How to learn languages with nlp

HOW TO LEARN LANGUAGES WITH NLP by Sergio Clemente Aparicio.
Take a look at my website: learnlanguageswithnlp.com
I. CONCEPT OF GENERATIVE NLP MODELING ©.
1. What is NLP? What is modeling?
2. What is a generative open source model?
3. What can this report offer to you?
4. Can anyone be unconsciously competent?
5. Why is that modeling hasn’t spread to language learning?
6. Why do I not address the whole process of modeling?
II. UTILITY AND USES FOR MODELING.
7. What is modeling for? Which is it for?
8. Do you want to improve your learning system? Can you learn better?
9. What are the prerequisites?
10. What would not be a reasonable expectation?
11. Why traditional education often does not work?
12. What happens if we cannot discern the critical distinctions of a skill?
III. MODELING PROCEDURE.
13. How are experts modeled? How to make things right?
14. How are patterns detected?
15. Why the installing of mental program is so important? How to install patterns?
16. How to make things wrong?
17. Which excuses are not acceptable?
18. What shouldn’t you do after having devoted your time to read this text?
IV. INSPIRING EXAMPLES
19. How do best polyglots learn?
20. How do great teachers teach? How do you know that your teacher is a good one?
21. And you? How do you learn?
22. How it's difficult to learn?
23. Learning with or without tests?
24. How do you know that you don’t learn?
V. HOW DO YOU LEARN . YOUR LEARNING STYLE.
25. Which is your learning style?
26. How do you know that they teach you well and you learn well?
27. Do you take your own decisions? Do you learn with a teacher o do you study by
yourself?
28. What if I you didn't care for good grades?
29. Learning without a system, without plans, without records?
30. Do you set your own goals or do you follow goals that aren't yours? What is the
"scope" you want to achieve? How could you design your own learning project?

VI. MYTHS AND TRUTHS ABOUT LEARNING.
31. What if the genetic paradigm wasn't completely right?
32. Emotional Intelligence or IQ? How about your quotient for curiosity? How strong is
your will?
33. Suppose you only have something to gain and nothing to lose. What would happen
then?
34. What if you had no fear or hurry?
35. Why not breaking the rules of your own grammar?
36. Knowing your mother tongue leverages you or slows you down? How to
distinguish good friends (cognates) from bad friends?
VII. MODELING PRINCIPLES.
37. Which principles underlie a mental program?
38. Where do they come from?
39. Are they reasonable?
40. Are those principles enough?
41. Is contradiction healthy or unhealthy?
42. What if we could not deny them?
VIII. PRE - REQUISITES.
43. How much does motivation count? What motivates us? What discourages us?
44. How important is time?
45. How important is money?
46. What if I'm not motivated?
47. What if I don't have time?
48. What if I have no money?
IX .BASIC DISTINCTIONS, PROCESSES, PROCEDURES, SYSTEMS AND
PRINCIPLES.
49. Which are the basic distinctions to learn a foreign language?
50. In which order do those processes and procedures work? What is the difference
between a process and a procedure? Which are the operating principles?
51. How many dimensions does a simple word have? How to close the circle of
learning? How to modulate the intensity of distinctions?
52. How is it that we do not realize?
53. Do the size of vocabulary and grammar matter? What is the scope of your goals?
54. How is that children do not confuse use and mention?
X. THE "OPEN SOURCE" GENERATIVE MODEL.
55. What consists for this model? How to learn a foreign language?
56. Which are the basics of this model?
57. How, where, when and with whom can you test it?
58. What if talent wasn't only a genetic gift and you could build artificial neuronal
circuits?
59. What happens if you don't check this model out?
60. What if this model were only the beginning of a universal, useful and testable
improvement?

