Italian in 32 Lessons [antikvár]

PrefaceThe Gimmicks for the more advanced student have been found so useful by so many - in French, German, Spanish and English - throughout Europe and America - that I have prepared a method to meet the needs of students at an earlier stage of language learning. There is much to criticise in present methods.Beginners aren't imbeciles!The boring repetition of inane exercises in 'modern' methods is an insult to the intelligence. To repeat, endlessly, structured sentences is a sure way to kill the discovery of one's own style. Without the freedom to make mistakes, the student will never learn to 'feel' the language. This is why, after a year or more of study, the student, often, can barely get a sentence out on his own. Emphasis on constant structuring discourages creativity, and speaking a language is a creative process.Forced feedingIt's no good having perfect grammar if your vocabulary is limited to a few words. This is THE problem in language learning, for a language IS ITS VOCABULARY. Grammar and writing exercises over and over should not be dwelt on ridiculously. It will come automatically if vocabulary is learned properly. It doesn't matter if the beginner is lost. . . confused. Beginners are not fragile. They won't break. I don't ask mine to understand. I ask them to learn hundreds of words. The theorist may need high grammar. Mr and Ms John Q. Public need words in order to understand and be understood. Vocabulary should be programmed and progressive and gobbled up.TestsTESTS ARE ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSABLE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO LEARN A LANGUAGE IN LESS THEN TEN YEARS! You can be tested by the teacher or by a friend. Each lesson should be well tested, written if possible, to make sure the words are 'in the head' and not just in the book. And, as learning is rarely 'solid' the first time, the same test should be repeated throughout the year. You must memorize hundreds, thousands of words. There is no way to communicate without words. I don't care how perfect your grammar is.Mistakes are an asset!Making mistakes is one of the principal ways the student learns a language . when it really sinks in. For verbs there is nothing better. Written résumés are excellent for this reason, and the student should write them for homework