How to Learn a Language: A Young Person's Guide

How to Learn a Language: A Young Person’s Guide is a self-help book for young people learning any foreign modern language at any level whatsoever. It describes how to improve the level of performance in modern foreign language studies by giving help, advice, suggestions and useful tips on every possible aspect of modern foreign language learning. Modern languages teachers will also find it a valuable resource either for individual reference and/or whole-class use.

The book can be used by language learners of all ages who find themselves in a classroom situation. They may be studying at school, college or university, or attending a night-class. They might be aiming to pass an examination or just learning a language for the fun of it. They may be a committed and able student who wants to progress even further, or an average student who wishes to build on strengths and eliminate weaknesses. Whatever the situation, How to Learn a Language: A Young Person’s Guide will help them take charge of their own learning and offer them practical advice and suggestions on the best ways to learn, practise and revise the modern foreign language (or languages) that they are studying.

The style of writing is simple, friendly and accessible. Everything is expressed clearly, with no jargon or technical expressions. The book is structured in such a way that it can be ‘dipped into’ as well as being read from cover to cover. The opening chapter takes the student through an optional review of strengths and weaknesses in his or her language learning and is cross-referenced to the rest of the book, thus enabling instant access to those parts of the text directly relevant to individual needs.

The book is divided into four parts, each of which has four chapters:

Part One: HELPING YOURSELF

Chapter 1: Explore Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Chapter 2: Manage Your Mind
Chapter 3: Improve Your Learning Experience
Chapter 4: Organise Your Work

Part Two: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Chapter 1: Listening
Chapter 2: Speaking
Chapter 3: Reading
Chapter 4: Writing

Part Three: GOING IT ALONE

Chapter 1: Using Your Textbook
Chapter 2: Using a Dictionary
Chapter 3: Doing Homework
Chapter 4: Sitting Examinations

Part Four: LIVING THE LANGUAGE

Chapter 1: Using Computers
Chapter 2: Sound and Vision
Chapter 3: People Power
Chapter 4: Getting Abroad