance and respectful approach. In Northamptonshire, however, the police are adding a new skill to their repertoire. This is in the form of Polish and other Eastern European languages. As part of a new cultural awareness program, local police have partnered with The Association of Northamptonshire Supplementary Schools (ANSS). This marriage will provide officers access to foreign language courses, along with basic and short phrases. With multiculturalism on the rise in the UK, Northamptonshire police will learn foreign languages as part of an exciting and new training curriculum.

Polish Fair

Polish immigrants bring culture to the UK – source

The training will also help officers engage the local foreign population. This includes new arrivals, along with foreign born residents and citizens that have called Northamptionshire home for years. In addition, the training will teach local officers about different faiths and cultures. According to school members and police, this is the perfect way to break down communication and social barriers. In fact, the training is designed not only to unite the community, but also to build a lasting trust and confidence. This is echoed by PC Nick Stevens and DC Rachel Packman who both serve as Community Engagement Officers.

The multicultural training will also teach officers about local houses of worship. They will even partake in area festivals, which highlight the diversity of this growing and expanding county. With face-to-face sessions and regular meetings, the community can grow as one. The county can also ensure safety for all its residents and guests. This is something Packman and Stevens strongly believe in. In fact, they have helped organize the training sessions for local frontline officers. Along with the ANSS, the police hope to forge lasting relations with local residents. By learning a little about their customs, practices, faith, and especially languages, the county will build strong bonds and bridges that will hopefully last for generations to come.

As part of the initiative, the Northampton Muslim Police Association will also discuss aspects of their faith with local officers.

Learn Polish in London.

The language class is happy to offer Polish language lessons to anyone who wants to learn Polish in London. We have 10 years experience in teaching foreign languages in various formats. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you want to learn more about our language programmes.

 

 

The Guardian: Language Skills Deficit Costs The UK 48bn a Year

According to The Guardian a new research done in the UK, the lack of language skills is hurting about 70% of businesses especially in the export sector. The research shows that the country is losing £48 billion every year which works out to about 3.5% of the GDP. The most affected are small and medium sized exporters. Trading abroad is easier if employees understand the language, can speak it and if they appreciate the culture and norms of many countries that import goods from the UK.

The guardian and the observer

The matter is simple really; many potential business partners are ready to work with UK companies that can talk to them directly and that are ready to tailor products to a language that they can understand. According to the research, people will have no problem if you are buying from them and you have no linguistic skills that they can understand. On the other hand, it is very hard to sell to them if you can only speak English.

The biggest economies in the world, China, Brazil and India have huge populations and hold great potential for English exporters but not many of these businesses are teaching their employees the languages needed to sell goods in these economies. In fact, employers do not even think of this when they are hiring; they will not choose new employees based on linguistic skills. These same businesses are the same ones that complain about how hard it is to get though these large economies. They simply want to assume that everyone speaks English.

According to Nick Brown, CEO of Nickwax, “We’re doing a little bit of work with China and we’re very aware that we’re behind there. One of the reasons is the language problem – we don’t have a Mandarin speaker.” Many other small and medium companies that export also echo the same, and the surprising thing is that they don’t seem to acknowledge the need to be strategic about these markets by finding employees who can communicate with potential markets.

Some companies are choosing to hire expatriates, but this is not really the answer if you look at how much they have to pay them; expats are usually paid more than employees from the UK and they also get perks. For a small business, this can be a huge cost and quite unnecessary. The better solution would be to hire someone who is already competent or train existing employees in foreign languages.
Looking at the other side of the coin, not enough people in the UK see the potential of learning new languages. It is very few people who have developed language skills specifically so that they can help their careers. Even with the availability of affordable language lessons, many people remain unemployed or in jobs that they want when a new language could change everything for them. It increases their chances of getting well paying jobs and opportunities for travel are numerous.

Why learn a foreign language? Benefits of bilingualism

There are several benefits of learning a new or foreign language. In fact, I recently read an interested article in the Telegraph that highlighted the benefits of bilingualism. The article listed several valid points on the importance of learning new languages for business and social reasons. As a marketing specialist, I tend to agree with the overall theme and gist of this helpful and informative article. Whether it is formulating an advertising campaign or revamping a website, I often come across clients whose native language is not English. As a result, I have to employ the services of a translator to ensure optimal communications across the board. Suffice to say, this is very time consuming and still results in communication barriers from time to time.

the daily telegraph - Napier

 

According to the article, learning a new language can truly expand your horizons. In addition to making you smarter, you are able to effectively market your skills to broader and mass audiences. Whether it is learning French, Spanish, or even Chinese, the demand for bilingual workers is at an all time high. With a second language listed on your resume, your chances of securing higher paying jobs abroad are also greater. Learning a second language can also stimulate your brain’s capacity to think at higher levels. In fact, recent studies have show that students with foreign language capabilities are able to score higher on standardized tests. When translated to the business world, this means you can attract and engage more international clients to the products and services and seek. No matter which industry you are in, bilingualism can help you extend your brand’s reach to mass audiences.

As a marketing specialist, I consistently have to multi-task on a daily basis. This means handling multiple projects, while interacting with existing and new clients. Recent studies have also shown that people can multi-task much easier if they know a foreign language. In fact, mastering a new language allows you to juggle between your native tongue and the recently acquired language. This helps tear down communication barriers, while ensuring better productivity and performance across multiple departments. In recent months, my account executives have landed a number of Spanish speaking clients. As a result, I have had to learn this popular and growing language just to stay competitive in this globally challenging and diverse marketplace.

The Telegraph article also states several other benefits of learning a new language. This includes improves memory, better perception, and enhanced skills. Since you are keeping your mind active, you are also able to stave off dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Ever since I learned Spanish, I completely agree with the above mentioned points. Not only has my memory functions improved, my ability to correspond with domestic and Spanish speaking clients has increased as well. This has helped my business grow and expand, while generating more leads and revenue. Surprisingly, my English skills have also improved since I learned Spanish over the last few months.

There’s more to learning a new language than just sprucing up your resume. For me, learning Spanish has helped me connect with my Latino neighbors and friends. It is a sense of personal enrichment that simply cannot be explained. As the world grows smaller, learning a new language can truly propel you to new heights!