M Smith’s Reviews > The Art Of Teaching And Studying Languages. > Status Update

How is this so far? Enlightening? Helpful?

I was surprised by how entertaining it was in the beginning, for a book on teaching foreign language. But I have to admit I am starting to glaze over as he goes through the technicals.

This mother tongue philosophy is one I am found of as I am a fan of the Suzuki method and Andrew Peduwa's writing method. And if you didn't already know, Gouin's method is what Charlotte Mason used and endorsed.

I am encouraged by its ease of execution. It's simple, flexible, and can be easily tailored to the needs of the child. Prep time is minimal. The way it taps into the imagination is powerful.

My littles and I are doing these sequences in German. They like to think of topics and help with the writing process, as they always respond well to any invitation to contribute input, partnering with me in their educational endeavors. We are also translating simple, repetitive books from the thrift store like Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Ask Mr. Bear. I simply write the translation under the words with a sharpie.

Overall, I have gained some very valuable knowledge. So even if you never get to this book, I highly recommend looking into the method!

You should know, also, that he is critical of the classical method of teaching foreign language.

It would probably be interesting to me because I don't know any of the educational philosophies from educators with regard to foreign language.

From my experience, I learned French, and Spanish where the teacher would explain everything in English and then we'd work in Spanish/French or translate, and it didn't work well. Somehow one has to think in a language without always having to translate. My epiphany was when my pen pal from Switzerland (she spoke German, French, English and Italian) came here to do her last year of high school and took French because she thought it would be an easy A. When she came to visit me, she asked what was wrong with us. I had no idea what she was talking about and she said, "They're trying to teach me French, in English!!" I was still confused because I didn't know any other way and she said in Switzerland, in her Italian class, from day 1 the teacher spoke only Italian. I asked her if it was hard and she said it was a nightmare for about 5 months, then everything clicked and she was speaking Italian. She had learned English for 2 years and spoke it as well as I did. So now I'm a big proponent of immersion.

Of course, this usually isn't applicable for homeschoolers because we are teaching the languages and we have to learn them ourselves as we go. But you can find some good programs sometimes. My daughter's German is good and she took the German courses from OSU, where they are very much an immersion style. Otherwise she studied Latin, Ancient Greek, French, and one year she started Japanese. :-Z

The method you're using with German sounds like her French book, the New Chardenal French, which I find works well for learning reading and writing solidly and quickly. As for speaking and understanding, it's weak, but I really should be supplementing. If only I had time. Where is all the time!? :-)

In any case, thanks for introducing me to this book. I'll give it a look and investigate Charlotte Mason's method. I'm sure I must have read about it at one point but years of homeschooling perhaps wiped it from my mind.

I should clarify the Gouin method is mostly oral/audio. It uses logical sequences to engage the imagination while speaking. A sample sequence would be:
I approach the door;
I open the door;
I step through the door;
I close the door.
Or
the seed is planted;
the seed is watered;
the seed sprouted...
These sequences are recited and the child can visualize or even act out the sequence. The emphasis is in the action verbs, but can be applied elsewhere by manipulating the sentence structure or tense.

That is the objective aspect of the lesson. The subjective half is when the teacher provides feedback like "very good","what happens next", "please go on." This all spoken in the target language of course.

I add the children's book translations for reading aloud to my children as extra emersion. They are not doing any reading or writing at this point, but I think we could get to it quickly with these sequences. They are 7 and 5.

That's a little more detail about how it works. Your French friend reminds me how Gouin struggled with learning languages as an educated man, yet expressed childish jealousy when seeing children pick it up so quickly.

You must explore Charlotte Mason when you have time! She wrote six volumes of encouragement to mostly homeschooling moms of England during the late 1800s. Her volumes are a goldmine of wisdom!

Thanks for the clarification. I'd love to know how you get on. I've had an awful time finding resources or methods for teaching modern languages. These and math were always my struggle. I'm ready to be enlightened! :-)

Oops. One comment posted before I completed it.

Thanks for the explanation. It sounds fascinating. Is this method an old method? I ask because people used to pick up languages relatively easily and now it seems more difficult. I know from Carry On, Mr. Bowditch the ease of learning languages came from knowing his Bible ~ when you already knew it in English, it was easier to learn the words in other languages. C.S. Lewis knew about 4 languages and Dorothy Sayers a few too ---- I wonder why it seems so easy for them and hard for us. Or perhaps they just had more time to study.

I will check out Charlotte Mason. I've read books about her methods but I really should read her books!