An English teacher once told me in one of my classes to not practice infants with “baby talk” because this will definitely affect the child’s language development in the future. She also added that it will change the child’s proper pronunciation and articulation of words, likewise to familiarity to English vocabulary and diction towards words.

However, an article written from health.com stated that baby talk may play key role in language acquisition. Japanese researchers of the said editorial mentioned that “experience, gender, and personality appear to influence the “baby talk” parents use when interacting with their infants”. Can this be possible?

Defined by Wikipedia, baby talk is a nonstandard form of speech used by adults in talking to toddlers and infants. It is characterized by parents’ shortening and simplifying of words to make it more understandable to children with their very young age. Baby talk is also referred to as caretaker speech, infant-directed speech or (IDS) or child-directed speech (CDS) for other terms.

Going back to the current events, Reiko Maxuka and Yoshi-Taka Matsuda’s team at the Riekn Brain Science Institute in Tokyo had undergone an experiment by using “functional MRI to assess brain activity in 35 first-time parents whose infants hadn’t started to speak (preverbal) and compared them to 30 men and women without any parenting experience. The study included 16 mothers with toddlers who spoke two-word utterances and 18 mothers with children in elementary school.”

As the study was being processed, monitored participants who listened to recorded baby talk results to two different outcomes. “The brain scans showed that mothers with preverbal infants had increased brain activity in areas of the brain that govern language. This heightened brain activity did not occur in any other group, including mothers whose children had started to speak, according to a Riken news release. Among mothers with preverbal infants, those who were extroverts also had increased cortical activation in speech-related motor areas of the brain, the investigators found.” Additionally, the study shows that baby talk “acts as link for linguistic transfer from mother to infant and plays a crucial role in the early stages of infant language acquisition”, concluded by the researchers.

What do you think of these facts? Do you think baby talk contributes to the child’s cognitive development? Other studies even show that when parents or other adults respond to the infant’s baby talk by babbling in return, the verbal interaction demonstrates to the child the bidirectional nature of speech, and the importance of verbal feedback.

You’re probably familiar with the immersion method as one of the processes in language learning; and most if what you hear from it are positive results, I assume.

No wonder you’re hearing it as the best way to learn any kind of foreign language because learners are guaranteed to be exposed with the language at all times. By doing so, they will absorb most of what is being taught to them and always put it into remembrance. Throughout the process, they continuously focus every detail of the language therefore use it as constant as possible. Immersion varies in many forms, particularly on learners staying on families who speak their learned language. For a certain period, these families assist their consequent learner by continuously practicing his learned language through daily conversation. In a quick span of time, along with the proper knowledge and information, the learner will fluently utter the foreign language effectively.

So if you are interested in applying immersion method to yourself as an aspiring language learner, the following tips are very much recommendable to you. Written by Scott Shell, these methods are things learners must consider before engaging one’s self to immersion process. Feel free to browse.

• Know as much grammar and vocabulary as possible beforehand

Going to a foreign country without having any idea of its native language is so frustrating. Learning the language instantly may make you miserable as well because this is certainly impossible, but knowing a few phrases will “enhance your experiences exponentially.” In fact, it is much better to learn the practical vocabulary; it is very much applied to traveling and vacation moments.

• Go to a language school

If you wish for an efficient and reliable kind of teaching about your inspired language, you are recommended to enroll in a language school. Some schools practice the conventional classroom set-up, while there are some who does the tutorial method or one-in-one classes, whichever is suitable for you. The school now is then in-charge of your learning needs with a corresponding payment, of course.

• Stay with a local family

As what was mentioned on the first paragraph, one method of immersion is to let families assist learners with their language learning process. Available hostels linked to language schools may be a good option, but staying with a local family especially if you are foreign with the country will not only guarantee your welfare and safety but will also aid you with almost every aspect of your life.

• Strike up a conversation

As a learner, you must be optimistic and always remember not to be afraid to start up any conversation. If you will get scared, you will surely limit yourself and just be the level with what you are now. You know how self-intimidation can decrease a person’s growth or process in many aspects, so don’t let yourself be limited with such just because you are conscious with your grammar. Allow yourself to apply your learned language and never be afraid if you mispronounce or misuse any word. This is one way to improve, so use the language as frequent as possible.

