What’s the best way to learn a second language???

First, let’s take a look again at the brain.  We learn through connections.  The neural connections that are made when we learn a new word (or parts of words) are formed in the auditory cortex (left hemisphere) for most people.  However, with more exposure to the new sounds, connections begin to form with neurons in other areas of the brain associated with visual, tactile and olfactory information related to these sounds.  It is these connections that give the word meaning to the learner.  What is interesting is that some of these neurons are far from the original neural circuit and can be found in both the left and right hemispheres.  At the beginning of the learning process these connections are still forming, but as time progresses the connections become more clear, and recognition of the sounds becomes automatic.  This is one reason that learning a second language takes time and patience!  Is there anything you can do to aid in learning of the meaning of the word?  Help your brain make those connections using those other senses!  Don’t simply memorize a word and the translation, look at the visual representation of that word.  Think about how you learned your first language.  No one ever translated the word for you… they SHOWED it to you.  If the word you are learning represents a tangible object, you can even find that object, hold it and connect the word with the item.  There is a reason that we have all heard the famous proverb:

“Tell me, I’ll forget.

Show me, I’ll remember.

Involve me, I’ll understand.”

If we interpreted this proverb in terms of learning a second language we could say:

Tell me, but it’s not enough.

Show me, and the connections are forming.

Involve me (using every sense possible to make the language meaningful), and I will learn it.

Alright, so how do you get involved?