How do you learn?

The guilt from my infrequent blogging is setting in. With so many great blogs out there I should be inspired to write more frequently, but instead I read the 'other' blogs and feel content that a good job was done. An interesting blog post was written today, just not by me! What do I read?

I don't miss a day without reading W-wa Jeziorki (I think of him as 'The Blogfather') or PzU. If you don't already know about Polandian then I'd be surprised. Check the 'Updated Blogs' section on the right for more.

What about my Polish? I've concluded that I speak Polish. Do I speak French? No, just a few words. A few years ago I used to be able to hack through a few sentences in Spanish and I'm sure that ability could return. But I don't feel like I speak Spanish. Although I finally speak Polish, I don't speak or understand it particularly well. I'm probably still an upper beginner or low intermediate speaker. How have I decided that I can speak Polish? Simply, I use the language to communicate:

• I can follow at least the topics of most conversations. The more context I have, the easier it is. Hearing stories about events I'm already familiar with is especially encouraging.
• I watch Polish TV and actually get something out of it. 'Talking heads' news shows aren't as easy as silly talk shows.
• I can pick up a newspaper or article and get the gist as well as many details quickly. I laughed the other day when I was handed a Metro paper near home and nonchalantly scanned the headline and a few lines of text as I walked. I folded up the paper, then realised 'shit, I just understood that!'
• I rarely use Google Translate anymore to translate entire webpages. I still frequently translate extracts and sentences I don't understand, when in a hurry.
• I can interact with people in shops successfully if I have a bit of time to think about what I need to say.
• I chat (with varying success) with my students occasionally in Polish after our lessons. They pretend to understand me.
• I interact with my wife on a basic level about a number of things at home. Usually, this consists of me saying childish things and her patiently humouring me.

I have a long, long way to go. I run out of words very quickly and my grammar is atrocious. I have an intuitive understanding of only a few cases, some of the time. People say I sound 'different than my normal self' in Polish and this worries me a little. At home I know I do a silly voice, sometimes emulating dramatic TV voiceover voices or a strange old fashioned Eastern European style I have invented. I think I might also sound different because I apply English style intonation to Polish, making me sound a little more odd than normal.

I'm not currently in a Polish course. I had planned on taking an A2 course somewhere in town this winter term, but it slipped off the priority list and will remain that way for the near future. For now I am taking a more natural approach. What are my methods?

As referred to in my description of shopping for glasses, I have scraps of paper with phrases and vocabulary on them all over my desk. I have stopped apologising for my poor Polish in public (say that three times fast) and no longer ask people if they speak English. Other than that, that's about the extent of my 'natural approach' right now. It's not enough.

As a mentor of mine once told me, 'the best way to learn is every way.' He was right. I certainly don't think there is one best method for learning language and I enjoy variety in my own learning and also in teaching. Variety works. How will I augment my Polish learning in the next weeks and days?

• By studying Polish 'Fiszki" in my downtime in the city
• By assembling my vocabulary and phrase scraps into topics in a notebook
• By setting aside a few hours a week to go through exercises in my "Hurrah Po Polsku" texts.
• By blogging more, especially in Polish.

What else should I do?

As evidence of my ability to write or talk about various topics, I implore you to suggest a short writing topic for me. Please, nothing too hard. I'll take the best suggestion and compose something about it in Polish before Tuesday. Promise. What shall it be?

Edit: Tuesday 15 Mar. Sorry, can't write about doggies tonight. I know I promised. I have all the photos ready but I need to write the captions. And there will be a caption contest!

Gratifying Language Lessons I: Method

I'm finally back to Warsaw and settling into normal life again after an extended and very busy time home in Alberta for the holidays. While in Canada I admit I didn't work on my Polish at all. As you noticed I have also been neglecting the blog! Unfortunately, now my main computer is in pieces and waiting for a replacement fan so I'm working on a backup system for the time being. A good reminder to all to back up your data.

