learning new language

[shootingstar]

The only thing I am frustrated with is the lack of writing, even though I do the writing portion of each lesson. I need to write out the verb conjugations, now that we are getting into different tenses. I need to write to learn pretty much anything. So, I bought a book for people teaching themselves Spanish and it's very helpful.
My DH, who has a horrible auditory memory, is still struggling. He doesn't see the patterns any more than he did when he took a language in school. I think he's become a little bit better, but it ramps up with each lesson and he's always one step behind. And he's a very smart person.

Am similar in that way of learning. I have a powerful need to accelerate any spoken language learning, by also learning how to write it out correctly. I learn faster by hearing and seeing A person speak it (not just hear it on tape) so I see the mouth movements PLUS make that match with the written word. Similarily it helps me in memorizing certain words and understanding good grammar.

For myself, it may be why my Chinese has fallen down and not gone ahead anywhere: I cannot read nor write it. However to memorize those hundreds of ideograms, regardless of building block strokes and word variations.. groan.

So Miranda, perhaps by seeing some Spanish words in writing will make it abit easier. It doesn't have to be all words, but a few key words to start off. Then connect the pieces.

I'm like a bulldog running around in a bone china display when I speak Chinese. Have reached a point where I don't care what people think. Am raw, direct and peasant-like. Just want to be understood.

My point: Let go of some inhibitions of being overly concerned about looking stupid, when you try to speak too.