• Have a romantic friendship

Meeting someone is exciting, but meeting someone from a different country who speaks a different language is even more exciting, isn’t it? If you happen to meet someone who speaks your learned language, grab this opportunity to get to know this person better. When you establish a relationship to him or her already, you won’t then have any hesitation to use your learned language to anyone at all. You will be surprised that you are using then the language liberally.

• Relax!

Always bear in mind that upon learning a foreign language also includes understanding the culture of the language. If you happen to stay in that foreign country, you will encounter various frictions that make you adjust to irritability and impatience. Culture and tradition of the country may aggravate you due to circumstances, but you have to extend your patience and try to understand it with an open-minded attitude. Soon you discover how and why do they practice such things and you will appreciate it afterwards.

So, do the tips help you with what your planned language immersion? When you get to be immersed in the language you are learning to, try these tips and surely, these will be applicable to you.

In this present day, English has been extending its influence to almost all nations across the globe. Even to nations who stand out with their respective cultures and traditions are gradually welcoming English to penetrate to their country. Armenia, so to speak, has been debated by writers, opposition groups and nationalists to “allow Armenian schools conduct classes in English”, a news reported by Hasmik Hambardzumian in The Bellingham Herald.

Armenia is a republic surrounded by Asian and European countries such as Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. This country was a former republic of Soviet Union, that’s why prior to its official language Armenian, Russian is also another language they adapt.

According to the news, Armenian millionaire Ruben Vardanyan wants to change Armenia’s current law regarding the language usage in all classroom instructions. He has proposed to build a financial center in Dilijan, one of Armenia’s towns. In this regard, Vardanyan requires a large number of English-proficient workers to fulfill his plans. Moreover, there is already a bill introduced in the parliament to allow English to be used in schools.

Since the proposal became too stern for a pessimistic respond, a resolution was implemented by Education Minister Armen Ashotyan that there will be a few non-Armenian language schools to be opened under the law. But still, Armenian language would still be a compulsory subject even to English schools. Likewise, only children ten years old and above are allowed to enroll to such English schools, which will be privately financed by the establishers themselves.

However, Vahan Iskkhanyan, blogger and former editor of Ankax newspaper sees this differently. He said that the country’s clinch to English “presents a great danger to the independence of Armenia. Armenian will become a domestic language, and our independence will exist only on paper”. Furthermore, an opposition letter also stated this: “A slow but irreversible process will start, where parents looking for the best education for their children will prefer instruction in a foreign language. These pupils, receiving a more successful education, will get into the best universities, take the leading positions in the private and public sectors, and form foreign-language elite, which will at best only know conversational Armenian.”

How do you find this subject matter?  Is it really necessary to let all nations learn English? We all know the language’s scope of influence, that’s why Armenians couldn’t just let English penetrate their culture.

Nowadays, the world already revolves in a modern and inventive lifestyle. Looking at how technology managed its status ten years back, it has increasingly become modernized and innovated in these present times.

For the information of many, iPhones are not the only multimedia gadgets where in applications are installed. A new modern device is currently released in the market today, and it is none other than the famous iPad. This invention is bigger than iPods and iPhones but a lot smaller than netbook. Almost similar with the two mentioned, iPad is a touch-screen tablet that allows users to browse the Web, send emails, store photos, watch videos, movies, and channels, and play music and games!

What makes iPad incredibly unique is that it is a lot better than iPhones. According Dan Frommer who wrote the difference between the iPad and the iPhone, most applications on iPhones and iPod Touch are games (82%) and utilities (16%); while iPad maximizes not just game apps (36%) but also content apps (28%, including videos and news), productivity (20%), and utilities (16% including weather). Even language apps are highly maximized in iPads especially to abroad students who want to practice their learned language.

The following list below indicates 15 iPad apps written by GIC Argentina. Feel free to browse.

• iPronounciation Pro

This is an app that helps you learn proper pronunciation of words via phonetic spelling. How? It is by displaying the proper spelling by allowing you to pronounce the given word.

• Scrabble

It’s the customary scrabble board game with a twist. This is a great tool to evaluate a learner’s vocabulary memorization. What make it totally exceptional are its animated features. Learners can enjoy a “3D” version of this application.

