Methodology
The foundation for Blarrr is the FCM (Full Circle Methodology), which describes how the learning process can be both effective and appealing. It maintains a holistic view of the learning process: learning a new language is more than learning a few words and a bit of grammar; it should include such things as context, culture, history, habits, and non-verbal communication.
It should put students into a position where they can see everything from every angle, so they eventually feel, taste, and smell the language. The FCM defines both incentives and constraints for its implementation.
Methodology
The foundation for Blarrr is the FCM (Full Circle Methodology), which describes how the learning process can be both effective and appealing. It maintains a holistic view of the learning process: learning a new language is more than learning a few words and a bit of grammar; it should include such things as context, culture, history, habits, and non-verbal communication.
It should put students into a position where they can see everything from every angle, so they eventually feel, taste, and smell the language. The FCM defines both incentives and constraints for its implementation.
Methodology
The foundation for Blarrr is the FCM (Full Circle Methodology), which describes how the learning process can be both effective and appealing.
You can create your own extra exercises for practising some subject, e.g. verb conjugation.
It maintains a holistic view of the learning process: learning a new language is more than learning a few words and a bit of grammar; it should include such things as context, culture, history, habits, and non-verbal communication.
It should put students into a position where they can see everything from every angle, so they eventually feel, taste, and smell the language.
The FCM defines both incentives and constraints for its implementation.
The perfect mix
The FCM is a combination of elements from a number of well-known language teaching methodologies as well as some new insights and accents.
The methodology aims at teaching students a new language without too much translating between intervening languages like a mother tongue or a secondary teaching language.
At its core, it defines strategies for training students to express concepts from their minds directly in the target language without processing them through a helper language.
This will ultimately boost the students’ proficiency and confidence when using their newly acquired language.
A perfect mix has a great taste.
The perfect mix
The FCM is a combination of elements from a number of well-known language teaching methodologies as well as some new insights and accents.
The methodology aims at teaching students a new language without too much translating between intervening languages like a mother tongue or a secondary teaching language.
At its core, it defines strategies for training students to express concepts from their minds directly in the target language without processing them through a helper language. This will ultimately boost the students’ proficiency and confidence when using their newly acquired language.
Languages don't have rules
Contrary to what is generally taught in schools, languages don’t have rules. A language is a vehicle for its speakers to communicate with each other; when the community of its speakers evolves, the language will evolve too.
Languages evolve
Languages change continually and generally really quickly; big changes sometimes take place within a decade or two.
When a society changes, the language changes too. New words are coined or imported, words are deprecated, and grammatical constructions change.
So, what are these so-called grammar rules many grammarians talk about?
They are statistical abstractions that make statements about how a language operates at some period in time, some location and probably for a restricted group of people in the society speaking the language.
Many standard languages have compromises that are never used by native speakers in natural speech.
During your journey, Blarrr keeps you informed on contemporary trends and changes in the language.
Language or dialect?
What is the difference between a language and a dialect? NONE. A dialect is a form of language bound to some region.
A dialect is a language, as is a sociolect. As once popularised by the sociolinguist Max Weinreich: a language is a dialect with an army and navy.
Utterances
Spoken language consists of utterances – strings of units (words) – that convey a message (a thought, a concept).
These utterances can be combined into larger entities to express more complex ideas and thoughts.
This holds true for both spoken and signed languages, the main difference being that in the latter the vocal apparatus is replaced by a gesturing apparatus. But the spoken (or signed) language is not the only conveyor of information.
A larger part of the information is transmitted through non-verbal communication such as body language and intonation. These are actually an indispensable part of communication.
Besides the fact that studying together is more fun, you will learn the language more quickly.
Shaped by the society
Every language is shaped by the society that uses it. This means that sociocultural aspects have a big influence on how the language is used to express thoughts. Not understanding these circumstances inhibits proficiency in any language.
In a very simplified form, transmitting a message from one brain to one or more other brains involves two steps.
The first one is to conceptualise it in the brain. Next, these concepts are encoded in a target language along with intonation and body language.
Transmitting a message
In a very simplified form, transmitting a message from one brain to one or more other brains involves two steps.