Family parties in December and January provided great opportunities for both sides to practice both English and Polish. My Polish family visited Canada for Christmas and New Years, and my Canadian family came to Warsaw for 10 days in January. The jovial spirit of our gatherings fostered an atmosphere free of fear and hesitation. More important than a lesson in vocabulary or grammar, I learned a lesson in courage. If my Polish family can speak to me in English then I can certainly grow the courage and confidence to do my best in Polish. It's an inspiration to learn more. Attempts at communication are perfectly demonstrative in exposing those gaps in language one wants to develop. Who wants to learn the language they teach you in schools?

I know lots of people need language skills to book appointments, meet friends, exchange business information, etc. However, I always think it's rather silly to teach 'business' language skills at a beginner level. Making appointments, planning conferences, etc. is deadly boring, and more importantly, these aren't the skills most needed by beginners. I think beginners need to make basic introductions, buy things with confidence in markets, shops, and restaurants, and so on.  Beginners need to learn to gossip, not how to negotiate a mortgage or buy a car. Serious things like this are best done with a translator!

I have had some incredibly gratifying language lessons here in Warsaw over the last few days. My recent mission has been shopping for new glasses. Most people think they don't know how to teach language, but my interlocutor has proven to be a very effective teacher! She provided me with a phrasebook type template of useful sentence fragments to use while out shopping.

The method is simple and it is a great way to learn vocabulary and 'chunks' of useful language. I interviewed my interlocutor over lunch for some phrases I expected to use, and wrote them down on a slip of paper (in my experience, pen and paper is better for memory than a computer keyboard!). Writing the words yourself seems to be critical in remembering them. Next, vocabulary. Whatever words suit the topic. Keep the list short . . . some research shows that our short term memories are only really effective at remembering 6-10 things at a time. My limit is considerably less! Take this opportunity to test your pronunciation of the word/phrase list and emulate your teacher. Keep the interview short and sweet and don't abuse your interview privileges.

Using this simple process you can turn any willing participant into a language teacher. Keep the phrases simple and don't overwhelm them with never-ending grammar questions. In my experience, Poles don't know their grammar any better than we English speakers know ours, and it makes them uncomfortable when they can't answer your grammar queries. Save the grammar interrogation for expert teachers and research in textbooks.

Armed with your slip of phrases and vocabulary - go for it. You have to practice this stuff if you want to remember it. I went to the first optical store with my interlocutor and let her speak for me. I listened carefully. Next, I got rid of her! Today in the city I was completely on my own - no English speaking translator and no opportunity to chicken out. I still feel a little nervous speaking Polish in public with my interlocutor (ok, ok, she's my wife!), so going it alone solves this problem.

Every single salesperson today was extremely gracious, patient, and helpful with my attempts to shop in Polish. I never asked if they spoke English. Instead, I fumbled and forged ahead in Polish the best I could. Keep that slip of paper handy, take your time, and remind yourself the words you have forgotten whenever you need. If you catch a new word or hear one you don't understand, ASK the salesperson what it means! ('Proszę powtórzyć' and 'Proszę mowić wolniej' come in handy). Remember, anyone can be your teacher. These lessons conducted completely in Polish are the best way for me to remember bits and pieces. I remember the shop, the smell, the setting, and I remember looking at W-I-D-E glasses when I learned to say 'too wide' ('za szeroki').

By the end of the day, I still hadn't found the glasses I wanted, but I had practiced my Polish in countless shops and my confidence and proficiency grew at every step. By the end of the day I even went into two shops I didn't think would have good glasses just to practice and reinforce my new skills. It's really gratifying! One small lesson at a time - keep those slips of paper and build topic after topic. I had a blast doing it today!

Next post, I'll share my notes from glasses shopping. What phrases did I carry for the day and what vocabulary did I use? What did I learn on the spot and what did I screw up? I'll tell you in detail tomorrow. It feels good to blog again after such a long break.

I want your comments. What real world topic should I practice next in Warsaw? What do I need to learn to say? I will make a list of future topics to work on in the city. No more picking oranges from baskets at Społem - I have to go to the market and talk to real people. They really are patient and kind when they see you trying your best in their language and they're invariably happy to help.

What topics do you suggest? Choosing a tie? Buying fruit or meat? Going to the post office? Add your comments below.