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By Norman Schreiber
Congratulations! You’re about to take your company global. In a few weeks you’ll cross the briny to meet prospects and possible strategic partners. But whoops! The only word you know in their language is “duh.” Although English now is the international business language, being understood is just a start. You’ll score points if you show some effort to speak your customer’s language. You can learn foreign language basics in a couple of weeks. It probably won’t be pretty and it won’t stay with you very long unless you keep using it but it will help you navigate during your imminent journey.
Basic
tools, according to Dr. Bernebe Feria, Director of Curriculum and
Developments Worldwide for Berlitz International are a reasonable amount
of intelligence; a sense of pattern and open-mindedness. The basic
learning elements are simple: Listen to a speaker say words, phrases and
sentences; repeat those words, phrases and sentences. Nobody likes to use
the “M-word” but
memorization is what happens.
Finding the
Right Course and Teacher
Native speakers insure that you hear the mother tongue the way mama
really speaks it and just about all language academies brag about the
native speakers on their faculty. But that’s not enough, says Carolyn
Fidelman (Editor-in-Chief of the on-line Agora Language Marketplace and
Professor of French at Northeastern University). Doers are not necessarily
teachers. You’re better off with someone trained to educate. For that
reason, suggests Fidelman, see to it that your instructor is a
moonlighting high school or college language teacher.
An
immersion course helps. This linguistic boot camp throws you into the
language waters for about six hours a day, five days a week for one to
three weeks. You learn by speaking and doing. (Price averages between
$3,000 and $5,000). Berlitz International (400 Alexander Park, Princeton
NJ 08540; 800-528-8908) offers such courses in its schools around the
country. So do other academies such as The Boston Language Institute, 636
Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02215 (617 262-3500).
You can compound an immersion course’s power by going
overseas a little earlier. Take that course in the country where you are
doing business. Actually being there gives you more chances to soak up the
lingo and reinforce what you are learning. Contact National
Registration Center for Study Abroad (414 278-0631) for a list of respected foreign based immersion courses. The NRCSA also
can register you for one of these classes.
Hire
a private instructor when your workaholic life prevents regularly
scheduled appointments on the same time and day. Other private instructor
advantages are that the lessons can be customized and you get so much attention.
Fidelman
feels semi-private instruction – meeting the instructor with two or
three other students – actually can be more effective. Lessons are still
pretty customized. Schedules can still be flexible and the student
interplay and bonding helps.
If you’re going to be here for another three to six months, you
can take a course. The choices
of venue include private tutors, dedicated academies such as Berlitz and
BIL; and assorted adult ed centers. Make sure the class emphasizes
conversation over grammar and business communication over tourist needs.
The larger the class the less likely your specific needs and opportunities
for participation can be addressed. Berlitz limits its class size to 10.
Using
Technology
If
you have no time for classes or prefer self-instruction, you can turn to
recordings -- audiotape cassettes or CD-ROMs.
Audiotape
offers hearing (the voice on the tape) and speaking (blank intervals so
that you can repeat what you just heard). And it’s highly portable so
you can cram while you jog or drive or work out. A good source for
audiotape language courses is Audio
Forum, 96 Broad St., Guilford CT 06437 (800-243-1234) The
company offers 96 languages and the average program consists of 15 hours
of taped instruction and calls for 60-70 hours of exercise.
CD-ROMs provide heightened interactivity, ease in reviewing past lessons and vocabulary plus high tech cartoony bells and whistles. Fairfield Language Technologies’ (FLT) Rosetta Stone series brings an immersion approach to the computer. Using pictures, photos, text and phrases, it guides learners to meaning through context and gives instant feedback. It also “learns” where the student has difficulties and re-exercises
Helping
Yourself Learn
Anticipate your vocabulary needs, advises Professor Fidelman.
“Visualize your trip.” Think about everything from getting off the
plane to getting through your meetings. From this exercise, Fidelman says,
you can develop a list of “specific
words or phrases you might
need in those situations.” Give that list to your instructor.
When
using audiotapes or CD-ROMs, do your studying in 20-minute intervals.
Going longer than that, according to Fidelman, usually reduces your
ability to retain information.
Repeat
each new word or phrase seven to times to maximize retention.
Rote
may rule when it comes to learning numbers, days, months but you can help
the process by drilling in a different way. Dr. Jonathan Z. Ludwig of
Indiana University has his students “recite, for example, the
even numbers, the odd numbers, count backwards, by threes, etc.”
Learn
the phrases for “"yes, I need ...;
yes, I need to do ...; no, I don't need .../I already have ...; no, I
don't need to .../I already did ..." When combining these with your
personal vocabulary, says Ludwig, you can effectively respond in many
different situations..
When you learn vocabulary,
associate an action while listening to the word or phrase. For example,
when you hear the foreign version of “what time is it?” look at your
watch.
Giving
Yourself Extras
Practice
with real-life speakers at every opportunity – restaurants, cab rides,
shopping, etc. This tip applies to people who take classes as well as
those who use tapes and CD-ROMs.
Muriel Jerome-O’Keeffe of JTG (a company that specializes in
integrating technology into curricula) says go to a language club meeting.
The purpose of such meetings (often luncheons) is to talk, listen, learn
and have a great time. You can locate them through universities,
libraries, ethnic benevolent associations, embassies or even your language
instructor.
Use the Web. They don’t call it “worldwide” for nothing and
surf your way through foreign language sites. Many sites cater to the
language learner. The Agora Language Marketplace (http://agoralang.com )
is an excellent place to start.
Pack These
Get a pocket dictionary. To get the right one, Professor Fidelman
suggests you check for computer terms to see how current it is and see if
has enough of the professional vocabulary you need.
Bring
your tapes and keep on practicing. Capisce?
