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My decision to take this class was one i came upon out of convenince. Being in my senior year this class fulfilled a graduation requirement so i decided to enroll. I have always found that I enjoy learning about a variety of topics that seem interesting to me. I very often find myself researching on the internet trying to read up on a random topic. Thi is why I decided to choose Hebrew as the language I wanted to learn. This is a language that is very unike those that I have previously tried to learn. I took classes in French as well as spanish and found them to be very comparable to the english language in many ways. This is something that is not true about Hebrew. I believe Hebrew is very different from most modern western languages. Also I think studying Hebrew provides an opportunity to learn more about Jewish culture, which is something I have never really known much about.

In reviewing the FIRE model of learning I was able to determine that I am a Rational learner. I believe I often stuggled in my other language classes because they are very structured and intsructor run, which is not the best way for me to learn. I am more of a hands on learner and I believe the best way to learn is not by someone else telling you what to do, but rather by learning the way that you find best for yourself. I think having strict organization can hinder creative learning. I believe this class will be an eye opening experience for me in terms of my writing style, as well as a benefit for my general knowledge.

My language experiences were fine, in high school and one semester of college I studied french.  I thought that the language was beautiful and i really enjoyed learning to speak french.  I did not like memorizing the many forms of verb conjugations that exist because it seemed more like memorization than learning.  Overall i had a good experience but when I completed my general education requirement i decided that i would rather pursue topics other than french. 

When it comes to learning i learn best through listening and writing.  I must take good notes in class that when it comes time for tests, i then re write the notes.  I also tend to take notes on all assigned readings to further understand all of the text and information.  At times i feel like i learn a lot when a peer asks me for study help and i can "teach them" the knowledge that i understand.  I feel that i can expand my learning activities through studying more with peers and perhaps through listenting more.  When it came to language learning writing was really what helped me, and i feel as tho that would continue to help me with any further language learning. 

What did you enjoy? What did you dislike? Think about the FIRE model .  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?

I have two previous experiences as a language learner. First, I learned French in a traditional university classroom setting. Although I did well in the classes, I did not feel as though I was grasping the language with enough confidence to hold a conversation with a fluent French speaker. I did not like how the formal nature of the classes focused more on complex grammar structures than simple speaking and listening skills. I did enjoy how the class met seven times per week. The constant practice allowed me to make some strides. However, I enjoyed my experiences learning the Thai language much better because I was directly immersed in Thai culture and constantly worked on my conversational skills. I learned the basics of the Thai alphabet, but I used this knowledge to help me with pronunciation and transliteration not reading or writing. The speed at which I was able to gain conversational proficiency and learn new vocabulary was very exciting for me.

In regard to the FIRE model, I see myself as a "Rational" Learner. Because my learning usually starts with the big picture, it is important for me to not get ahead of myself in this language learning process. It is going to be necessary for me to set specific goals and pay close attention to details. Rather than attempt to take a leap with Bengali to reach the level of my Thai language skills, I must slowly gather knowledge and practice both Bengali and Thai to strengthen my abilities. The activities that will be most useful for me are meetings with my peer-tutor and any program that closely simulates an actual Bengali conversation.

I have always loved language.  Throughout high school, I studied French and also learned to realize my fascination with English grammar.  As a freshman at Richmond, I began to study Spanish, deciding to become a French major and LAIS minor.  I have always thought about studying another language, but have been wary to choose one since I haven't found something to fit into my schedule.  This class really appeals to me because I believe that my genuine love for and curiosity of languages will allow me to be disciplined in my studies, while being able to learn at my own pace and in my own time. 

I decided to study Farsi because it is definitely unlike the other languages I have studied.  I am interested in learning a new alphabet and a language with a different structure than a Romance or Germanic language.  Additionally, as an IS major, I am considering working for the US state department and Farsi is a language that is in high demand, meaning that with knowledge of this language it may be easier for me to find employment.

I reviewed the FIRE model, but actually had a hard time determining one specific learning method that I follow.  I know for sure that I am an not a Factual learner.  I am probably mostly an Evaluative learner, but there are also Insightful and Rational aspects to my learning.  I find that I can't just memorize facts or vocabulary, but that I need to use words or ideas in order to really understand them.  For this I find that writing out sentences using vocab or new tenses is the easiest way for me to learn them.  Writing is definitely a skill that I use a lot to learn because I like to rewrite my notes and read them over.  I also find that reading helps me to learn a language, even if the level of writing is a little more advanced than I am at speaking.  Of course, immersion is the best way for me to learn.  For this reason I believe that meeting with my language partner will really improve my skills. 

