How to Learn a

Foreign Language
Seven Tips for Making the Daunting
Doable

David Durham

2011 World to the Wise, Inc.

Unauthorized duplication or reproduction prohibited

The contents of this guide are for informational purposes only. The
contents are the opinions of the author based on observation and
experience.
No part of this publication shall be reproduced, transmitted or sold in
whole or in part in any form without the prior written consent of the
author.
No results are guaranteed through the reading of this material. Your
experience may differ from that of another reader.
The author does not specifically endorse any third party products or
services in this publication.

About the Author

David Durham

is what some would call a language freak. Conversant in

seven, he has taught French and Spanish for many years, having spoken them
for over 25 years. Born in the state of Wyoming to Texan parents, David also lived
for a number of years in Australia as a child, as well as many of his school years
in various cities in Texas.
During his travels to and from Australia with his family, whether in Asia, North
Africa or Europe, David was first exposed to other languages, and was
enthralled from the beginning. He went on to major in French in college, and
picked up a number of languages along the way, either in the classroom or
through relationships with international students. By the time he finished his BA,
he was conversant in French, Spanish, German and Portuguese. Living in
Switzerland for the next two years, Durham completed a graduate degree in
French and became conversant in Italian. A number of years later, he and wife,
Becky, spent five years in Netherlands, where David became fluent in Dutch.
They then spent four more years in the French-speaking region of Switzerland.
David and Becky have three sons, all born in Europe, and now two daughters-inlaw and a grandson.
David is also founder of World to the Wise, a consulting company which
promotes international awareness and what Durham calls cultural
intelligence. The Durhams lead periodic cultural tours to different parts of the
world, believing that learning about other cultures helps us better understand
our own. David is available as a speaker to address cultural topics from many
angles, whether in the corporate, educational or ecclesiastical spheres.
Durham is also a gifted singer, musician and songwriter, with numerous solo and
collaborative recordings in French and English.
You can subscribe to Davids blog, follow him on Twitter (iDavidDurham), or
follow World to the Wise on Facebook.

Introduction
I am a different person because of the exposure I have had not only
to other languages, but other cultures. A language is not simply the
vehicle of communication of a given culture, but it is also a
collection of ideas, values and thoughts of that culture. When you
learn a language, you gain access to a key that unlocks untold
treasures.
I happen to be one of those who believe there is not a single
method of learning a foreign language. I have learned in the
classroom, on the street, and in independent study. Not everyone
learns in the same way, nor should we expect them to.
The purpose of this guide is not to promote a particular method;
there are many methods available that work well, depending on
your goals. Some people need to learn in a group in order to feed
off the collective energy and effort. Others do better independently.
In this guide I am addressing all language learners high school and
college students as well as adult learners. Some pieces of advice will
be more relevant to one group than the other I beg your
indulgence. It is never too late to begin learning another language,
yet for so many it is a daunting and intimidating prospect. In my
years of speaking and teaching foreign languages to English
speakers, I have observed certain tendencies and mindsets that
actually prevent students from progressing the way they would like in
learning a language.
Hence this book. It is my sincere hope that the contents not only help
you along the path you have chosen, but that they inspire and
motivate you to roll up your sleeves and enjoy the journey as well as
the destination.

How to Learn a Foreign

Language
7 Tips for Turning the Daunting into the Doable

I was living in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, where an American

associate of mine told me of a time when she had gotten lost on a weekend
outing in Germany. This was back in the late 60s, when far fewer Germans
spoke English than do today. She would stop in each village and look for
someone who spoke English and could point her back to her intended route. At
each stop, she would ask (in a much louder voice than necessary something
many people tend to do, as if the other person were hard of hearing): DO YOU
SPEAK ENGLISH? only to be answered with Nein, es tut mir Leid. (No, Im
sorry.) This went on for some time, until finally, in a last desperate attempt, she
approached a middle-aged gentleman who she thought surely knew at least
enough English to bail her out of her predicament. In an emphatic and overarticulate voice, she pleaded, SIR, DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH? -- to which the
gentleman replied with matching emphasis and intensity:
LADY,
THATS
THE
ONLY
THING
I
SPEAK!
He was with the American military and stationed in southwestern Germany, one
of the largest American communities outside the United States at the time.
Lets face it English speakers do not enjoy a reputation of being particularly
multilingual.
After all, they dont need to be take the Americans, for example: their
neighbors to the north speak English, to the east and west is ocean, and to the

south well, there are enough Mexicans in the tourist industry who speak English
that its not a necessity to speak Spanish. And what of the thousands of
Hispanics who now call the US home? Well, they have to learn English if they
want to survive, right?
Compare this to the Dutch, for example, in whose country I lived for five and a
half years. If they want to be understood anywhere outside their small country
(with the exception of Belgium and a couple of tiny Caribbean nations), they
have to learn at least one other language. This is most often English, followed by
German and French. In fact, its common for European high school students to
study more than one foreign language at a time.
Theres no question that one can get by with English in much of the world
which is a fact that doesnt exactly have a motivating effect upon Anglophones
to learn a foreign language.
Now lets be honest most of us have hidden behind this fact as an excuse not
to study a foreign language. Not only that, we have also somehow convinced
ourselves that Americans (and while were at it, we may as well add Brits,
Australians and New Zealanders -- all island nations, interestingly enough) are
simply not good at learning another language.
This is not necessarily true, nor does it have to be.
In the 21st century, where globalization has reduced the size of the planet we
live on, our excuses not to learn another language hold less and less water. The
only reason were not good at it is the mysterious and formidable power of
suggestion; and if we are capable of convincing ourselves that were a lost
cause, then surely we are capable of the inverse. As a matter of fact, there are
lots of us who are living proof. Were also proof that learning a foreign language
not only opens up new microcosms of the brain, but also opens up a whole new
macrocosm waiting to be discovered and explored. Learning another language
isnt simply about forming sentences like assembling a machine with a new set
of tools; its about discovering entire cultures behind the language. The more we
resist the idea, the more we deprive ourselves of untold riches.
Learning another language is like suddenly being able to see in vivid color what
Learning another language is like suddenly seeing in living color
you once only saw in black and white.

what you only saw in black and white.

What follows are some tips on how to approach learning a foreign language
that will not only make the process make more sense, but also make it a little less
painful, and who knows you may even find yourself hooked for life, as is the
case with yours truly. Some of the tips might seem like no-brainers; but you might
be surprised how a simple mental shift can make a world of difference. The
longer I live, the more aware I am that mindset is such a huge element of any
learning or growing process. If you go into this experience with an underlying
expectation that this is going to be a negative experience, that very likely will be
a self-fulfilling prophecy. Here we go:

1. Set your face like flint. It is possible to learn another language.

Turn your curiosity all the way up.
2. There is no true substitute for immersion but if you cant do that,
look for the next best options.
3. The language you are about to learn is not a translation or
perversion of English (or whatever your mother tongue is).
4. Make friends with the phrase Its just that way. Abandon the idea
of always understanding why it is the way it is.
5. Use your powers of deduction. Chances are there are more
familiar words in this new language than you ever dreamed.
6. Become an eavesdropper. Listen like youve never listened
before.
7. Keep your end goal in front of you at all times. What is your
desired result? Whether it is a special someone youve just met who
doesnt speak your language, or a job promotion, keep your eye on
the prize.
Want to learn more? Download the entire e-book here for an elaboration on each tip
and practical advice to help you get started!