英语博客(A cup of English):Mango languages

Beginners.

Mango languages is an internet language learning program(me) that we get for free through our local library. I want my children to learn Spanish very well, so the program will be a useful tool to use at home on our computer. My three boys are in a bilingual program at school. They have about three hours of classes in Spanish. Their knowledge of the language has really grown. At home, I try to speak to them in Spanish at least 50% of the time. I am proud to say that they understand everything that I say. What needs to happen now is the 'speaking' part of it. I decided 1 at the beginning of the year to not only speak to them in Spanish, but also to help them respond in Spanish. They can do it themselves about half the time, but they need help to do it consistently 3. I am so excited to see their progress. My mother is also delighted whenever she hears them speak her native language. We will go to Spain this year for a month, so I think it is a good idea to prepare the kids. The more they can communicate with their family the more comfortable they will feel. I remember learning different languages in school, all those centuries ago, and, though we had lots of oral practice, it was very time consuming. Nowadays, with computers, we can practice at any time of day or night, listen, read, repeat, and even hear ourselves speak the foreign language. What an advantage!

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: a tool, not only....but also, time consuming.

1. To build the shelves you will need to buy some tools from the hardware store.

2. Tomatoes are so healthy; not only are they full of vitamins, but also they have fibre.

3. This job is really time consuming; I hope it is worth it.

Advanced.

So, how does this Mango Languages system work? Well, in a similar fashion to other language programs, you log on, choosing a password. Then, you select your prefered level: beginners, intermediate 4, or advanced. You make sure that you are comfortable, because each session will last for about 15 to 20 minutes. Head phones are a good idea so you don't get distracted 5 by surrounding noises. Then, the program takes you stage by stage, word by word, through a series of practices. You start at the easy stuff: letters, numbers, introductions etc. Then you move into slightly more complex practices of common sentences and dialogues, including questions and answers. It's all good stuff. I'm going to attach some kind of weekly reward for doing it. If they use the program consistently, we should see lots of progress within a few months. There are lots of these types of programs on the market, but because the local library is offering this for free, we will try it first and see how it works out. As, I'm sure you know, the key to language learning is being consistent 2. Let's see if my New Year's resolution of being more consistent pays off.

Grammar notes.

Practice of the subjunctive with related vocabulary.

1. If he was more consistent, he could complete his projects.

2. If the team practiced more, we would see progress in their performance.

3. If you finished your homework, you could go out and play.

4. If they advertised the program, the public would hear about it.