Double Trouble

I have actually had an opposite experiences with learning sign language, which is a visual language. While watching the teacher signing, and mimicking her movements is beneficial, it is almost impossible to understand the movements, facial expressions, and what the sign means if just looking at a picture in the book. While I had a good experience with pictures when I took spanish in high school, it almost seems more difficult when looking at pictures in the book. So at least in sign language, some visual learning is helpful, while other types actually seem harmful. There's just a different perspective!

I was born and grew up in South Korea, so my mother language is, of course, Korean. I lived in Texas when I was six years old about a year. I learned in Linguistics that there is a “critical period” for learning languages, so when a person fails to learn a language within this period, the person can never learn how to speak, read, or write. This theory also explains why children, who are exposed to a language that is not their mother language within the critical period, are able to use the language fluently as if it is their native language. When I was in Texas, I learned to speak English very rapidly without difficulties, although I didn’t even know the ABCs before I went to Texas. This was possible because I was exposed to English within the critical period of language. After I went back to my country, I had many difficulties studying English especially memorizing difficult words. I often used Keyword Method to memorize words.

I think that using images when learning a second language can be really helpful for many people. It allows you to use a deeper level of processing when learning new vocabulary. For me, however, this method is not as useful in my learning of Spanish. I am also not fluent in the language, but I am proficient. For me to learn new vocabulary it is important that I focus on the sound of the word. I often connect the Spanish words I am learning to English ones that sound similar, or even just parts of English words. I think that when learning a second language, different people have different methods that work best for them. For many, pictures are useful, but for me, sounds and connections help me learn.

I am not bilingual but I did take Spanish in high school for 3 years. I never fully grasped the language and I still regret not putting forth more of an effort. I know now how helpful knowing another language can be. It can certainly come in handy down the road when you have a job. During the time when I was taking Spanish I do remember learning words by associating them with pictures. It was one of the few techniques that actually worked for me. Being able to have a picture go with the certain word I was trying to learn, made all the difference. Overall though, I ended up learning a lot of individual words and didn't understand the language as a whole. Maybe someday I will pick up where I left off.

I only wish I could speak another language, and I am always so fascinated by those who can. How do they do it?! Learning a language when you're older is extremely difficult. I think that in order for me to actually learn a second language at this point, I would need to be placed in a location where it is constantly spoken.

Like some other commenters, I too learn best by associating an image with a foreign word. This process is very helpful. So helpful in fact that the company that produces Rosetta Stone, the language learning software, incorporates the learning technique into all of their products. And while it may not work best for everyone, I think it is safe to say it is a very effective way of learning for many.

I myself am fluent in both French and English, having learned french from elementary school on. Because of how young I started learning French I had a pretty easy time learning the language. In my French classes we learned most of the language by just talking only in French during class. This made it very difficult to not learn the language quickly much like it is when you go to a country that speaks a different language and live there. I did not use many pictures instead we used definitions and a lot of writing practice. However I do think that as one gets older it is important to offer as many ways as possible to get the language to stick and therefore agree that using pictures with the language is a great idea.

I went to kindergarten through eighth grade at a Spanish-Immersion school in Minneapolis, and I find myself semi-bilingual, fluent in English and able to comprehend a good deal of Spanish. Every time I was in Spanish class, pictures helped me learn the best. I also found that repetition also helps very much, as well as having conversations in the new language. Knowing a good deal of Spanish has helped me converse and ask for help in some of the neighborhoods in Los Angeles, where I frequently visit family.

I think that how you learn is less important than at what age you start learning and how your ability to learn new things all factor in. Obviously, the younger one is when they start learning the more likely and easier it is going to be but also it depends on how much work you put in.

i speak a little japanese, korean, and i'm currently taking chinese. what i've come to learn about understanding another language is it can not only help you around a country, but it can also help you understand how one thinks in regard to their own language. for instance some languages have many more levels of formality than others.