XI. STUDY MATERIALS.
61. Is there more than one way to skin a cat?
62. How to use study materials?
63. Which study material fits your own learning style?
64. Can an airplane fly without a critical number of pieces?
65. Can an airplane fly without an engine?
66. Improvement without recording?
XII. DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED ON THE WAY.
67. How to deal with the sound barrier?
68. How to deal with the meaning barrier?
69. How to deal with the speed of the sound barrier?
70. How to deal with the speaking skill barrier? Is there a silent period in adults? Be
silent or speak?
71. How to deal with mistakes?
72. What if it seems to us that we don't progress at all or that we progress very little?
How to deal with the plateau of the learning curve?
XIII. INSTALLING AND TESTING THE PROGRAM.
73. Why installing is a key question? What if I don't install a program?
74. How to install mental software?
75. How long will take the installing? What if we don't can eat an elephant without
chunking?
76. What if I don't have enough patience?
77. How do you know that the installing is finished?
78. What if my kite doesn't fly? What if my plane doesn't take off? What if I don't
know how to land my plane?
XIV. RUNNING THE PROGRAM.
79. Do you need to reinstall your program? Did you follow thoroughly all the
instructions?
80. You'd rather prefer to install the program through metaphors, games or exercises?
81. What is the requisite variety principle?
82. What if I the program becomes blocked?
83. What if the program has a virus?
84. What if the program doesn't work for you?
XV. YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS.
85. Have you learnt something new and useful? When, where and with whom will you
apply it? Which are your own conclusions?
86. Can you improve the system?
87. Do you want to publish your own improvements for the open source model?
88. You didn't learn anything?
89. It wasn't useful at all?
90. You didn't improve your outcomes?
XVI. ADJUSTING.
91. Can you tune the system?
92. Do you want to model someone?
93. Do you want to model yourself?

94. You don't know how to model?
95. Whom do you don't want to model?
96. Did you find the boundaries/limits of the key distinctions?
XVII. CHANGING
97. Is there something that isn't needed?
98. Is there something missing?
99. What makes the difference?
100. What if the codes are not congruent?
101. You didn't record your progress?
102. Don't you come up with something else?
XVIII. IMPROVING
103. Can you combine different strategies and built your own system?
104. Leaning with native speakers?
105. How would it be your own ideal system? Could you build it?
106. What about mistakes?
107. What if you don't learn? Why don't you contrast some situations?
108. You can't build your own airplane? Nor a paper one? You couldn't fly your kite?
Did you put an engine between your vocabulary pieces? Do you use your tongue to
communicate?
HOW TO LEARN FOREIGN LANGUAGES WITH NLP?
It was December 2012. Once again, I looked at on youtube "NLP and learning
languages." I found nothing. I was interested in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
modeling and I was also interested in learning foreign languages efficiently. Modeling
is extracting and replicating the mental software from people who have reached
excellence in a professional field. Richard Bandler and John Grinder obtained a
linguistic model observing expert therapists (Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir and Milton
Erikson).
Had someone done something like this with such a complex skill as learning a foreign
language? Apparently not. At least on youtube. I did not find anything. Thus, from this
personal need not covered, emerged the idea of writing these lines. I was decided to
undertake a small research about the topic.
Genetic limits us. If someone is 5 feet tall he hardly will play as a pivot in the NBA.
Most children come with the necessary genetic load to learn multiple languages, it is
almost certain that this potential is not updated without the input that usually mothers
provide.
Culture limits us too, considering a long time, women have lived apart from science and
culture. So, we soon understand that we have lost female talents such Newton’s,
Euler’s, Goethe’s, etc. along several generations. It was widespread the false belief that

