Language Learning Blog: What's New on our Website?

Jan 19, Read my lips: Speed up your language skills

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:14:45 GMT

I had an interesting conversation with a friend when I visited India. He explained that in India it is impolite to show your teeth too much when you speak. His mother had taught him this concept as a young child. He commented that the people at work who spoke English the best were the ones who showed their teeth. If we can just get over our cultural training of keeping our lips covering our teeth, he explained, we can speak English so much better. It was an interesting observation. I had never focused on watching the lips during a conversation. Recent research suggests that the very best language learners -- infants -- do just that. Between six and twelve months, infants shift their gaze from the eyes to the lips to learn how their new language. Isn't that interesting? Perhaps we as adult language learners can take a cue from the "experts" (the babies) and make sure that watching lips is a tool in our language learning arsenal. Check out the link below to read a summary of this research.

Nov 30, Because of my Grandfather

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:58:29 GMT

The language I would like to learn is Saulteaux, and I would love to learn Saulteaux because it's a part of my heritage. My grandpa could speak it fluently

Nov 25, Italian Culture

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:27:42 GMT

I spent a year and a half in Italy. I loved it. I loved learning Italian and enjoying all of the culinary delights that Italy offers. I frequently ate

Nov 9, Is learning a second language just for fun?

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:40:01 GMT

When you decide to learn a second language you will probably have an idea of why you are doing it. Here are more reasons to learn a second language.

Oct 26, Language Lore: Culture and Language Stories

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:59:28 GMT

Welcome to our Language Lore page. This is the language and culture headquarters. Learn from on our expeditions; share your experiences.

Oct 26, Love French Food? Love French Language? Now you can have it all

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:50:12 GMT

Researchers at Britain's Newcastle University have recently put a high-tech spin on practical language learning - they've created an interactive kitchen that keeps track of what its users are doing, as it uses the French language to guide them in preparing French cuisine.

Oct 25, This just in: Wheel "rediscovered"

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:46:52 GMT

One of my best experiences in a different culture was witnessing Solomon Islands villagers “rediscover” the wheel as they figured out how to import and

Oct 22, Love this VW commercial

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:33:29 GMT

Ready for some language learning fun. Great gas mileage means lots of time for language learning.

Oct 15, Reading: the Bread of Life

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:29:28 GMT

I just read an interesting article from the Jakarta Post. It points out a significant cultural difference between Indonesia and developed countries around

Sep 24, Bit disappointed!

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:51:08 GMT

It wasn't the book I thought it was! For those having the specific focus of the book it might be of benefit but to me looking for somewhat broader principled

Sep 24, A useful first guide to language learning

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:50:27 GMT

Despite its age (it was published in 1989), I found this book to be a useful addition to my collection on language learning. I like the fact that it's

Sep 9, Free Courses: Talk like a local blueprint

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:42:35 GMT

Because you took the initiative to come here, I want to give you one of my free courses, a step-by-step blueprint to talking like a local in another language.

Aug 25, Education

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:09:41 GMT

If you educate poor people, then they can learn manners and skills that can get them jobs. In this way, the poor families can be fed by at least one member

Aug 5, Funny Dictionary

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:17:29 GMT

Funny definitions and mispronunciations from my kids: Rubberbam = Rubber-band -- Eli, age 2 Nigrating (rhymes with migrating) = Nigrating means sleeping

Jun 27, What do you want to be when you grow up

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:47:24 GMT

The kindergarteners of South East Iowa speak up. The newspaper published the aspirations of Creston children and surrounding communities. Here are the

Jun 21, A visit to the "meet" market

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:54:46 GMT

Just this morning Olivia, my eight-year-old, and I were at the grocery store. She noticed that a boy and his dad were following the same path through

Jun 15, Kids Say the Darndest Things

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:50:27 GMT

In the late 1990’s, a TV show aired called Kids Say the darndest Things hosted by Bill Cosby. The premise of the show is that kids say funny things, and you can capture funny footage by asking children simple questions.

Jun 10, Renée Zellweger

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:08:51 GMT

Claim to fame: American actress. Native language: English. Other languages: German. How learned: Family(?) I heard a story that she overheard some

Jun 1, Poverty in India: A little TV tonight? Your shelter or mine?

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:16:14 GMT

Although there is a sizeable middle class, and some very wealthy people, poverty in India is an enormous problem. Driving through Delhi streets at midnight gives a glimpse of this level of destitutio

May 30, Bilingual Celebrities

Mon, 30 May 2011 20:22:43 GMT

What do Monica Bellucci, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Connelly, and Will Smith have in common? They are all bilingual celebrities.

May 14, The Time the I Got Hit by a Bus

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:57:53 GMT

Before I went to India, I heard the tourists in India are most often killed by buses. Not that tourists die all that often in India, but that is the greatest

May 14, Havana, Cuba - Walking along the Prado

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:55:55 GMT

I was hooked the first time that I encountered a few Cubans in my native country of Canada. Their stories about life in Cuba attracted me and gave me

Apr 28, Define language needs: Self-Rating Scale

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:24:22 GMT

You’re learning a foreign language. How will you define language needs? Rate your progress? Use this scale to measure your progress.

Apr 6, Motivational Public Speaker - Leslie Woodford

Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:48:22 GMT

Leslie Woodford helps individuals meet their language learning needs. As a motivational public speaker, she instructs a program to guide individuals wanting to learn language and gain cultural understanding.

Feb 3, Book Leslie Woodford as a Speaker

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:55:13 GMT

Book Leslie Woodford. She helps individuals meet their language learning needs. As a motivational public speaker, she instructs a program to guide individuals wanting to learn language and gain cultural understanding.

Jan 21, What Prisoners We Are to Our Past

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:49:59 GMT

Back in the 1960's, during the height of the cold war, I was in Kiev, the capitol of the Ukraine. At the time I was working for the United States government,

Dec 21, Got a Hit of Air

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 01:50:33 GMT

Call them old wives tales urban legends, folklore, or superstitions, but every culture has some beliefs or stories passed from one generation to another.

Nov 18, Medical Emergency in Ecuador

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:37:02 GMT

When a pregnant woman falls into a mud puddle, Molly who is particapting in a medical service project in Ecuador, becomes the woman's emergency responder.

Nov 18, Travel Bulgaria Where Yes Means No and No Means Yes

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:37:01 GMT

Carrie expresses confusion in her travel Bulgaria where they nod their head when they mean yes, and shake it to mean no; its exactly the opposite from her American upbringing.

Nov 18, Solomon Islands Culture: Big Feast in the Kwaio

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:36:58 GMT

Travel with Leslie to a remote village in the Solomon Islands. Taste of their cultural traditions and enjoy their feast laid on palm fronds on the ground.

Oct 30, Throw those (under)pants out the window

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 19:48:23 GMT

Sometimes, even when you speak the same language, certain words have different meaning in different countries. The two stories below illustrate how these

Sep 4, Siete Maravillas del Mundo: Místico Machu Picchu

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:00:56 GMT

Recien, Machu Picchu era nombrado una de las siete maravillas del mundo. Cuando Ann no pudo subir a majestuoso Wayna Picchu, tenia sus propias experiencias misticas en esta ciudad sagrada...

Jun 9, Meet Leslie Woodford

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:10:02 GMT

Leslie Woodford brings the perspective of a child learner. As a grade schooler in the Solomon Islands, she learned Pijin from playmates. She is now teaching her toddler English and Spanish.

Jun 4, Whole World Guide Excerpts page 123

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:36:20 GMT