Independent language learning (was Uzbek)

[gthomson]

At 11:44 -0400 01/06/01, Patricia Chaput wrote:
> To "begin" with a native speaker seems to me to be both an
>exercise in frustration, and also an unnecessarily poor start to building
>a foundation for an understanding of how the patterns of an unfamiliar
>language and culture convey meaning.

A diary study of my family's initial learning of Russian in Edmonton
showed a strong theme of the importance of native speaker
availability for learner morale and motivation. For us who understand
language as essentially social (not that that is its only essence--my
degree is in psycholinguistics), there is something CENTRAL about the
experiences of understanding a native speaker and expressing oneself
to her. Knowledge of "patterns" can grow right along with
communication ability from the very first hour. The disagreement here
seems to be between viewing language as fundamentally a disembodied
system of patterns, versus language as fundamentally
social-biological. Obviously, Patricia (and Genevra) and I come at
the issue of how to advise the would-be independent language learner
based on our specific personal histories. Surprise!

In any case, Irina's description of the program at Yale sounds great.
(Genevra reacted as though Yale is trying to teach all languages that
way, and not just those for which it is a necessity.) I sometimes
teach a course (for credit!) on learner-directed language learning.
My students have about eighty lab hours in which they are
face-to-face with native speakers in groups of three learners. They
take turns planning and leading the learning activities. Maybe Yale
should offer such a for-credit course in which learners find their
own native-speakers for the lab portion.

Warmly,
Greg

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