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ELAINE GALLAGHER – 4

Posted on 28 de agosto de 2019 - 07:25 by

ELAINE GALLAGHER – 4

Most of you probably know some English, but might not have the fluency you want. That will come with practice, the same as playing basketball. The more you listen, the more you attempt to repeat or speak, the more fluent you’ll be. Of course, your vocabulary level is important, too, and helps greatly with fluency.
            Let’s look now at one of the six language levels. Remember the six levels, as designated by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference to Language Learning) are: A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2. The levels can refer to ANY language, not only English, and they include the abilities of listening, speaking, reading, writing.
            The A-1 level is basic English. It is NOT, however, the very beginning level, such as an ELL (English Language Learner) at kindergarten or first grade level. For a child in a school with a true bilingual program (50% Spanish/50% English), the A-1 level should be reached by the end of second grade or primary school.
            But what if the child has English only an hour a week? Or, what about students who begin to study in their teen or adult years?  Let’s look at the observable characteristics of Levels A-1 described as «Basic English Users».
            In general, at A-1, the ELL can understand and use expressions of daily habits, such as «Hello. How are you?». Can ask basic questions about home, preferences, personal belongings, to persons they know.  Can understand others if they speak slowly and clearly and have an attitude of helping the new language learner. Can give their name and address to friends, and use simple phrases to meet personal needs.
MORE SPECIFICALLY:
                                               LISTENING                                                      
A-1
I can recognize familiar words and very basic phrases concerning myself, my family and immediate concrete surroundings when people speak slowly and clearly.
                           SPOKEN PRODUCTION
A-1
I can use simple phrases and sentences to describe where I live and people I know.
                              SPOKEN INTERACTION
A-1
I can interact in a simple way provided the other person is prepared to repeat or rephrase things at a slower rate of speech and help me formulate what I’m trying to say. I can ask and answer simple questions in areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics.
                                    READING
A-1
I can understand familiar names, words and very simple sentences, for example on notices and posters or in catalogues.
                               WRITING
A-1
I can write a short, simple postcard, for example sending holiday greetings. I can fill in forms with personal details, for example entering my name, nationality and address on a hotel registration form.
                           
Now you are more familiar with the first CEFR level, A-1.
Next blog, I’ll describe A-2. As you read the next few blogs, see if you can figure out YOURpersonal English level.

MARCO DE REFERENCIA PARA LOS IDIOMAS

Posted on 22 de julio de 2019 - 09:15 by

ELAINE GALLAGHER  –  3


You might be wondering how languages are organized by levels, or why book publishers are no longer printing language books labeled «Beginner», «Intermediate», or «Advanced» levels. Now, language book levels, world-wide, are labeled » A-1″, or «A-2, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2».  WHY?
Basically, the old terminology, such as «Beginner», never really had a clear definition. Each editorial company had different, various criteria for what «Beginner», «Intermediate», «Upper Intermediate», or Advanced» meant. There were no clear standards before 1991.

During the 1980’s more than 20 European nations decided to establish guidelines for identifying language levels. Linguistic experts and educators worked periodically, during several years in Switzerland, identifying characteristics of language production (speaking & writing) and language reception (listening & reading). 

In 1991 the European Union published the 265-page document completed by the linguistic experts, describing language skills. The book is full of charts and text describing specific characteristics exhibited in the four basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The results of the years of work of the experts is called, «The Common European Framework of Reference for Language Learning and Teaching», abbreviated to «CEFR».

The CEFR divides language acquisition into six levels. These levels refer to ANY language. The six levels are A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2.  A-1 is basic and C-2 is similar to native speakers, but mild accents are acceptable. The levels are divided into the basic skills. For example, A-1 is explained in relation to speaking, listening, reading, and writing. All skills need to be observed by oral and written production.

The European Union, after the distribution of the CEFR, required all editorial companies within the EU to exhibit on the front or rear covers of their books, the identifying level of the book according to the CEFR levels, A-1, etc. This is extremely helpful to teachers and to learners, because they can investigate the CEFR scale to find the precise characteristics that should be exhibited in each of the language skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Today, in 2013, in addition to Europe, most countries in Latin America have also adopted the guidelines of the CEFR, as have most publishers, world-wide. The United States of America, unfortunately, is one of the very few countries that have not yet adopted the guidelines of the CEFR. They are still dealing with the vague terms identifying levels, such as «beginning», «intermediate», etc. 

You can download the CEFR from Internet to understand more about the characteristics of language learners in the four skills at each of the six levels. In my next blog, I’ll explain briefly some of the characteristics for each of the six levels, so you can check yourself.

