如何高效率的自學外語?

This report and other recent studies show that online learning, distance learning, and self-learning in general, are not only more convenient, but, in fact, more effective than the classroom, for high school, college and adult learners. In the last decade, the Internet, the MP3 player, the iPhone, and other mobile devices,as well as social networking sites, language exchange communities, online learning systems, university courses online and more, have changed how we deal with knowledge. The walls of academia, and the costs of learning, are crumbling before our eyes and ears.


本篇報道和其他近期研究都顯示普遍而言，網(wǎng)絡(luò)課程、遠程教育和自學比起傳統(tǒng)高中、大學和成人教育模式等，不僅更加方便、而且效率更高。在過去的十年當中，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)、mp3隨身聽、iPhone、其他便攜式設(shè)備以及網(wǎng)絡(luò)社區(qū)、網(wǎng)上教育課程、高校網(wǎng)絡(luò)教程等等都改變了我們學習知識的方式。高等教育的圍墻、大筆的學費都在我們眼前崩塌。

For those who are conditioned to think that learning only happens in a classroom, the world of self-learning can be a little daunting. How do we best take advantage these new opportunities.


對于那些認為學習只能在教室中進行的人而言，自學可能會嚇怕他們。那么我們怎么才能最好的利用自學這種新興的學習方法呢？下面以自學外語為例，為大家介紹一些小訣竅。

1. Get interested


第一步：對所學之物感興趣

Make no mistake. Your interest in the subject is the essential driver of success. You can't learn what you do not want to learn. Emotion is an important part of the learning process. If you are even moderately interested in a subject, give yourself a chance. The key is to get started. If you can create some pleasurable routines, you may find that the subject grows on you. “L’appetit vient en mangeant” (the appetite comes with eating) as they say in French.


可別搞錯了，興趣是成功學成某件事的根本要素！你不想學的東西當然學不會。在學習過程中保持熱情至關(guān)重要。所以如果你對某件事有些興趣，那就給自己一個學習的機會。關(guān)鍵是要“開始”！（滬江小編：就像某廣告說的那樣，just do it!）如果你能創(chuàng)造一些讓自己開心的學習模式，那么就能好好開始學習這門科目。就像他們在法語里說的那樣：吃著吃著就有胃口了！

2. Expect problems and you won’t be disappointed.


第二布：降低期望值，這樣就不會對自己失望


Don't expect to understand things, much less remember them, the first time you study them. Trust that things will get clearer as your brain comes to grips with new information. It is like a jig-saw puzzle or a cross-word puzzle. As you start to put the pieces together, or string the words together, the full picture becomes clearer. The brain learns all the time, but on its own schedule. Learning does not take place according to a schedule laid down by a curriculum or teacher. Some things are easier to learn than others. Some things just take longer to click in. Keep at it, and you will gradually find that things that seem difficult at first, will become second nature with time.


當一開始學習的時候，別指望能一下就全部理解、更別說記住所有知識點了。要相信，隨著你了解越來越多的新知識、你的頭腦也會變得清晰起來。這就像是拼圖、或者填字游戲那樣：當你把圖形一個一個拼起來、或是把單詞一一填進去，整個大局就會清楚。大腦其實隨時都在學習，不過它也有自己的節(jié)奏。學習的過程是不會按照一個課程、或是老師給你規(guī)定的進行的。有的東西比其他好學，有的東西就是需要花更多時間。堅持下去，你慢慢就會發(fā)現(xiàn)那些一開始看上去很難的東西也會隨著時間變得簡單了。

3. Cover the same ground from different angles.


第三步：從不同的角度學習同一個知識點。

Your brain is struggling to form patterns to cope with new input from your learning activities. Sometimes, no matter how long you focus on one subject, your brain is not going to pick it up. If you are stuck, move on. Then cover the same general information from a different source, a different book, or a podcast, or an online lecture or a video. Try to become a grazing learner, roaming the countryside, rather than a feedlot learner, just standing there in one spot, munching on the same bale of hay. The broader your base, the easier it is to learn. Just as the “rich get richer”, the more you know, the more you can learn.


在新知識的學習過程中，你的大腦會通過固有模式來接受新的知識點。有的時候，不管花多長時間對著一個科目，你就是記不住它。如果卡在這種時候，就略過它。跟著從其他的信息來源：比如不同的書籍、播客、線上課程或視頻來重新學習同一個知識點。試著把自己變成一個“放養(yǎng)”的學習者——在知識的草原上四處周游；而不是“圈養(yǎng)”的學習者——只站在一個點上學習，反復(fù)咀嚼一個知識點。看地越廣、就能學的輕松。就像是“有錢的更有錢”的道理那樣，你知道的越多、就能學的越多。


4. Anytime is learning time.


第四步：隨時都是學習時間！

Take full advantage of the Internet, iTunes, and various mobile devices, not to mention good old-fashioned books and magazines. Learn during “dead time”. Listen in your car, on the train, or while jogging. Have your learning with you while waiting in the doctor's office, or listen while checking out at the supermarket. Anytime is learning time. Remember, you are learning through exposure, not by nailing things down. It is more like moisture accumulation in a cloud, rather than building a brick wall.


一定要好好利用互聯(lián)網(wǎng)、iTunes和其他多種移動便攜設(shè)備，更不用說書籍和雜志這樣的傳統(tǒng)學習資源啦!把那些“死時間”也都利用起來：開車、坐火車、或者慢跑時都可以聽課。在醫(yī)院排隊、或是超市等結(jié)賬的時候你有沒有在聽課呢？其實隨時都可以是學習時間。記住，你要與學習材料耳鬢廝磨來學習，而不是痛苦地一點一點去啃材料。這個過程更像是一朵云的形成，是水汽的一點點累計；而不像砌一面墻那樣，把磚堆上去就好。

5. Be a multimedia learner.


第五步：做一個多媒體學習者

The more varied your learning content, and the more varied the ways in which you learn, the clearer the puzzle will become. Different learning activities suit different people, at different times of the day. Vary your activities in order to keep your interest level up. Even if listening and reading work best for you, treat yourself to the odd video lecture, or get-together with other learners. This will renew your batteries.


你學習的內(nèi)容越多、來源越多，你就會對知識點越清楚。不同的人適合不同的學習方法，每天的學習“興奮點”也不錯。所以最好能找到自己的一套學習規(guī)律來保持自己的“興奮度”。即便聽和讀是你習慣的學習方式，也要讓自己試著去聽聽看視頻的演講、或是跟其他學習者交流。這會讓你重新充滿精力！

6. Join learning communities.


第六步：加入學習社區(qū)

The “loneliness of the distance learner” is a thing of the past. Join a learning community on the web, where members share their knowledge and experience. Search for the communities that suit your interests and learning style. You will find encouragement, advice and stimulus from fellow learners, as well as from tutors, teachers and coaches. In these communities, you can measure your progress against your own goals, or compare your experience with that of other learners. You can even teach and help others, which is a great way to learn.


“遠程教育是孤獨的”概念已經(jīng)成為過去。現(xiàn)在你可以加入一個網(wǎng)絡(luò)學習社區(qū)，和大家一起分享知識與經(jīng)驗。找一個符合你興趣和學習方式的社區(qū)。在那里你可以從其他學習者身上找到鼓勵、建議和動力，同時也有導(dǎo)師、老師和教練給你提供支持。在這些社區(qū)中，你能更好地檢驗自己的學習進度、也可以和其他學習者競爭。甚至，你還可以教授或幫助其他人，這的確是一個學習的好方法！