education and especially higher education was not for women and that belief alone was
sufficient to block the access of female talent to science and culture for many years.
The gene-seed is of little use if it’s not planted in suitable soil in which to flourish.
Cultural weeds (limiting beliefs) may also prevent natural talents from flourishing.
Against the limitations of the genetic load we can do little, if anything, provide a
stimulating environment . Against the cultural constraints we can use the antivirus of
critic. However, it is neither genetic nor culture itself that interests me, but the will on
which we do have some control. My point is: Is it possible some type of advancement
that facilitates an improvement in the language learning around the world? I think the
answer is yes. Just as the "Fosbury" jumping technique was revealed as a valuable
technique for athletic high jumping, we all can take advantage of certain forms to learn
(modeling) that are better than others . This does not mean that we all will win an
Olympic gold medal, but we all have at our disposal the possibility of an impressive
personal improvement.
I began by researching NLP modeling. About who were the best NLP modelers all over
the world? Had they published a book? I had a book on my shelf about modeling
written by Robert Dilts, and I also knew that he had extracted a model for learning
foreign languages observing a the polyglot named Janulus Powell.
I wanted to go a little further, exploring the territories of language learning at a more
advanced level. Curiosity led me to discover that Lesley Cameron, David Gordon and
Michel Lebeau pioneered the modeling. David Gordon and Graham Dawes had
published the last book on this matter and called their modeling camera "Experiential
Array." As I advanced in my research I also discovered that Wyatt Woodsmall was one
of the best examples of modeling and he had modeled the polyglot Michel Thomas. I
chose the "experiential array" as if it were a camera to model those polyglots who I
admired so much. This technique was cutting edge and simple.
On youtube I discovered great polyglots. Luca Lampariello speaks fluently and with
perfect pronunciation more than ten foreign languages. Moses McCormick aspires to
learn a huge amount of foreign languages and he has reached a surprising level of
Chinese proficiency. Professor Alexander Arguelles is a teacher and a pupil at the same
time. Tim Ferris speaks Japanese, fluent Spanish and German. Michel Thomas was a
mysterious character polyglot and spy at the same time. Canadian Steve Kaufman is
also admirable because he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, etc.. I would have
liked to have been able to make an appointment with each of them. For Michel Thomas
it was totally impossible because he was deceased. I don’t know personally the
polyglots I admire, nor do I have a budget to travel all over the world. I do not know if
they would accept to undergo modeling sessions. Anyway they had published several
blogs on the Internet and many of his videos are public so I went ahead decided to
model with the materials I had at my disposal.
As I progressed in my research I realized that some plolyglots preferred some material
over another. Lampariello prefers "Assimil" method, Moses McCormick uses the
"Teach Yourself" method. The Pimsleur method was reputed to be very effective. It was
evident that not only the material itself but also the order and how to learn them seemed
to matter. The "Assimil method" differences between a passive phase for reading and
listening and other active production phase for speaking and writing. Pimsleur quickly

realized that illiterate people were perfectly capable to speak and I think he was well
aware of the existence of separate brain circuits for hearing- speaking and reading-
writing. AJ Hoges is an English teacher and a wonderful person for many reasons.
Besides, he had applied NLP modeling techniques for learning foreign languages. I
think his most important contribution in addition to their joy and his crazy stories is
deep learning. It is by means of continuous repetitions reinforcing brain synapses that
we learn. In Spain, the most popular English teacher on the internet is Monica. She had
also discovered a key I shared: learning vocabulary is going beyond visually
recognizing a written word, you must be able to recognize it when you hear it, you need
to be able to pronounce it, you need to know how to write it.
The question of sensory preferences and cognitive and learning styles it’s not a minor
one. To the classic sensory preferences revealed by NLP I added the theory of the four
brain quadrants developed by Ned Hermann.
I had a methodology for modeling, a lot of material on which to apply the technology. I
lacked a structure for spinning the lines that follow below my blog page. By chance I
stumbled upon a video where Oper Brayer presented the most appropriate structure to
compose multiple clusters of ideas that sometimes combined in the form of hopscotch.
In May 2013 I looked at my preferred polyglots through the prism of the "experiential
array." I had several models, and it became clear that some strategies were completely
opposed. There wasn’t such a thing as an only model in which all polyglots coincide.
For instance: Michel Thomas said that you always need to know what you're saying,
Professor Alexander Arguelles uses a technique called "echoing" and you simply
reproduce what you are listening. Michel Thomas said that the responsibility of learning
languages rests entirely on the teacher, Luca Lampariello postulates that foreign
languages can only be learned and not taught. That's why I decided to leave the model
open so everyone could choose the model according their personal preferences allowing
them include improvements. Everyone can add and contribute.
The "open source" model that I present is only a synthesis given in conclusion. After
differences between the different strategies of the best polyglots some simple
conclusions emerged. Deaf people cannot talk. Listening skill is previous to speaking
skill. Listening skill is necessary but not sufficient for speaking skill. You don’t start
talking overnight just after listening . Speaking practice is needed too. Reading skill is
previous to writing skill, on the same terms. What it is guessed by way of agreement
between all multilingual is that only through a deep learning you generate new mental
circuits created by the sound inputs and visual inputs and speaking and writing outputs.
This way we can decode the visual and sound signal and produce them. These simple
ideas shown that there are actually very few strategies to learn the four skills needed to
take over every language: listening skill (audio understanding), speaking (audio
producing) skill, reading skill (visual understanding) and writing skill (visual
producing). There is a very simple order you should consider when you learn a foreign
language. No teacher spoke me about this logical sequence and I fear that foreign
languages have been taught haphazardly.
We are in the era of globalization. Today we don’t need eighty days to go around the
world. Neither eighty clicks are needed to discuss real-time with a native speaker
anywhere in the world.

