How to Practice Sentences
I have mentioned in previous blog posts that I believe it is important to learn sentences. As I often say to my students, “words are knowledge but sentences are fluency”. Knowledge is certainly important, but our main goal in learning a language is to speak fluently, so sentences should be our focus rather than learning vocabulary.
The big question, then, is how can we learn sentences, especially when we have trouble. When I was learning how to teach, my professor taught us an interesting technique for helping students learn long sentences. I describe this technique, called “Backwards Recitation“, in an article which you can read by clicking here. When my students struggle in class, I use this technique, and it really seems to help. Please read my article and tell me what you think…
Nafis Said,
October 3, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
Hi,
It helped me a lot as well since I read about that technique from your website. I think It is a practical method to learn sentences.
I have found another way to learn sentences recently. For everything I read, I have sound. I read an article and then I listen to the whole text by Talking Dictionary, which can transfers text to mp3. As a result, I can listen to my text. After reading the text, I listen to it while looking at the text over and over. Until it became naturally understandable for me like my mother tounge. One day later, I come back again and listen to the file without seeing it. So, automatically I have sentences in my mind. This method has worked for me a lot more than anything else.
Other methods are really boring and make me really exhausted with low effect in learning. But, by this method I learn faster. While listening, I learn grammar, pronunciation and English thinking at the same time. For me this method was really useful and practical as well. Right now I am relatively better in speaking and useing the sentences than before. I am more relaxed while talking.
Regards,
teacherjoe Said,
October 3, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Excellent advice! I hope everyone follows it and finds as much success in learning a language as you have. Good work!