2009/02/09
2009/02/02
What is wrong with language courses?
I will tell you one thing – most (if not all) language courses suck big time.
Why it is so difficult to teach the language – actually it is one thing that everybody, who has kids should know!
IMO the biggest problem is that every language course is designed to teach you language, but not how to communicate and how to use it in different situations. I am not talking about those “my dog has shate on the mat” classical examples in text books. How often you need to tell somebody that you see an apple?
Imagine that you move to some country (CZ is good example) and sign up for some course. What you get?
1. Pretty sophisticated grammar rules that you cannot learn in five years even if you are native czech speaker.
2. Learn how to recite ancient history that you do not need nor do you care.
3. Some words to describe that you had vacation in Slovakia by car, even if this doesn’t really describe your vacation.
and other useless stuff for expressing your thoughts, but very useful phrases, sentences that help to explain some grammar points better.
After six months of studying czech two hours per week I am not able to use it in simple situations, such as:
1. Could you pass me the salt please?
2. I have cold and high temperature.
3. I would like to get that red book.
4. I don’t like sugar.
5. Three packages of green Durex.
6. I want fresh meat.
7. Fuck off.
But I am pretty good in explaining position of “jsem” and related words in the sentences I do not understand.
Probably the problem is that these courses are designed to start from easy to difficult, not to start from useful things and go to useless things.
A tip: it would be a wise idea to learn how to count in czech language, so you can order beers.
What is wrong with language courses?
I will tell you one thing – most (if not all) language courses suck big time.
Why it is so difficult to teach the language – actually it is one thing that everybody, who has kids should know!
IMO the biggest problem is that every language course is designed to teach you language, but not how to communicate and how to use it in different situations. I am not talking about those “my dog has shate on the mat” classical examples in text books. How often you need to tell somebody that you see an apple?
Imagine that you move to some country (CZ is good example) and sign up for some course. What you get?
1. Pretty sophisticated grammar rules that you cannot learn in five years even if you are native czech speaker.
2. Learn how to recite ancient history that you do not need nor do you care.
3. Some words to describe that you had vacation in Slovakia by car, even if this doesn’t really describe your vacation.
and other useless stuff for expressing your thoughts, but very useful phrases, sentences that help to explain some grammar points better.
After six months of studying czech two hours per week I am not able to use it in simple situations, such as:
1. Could you pass me the salt please?
2. I have cold and high temperature.
3. I would like to get that red book.
4. I don’t like sugar.
5. Three packages of green Durex.
6. I want fresh meat.
7. Fuck off.
But I am pretty good in explaining position of “jsem” and related words in the sentences I do not understand.
Probably the problem is that these courses are designed to start from easy to difficult, not to start from useful things and go to useless things.
A tip: it would be a wise idea to learn how to count in czech language, so you can order beers.
2009/01/29
Useful phrases in Czech language
Thanks, Aurel! It’s about the time to learn some real stuff (we already know how to order pivo (dvakrat)).
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