I believe that I learn best through creating a framework of base knowledge for the language and then working off that.  As a language learner I prefer talking with people rather than reading.  Doing the activity is much easier for me and I retain the information better.  In previous classes it was difficult reading and writing since I was more concerned with being able to speak the language.   

However, with a base framework established, I value information gained through speaking that can help me add to my language base.  In high school I studied abroad in Spain and having this framework was vital to building my language skills.  Having a base for a language and then being immersed in the language and culture was very helpful for me.   Organizing what I have learned from these experience helps me bring structure to the language so I can better understand it.  I find myself grouping common phrases and vocabulary together.  Furthermore, consistently challenging myself also helps since I have to continuously add to my base level of knowledge. 

Under the FIRE model I also dislike situations in which I am told how to do a certain task.  I would much rather come to the same conclusion but be able to do it my way.  Finally, I appreciate recognition for helping others and good work.  Being able to learn on my own time and how I want to will be much better for me. 

In my final semester as college student I am taking Hebrew because I enjoy the opportunity to speak a rare language. I have already fulfilled my language requirement through Intensive Spanish and have enjoyed learning foreign languages. Although Hebrew may not be relevant to the business world it is nonetheless an opportunity I cannot pass up. As a language learner I enjoy learning important words, like conversational language and how to say types of food and animals. In a beginning language course I do not expect myself to be able to right a full paragraph on anything in Hebrew. I simply like the ability to be friendly and eat when visiting a foreign culture. What I really do not like about language learning is the verb conjugation and the writing. I have already mentioned that writing something in Hebrew is not necessary for me as a beginner. Verb conjugation is often unnecessarily difficult and prevents one from learning the important meaning of the verb. For instance in Spanish take the word gustar, meaning to like. I do not need to know gusto, gustaba, gustes, gustieron, etc. are forms of gustar in different tenses, but instead that it means to like. 

After reviewing the Fire model , I would have to say that I am the factual type of learner. I value practical knowledge and want my own work to be a reflection of precise answers. I can easily memorize things and enjoy taking tests that measure those skills that have clearly defined by a syllabus or course description. With that being said I know that this language course does not necessarily match up with my factual learning style, as we set our own goals and rarely ever take a test. The desire to learn and how much we learn during this semester is entirely on my part. I am confident that my learning skills can still work in this class by using note cards and using Rosetta Stone activities to learn. I believe that these two activities, coupled with the two 50 minute sessions a week with a Hebrew tutor will enable me to accomplish the goals I have set forth. As far as expanding my learning activities, I think I have expanded them far enough by utilizing a program such as Rosetta Stone, that I never used before. I hope that by the end of April I will be able to speak of everything I need to know in Hebrew. 

My original excitement for this class, however, petered out within the next few months.  Although my teacher was good and forced me to learn a lot of Spanish, I still didn’t see the point.  Also the class was more boring than I had anticipated.  In the next four years with her, I learned just enough to get by and still get decent grades, but I never learned to speak.

Then I went to Japan.  This experience completely changed the way I approached languages.  I went there to volunteer at an international school, and suddenly my eyes were opened to a new way of looking at languages: a tool to be able to interact with others and survive.  I also learned that it was better to try and mess up than to try to say something perfectly and not say anything.  For the next 11 months in Japan, I studied hard and by the end was able to have 45-minute conversations with people on basic topics.

Then I returned to the US and came to the University of Richmond.  I decided that I wanted to take Spanish again because of its usefulness in America.  Because my head was still full of Japanese and I hadn't learned that much in 4 years of high school, I placed into the advanced 100 level Spanish.  Luckily I had an amazing teacher who taught the class by forcing us to speak through little plays and answering questions.  Three semesters later I am now in my second 300 level course and planning on being a Spanish minor.

This last summer I went to Bangladesh through the Critical Language Scholarship.  I had gone there previously for a week actually from Japan, and am interested in going back in the future.  This was that first time I had ever devoted so much time to learning a language, and I really enjoyed it.

I have learned that for me to learn a language I have to be motivated by its usefulness.  I have also learned that I enjoy the process of learning a language.  My strong points tend to be grammar and pronunciation, and my weak points are vocabulary and speaking.  In the FIRE model, I think I most closely identify with the insightful person.  I enjoy doing roleplays and being able to speak in class.  If I am not forced to speak, I do not learn.