By Kelly Frances
“When it comes to learning English these days, it’s a jungle out there,” quipped Kim Tae-ho, a 26 year old architect, studying English to meet the demands of his job.
“There are so many options now; I think I have wasted lots of time doing the wrong thing.”
Kim’s frustration is common. Today’s tech-fueled industry includes mobile devices, e-learning, interactive tables, and, as is the case at Hagjeong Primary School in Daegu, talking robots. These are in addition to traditional mediums like human beings, English TV, and good old fashioned books.
With the recent decision to phase out native speakers in public schools, Koreans are asking what is the most efficient and cost-effective way to learn English.
According to linguist Douglas Vautour, there are numerous factors at play in language acquisition, and at the core lies an understanding of an individual’s learning style.
“Everyone is looking for an easy answer, and there isn’t one,” he said. “There is a personality that responds to every form of media out there, and the challenge is to understand what suits you best.”
Vautour, a Canadian citizen who studied linguistics at Seoul National University, has penned 25 textbooks and authored a series of phonics applications. He encourages learners to spend time asking questions before investing in a language program.
“Self-analysis is a good first step,” he explained. “Adults should think back to their school days; the classes they liked, the subjects that made them feel engaged. Even the types of people we choose to speak to most show us the types of learners we are.”
The same principle applies to children.
“Parents should work with their children to do different types of things, and in time, they’ll see which methods work better than others.”
The standard “learning types” are typically defined as auditory, visual, and kinesthetic, respectively.
“In basic terms, visual learners respond well to images, props, and situations. Auditory learners tend to be heavy text-based learners, and usually respond well to CDs, dialogues and spoken explanations. Kinesthetic learners are action-oriented.”
“The model for any good language class is to display material, apply it, allow the student to apply the material, and then summarize it. That model works. In terms of self-study, or improving the standard system, we must accommodate individual learning style and preferences.”
“A really great tool is to find a subject you truly are interested in, and then find and English application for it,” says Vautour. “Forcing yourself to do something you find boring can be detrimental.”
Despite being mundane, rote learning is widely accepted as an effective tool for memorization.
“Rote learning is a repetitive action, and this is why it works,” he said. “However, if we can simply apply the action to a subject we find engaging, we see major breakthroughs.”
And though it is generally accepted that children are inclined to model parental behavior up until a certain age, there is a difference between commanding study and genuine interest.
“It’s one thing to tell a child that studying is important, and quite another to demonstrate an actual interest in language yourself, thus inspiring a child to do so also,” he said.
What is Vautour’s number one piece of advice for language learners?
“Don’t be afraid to fail, and don’t focus on comparisons to others. Failure is the way we learn, and fear of failure is one of the greatest obstacles to education.”
The writer is a guest columnist from Ontario, Canada, and is currently living in Seoul. She welcomes topic suggestions from readers and can be reached at kellyfrancesm@gmail.com.