Of course, it would have been better if we all had studied in an English school or
American or German or a French school. Maybe your parents could not afford it, maybe
your parents did not speak foreign languages. Maybe yes, and you also want to learn
more foreign languages. Do what you can with your will and your time. Do what you
can with whatever you have. I hope this book will serve to help you and your children
to improve your learning. It is not enough to read it. The most important thing is to
install a mental model to facilitate your learning.
I. CONCEPT OF GENERATIVE NLP MODELING ©.
1. Whatis NLP? What is modeling?
In 1972 the student of mathematics and systems Richard Bandler was interested in Gestalt
psychology created by Fritz Perls. Reponsible for analyzing and cataloging Perl’s videos in
actionfor a publisher,Bandlerunconsciously detected certain patterns in Perl’s behavior and
he dominatedthemtothe pointthat he got amazing results in his therapy groups. Santa Cruz
University allowed young Richard Bandler to teach Gelstat therapy to a group under the
condition that his work needed to be supervised by John Grinder, Professor of Linguistics.
Grinderwassurprisedbythe resultsobtainedbyBandlerandaskedhimto teach himself what
Richardwas doing to extract the underlying linguistic patterns of that recent expertise. Later
on,theyextractedpatternsunderlyingthe actionsof othertherapygeniuses like Virginia Satir
and MiltonErikson.Thiswayborn modeling, wich constitutes the nucleus of a new discipline
named Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).
There isnot a simple definitionof whatNLP is. In the beginning it was defined as the study of
the human subjective experience. To Richard Bandler it’s a meta-discipline, an educational
tool for improving in any area of human performance. To John Grinder is a technology that
looks for differences that make the difference between geniuses and average people. To
Robert Dilts, one of the great developers of this discipline, is the way your thinking and self
talking affects your actions. The way we think, speak and act are systemic, interactive and
interconnected processes.
Modelingis the process of identifying and describing in a useful manner those patterns that
make up a particular skill. A model is a code of patterns that underlie a human aptitude. To
the process of creating a model, system or program that allow us to replicate excellence in
some expertiseareawe call it“modeling”.Itisa methodologyforsynthesizing talent,creating
an artificial formof skill. The resultof the process of modeling is a model, which is conceived
as an extension of the human mind as microscopes amplify vision or printing multiplies
human memory. Nowadays modeling is not limited to linguistic patterns, it reaches other
levels such identity, values, beliefs, metaprograms, emotional states, cognitive strategies,
behaviors, environments, etc.
2. What is an “open source generative model”?

An “isomorphic”model islimitedtoextractandreplicate the code, program or mental system
o f one or more experts(usuallynotmore than3). It seekstoimprove or simplifywhatexperts
are doing going even further. With a generative model it is possible to create a model that
combines elements of several experts to generate a global model that goes beyond the
capabilities of any of the modeled individual experts.
InitiallyIdidnotintendtocreate a generative model.Butthe approachof addressingmodeling
from the dynamics and learning and the track of multiple examples of learners and teachers
led my curiosity to the point of a generative model.
Why is this modeling “open source”? Usually NLP seminars are expensive and they are not
available toall budgets.Asyousurelyknow itiseasytofindopensource software with similar
benefitstomore exclusiveprogramsata reallyreasonable price and sometimes for free. So, I
wantthis model tolearnforeignlanguagestobe affordable,inthe sensethat you can access it
without economic restrictions and it’s also “open source” in the sense that each user can
improve or customize it according to their own learning style and experience.
3. What can this report offer to you?
The men and women of the XXI century can move around the world at the click of a
mouse. Speaking foreign languages either English, Chinese, Spanish, French or German
makes communication easier and allows you to reach more people.
The value proposition of this site is to help humanity offering the strategies of the best
polyglots, language learners and teachers in an open source manner to enhance and
extend foreign languages learning. Students of all ages, from the youngest to adults,
and teachers of second languages may find it useful and valuable.
If what you intend is to master the principles of learning a foreign language applied by
the best experts and you want to prevent second or third language dominate you, this
report may be helpful.
If you want to improve your system or method of language learning and avoid an
uncontrolled learning this report is also for you. This report will offer strategies to
improve your processes and your results.
If you want a more intuitive way to learn foreign languages and take your own
adventure or learning project based on your own experience avoiding rigid structures
and disciplines, this book is for you.
If what you intend is to expand your circle of relationships and avoid the isolation
caused by the lack of linguistic skills, this book is for you.
Whatever your learning style is you can set a goal, assess your strengths and
weaknesses, test a model based on what the best polyglots, students and teachers in the
world are doing, so you can to finish your own learning project. Probably you will learn
something after reading this text, and if some ideas work well for you, you can update,
improve, customize or tune the model your own way, because the code is open.

