Learning a foreign language is easier when you understand how you learn. The science of learning is based on several theories and include: multiple intelligences, right brain/left brain/whole brain, and brain-based learning. Understanding how you learn new information becomes the key to effective study patterns and habits. Many individuals who attempt to learn a new language give up, mainly because they pick a program that doesn’t fit their learning style. These individuals unknowingly try to suit their learning style into a program.
Determine your learning style
The following discussion focuses on learning styles, ways of learning, and how to master second language usage. The theory of multiple intelligences, by Howard Gardner, provides the basics for seven learning styles associated with this theory. All of us have many styles of learning and one is dominant over all other learning styles.
Knowledge of your dominant learning style helps to identify which program to select to learn a second language. A foreign language program needs to concentrate on a whole brain approach to support dominant and non-dominant learning styles. This whole brain approach focuses on comprehension, as learners are urged to describe a visual image, draw pictures, use reasoning, and act out situations wherein a language is utilized, to understand new language context. It is an excellent method for learning new language vocabulary through contextual settings.
Brain-based learning
According to brain-based learning research, although each brain is distinctive, everybody can learn a foreign language like Chinese. Orchestrated – immersion into learning environments. Relaxed – elimination or reduction of nervousness and still being challenging. Active – internalization of new knowledge by processing information. The best programs use numerous different information strategies that fully engage you in the learning process. Basing on this brain-based research to support internalization of new knowledge, immersion in cultural and personal experiences with a new language is significant to relaxed and active learning.
Another key to select a foreign language program is allowing you all time you need to learn and master language. Mastery of learning moves beyond rote memorization of vocabulary to a level that a new language becomes second native. After reading different theories of learning you can see that everybody uses different strategies and techniques to learn, even when they don’t realize why.
Another aspect with knowledge of your learning style is that you don’t learn at the same pace as everybody else. Mastery is attributed to how we learn and the ways we use a new language. This helps you to internalize and learn as you observe, using a whole brain approach in an orchestrated/active environment.