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Some myths of language learning

Along with the false friends of language learning, there are myths. These also hold people back. Here I will mention just a few.

“You have to have a talent for languages in order to learn.”

Is it likely that this talent for languages exists only with certain nations? Is it likely that the Dutch and Swedes are all born with this talent for languages whereas the English are not? Is it likely that Singaporeans are all talented while the Chinese are not? I do not think so. Instead it is a matter of attitude and exposure to the language.

“I have to go to the country to learn the language.”

This is not so. I grew up in Montreal surrounded by French, but I was not interested in learning French until I reached the age of 17. When I became motivated, I learned. There are many immigrants in Canada who never learn to speak well. Yet I have met people in places like China who were absolutely fluent in English. I learned to become fluent in Mandarin in a city where the language was not spoken, Hong Kong.

Exposure alone will not do it. If you are motivated and know how to create your own interesting language world to learn from, you can learn anywhere. This is the key to effective language learning. I know. I have done it many times.

“You have to have an ear for music to learn languages.”

I lived in Japan for nine years. I often went to karaoke. Most Japanese men at karaoke bars are good singers, and have a good ear for music. Very few of them are good at languages. They either are not motivated or do not have an effective system for learning.

” My teacher is no good.”

It is not the school or teacher that will determine language learning success. It is the learner. The greatest role of the teacher is to stimulate the learner, to help the learner become a truly motivated independent learner. It is still up to the learner to learn.

” Only children can learn languages well.”

Children are uninhibited, encouraged and not corrected, spend a lot of time using a new language with their peers, and do not hide in their own language and culture while resisting a new language as adults do. On the other hand adults know more, have a wider vocabulary and can learn faster. If they can imitate the attitude of the child and take advantage of their own greater knowledge and experience, they will learn faster than any child. They may not be able to achieve accent free pronunciation but that is the only area where they are at a disadvantage. Even there, it is a matter of attitude.

Education

Title:Check & Connect
Link: http://ici.umn.edu/checkandconnect/default.html
Description: The Check & Connect model uses mentors to promote students’ engagement with school, reduce dropout, and increase school completion. The Check & Connect Web site offers information regarding the Check & Connect model, current projects and initiatives, related publications, upcoming presentations and workshops, and staff.
The Check & Connect Web site contains information directed towards educators, researchers, administrators, and others interested in helping youth remain engaged in school and on track to graduate.
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Title:Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Link: http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home
Description: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP’s) IDEA Web site provides information related to The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s).
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Title:National Center on Educational Outcomes
Link: http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo
Description: The National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) provides national leadership in the participation of students with disabilities in national and state assessments, standards-setting efforts, and graduation requirements. The NCEO Web site provides links to publications related to educational outcomes and contains a link to the NCEO Data Viewer, which lets you view information related to students with disabilities and create individualized reports based on criteria that you can choose.
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Title:NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know and Do
Link: http://cehd.umn.edu/nceo/OnlinePubs/Parents.pdf
Description: The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are two of the nation’s most important federal laws relating to the education of children. While NCLB seeks to improve the education of all children – with an emphasis on children from low-income families – IDEA focuses on the individual child and seeks to ensure specialized services for children with disabilities so that they may benefit from education. This document describes the NCLB and IDEA and gives an overview of information that students with disabilities and their parents should know about the NCLB and IDEA.
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Title:Student’s Guide to the IEP
Link: http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/stuguide/st1.pdf
Description: This document provides information a student needs to know to be part of their Individual Education Program team.
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Title:Preparing for College
Link: http://www.ncld.org/content/view/894/
Description: This article, written by Liz Getzel and available on the National Center for Learning Disabilities Web site, discusses what high school students with disabilities need to know about preparing for college, including specific activities for academic preparation, tips on exploring college environments, and questions to ask regarding campus services and supports.
Source: EST
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Title:ThinkCollege.net
Link: http://www.thinkcollege.net
Description: The ThinkCollege.net Web site provides information and links to anyone interested in finding out more about the possibilities for youth with intellectual disabilities considering college. The Web site is divided into sections for students, family members, and professionals and features a searchable database of postsecondary education programs that support youth with intellectual disabilities, a discussion board designed by students – for students who are interested in sharing college experiences, the “Choice for Everyone” Listserv hosted by the Institute for Community Inclusion, and a resource section.
Source: EST
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Title:Going to College
Link: http://www.going-to-college.org/
Description: This new Web site contains information about living college life with a disability. It is designed for high school students. The site provides video clips, activities, and resources that can help them get a head start in planning for college. Video interviews with college students with disabilities offer a way to hear firsthand from students with disabilities who have been successful. Modules include activities that will help students explore more about themselves, learn what to expect from college, and equip them with important considerations and tasks to complete when planning for college.
Source: ADD
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Title:NYLN Teleconference on Education
Link: http://www.ilru.org/html/training/webcasts/archive…
Description: A National Teleconference and Webcast presented by the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) was given on April 14, 2009. Please click on the above link to access the archived Webcast and transcript.
AGENDA:
• Independent Living: Links to life after high school, post-secondary and beyond!
• Transition: Links between school and career goals!
• Education for all: Individuals with cognitive disabilities succeeding in post-secondary education!
• Guest speaker: Micah Fialka-Feldman, Disability Rights Advocate
• Guest Speaker: Jeff Moyer, Public speaker and Human Rights Advocate
Source: NYLN
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Title:Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options
Link: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publication…
Description: This InfoBrief, Graduation Requirements and Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities: What Families and Advocates Need to Know, was developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Y). It explores the importance of making informed decisions about diploma options, understanding the consequences of graduating with different types of diplomas as well as the need for youth, families, and Individual Education Program (IEP) teams to consider these issues early.
Source: NCLD/Youth
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Title:Student Loan Income-Based Repayment Program
Link: http://projectonstudentdebt.org/files/pub/July_1_2…
Description: On July 1, a major new student loan repayment option, Income-Based Repayment, will become available for the first time, providing much-needed financial relief for hundreds of thousands of federal student loan borrowers. There is also good news for students still in college, including more money for Pell Grants and lower interest rates for some student loans.
Income-Based Repayment (IBR) caps monthly loan payments based on income and family size, and forgives any debt and interest remaining after 25 years of payments.
Click on the above link for more information about IBR – including a calculator to estimate eligibility and payments, and a short animated video (“Ditch Your Debt Gremlin”) explaining the program.
Source: EST
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