Learning English

[Lemonslice 4,968]

My USC husband has been learning my language also and he really enjoys magazines on topics he likes and we try to play KLOO one in a while... Not sure if there's an English version

[bakphx1 789]

It may seem beneath him but use children’s books, Sesame Street and other children’s readers video games a on YouTube.

 

You can passively understand (or think you do) a language, but speaking it takes forming certain pathways in the brain and training the muscles (mouth tongue and brain).  Making yourself put a sentence together is different than just listening. 

 

Its like learning a musical instrument.  You’re have to make mistakes to get better.  I get frustrated with others who say the same thing about not wanting to practice.

 

Either practice and get better or make excuses, those are the same options everyone has.  Also enroll in adult literacy.

[jan22 3,064]

A lot of non-native English speakers have told me that leaving Close Captioning on their TV all the time helped them learn to speak and read English better, especially colloquial English vs "book" English.

[Mmelon 8]

3 hours ago, Ontarkie said:

Look up homeschooling websites there are a lot of free resources. Find the book How to read in 100 Easy Lessons. This way you can help him at home and then maybe he will start feeling better about himself. 

I didn't think of looking for homeschooling websites! That's a good idea. I was homeschooled, but didn't have access to info on the internet as our curriculum was all in books and my mom has an aversion to modern technology! I often have come up with lesson plans, but my husband has always been less than than thrilled at my attempts and we would end up in an argument. 😑 But we need to keep on trying and find something that works!

[bakphx1 789]

1 hour ago, Mmelon said:

I didn't think of looking for homeschooling websites! That's a good idea. I was homeschooled, but didn't have access to info on the internet as our curriculum was all in books and my mom has an aversion to modern technology! I often have come up with lesson plans, but my husband has always been less than than thrilled at my attempts and we would end up in an argument. 😑 But we need to keep on trying and find something that works!

Lol!  I know the feeling.  I’ll tell my husband how you say something in English and he’ll tell me I’m wrong!😂

[TBoneTX 46,120]

An old girlfriend of mine escaped Czechoslovakia as a child, with her parents.  They went to Canada.

She didn't know a word of English.

She was placed in an "immersion" English program.

She said that she cried for two weeks straight, and then it took hold, and there was no stopping her.

[Mmelon 8]

11 hours ago, bakphx1 said:

It may seem beneath him but use children’s books, Sesame Street and other children’s readers video games a on YouTube.

 

You can passively understand (or think you do) a language, but speaking it takes forming certain pathways in the brain and training the muscles (mouth tongue and brain).  Making yourself put a sentence together is different than just listening. 

 

Its like learning a musical instrument.  You’re have to make mistakes to get better.  I get frustrated with others who say the same thing about not wanting to practice.

 

Either practice and get better or make excuses, those are the same options everyone has.  Also enroll in adult literacy.

I absolutely agree with you about continuing to practice and get better and quit making excuses and that is a continued conversation that we have. I can't force him to be motivated to learn though. All I can do is encourage him to and provide as much support as I can. He has a pretty negative mindset and an attitude that he can never acheive this and doesn't seem to understand that you just don't wake up one day knowing how to speak a new language without putting any work into it. But I didn't want this post to be about me complaining about my husband. I want to do what I can to help him.

[Mmelon 8]

18 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

The chief goal is to find any avenue that yields any progress at all, and to follow it.

This rings so true to me! This is obviously not my first attempt at trying to find English resources for him (we've been married for almost 5 years, which as how long he's been living in the U.S.). I even took ESL training myself to be better equipped to teach him. He needs to decide he wants to do this.

Edited June 28, 2018 by Mmelon
Finished a sentence that was cut short

[EmmNM 180]

2 hours ago, Mmelon said:

I absolutely agree with you about continuing to practice and get better and quit making excuses and that is a continued conversation that we have. I can't force him to be motivated to learn though. All I can do is encourage him to and provide as much support as I can. He has a pretty negative mindset and an attitude that he can never acheive this and doesn't seem to understand that you just don't wake up one day knowing how to speak a new language without putting any work into it. But I didn't want this post to be about me complaining about my husband. I want to do what I can to help him.

I commend you for doing everything that you can. He has to want to learn. It's going to be very hard and it's not going to be fun. But if he is determined he will learn. Good luck to both of you.

[TBoneTX 46,120]

It's increasingly undeniable that if you're bilingual Spanish-English in this country, the world -- with boundless opportunities -- can be yours.

[Umka36 781]

Lack of English will definitely limit one's choice of career opportunity in the US. I feel sorry for you OP, as you can only do so much (it's ultimately up to your husband to decide).

[Bfhaynes 0]

I have used Pimsleur courses and they are very good at helping with the speaking part.  I also have a private teacher through take lessons with whom I take Russian lessons.  I know this is all in learning her language and a different language all the way around, but the principal is the same.  I like my teacher and we talk about everything 2 to 3 hours a week in Russian.  Pimsleur helped on my speaking and eliminating accent a lot.  I find it difficult but fun at the same time.

 

Not sure it helps but liking the learning method is half the battle or more.

[Mmelon 8]

Thanks for the support and suggestions everyone! It is nice to remind myself that there are other going through the same "battle" of language learning as well.