What is the best way(1) to learn a new language? A small(2) study of foreign language(3) learning(4) in adults compared two methods.
One is known as(5) the explicit or classroom(6) method. This is the kind of(7) traditional classroom teaching where students are taught(8) a lot of information about grammar rules(9). The other method is known as the implicit or immersion(10) method.
The idea here is to learn(11) much the way(12) children(13) do when they learn a native language. That is(14), by being with(15) native speakers(16) and absorbing the language that surrounds(17) them, generally(18) without a lot of explanation(19).
Teachers may(20) combine these two methods into what Professor Michael Ullman calls(21) immersion-style classroom teaching.
But is that necessarily a better way(22) to learn a language? Mr. Ullman was the senior (23) investigator for the new study. He is a professor(24) of neuroscience at Georgetown University Medical Center in
Washington. He says he was surprised(25) to find(26) that combining the two methods might not help(27) the brain(28) in processing the new language.
If he had to learn a language, what would he do?(29) One possibility would be to start with classroom and then go to immersion. But he says there is a possibility(30) that classroom could hurt(31) later(32) immersion — that is one possibility in interpreting the data(33).
The Public Library(34) of Science published(35) the study earlier this year(36).
The twenty-one adults in the experiment learned Brocanto2, a thirteen-word language(37) created for the study. The words and grammar rules relate to(38) a computer game similar to(39) chess(40) that the learners(41) played.
For example, “Blom neimo lu neep li praz” means(42) “The square(43) blom-piece(44) switches(45) with the neep-piece.”
The researchers(46) tested the people three to six months after they had learned(47) the language, to see how well(48) they could(49) remember it.
The study found that(50) those who(51) had learned it with the immersion method had brain waves(52) similar to those of native speakers of a language when speaking that language. Professor Ullman says those who trained(53) with the classroom method also became(54) more native-like(55) in their brain processing.
But only the immersion group showed full(56) native-like processing of the grammar. Still(57), he says teachers should not make(58) any curriculum changes based on his findings(59). He says further research(60) is needed(61).
“And it may be(62), for example, that a combination of classroom and immersion might be best(63). But we don’t know that.” For VOA Special English, I’m Mario Ritter. (Adapted from a radio program broadcast 28Jun2012)
VOCABULARY
1. What is the best way? = Qual é a melhor maneira? 2. Small = pequeno 3. foreign language = língua estrangeira 4. learning = aprendizado 5. known as = conhecido como 6. classroom = sala de aula 7. kind of = tipo de 8. taught = ensinado 9. grammar rules = regras gramaticais 10. immersion = imersão 11. learn = aprender 12. much the way = bem da maneira como 13. children = crianças 14. That is = isto é 15. being with = estar com 16. native speakers = falantes nativos 17. surrounds = rodeia, cerca 18. generally = geralmente 19. without a lot of explanation = sem muita explicação 20. may = podem 21. calls = chama 22. a better way = uma forma melhor 23. senior = superior, mais antigo 24. professor = professor de faculdade 25. he was surprised = ele ficou surpreso 26. find = descobrir 27. might not help = pode não ajudar 28. brain = cérebro 29. what would he do? = O que ele faria 30. there is a possibility = existe uma possibilidade 31. hurt = prejudicar 32. later = posterior 33. data = informação 34. Public Library = biblioteca publica 35. Published = publicou 36. earlier this year = no inicio deste ano 37. thirteen-word language = língua de treze palavras 38. relate to = está relacionado a 39. similar to = semelhante a 40. chess = xadrez 41. learners = aprendizes 42. means = significa 43. square = quadrado 44. piece = peça 45. switches = troca 46. researchers = pesquisadores 47. had learned = tinham aprendido 48. how well = o quão bem 49. could = poderiam 50. found that = descobriram que 51. those who = aqueles que 52. waves = ondas 53. trained = treinaram 54. also became = também se tornaram 55. native-like = parecido com nativos 56. full = complete 57. Still = ainda assim 58. should not make = não deveriam fazer 59. findings = descobertas 60. further research = pesquisa adicional 61. needed = necessário 62. may be = pode ser