- 1). Focus on communication rather than perfect pronunciation. Work with a teacher, tutor or conversation partner that will give you positive feedback when you communicate basic messages to them in the new language. When they understand what you are telling them you are achieving success.
- 2). Listen carefully as your live source of language produces the sounds. Use tapes and compact disks to supplement your listening skills. The more you hear the language spoken well the faster you will acquire a near native accent. Language learning, according to Stephen Krashen is a matter or acquisition. "Acquisition requires meaningful interaction in the target language - natural communication - in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the messages they are conveying and understanding."
- 3). Build a positive trusting relationship with a person who knows the language well. A teacher, tutor, or conversational partner who is fluent with a native or near native accent is ideal. This natural bond will reduce the resistance to language learning. This process is known as lowering the "affective filter" according to Krashen's model. It works in the same way mothers teach children language.
- 4). Talk and listen about subjects and topics you know and care about. The main reason why learning a foreign language can be boring is because it is foreign. Talk about topics that are familiar and known. Foods, sports, music, family and school are familiar topics to start with. The more background knowledge you have in your native language about these topics the more you will acquire the vocabulary needed to talk about them in the second language.
- 5). Practice speaking and reading in front of a mirror at home. You will see yourself as others see you. It will not be half as bad as you think. You will gain confidence to speak and read out loud as you realize that you do not look different or weird in the process.
- 6). Realize that you have what it takes to learn and speak the new language. There are no sounds that the native speakers can make that you cannot, due to some genetic advantage. They learned to pronounce the words. So can you.
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