Archive for the ‘language schools’ Category

Learn a New Language with Focus Language: in Person or Online

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Would you like to learn a Foreign Language? Focus Language makes it feasible and enjoyable.

Easy to learn:

Many people believe that learning a new language is a difficult and boring task. We make it doable and fun. We provide you with the right teachers, the right materials and the right programs. We have thirty years experience helping people learn.

Fast:

We understand how to structure our programs so you can learn efficiently and fast. All you need to do is apply and enjoy yourself… Continue reading

Meditation and Language Learning

Monday, March 1st, 2010

girl meditation We think of meditation as a spiritual practice or as a tool for reducing stress.  But what do they have to do with learning a new language?  Actually, meditation is the ability to be fully focused on whatever activity we are engaged in in the present moment.  An artist captivated by his work, or an athlete fully associated in the body and its every movement and nuance are meditating.

The antithesis of meditation is multi-tasking.  I am riding my motorcycle while  texting my friend, eating lunch… Continue reading

The Treasures of the Internet

Friday, February 26th, 2010

internet 00100101Twenty years ago, if you wanted to learn a language, you bought a book and a cassette series, and you looked for a teacher in your city.  With the Internet explosion of the recent years, there are treasures beyond all imaginings for the language learner.  There are organizations, schools, individuals, blogs which provide us with countless tools: podcasts, games, lessons, language exchanges, free materials etc.

What this means is that you can customize your way of learning exactly to your own specifications.  You can work alone, with others… Continue reading

The Importance of Love, Beauty and Nature in the Learning Process

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

st jean port copyWe normally think of efficiency, brain enhancing substances, extraordinary software and stream-lined cutting edge methods when we think of improving our learning capabilities.  There is an entirely different aspect of learning which I have encountered in my long  career as a student and a language learner: Love, Beauty and Nature.  We are so efficient, having become multi-tasking masters and super-focused planners.  We may be doing more, but are we actually becoming more accomplished?  Are we more fulfilled and happy?  I believe the answer is we… Continue reading

Language and Climate in European Languages

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Focus Language School has been in operation in Phoenix, Arizona for almost thirty years: the land of desert and eternal sun.  Winters are idyllic and summers make you curious about the fires of hell.  We have just opened our Chicago area office – in February – and the contrast is striking.  In the white beauty of the Illinois winter, you are reminded of wind and ice as forces of nature instead of the relentlessness of the Arizona Summer sun.  How does climate and weather help shape languages?  The following ideas are intuitive impressions and not the result of a scientific… Continue reading

Focus Language School in Chicago

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Focus Language has come to Chicago, one of the great American cities.  We are excited to be opening a school here.  There are very active, well-developed cultural venues: one of the largest Chinatown in the US, a powerful East Indian community, and so many others.  Learning a language involves immersing yourself in the culture, breathing it in, living and dreaming it.  Chicago is a tremendous resource to our students both local and coming form out-of town.    We are now offering online classes.  It is a fantastic way to learn a language very conveniently.  Short, frequent, inexpensive classes make it… Continue reading

Mother Nature to the Rescue

Friday, December 18th, 2009

If you have read some of the posts I wrote about improving your comprehension through listening intensively, you are ready for the next step.  To do nothing.  That’s correct.  Nothing at all.  You actually need to listen to recordings daily for a while until your internal language machine takes over.  Have you ever used voice recognition software?  (Dragon Speaking Naturally, for example).  You actually have to train the software to recognize your own unique voice.  Until it does, it cannot type out what you speak.
This is exactly what you are doing here.  You need to hear  French or Chinese… Continue reading

Working with native Speakers

Friday, December 18th, 2009

If you can begin to practice your new language with native speakers, you will be able to progress faster – and have fun.  The process can also be unnerving or frustrating.  So what are the ways to make this practice time fruitful, while keeping your morale up.?
Understand that there are two kinds of natives: good natives and bad ones.  Joking aside,  only ever work with people who are helpful, patient and benevolent towards you.  You must feel inspired and hopeful at the end of the session.  Some people want to help, but they are not a good match for… Continue reading

Developing Comprehension: the Bouncing Ball

Friday, December 18th, 2009

What is the secret of developing your comprehension in a new language?  Follow the bouncing ball!  Yes the old musical movies and the Karaoke parlors revealed this secret decades ago.
First, let us make some preparations.  You need to get the code first.  If you do not understand the basic vocabulary, you will not be able to break through into understanding.  So select several 10-20 minute-long recordings or podcasts of well-recorded natural native conversations.  You must have a transcript of the text for best results, as well as a translation.  (The Google translation tool is state of the art and… Continue reading

Developing a Good Study Focus

Friday, December 18th, 2009

What is a good study focus?  There are several possibilities, based on your specific language goals and personality.
The Personality component
As a student, are you  systematic? intuitive/spontaneous? casual? driven? solitary? social? Realize that you need to adjust any scheduling suggestions to your way of learning and doing things.
Language Goals
1.  Developing a deep and thorough knowledge of the language.
You want to master the language.  You are committed for the duration.  To achieve this goal, you need to develop your capacity in the 5 areas of language learning systematically.  Assuming a 5-day study schedule, you want to work… Continue reading