4. Can someone be unconsciously competent?
To acquire a skill we usually go through four stages: 1) we are unaware of our
incompetence, 2) We are aware of our incompetence, 3) We are aware of our
competence, 4) we are unaware of our competence. Think about when you learned to
drive: conscious learning leads to automatic unconscious skill and exercise.
From another point of view our brain is divided into three parts from the point of view
of the genetic evolution: the oldest part of our brain corresponds to the reptile brain
(which assimilates automatisms), the middle part is the emotional brain (part that
records alerts and preferences), and the cerebral cortex is the youngest part at the top of
our brain (the center of thoughts and decisions). The reaction time of the brain is faster
in the oldest layer of the brain. Imagine a dangerous looking snake is appearing in front
of you. Would you stop to think about a book of biology or would you get out as faster
as you can? You, yourself have the answer.
When we learn, at first glance it seems that the program can go from the cortex, through
the emotional brain to the reptilian brain, although other options fit: from the reptilian
brain to the emotional brain and finally to the cortex.
Experts often work unconsciously and they do not know exactly what they are doing.
We are unconsciously competent in the use of our mother tongue.
5. Why is that modeling hasn’t spread to language learning?
It seems that commercial NLP approach put more emphasis on models (pictures), that in
the process of modeling (camera). The first attempt to model learning languages at a
basic level that I know comes from Robert Dilts who modeled Powell Janulus, who
spoke 42 languages when he was 38. Marilyne and Wyatt Woodsmall have modeled
Michel Thomas. Professor AJ Hoges modeled best students comparing what they did
with average students, he interviewed Steve Kauffman (polyglot) and he researched
Krashen theory, finding relevant matching patterns.
The advent of the internet puts at our disposal excellent examples of polyglot people,
allowing us to apply the modeling process to extract the program or code that underlies
their expertise.
6. Why do I not address the whole process of modeling?
Surely you know how to drive without knowing the mechanics of your vehicle
thoroughly. I am interested in putting a good machine in your hands. Those interested in
more details can rely on the literature of authors experts in the field. Maybe later on you
can put in your hands a book about modeling, especially if you are one of those who
enjoy the mechanics.
You knowwhat?If youreadthe whole textandpractice about it you're going to learn how to
model just by doing.

II. UTILITY AND USES FOR MODELING
7. What is modeling? What is it for?
Modeling is a tool for learning. It has spread from the initial uses in therapy (going
beyond the initial linguistic models) to business (leadership, sales, negotiation,
communication), high performance sport (Olympic athletes), education, personal
finance, music, advocacy, etc. Inevitable, it has also been given a military use to these
techniques.
8. Do you want to improve your learning system? Do you think you can do it
better?
Often experts in any area of expertise (successful students, investors, entrepreneurs,
journalist, athletes, etc) follow a system and worry about updating and improving it. Do
you have one? Probably yes, but you are not conscious of it. This text put in your hands
the best systems of students and teachers to learn/teach a foreign language.
9. What are the pre-requisites?
What do have in common successful students, businessmen/women, or elite athletes?
They make plans, manage their time and energy (motivation), resources (money,
relationships, information, etc.) and scope (goals and objectives). Learning foreign
languages requires your time, your dedication and your resources, you will need to set
your own goals too.
10. Which would not be a reasonable expectation?
Let’s take for example the meta-model originally created by Richard Bandler and John
Grinder. This model allows you to ask the questions that the best therapists use. Does it
mean that you can compare yourself to the best therapist in the history (Virginia Satir,
Fritz Perls, Milton Erickson) with only a handful of good questions? I think not, a yes
would be too pretentious. You can’t in a few minutes reach levels of mastery that have
been adquired for decades, not to mention the particular identity of each person. I think
you can’t ask modeling more that it can do for you: improve and accelerate your
learning.
Robert Dilts proposes different uses for modeling:
a) Learn about the differences.
b) Do something differently.
c) Do something better.
d) Do something new.
e) Have more options.
d) Change perceptions.
David Gordon tell us that modeling provide us with a fast, easy and secure way to
access the desired skills, Lesley Cameron and Michel Lebeau talk about reproducing
competence.

