Putting ALG in Schools - Chapter 5 of Learning Languages Like Children

Chapter 5 of

LEARNING LANGUAGES LIKE CHILDREN

By Dr. J. Marvin Brown

PUTTING ALG IN SCHOOLS

We believe that almost every language school, department, course, or class in the world could do its job better with ALG.

But we're not suggesting for a minute that any of them should immediately try to change over. We feel certain that they couldn't do it. It isn't easy to start up an ALG course and any hurried attempt would almost certainly fail. Most universities teach languages at one hour a day plus homework, and they give tests, grades, and credits.

We could put ALG into this framework by having the students attend two hours a day, without homework, for the same credit. Grades are calculated by the equation. For an ‘easy' language (like French, German or Spanish [for speakers of Germanic or Romance languages]), fluency would take 5 semesters (for 600 hours of understanding at 80%) and give 25 credits. But for a ‘hard' language (like Chinese, Japanese, or Thai [for speakers of Germanic or Romance languages]), fluency would take 12 semesters for 60 credits. This doesn't seem to be practicable. But many universities already have intensive summer courses in languages, and this should give us an answer. During a 12-week summer course term, ALG could be taught for 7 hours a day. And even better, a Max Course could be offered. With a Max Course, French could be taught to fluency in a single summer. Probably the most practicable solution for teaching Japanese to fluency would be 2 summers of a Max Course plus 2 hours a day during the school year between the two summers. The summers would offer 600 hours of understanding each, and the 2-hour semesters would offer 120 hours each for a total of 1440 hours of understanding and 60 credits. (At the time of this revision, ALG World is currently developing the ability to partner with anyone who might be interested in using the method.

This allows for programs of any kind to utilize and build upon the foundational work that has already been done. Any interested parties should contact admin@algworld.com for more information on materials or franchise opportunities. NOTES

See The Listening Approach by Brown and Palmer. Longman, 1988. See The Natural Approach by Krashen and Terrell. Alemany Press. Many people have commented on this. See, for example, page 27 of Learning a Foreign Language by Eugene A. Nida. Friendship Press. 1957 See Behaviour: The Control of Perception, Aldine Publishing Co., 1973, and Living Control Systems, Gravel Switch, Kentucky, 1989. See The Inner Game of Tennis, Random House, 1974.