ELAINE GALLAGHER 2

Posted on 31 de mayo de 2019 - 13:38 by

Crecemos y perdemos la capacidad de imitar los sonidos de los fonemas de las lenguas que aprendemos de mayores. Los niños y jóvenes sí mantienen esa capacidad:

The other day in Mexico City, a taxi driver asked me (in Spanish), «How many years have you lived in Mexico?». I told him, «Twenty-five…but we’ve gone to the USA to live, too, during that time.» He proceeded to ask me, «If you’ve live here so long, why do you still have an American accent?»  

It was a good question, one, perhaps that many people may have thought about. The answer is quite simple, if you know a little about linguistics. Humans are born with the physical and mental ability to learn any language: Chinese, Arabic, Russian, English, Spanish, Farsi, etc. As babies, we listen, imitate, and eventually learn to speak, from copying others around us. From birth to about seven years of age, children can learn any language they are exposed to on a regular basis. Some children learn three or four languages easily, just by listening to adults around them, repeating, and responding. Up to ages 17-19, second or third languages can be acquired the same way as the first language, listening, imitating, and interacting with others. Native-like pronunciation is easily attained if the child’s teachers were native speakers, or if the teacher spoke as a native. Once adolescence has passed, however, the neuron receivers in the brain do not accept unfamiliar sounds as easily or as clearly as when the child was younger.In other words, sounds that had not become imbedded in the neuron receivers before late adolescence, are not recognized. The sound neurons, which allow us to hear & accurately repeat new sounds, exactly as how we’ve heard them, become dysfunctional after late adolescence. We are able to physically HEAR the sounds and words in a new language, but we are unable to repeat them EXACTLY as heard. 

Since I first heard Spanish at 43 years of age, and began studying the language in a summer immersion program, I’ll always have an American accent. What I hear, and attempt to repeat, doesn’t come out exactly as I heard it, even though to my ears, I AM repeating what I heard. But my sound/repeat neurons are not as functional as they had been when I was a child. What I do have, though, is fluency. I speak rapidly, with a large Spanish vocabulary, and I’m understood by native Spanish speakers. 

So, Mr. Taxi Driver, and other curious people, now you know why I still have an accent…but I love Spanish, and I made sure that my grandchildren studied Spanish at young ages. The oldest one, for example, is 23 years old, and has perfect Spanish and English, using both languages as a native speaker. He began to learn Spanish by visiting us in Mexico, and actually lived with us in Saltillo, Coahuila from age 10 to 17, only going back to Maine in the USA during summer and Christmas vacations. Now he’s proud of his language ability, with native-like Spanish, and his first language, English. 

The fact is, in the 21st century oral fluency in English is important for jobs and for university studies. Accents are acceptable, of course, so don’t worry. Build your vocabulary. Listen and practice talking as much as possible. Fluency is the key to success in English, or any language. So listen, repeat, practice, and think.  

ELAINE GALLAGHER 1

Posted on 10 de mayo de 2019 - 21:35 by

Conoce un poco más a nuestra última incorporación a TUinnovas, la Dra. Elaine Gallagher (EE.UU.). Puedes leer un resumen de su saber PINCHANDO AQUÍ.

En este blog iremos incorporando entradas escritas por Elaine, generadas para personas deseosas de aprender bien otros idiomas, a lo cual lleva muchos años dedicándose, también en España.
Confiamos en que las sucesivas entradas te irán sirviendo de inspiración y guía si estás en este grupo de aprendices.

Learning another language for some people is not a priority, so they never are successful. Maybe they can understand a little, and, perhaps, they can read some short paragraphs in a newspaper or magazine. The most important aspect of any language is ORAL FLUENCY; so, if someone can’t speak a language well, then they don’t really know it.

How does oral fluency develop? In short steps. Listen. Listen. Listen. Repeat. Then, little by little, respond. LISTEN. REPEAT. RESPOND. All the while you’re listening, you need to begin to THINK in the new language. It’s important, too.

Don’t ask others to translate for you. If English is the language you’re learning, use only an English-English dictionary. This will help you learn to think in English, instead of depending on your native tongue.

It’s a cycle of progress, leading gradually to oral fluency.
LISTEN. REPEAT. RESPOND. THINK. LISTEN. REPEAT. RESPOND THINK.

As you are developing your oral fluency, reading and writing are not ignored.
They are practiced, based on the development of oral fluency. Learning a language is a lifetime project. Even one’s native language is learned over time, and vocabulary is built over years of various experiences. It’s the same with a second or third language. To be fluent, implies that you have confidence in your ability with new language, based on oral fluency, and clear understanding when others speak.

Listen. Repeat. Respond. Think. Those are the keys to your success in English.