11. Why traditional language learning often doesn’t work?
We can find many reasons for the failure of the traditional education in teaching
languages. Here are some of these reasons:
1.- Learning a foreign language, like any other project, is about considering learning
objectives in a given time. Language learning requires the investment of much time,
however it is difficult to find a little orientation specifying approximate deadlines and
items to study. If someone is going to build an airplane or run a business project, time,
scope and resources are specified. How is that nobody has done something similar
about learning foreign languages? It is not the same to spend 2000 hours to reach a B2
level of German than saying: “it depends on the individual” or “what is to know a
foreign language?”. Specific targets and deadlines may be more or less accurate but they
are better than avoiding the question of how long does it take to learn a second
language. For languages like English or German, we could calculate about 2000 hours
to reach a B2 level and about 3000 hours to reach a C1 level. For other languages like
Chinese or Russian we can ask other students or teachers about the question: how much
time do we need to spend to reach a certain level. If we want to master a foreign
language we need to spend a considerable time and effort, and in formal education time
is pretty short.
How is that a child who has studied at a British school, a French school or a German
school ends up perfectly competent, while a child raised in a traditional school with the
second language as subject barely finishes his education in some babbling? The time of
exposure to a second language is a critical variable. It is necessary to provide students a
context in which they are permanently in contact with a second language. Audio-books
can be used according to the level of each student, internet facilitates relationships with
people from other countries, etc.
2. Studying a second language as subject in traditional education does not distinguish
between the levels of the students. You can find in the same class beginners with
advanced students so the objectives of the study are blurred and distorted.
3. The inertia of the educational bureaucracy leads to some teachers to focus on
grammar, vocabulary, written lists and translations away from any useful context, on
reading…so it’s not clear the beginning (maybe it’s better to begin with phonic
emphasis on the listening skill) and at the end you can find some students with an
advanced level of vocabulary and grammar but they barely can understand anything and
some of them really can’t speak a foreign language. It is know that a deaf person can
learn to read but can not to speak. Being listening a necessary (in my opinion not
sufficient) condition to speak: how is that some teachers pretend that they pupils can
understand and speak if the focus on reading, and the listening skill is absent? How do
they intend their student to be fluent in a foreign language if they don’t provide them
with the necessary in put of audio?
4. Materials are most of the times texts for reading and they don’t consider everyday
life or the pupil’s interests. Students aren’t provided with audio and they don’t get some
keys to a proper spelling in a new language.

