[...]... study materials Disadvantages The pace can be too fast sometimes, and there is a general assumption that the students understand languages and the language learning process Learning style suited These courses suit people who already have competence in another language, perhaps at A- level or above They would also be good for students who are learning just because they are interested in languages, and who... LEARNING The usual reasons for learning a foreign language are many and varied 1 You may, for example, be asked to learn a new language for your company It may make sense to learn German if you are working for BMW, but may seem less appropriate for Ford In theory, though, we are expected to sell to customers in their home land and through their language In practice, we tend to employ native speakers of that... generally 3 You may need an extra qualification A GCSE or similar in a language may be good Perhaps you didn't manage that at school A good pass in a language is still the most respected after English, maths, science and any other subject you may wish to study in higher education Students entering primary education training in Great Britain now have to have a good pass in their first foreign language. .. current affairs in a foreign language - 20 / THE C O M P L E T E G U I D E TO L E A R N I N G A L A N G U A G E requires near native speaker skills However, I had the advantage at the time of living in the country, which accelerates the learning process vastly and I already had most of the knowledge about language learning which I am now giving to you I almost made it I hadn't yet worked out how to cope... languages You perhaps got on well with French at school You liked getting your mouth around the words The actor in you relished taking on a role You were fascinated by the way language is structured Now you want to take it further or you want to try out another language Well, go for it! Many people go to language classes to meet other people I learnt Breton for that reason I was doing the French part... cases, you actually go to an institution to meet with other students 3 0 / T H E COMPLETE GUIDE TO LEARNING A LANGUAGE Advantages You can learn a lot very quickly You can make life-long friends at a very early stage of your learning If regarded as a form of holiday, they are very good value for money Disadvantages If you don't have the opportunity to carry on with your study, you can forget just as quickly... You learn a lot very quickly You are taken out of your normal environment and have time to concentrate just on your language If you regard them as a form of holiday, they are very good value for money Disadvantages You may forget just as quickly as you learnt if you don't have the opportunity to carry on studying All students are accommodated together, and even if you speak your target language amongst... teachers The pace varies, according to which course you choose Each course has very clear objectives and it is rare for a student not to attain the goals set Advantage.s These courses are geared towards the business world They have clear goals, which students usually meet They tend to employ native speakers, who are well trained in the school's methods Disadvantages They might suit business in general,... year abroad as a student Unfortunately, they put all the foreign students together in a hall of residence We communicated in French, but it wasn't French French In order to meet French people, I joined a choir, played basketball and learnt Breton And in learning Breton, I understood a lot more about the culture of Brittany and made many Breton-speaking friends You may join an adult education class to. .. reason or our reasons change as we go along But if we are clear why we are learning, we can be clear about what we want from our course, and choose the right one ANALYSE YOUR REASONS FOR LEARNING Study the list below Award each reason marks out of five 0 = not relevant, 5 = a very strong reason In brackets I have put the marks I gave for learning Dutch as a guide 4 my firm wants me to learn it - I'm not . like to know. Do you want to delve deeper into the 8/ THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO LEARNING A LANGUAGE language and the cultural insights that that. or a sales manager who has acquired some foreign language? 1 14 / THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO LEARNING A LANGUAGE 2. You may have work contacts abroad