The first one is to conceptualise it in the brain. Next, these concepts are encoded in a target language along with intonation and body language.
With native speakers, the process of encoding is normally very fast and unconscious, several hundreds of times faster than encoding through translating, which involves the much slower conscious brain.
Creating the fast encoder involves a lot of training and repetition, slowly generating the required neural paths.
Languages don't have rules
Contrary to what is generally taught in schools, languages don’t have rules. A language is a vehicle for its speakers to communicate with each other; when the community of its speakers evolves, the language will evolve too.
Languages evolve
Languages change continually and generally really quickly; big changes sometimes take place within a decade or two.
When a society changes, the language changes too. New words are coined or imported, words are deprecated, and grammatical constructions change.
So, what are these so-called grammar rules many grammarians talk about?
They are statistical abstractions that make statements about how a language operates at some period in time, some location and probably for a restricted group of people in the society speaking the language.
Many standard languages have compromises that are never used by native speakers in natural speech.
Language or dialect?
What is the difference between a language and a dialect? NONE. A dialect is a form of language bound to some region.
A dialect is a language, as is a sociolect. As once popularised by the sociolinguist Max Weinreich: a language is a dialect with an army and navy.
Utterances
Spoken language consists of utterances – strings of units (words) – that convey a message (a thought, a concept).
These utterances can be combined into larger entities to express more complex ideas and thoughts.
This holds true for both spoken and signed languages, the main difference being that in the latter the vocal apparatus is replaced by a gesturing apparatus. But the spoken (or signed) language is not the only conveyor of information.
A larger part of the information is transmitted through non-verbal communication such as body language and intonation. These are actually an indispensable part of communication.
Shaped by the society
Every language is shaped by the society that uses it. This means that sociocultural aspects have a big influence on how the language is used to express thoughts. Not understanding these circumstances inhibits proficiency in any language.
In a very simplified form, transmitting a message from one brain to one or more other brains involves two steps.
The first one is to conceptualise it in the brain. Next, these concepts are encoded in a target language along with intonation and body language.
Transmitting a message
In a very simplified form, transmitting a message from one brain to one or more other brains involves two steps.
The first one is to conceptualise it in the brain. Next, these concepts are encoded in a target language along with intonation and body language.
With native speakers, the process of encoding is normally very fast and unconscious, several hundreds of times faster than encoding through translating, which involves the much slower conscious brain.
Creating the fast encoder involves a lot of training and repetition, slowly generating the required neural paths.
Learn more about the methodology
The model explained
Outer circle: the principles
The FCM defines several principles which form the basis for the implementation of the methodology. Holistic learning: provide a rich context that supports the learning process.
Our in-company developed Methodoloy, visualized in a model.
Outer circle: the principles
The FCM defines several principles which form the basis for the implementation of the methodology. Holistic learning: provide a rich context that supports the learning process.
Adaptive learnnig
Do not use a fixed curriculum but adapt it constantly to the needs and progress of the student. Conform to CEFR (CEFR-J for East-Asian languages): internationally accepted frameworks for language proficiency. Restrict the use of translations: train the student to create natural language from the conceptual mind instead of translating from one language to another.
Motivate the student
Implement pre-emptive strategies to keep the student’s motivation at a high level. Build student's confidence: make students aware of their skills and abilities and take focus away from minor mistakes.
Apply gamification
Use gamification both as a tool to make learning more attractive and also to support the actual learning process in subconscious ways. Cooperative learning: study and learn together, meet new people, consult teachers, learn from each other.
Outer circle: the principles
The FCM defines several principles which form the basis for the implementation of the methodology. Holistic learning: provide a rich context that supports the learning process.
Our in-company developed Methodoloy, visualized in a model.
Adaptive learnnig
Do not use a fixed curriculum but adapt it constantly to the needs and progress of the student.
Conform to CEFR (CEFR-J for East-Asian languages): internationally accepted frameworks for language proficiency. Restrict the use of translations: train the student to create natural language from the conceptual mind instead of translating from one language to another.
Motivate the student
Implement pre-emptive strategies to keep the student’s motivation at a high level. Build student's confidence: make students aware of their skills and abilities and take focus away from minor mistakes.
