How to Master Successfully Any Language of the World 11
General principles
There are many techniques that help you to learn a language. And those that fit best for
one communication type will not necessarily be the best for another. However, there are
some general principles to be observed:
Levels
Practice
Words and Grammar
Memorizing
Words Importance
Culture
Let’s see exactly what I mean by each of them and how it helps you to learn a language.
Levels – Learn Gradually
It is more than important to learn a language gradually. It will be more than difficult for a
beginner to try to learn with materials and techniques for advanced level. On the other
hand, if you are an intermediate learner and you still continue to use Beginners’ materials
and techniques, you will never complete your intermediate level and may even get
discouraged at all.
There are various frameworks which divide language proficiency and skills into levels. I
rely on Common European Framework (CEF or CEFR), recommended by the Council of
Europe. It has been developed to serve many languages in various fields, and it is referred
to by language testers throughout Europe (few dozens of languages). The Association of
Language Testers in Europe (ALTE) uses it to develop language tests. CEFR popularity
is growing among language testers in Asia, too. Further, language proficiency and
learning techniques will be presented according to CEFR levels.
Practice – You Get What You Practice
As I mentioned above, language is not a science. It is a skill. To be more precise, it is a
set of skills. And like any other skill, to be developed, it should be practiced. You can
understand science. Understanding language rules and words meanings is crucial, too.
But afterwards, you must practice or drill their use. Mere understanding will not turn
you into a successful user. The written words will seem familiar, but “forgotten” and
spoken language will be hardly understood. Speaking and writing will stumble, at best.
An English proverb says: “Practice makes perfect”. There’s nothing more to add. Practice
and only practice brings good results. More practice brings perfect results.
Copyright © 2012 Dmitry Slomov. All rights reserved.
Dmitry Slomov is a language learning consultant, a tutor and the author of the Russian Language Course – Lessons with Dmitry
Contact Dmitry at: http://www.courseofrussian.com/en/contact.html
