Reflect on your experiences as a language learner. What did you enjoy? What did you dislike? Think about the FIRE model and the surveys you have just completed. What kind of learner are you? What kinds of language learning activities suit your learning style? How do you think you should expand your learning activities?
Growing up I learned English and Vietnamese concurrently. During school I learned and spoke mainly in English; however, whenever I was at home, I spoke Vietnamese and took classes on the weekends. I started taking French in middle school, but it was also during this time that I was very interested in learning Korean. My middle school did not offer a Korean language course, so that was when I started my self-directed study in Korean.
One thing I enjoy as a language learner was not only learning the language, but also the country's culture. It was also nice to learn at my own pace. There weren't mandatory assignments or tests, it was a pleasurable hobby.
One thing that I dislike as a language learner is that I often use words or phrases from one language that makes no sense in another language. For example, if I were to say an English-translated Vietnamese proverb, it would make little to no sense to someone who doesn't know Vietnamese. There are also times when I am speaking in English, but suddenly I would switch to another language mid-sentence.
I am a tactile learner. This means that experiencing or doing hands-on activities are most effective for me to learn. Obviously, this means that the best way for me to learn Korean is to go to South Korea. I do plan on study abroad next year in South Korea, but for the time being, there are other local activities for me to do to learn the language.
For now, I think some activities that will suit me best is speaking in Korean to native speakers on campus, getting involved with the Korean-community in the Richmond area, playing Korean games/activities, and connecting with the other students also learning Korean.
Comments
This was a fascinating post, Teresa. Vietnamese is one of the most complex languages from the standpoint of phonology and syntax, and you seem to possess linguistic sensitivities and self-directed learning ambitions that you started to realize at an early stage of your education. Proverbs are one of the most exciting features of a language. They often express central ideas or themes that a culture chooses to emphasize in the mode of collective memory and usage. Sometimes proverbs express unique qualities about a people, and they don't translate easily to other languages. This is a currently a hot topic in the field of semantics, and I would encourage you to consider this interest for a future blog post or presentation.
Kinesthetic learners often benefit from repetition, social interactions, and writing exercises. What kinds of hands-on activities have you observed as being most effective for contributing to your increased retention and recall abilities in a target language? What program will you be attending in South Korea? Does the study abroad program facilitate any special opportunities for internships, employment, or volunteer work? What are you most looking forward to in your travels? Are there any aspects of the program that cause you concern?
Please keep me posted on what you find in the way of local Korean communities. I know of a small community of Korean speakers in Midlothian, but I think it would be interesting for the SDLAP or Global Studio to facilitate group excursions or language exchanges. Let me know if you'd be interested in pursuing prospective avenues of engagement for UR to interact with the Korean community in the greater Richmond area.