Becoming Fluent
How Cognitive Science Can Help Adults Learn a Foreign Language
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Becoming Fluent
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Narrated by:
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P. J. Ochlan
About this listen
Adults who want to learn a foreign language are often discouraged because they believe they cannot acquire a language as easily as children. Once they begin to learn a language, students may be further discouraged when they find the methods used to teach children don't seem to work for them. What is an adult language learner to do?
In Becoming Fluent, Richard Roberts and Roger Kreuz draw on insights from psychology and cognitive science to show that adults can master a foreign language if they bring to bear the skills and knowledge they have honed over a lifetime. Adults shouldn't try to learn as children do, they should learn like adults. Roberts and Kreuz report evidence that adults can learn new languages even more easily than children. Children appear to have only two advantages over adults in learning a language: they acquire a native accent more easily, and they do not suffer from self-defeating anxiety about learning a language. Adults, on the other hand, have the greater advantages - gained from experience - of an understanding of their own mental processes and knowing how to use language to do things. Adults have an especially advantageous grasp of pragmatics, the social use of language, and Roberts and Kreuz show how to leverage this metalinguistic ability in learning a new language.
Learning a language takes effort. But if adult learners apply the tools acquired over a lifetime, it can be enjoyable and rewarding.
©2015 Richard Roberts, Roger Kreuz (P)2015 Blackstone AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Becoming Fluent
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shivvy
- 16-11-22
Good food for thought for adult language learners
Useful and helpful anecdotes of studies about how the memory works and its relevance to language learning, especially for older people. Encouraging book
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Thomas Miller
- 30-01-22
Pretty good
Contains some interesting concepts I had never heard of before. I will definitely try and implement some of them to my future language learning.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 24-02-22
Comprehensive approach with many examples
Approached the subject which was illustrated with many helpful examples. Enjoyable listening, which encouraged me to be confident in learning a language as a pensioner.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Stephanie L
- 07-08-22
Very interesting book
Accessible and helpful discussion of adult language learning. Has inspired me to start my foreign language learning again.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 20-03-22
Unsure!
This could be fascinating but the narration is so monotone I can’t decide one way or another
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Andrew Russell
- 23-03-22
Loved the info, not the narrator
The information contained in the book is great but I found the narrators voice slightly robotic.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- amp webb
- 11-12-22
Fascinating aid to my progress
As an older language learner I found this book very helpful and will use the strategies to keep pushing forward towards fluency
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Milena Kleczkowska
- 01-02-23
Descriptive
I have read already a few books related to different memory techniques used by people. Based on my knowledge I can state that the book describes all those techniques in detail and how our brains work when we use them. I would say; read in between the lines and you find out few tips that will push forward a bit.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- M.A.R.C.
- 06-10-21
Quite informative
I liked this audiobook, a summary about linguistics and some tips how to learn a language. But it doesn't provide techniques of how to gain fluency. I think the title should be different. But I liked it.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 16-10-24
easy to understand and follow
i never realised i already practiced many of the techniques and advice explained here. Still, there were plenty of valide tips that i hope will help me with my 4th language as I am struggling with it atm.
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