So, you are thinking about learning English. That’s fantastic! Learning a foreign language (especially English) will only make your life better. Those who speak multiple languages tend to have better careers and sharper minds.
Unfortunately, many people who are interested in learning a foreign language often hesitate or give up altogether because it is too hard. The problem is not that language learning is too hard; the problem is that these people are using the wrong methods for language learning.
Think about it. When you think about foreign language classes, do you picture textbooks, vocabulary tests, and grammar drills? What is fun about learning this way? Nothing! The problem is that many foreign language schools still operate using these same old boring methods, and studies have even shown the old way is the wrong way!
According to the Washington Post, “The results of studies done over the last few decades by a wide variety of researchers and published in scientific journals support this view: We do not master languages by hard study and memorization, or by producing it.” Instead, we learn foreign languages by comprehending what we hear and what we read. The grammar will follow.
Let’s look at how language learning has changed for the better and why the inlingua method is the best.
The Ways Your Parents Might Have Learned a Foreign Language
Older, traditional foreign language classes used a method known as translation. Basically, the student was taught to translate the foreign language on the textbook page. This method emphasized vocabulary memorization and grammar. It did not emphasize oral communication.
As we now understand that communication is essential, this language learning method seems ineffective. However, it is still a common method used in foreign language classes in schools across the United States. If you have ever tried to learn a language this way, you know it is dull and challenging.
Furthermore, today’s foreign language exams require the test taker to be able to speak fluently as well as read and write. Foreign language classes that do not allow for a significant amount of time practicing speaking and listening will hinder students instead of helping them.
The Ways Students are Learning Languages Today
While there are still many foreign language classes that use the translation method, there are other newer methods that foreign language teachers are embracing. For example, given the importance of communication, more and more foreign language classes invoke a direct method or a communicative method.
The direct method requires students to only communicate in the foreign language with no use of their native tongue. Similarly, the foreign language teacher may either speak very little (also known as the silent method) forcing students to speak more often, or the teacher will speak only using the language students are learning.
However, as the world becomes more technology-dependent, students are finding new technological methods to learn foreign languages. For example, Rosetta Stone is mainly a vocabulary-based method that allows students to listen and memorize foreign languages. Additionally, there are now numerous computer-assisted language learning tools and apps designed to help students learn foreign languages.
Furthermore, most foreign language teachers will agree that immersion is one of the most effective ways to learn a foreign language. Bright Hub Education explains, “Of course, spending a longer period of time in a country where the language is spoken is still the most effective way to learn a foreign language. You absorb the new language naturally if it is all you hear all day long.”
As you can see, these methods are all very different from the translation method – and more fun for the learner!
What Sets the Inlingua Method Apart
Now, let’s talk about what sets the inlingua method apart from the rest. To put it simply, it combines all the best traits of the methods above to create the quickest and most effective approach to language learning. Far from boring, inlingua classes are lively and interactive and encourage success.
The inlingua method focuses on oral understanding foremost. Students learn by speaking before they move on to develop their foreign language reading, listening, and writing skills. In the inlingua method, students only use the target language and keep their textbooks closed for most of the class time.
Rather than bogging students down with theoretical explanations, the inlingua method provides students with examples. Students are then encouraged to practice with their language trainer who provides immediate positive correction. What is a language trainer? Language trainers are native speakers who guide students through their language learning. With the inlingua method, students speak 80% of the time, while language trainers only speak 20% of the time.
Unlike other methods, the inlingua method is designed to help the individual learner. Lessons are tailored to meet the needs of individual students. For example, in the inlingua method, a student is frequently tested to make sure the student is ready to move on to new content rather than simply moving to the next chapter in the textbook.
Why Inlingua in Washington DC is the Best Place to Study English
Now that we’ve established that the inlingua method is the best method for learning a foreign language let’s talk about why inlingua in Washington DC is the best place to study a foreign language. The inlingua Washington DC location has been helping students learn foreign languages for over thirty years with great success! Inlingua is considered the premier Washington language school.
Students who study English in Washington DC at inlingua will not only get to learn using the most effective method, but they will also be immersed in the English language. As the capital of the US, students taking English courses in Washington DC will be surrounded by people speaking English day in and day out.
Another reason why inlingua stands out from other language schools in DC is that it has a diverse student body representing over sixty nationalities. No matter which country you are coming from, you will feel comfortable studying among other international students. Their class sizes are small, which makes it easier for students to get individual instruction. Plus, inlingua is both CEA accredited and home to the largest IELTS Test Center in the United States.
Inlingua would love to welcome you and help you overcome your language learning fears with its unique inlingua method.
