Saturday, April 18, 2015

Acquiring a new language

We acquire language only one way: when we understand the messages. 

Great little video here: http://youtu.be/VjAHPl1ACmQ

When my older sons were freshman (in a different district) they spent a whole year memorizing and conjugating verbs. 
Not good instruction. 
Translating words does not cognitively improve a student. It does not create new neurons. Experiencing a language (or any academic concept), creating experiences related to that word, skill, concept, actually creates new neurons, increases cognitive capacity in students. 

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