fw: reading for vocabulary

yochanan bitan ButhFam at compuserve.com
Sun Sep 20 03:26:27 EDT 1998


dear gordon,
your instincts are good on language learning and i was very glad to hear
someone talk about language learning for what it is.

e.g. translation into a native language is a fifth skill and both a
distraction and a time swallower for a language learning. linguists are
fairly agreed that grammar/translation is the worst way to learn a human
language. in any case, one would want to learn the language itself and not
just a metalanguage with which to the discuss the language in question.

a different perspective on reading:
although reading comprehension is great at an intermediate stage of
language learning, many theorists would balk at teaching reading where zero
practical skills had been developed in listening or speaking. 
    reading is like a third or fourth gear in a car, great for travelling
places and fully expanding vocabulary and understanding  --   but not so
good for starting on a hill :-)  . 

i can personally say that in several languages reading only became 'fluent'
and comfortable when i was able to orally process the language, including
listening (1st) and speaking (2nd).

some of what you envision in greek learning is already underway. e.g. a
course with 13 cassettes that covers NT parables, aesop, and several papyri
letters as material for the FIRST semester course. a published version
should be available in december 98, with 15 cassettes. and yes, there are
some 'easy readings' with multiple choice questions in greek. by all means
keep the student in greek where possible.  :- )

erroso
randall buth



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