• Hello-Hello

This Spanish app is accessible to all Spanish lessons that learners can find in their own website. It has a live chat that learners can take advantage from and ask an online native speaker for lesson assistance.

• Google Translate

This is an accurate web-based service of Google where learners can translate words “on the run” without any limitations at all! This app is perfect for iPad due to its wider screen.

• CourseNotes

If you want a faster way of taking notes, this app is best for you. You can organize your notes, subjects, classes and time in an accessible way. It even has to-do-list and assignment features for a systematic approach.

• Netflix

This cool application is the easiest way to watch a movie while learning languages in one. This app gives access to local movies of your choice, and the best part of it is you can stream thousands of movies straight to your iPad!

• iBooks

If reading is more sufficient to you as a learner, then iBooks is perfect for you. By just accessing to iBookstore, you can get your own books written in the language of your choice. On the other hand, “bilingual books” are also available that features your native tongue on one page and another language on the next.

• Dragon Speaking

This is another application that features word pronunciation. This app is designed to speak and dictates your word into the text. The best of it is, this app is absolutely free!

• Voice Memos Recorder App

This app is a free voice recorder. Install this in your iPad and let the recording begins. To maximize its features, you can compare your pronunciation to a native speaker. With this, you can evaluate yourself and become improved with how you articulate your learned language.

• Good Reader for iPad

For a price of only $0.99, this fast and easy-to-use app can make you study your language lessons anytime, anywhere! This is an amazing app since it is compatible with text, HTML, audio, video, Word documents, and iWork files.

• Kayak Travel Planner

As a traveling student, you make plans into knowing the country you are headed to, right? Kayak is a wonderful app that helps you find the cheapest flights in your prospected country.

• 1,000 Ultimate Experiences

If you still haven’t decided where to study abroad, this application researches possible destinations and provide great advices in favorable exchange rate countries and reviews on what sights you want to see and where would you exactly stay.

• Flight Track

Having problems on flight schedules? This app keeps track all your flights without worrying possible delays or flight schedules.   If you are a person who values time so much, this app is very much applicable to you.

• Street Maps

IPads actually have built-in maps in it as one of its basic features. Sad to say you cannot actually use it when there are signal interruptions. Street maps app is accessible even without signal, and that’s what makes it distinctive. Cities like Paris, New York and Buenos Aires are some of the cities in this app, so if you are one of these places, the app is highly usable.

• TruPhone

International calls are really very expensive when you contact your loved ones through cell phones. No worries, because this app will make your calls inexpensive by using VOIP calls. It will work at its best when used with a headset with mic and headphone.

So, do you have your iPads with you? Make use of your iPad in learning your languages abroad through installing these fifteen apps. You will not only improve yourself in the language you are learning, but you can also maximize the features these iPads are created for.

Learning another language aside from one’s mother tongue is an activity which can benefit one in the future.  People who speak more than one language have more chances of being offered more opportunities either for business or leisure purposes.

Learning languages at a young age had been proven by various studies to be effective since young children have brains which are like sponges that have the ability to absorb a lot of information.  Studies also show that learning languages can benefit young ones and their parent since children who learn languages demonstrate higher orders of learning and brain capacity.

In New Braunfels and Comal in Texas, the independent school districts offer bilingual education at the elementary school level.  Back then speaking Spanish in classrooms was not allowed but since the times have changed and the demand and need for bilingual education has increased that is why programs are created to cater to the students.

There are dual-language courses in the schools and these courses mix English speakers with Spanish speakers in classrooms where students will learn the same state curriculum.  The only difference is that they will learn in an environment that integrates the use of both languages.  The advantage of dual-language courses in schools is that bilingual education enables the native English speakers to learn another language and the non-English speakers can learn English.

The benefits of learning another language are not only limited to job opportunities in the future but also cultural awareness and academic achievement.  Studies show that students who are involved in such programs tend to do well in school and they tend to appreciate the culture of their classmates and eventually become each other’s role models.

The organizers of the programs have also said that they want to emphasize the importance of the involvement of parents in these courses.  The parents are told that education must continue in their homes though reading and conversation.  Since the programs still offer Spanish and English, the goal of the organizers is to help students become proficient in these languages.