Apply gamification
Use gamification both as a tool to make learning more attractive and also to support the actual learning process in subconscious ways. Cooperative learning: study and learn together, meet new people, consult teachers, learn from each other.
2nd circle: the constraints
Using these principles, implementation guidelines can be created, which define constraints on the actual implementation of the FCM in an application (second circle).
The constraints comprise a holistic approach, granular segmentation, motivation, gamification, supportive tools, and community.
The slices: implementation guidelines
The seven slices in the larger third circle show a number of the actual guidelines in the implementation. The outcome is a process by which the learner will learn the language in a fun but above all effective way, which results in a confident and able student, who has assimilated the language.
Part 1: Gamification
Don’t make the learning process a game. Do not use leaderboards, never put time pressure on the student. Create standalone (language) games that are fun and functional.
Create multiplayer games. Do reward the student for each and every accomplishment.
Part 2: Diversity
Offer a broad spectrum of information placing the language in its context. Do not use small standalone sentences with translations but use story-telling as a means to create context.
Make the student aware of non-verbal elements like gestures and intonation. Include information about culture, history, demography, etcetera. Avoid too much translating. Use the second language mainly for explanations.
Make the student aware of non-verbal elements like gestures and intonation. Include information about culture, history, demography, etcetera. Avoid too much translating. Use the second language mainly for explanations.
Part 3: Motivation
Students must remain motivated and must remain interested in pursuing their goals. It is important that they learn at their own level and that the system monitors their performance and progress. Help the student to manage their expectations in order to prevent disappointment.
Offer students tools to gain insight into their progress and their performance (e.g. some personal dashboard).
Identify setbacks before the student feels them and adapt the teaching process accordingly.
Part 4: Adaptive learning
Adapt the teaching process constantly to the pace and progress of the individual student. Make the process personalised and demand-driven.
Present new information always in small chunks and let the student play with it extensively. Use Spaced Repetition to optimise memory retention. Make extensive use of visual and auditory resources to grow and to strengthen memory.
Part 5: Cooperative learning
Offer facilities where students can meet and practise their new skills together, or maybe meet with native speakers. These might be something like virtual classrooms or meeting points.
Have teachers for on demand classes or consultation. Other resources could include webinars and multiplayer activities.
Part 5: Cooperative learning
Offer facilities where students can meet and practise their new skills together, or maybe meet with native speakers. These might be something like virtual classrooms or meeting points.
Have teachers for on demand classes or consultation. Other resources could include webinars and multiplayer activities.
Part 6: Supportive tools
Create standalone modules for practising isolated skills. Students can use these both for reference and for practising some specific skill, e.g., conjugating verbs, numbers, date, and time.
Offer exercises for increased concentration and teach the student how to study effectively.
Include references like dictionaries, grammars, and background information.
Part 7: Captivating experience
Make the process of learning a language a captivating experience for the students by offering rich and diverse content, being flexible, creating inviting challenges, and “Don’t Repeat Yourself!”, do not repeat the same questions and commands endlessly.
Part 7: Captivating experience
Make the process of learning a language a captivating experience for the students by offering rich and diverse content, being flexible, creating inviting challenges, and “Don’t Repeat Yourself!”, do not repeat the same questions and commands endlessly.
Inner circle: The circle of learning
The learning process is seen as an ever-growing collection of increasingly wide circles, like a spiral. Every circle starts with an exposition of new material, it then immerses the students expanding their sense of language, making application more natural because they create language directly from concepts.
Core: The result
In the end, this will result in students who are confident and able but self-aware. They will have assimilated the language into their system up to the level they want.
Core: The result
In the end, this will result in students who are confident and able but self-aware. They will have assimilated the language into their system up to the level they want.
In short
Each of our courses is built around the principles of our methodology and has a balanced mix of exercises for reading, writing, listening and speaking.
All exercises also contain information on culture, history, morals and customs, and other non-linguistic items, that are essential for a good understanding of the language.
Our courses are not static, instead they adapt themselves to the way the individual student studies, his or her progress and preferences.
Studying at Blarrr is both a personal experience and an experience you can share with new friends.
