Suggestions for learning english

caslug says on Nov 21, 2005, 08:14:

Brian..couple of suggestion.. first try to give/encourage her to use her english more often. Many times in a 90 minute english class each student ONLY speak at MOST 15 or 20 minutes the rest of the time they're listening to other students or teacher speak. So even if she went to class twice a week for 6 months (2 x 4weeks x 6 months x 20 minutes = 640 minutes or 10 hrs 40 minutes TOTAL!) that's not a lot when you think about it.

Unless she's is in a English speaking country, her level of english will grow at a VERY slow pace. If you want to help her, i suggest every night when you talk with her set aside 15 or 20 minute of ONLY speaking english.

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Brians says on Nov 21, 2005, 10:27:

Caslug thanks but I think I might not have been clear. She lives here in the USA with me. We only speak english at home and she uses it everyday. The problem is she has always had a speech impediment. Therefore pronunciation has been difficult for her. She wants to practice more on pronunciation via the computer. I was wondering if anyone knew of a software program to help her with this and if they could suggest the name. Her vocabulary although not immense grows everyday she really is having difficulties with pronunciation.

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caslug says on Nov 21, 2005, 10:36:

since you're living in the US.. check out barnes/noble or amazon or borders, they usually will have programs or CD that teach langauges, spanish to english. Spanish speakers have trouble with the following english sounds...

th, wiTH, THat, THomas, etc.,
r, RobbeR, Rain, RefRigRatoR, etc.,
Z, Zoo, Zebra (because in Spanish Z sounds like S english)
v, Victor, Vacation (because in Spanish V sounds like B in english)

I would just help her practice with you the more difficult words. Show her the movement of your tongue and mouth when you speak, not when you do other things! LOL! What i do for students is i write down words that they really butcher, then help them pronounce those words. Once they can pronounce it in such a way that's i can understand it without asking them to repeat it. That's good enough. That's how teacher her teach students to pronounce correctly when we teach english.

PS. DONT get caught up in getting PERFECT pronouncation, settle for "fluency" .. pronouncation that is good enough to be understood. If she arrived after she was 12 or 13 yrs old, then she WILL ALWAYS have an accent, so don't stress out or stress HER out on trying to be native level.

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utopiacowboy says on Nov 21, 2005, 12:22:

The accent rocks! I hear that accent and I wanna start taking some panties off!

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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adela says on Nov 22, 2005, 12:28:

What do you say Cowboy!!! the accent could inspire someone??

Màs fe, màs abrazos, màs besos, màs disculpas, màs visitas a nuestros amigos antiguos nos haràn màs plenos cada vez.

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adela says on Nov 22, 2005, 12:32:

Caslug
I rather have problems pronouncing "v";but mainly I need someone to practice my listening. Your suggestions to Brians' wife are good to me too

Màs fe, màs abrazos, màs besos, màs disculpas, màs visitas a nuestros amigos antiguos nos haràn màs plenos cada vez.

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aaronfromus says on Nov 22, 2005, 13:05:

Rosetta Stone I agree with Mario. As far as I'm concerned, The Rosetta Stone cds are perfect. They use images, pronunciation, written words, voice matching with a native speaker via a microphone, and different combinations to teach. It's all self paced, and after cd 1 and cd 2 the person will have went through 2,500 words. The method is also intuitive, so she will learn english without using any spanish to explain it. It is also somewhat like a game. I have been using it myself, and although I am not far into the program, I have not only learned a lot, but also enjoy it.

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utopiacowboy says on Nov 22, 2005, 13:10:

Yes, Adela, I adore my wife's accent when she speaks English.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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