Have you ever consider Italian as a beautiful language to learn? English and other languages are distinctive in their own features, but in this article you will ascertain the exquisite image of Italian language.

With a number of more than 60 thousand million speakers, Italian brought the prestige of becoming one of the learned languages worldwide. This language is primarily spoken in Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, Slovenia, Malta, and Croatia as a national language and the official language of European Union as well. Even countries like Brazil, Argentina, France, Switzerland, Australia, UK, and Egypt are infiltrated by Italian.

This Romance language is the closest tongue to Latin especially with its vocabulary. Compared to other Romance languages, French only has 89%, Catalan with 87%, Spanish with 78%, and Sardinian is 82% in terms of Lexical similarity. Furthermore, the grammar of Italian is very much simpler than its mother tongue itself.

Learning Italian may be as cliché as learning other common language, but there is much more than learning the language itself. If you aim for an employment, education, or just a simple vacation in one of the Italian’s territory, you will discover that Italy, the country that speaks Italian natively is one of the top five economies worldwide, which a wide array of employers are seeking for bilingual employees. In fact, an approximate number of 7,500 American companies and more than a thousand U.S. firms are established in Italy alone. How’s that for an employment opportunity? This is going to be your chance if you’re an Italian speaker yourself.

Do you know that your knowledge towards other Romance language is an advantage to you when you want to learn Italian? Robertson Kunz stated in his article Speak and Understand Italian that “the grammar between Italian and other Romance languages like Spanish and very similar and almost the same in many cases. If you studied a Romance language even in high school, you will find many similarities to help you.” Besides, “English speakers worldwide think of Italian as a very beautiful language,” Kunz added. Do you agree with it? I do.

So if you are dearly interested to learn Italian, remember this: you should make a commitment to learning the language everyday and continue to apply effort to your studies for as long as it may take to reach your goals, even years if you are aiming for fluency, another account by Robertson Kunz. Therefore, make your learning outstanding and value Italian’s beauty at its best.

Have you ever been interested to learn your level of language learning proficiency? Where do you think is your stand in your language learning? You want to know how? Let’s find out.

The Foreign Service Institute or FSI says that there are six levels of language proficiency. These levels are not intended to improve a learner’s speaking and writing abilities. Instead, it will serve as a measuring rod and evaluate a learner on his learning process. This level, once known by learners, will provide adjustments and may give alerts to them regarding the kind of method they are applying.

Now, here are the six levels of language learning proficiency. Try evaluating yourself to this.

Level Zero- No Proficiency

This is, as its level is named, is the primary level. Basically, learners are starting to familiarize then eventually memorize few simple phrases from their learned languages.

Level One- Elementary Proficiency

This level, a little elevated from the previous mentioned, enables learners to use those memorized phrases for simple general-purpose tasks. This level is observed to learners’ practical gestures such as asking directions, ordering meals, and other short conversational phrases. However, this level covers a learner’s ghastly pronunciation.

Level Two- Limited Proficiency

Limited proficiency, compared to the first two levels, has observable improvements. The learner can handle basic communicative conversations and work-related interactions. In this level, the learner can understand the language better. Likewise, his pronunciation is very much progressive and understandable, but the accent still needs enhancements.

Level Three- Professional Proficiency

In this level, large vocabulary and more improved pronunciation is valiantly observable to learners. They are confident enough to communicate properly to native speakers who speak of the same language. Though its accent is still needs more improvement, it won’t matter anymore. The learner who reaches this level will not magnify such issue. They are greatly understood already.

Level Four- Full Proficiency

In this level, the learner already develops his ability to use his learned language correctly in all kinds of conversation. Likewise, a full proficient learner can guarantee himself to be an interpreter, with his grammar, pronunciation, and accent absolutely faultless.

Level Five- Native Proficiency

This level goes beyond the learner’s mastery and skill of the language. A native proficient speaker embraces not just the language, but even the culture and tradition behind the language. This level even goes further even to the point of patriotism to the language’s native country.

Now, which level do you belong? Try evaluating it yourself and feel free to respond by sharing what level are you with your language today.