It is common to make media, but it is rare to find them on the internet in free sharing.
Drawings are often used, but these are not often under free licenses, so they can hardly be shared.
What if we made it available to everyone ?
Media Sharing
In order to share documents containing visuals, here are sites with free licensed visuals. Attention, in some countries, you must cite the source (author if known or site of origin) :
You can contact us if you want to share content that we will relay it here !
Sharing methodologies
In all the examples shown, we never translate. We can explain from other known elements, but we don’t translate, we keep talking in the language to be learned.
First of all, we practice, if there are errors (conjugations, spellings), we do not mention the frustrating and complex rules right now. The goal is to have fun, to learn to communicate. Conjugation, grammar, spelling only happens later, when the pleasure is there and you see the result of learning (being more independent, being able to ask something in the street, etc.)
Brief pauses are taken every 30 to 45 minutes, as the methods require a lot of cerebral attention.
Active Learning
Active learning works at any age. We include learners in physically active methods, in order to solicit several modes of learning, while being fun. We get rid of pencils and papers the time we apply the methods to be fully in the learning session.
Example 1 : expanding vocabulary and describing new things
For a language, knowing the shapes, objects, materials, colors, textures... is important, because it allows to describe an object when we do not know it and thus we learn a new word while practicing what we have already learned.
In a group, we introduce a « speaking object » (a foam ball, a stuffed animal...). Only the person who has this object can speak. The person giving the lesson begins by pointing to an object and naming it (or a shape, material, color, texture, depending on the theme). Then this person passes the « speaking object » to someone.
This person points to the previously indicated object and names it, then adds a new object by pointing to it and names it. If she does not know the name of the object, she can ask the person giving the course. Then, she gives the speaking object to a new person.
The advantage is multiple. People who do not know when they are being passed the « speaking object » are attentive. At first, it is difficult to remember more than 5 to 7 words, then it increases the memory. Over time, it’s no wonder it goes to 20 words or even more.
For languages like French that have a masculine and feminine, it is possible to point with one finger when it is a masculine noun and the other for a feminine noun.
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You can adapt for verbs by mimicking the verb you are saying or with personal pronouns (I, you, he, she, we, we, you, they, they) by pointing to people.
Example 2 : working on descriptions, for people with a little vocabulary
In a group, we introduce a « speaking object » (a foam ball, a stuffed animal...). Only the person who has this object can speak.
The person speaking describes an object by its shape, color, texture, use, context... The others have to guess what it is.
The speaking object is then passed to another person (not necessarily the person guessing, because otherwise only the « best » are practicing).
Example 3 : using symbols with hands
It is possible to use a panoply of symbols to « talk with the hands ».
Above, Below, Beside, Inside, Outside, Front, Behind
You can punctuate these different notions with your hands. They can also be explained with drawings.
You can also take an object and show it by placing it above or below and mentionning it orally.
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Once the words have been learned, we can do a speed game where the person giving the lesson takes an object and places it relative to a box and the group indicates which position it is.
In the same way, we can have the concepts like before, earlier, here, elsewhere, now, later, after, present, past, future, yesterday, tomorrow...
Example 4 : situational learning
Via the methods indicated here (no paper or pencils, setting aside grammar, spelling, complex conjugation, not correcting all errors, the use of gestures and recreationnal activities...), one can make setting up.
Example to introduce yourself.
Person giving the course : reaches out and say « hello ».
Person taking the course : must say « hello ». (We repeat « hello » if this is not done)
Person giving the course : reaches out, says « hello » and then « my name is... » while pointing itself with the other hand.
Person taking the course : must do the same. (We repeat slowly if this is not done)
Person giving the course : reach out, say « hello », say « my name is ... » while pointing itself with the other hand, make a « bridge link » with this same hand towards the other person and say « AND » then points the other person « your name is... »
Person taking the course : must do the same. (We repeat slowly if this is not done).
If there is a learning group, they are signaled to turn around the room, rehearsing the scene with each other.
It doesn’t matter what « my name is » means, it’s more important to know that it’s what you say in this context.
Once the terms have been assimilated, you can add new ones like « Hi » (by making a wave with your hand), or by saying « I am... » for your name or your job...
You can do the same kind of exercise (always with gestures, even accessories) for a store, a bar, a restaurant.
Example 5 : mentioning mistakes while keeping it simple and positive
If a person is understandable, it is already very good, even with errors. Some language are a complex and few people master it, even among native speakers. Imagine that you are not in a new country by a full choice, that your language is built totally differently or that the alphabet has not the same letters or even the same writing...
If a person manages to make itself understood, but makes small mistakes, then we can do so.
Person learning : « Peter has a beautiful hause »
Person giving the course repeats : « Good ! Peter has a beautiful house » without insisting too much on the pronunciation.
Example 6 : learning to count to 10
Show the first 5 digits with your fingers.
Then, we show a certain number of fingers (not necessarily adjacent) while waiting for an answer. One can also knock a certain number of times on a table or other similar process.
We change the person who questions at each turn.
We can go over time to 10 digits.