I took Latin and French in High School, German in College. In all three I had teachers who emphasized oral proficiency from the very beginning, even in Latin. In French we never saw a printed word for over three months. Hence we learned all three languages a bit like a child learns his first - hearing and speaking. In college and since (…
I took Latin and French in High School, German in College. In all three I had teachers who emphasized oral proficiency from the very beginning, even in Latin. In French we never saw a printed word for over three months. Hence we learned all three languages a bit like a child learns his first - hearing and speaking. In college and since (as a HS teacher for 42 years) I have been consistently and frequently startled to find out how many teachers teach foreign languages with textbooks and paper activities from the start. I taught English and history and oral practice was a consistent and constant part of my lessons - lots of talking from the students - 'Let me hear the <prepositions/helping verbs/vocabulary for tomorrow/Preamble to the Constitution> one more time' was my daily refrain. We did write too, every day, both in class and for homework.
I took Latin and French in High School, German in College. In all three I had teachers who emphasized oral proficiency from the very beginning, even in Latin. In French we never saw a printed word for over three months. Hence we learned all three languages a bit like a child learns his first - hearing and speaking. In college and since (as a HS teacher for 42 years) I have been consistently and frequently startled to find out how many teachers teach foreign languages with textbooks and paper activities from the start. I taught English and history and oral practice was a consistent and constant part of my lessons - lots of talking from the students - 'Let me hear the <prepositions/helping verbs/vocabulary for tomorrow/Preamble to the Constitution> one more time' was my daily refrain. We did write too, every day, both in class and for homework.