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Learning a new language with pictures


Dora M

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I remember when I first started learning to read and write I could only memorise the alphabet in pictures at first. A for apple, B for bread, and so on. To this day I have that pictorial alphabet in my mind.

When I started learning English in school, I remembered new vocabulary words if I created a mental picture of them, even better, when I doodled an associating image next to the word. I figured that I could almost tell an entire story word for word if there were pictures to underline it.

In college, when I took up French, the teaching methods seemed very "dry" and boring to me. There was nothing creative or challenging about it. I was urged to just learn everything by heart and pass the exam, that's it. As a result of this soulless type of teaching, many students didn't pass their tests. I myself, had to look for other ways and means to keep myself interested and motivated in learning French by reading children's books and short stories for teenagers.

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In general, pictures will appeal more to kids as compared to words, but when they grow up, words will appeal just as much pictures. I think in your case, you are more of a visual type of learner. As for me I don't think I depended on pictures when I was trying to learn the alphabet until now.

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Pictures definitely help when it comes to learning a new language.

I'm recently learning Spanish on Duolingo, which provides you with an image for every new word. It's much less boring this way. Of course, different people prefer different teaching methods, and it doesn't really matter which one you choose as long as you work hard.

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I think many people are "visual" learners.  I too grew up with an alphabet board and a chalk board and all of my siblings and I were early talkers and writers.  If a picture helps you with the concept as opposed to just looking at the characters of the word, by all means use it.  I believe people can learn from imprinting a visual especially in learning a complex system like a language.

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In college, when I took up French, the teaching methods seemed very "dry" and boring to me. There was nothing creative or challenging about it. I was urged to just learn everything by heart and pass the exam, that's it. As a result of this soulless type of teaching, many students didn't pass their tests. I myself, had to look for other ways and means to keep myself interested and motivated in learning French by reading children's books and short stories for teenagers.

I agree that motivation to learn a language is affected greatly in part by how you are taught. Different methods work for different people and if a certain class only teaches one way then there are some students who are bound to not enjoy the class. You have a good method there by reading books. Even if it's children's books. They're much easier to follow and the pictures do help. I actually learned English by beginning with Dr.Seuss books!  :grin:

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Any visual stimulation is always more friendly that just text text text, but everything considered a letter can be considered an image, just after we learn that letter it's no longer an image...

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