5. There is no preference for the most frequent vocabulary, sentences and grammar. Tim
Ferry uses the 20/80 rule. 80% of the time you use 20% of the new language. 80% of
the time you make 20% of the mistakes. The statistical rate it’s not the same for
listening/speaking and for reading/writing. Usually you begin learning a foreign
language with a small vocabulary (1200 to 2000 words).
6. Sometime there are not clear standards for evaluation. Which are the standards for the
exam? How can I get those standards? I prefer precise criteria as the number of known
words, grammar structures, global idea and details after listening, etc.
7.. Your mother tonge interferes with your second language. Sometimes there is a
common origin between the languages and you can lever your learning on that, because
the vocabulary and grammar are more familiar for you (for instance between English
and Deustch or between Spanish and French). Anyway, we can’t forget that the
vocabulary and grammar of our first language and of our second language aren’t the
same!
8. You need a great commitment to learn a foreign language. There is an element of
monotony that usually isn’t balanced with the pupils interests. For instance, learning to
read a little story or a comic may be more funny than textbooks. The student need clear
pre-requisites (look at question 9). If you are not engaged in the learning process it
could be better not to start it at all.
9. Some methods focus on vocabulary and neglect grammar. It is like having 1200-2000
parts of an aircraft and pretend to fly without an engine, you end up speaking like
Tarzan. Other ones focus on grammar but neglect vocabulary: you have a big engine
but no pieces. Some people focus on listening and take speaking for granted, they
suppose that just listening you’ll be automatically able to speak. Some methods don’t
provide audio?!!!!(visual illusion that reading is enough).
So as we can see usually students need to adapt to weird and even stupid methods. On
the contrary, my approach is that method should be adapted to the student’s learning
style. In my opinion, the learning cycle should begin with spelling, continue listening
and reading, follow speaking (without reading), continue reading without listening and
finally writing. You can change the pieces of this system but for me it’s out of question
that listening is previous to speaking and reading is previous to writing. There are some
skills that implies links between visual and auditory: reading out load (visual, auditory
and oral) and dictation (you translate auditory signal to visual signals –so there are some
previous sound and images in your mind- and finally you write them out).
10. Lack of feed back. When we learnt our mother tongue, usually our mother gave us a
continuous feedback about our progress. It’s imposible to ask such a commitment to
our teacher, our pal, our skype friend , etc. So it’s up to you to get all kind of interesting
materials that will allow you to get on the right track.
12. 8. You need a great commitment to learn a foreign language. There is an element of
monotony that usually isn’t balanced with the pupils interests. For instance, learning to
read a little story or a comic may be more than textbooks. The student need clear pre-
requisites (look at question 9). If you are not engaged in the learning process it could be
better not to start it at all.

9. Some methods focus on vocabulary and neglect grammar. It is like having 1200-2000
parts of an aircraft and pretend to fly without an engine, you end up speaking like
Tarzan. Other ones focus on grammar but neglect vocabulary: you have a big engine
but no pieces. Some people focus on listening and take speaking for granted, they
suppose that just listening you’ll be automatically able to speak. Some methods don’t
provide audio?!!!!(visual illusion that reading is enough).
So as we can see usually students need to adapt to weird and even stupid methods. On
the contrary, my approach is that method should be adapted to the student’s learning
style. In my opinion, the learning cycle should begin with spelling, continue listening
and reading, follow speaking (without reading), continue reading without listening and
finally writing. You can change the pieces of this system but for me it’s out of question
that listening is previous to speaking and reading is previous to writing. There are some
skills that implies links between visual and auditory: reading out load (visual, auditory
and oral) and dictation (you translate auditory signal to visual signals –so there are some
previous sound and images in your mind- and finally write them out).
10. Lack of feed back. When we learnt our mother tongue, usually our mother gave us a
continuous feedback about our progress. It’s impossible to ask such a commitment to
our teacher, our pal, our skype friend , etc. So it’s up to you to get all kind of interesting
materials that will allow you to get on the right track.
12 What happens if you can not discern the critical distinctions of a skill?
Could you save money if you spend more than you earn? No, you couldn’t. Saving is
the result of spending less than you earn. Any personal finance system must include at
least three distinctions: income, expenditure, and savings.
Do you think that you have no talent for drawing? Betty Edwards provides a book that
makes drawing available to everyone. There are some basic distinctions in her system:
line, shapes, edges, positive and negative spaces, proportion, light and shadows. You
have no excuse my friend, all talented people make such distinctions, you can learn
them artificially. So if you don’t know how to draw it’s no because you born without a
gift but because you don’t want or you don’t devote the necessary time and attention to
painting following the right distinctions.
What happens if we try to speak a foreign language without listening it? Such a thing is
impossible. Listening is a previous condition (not sufficient in my opinion) to speaking.
If we try to speak without listening we are following the worst of the possible ways,
educational bureaucracy sometimes lead us through that impracticable way.
Our plane will take off and move in the sky (context, pragmatic situation of
communication) you’ll need some vocabulary (1200-2000 most frequent words) and a
generative engine (basic and frequent grammar). Try to listen before you speak my
friend. Try to read before you write. Tailor your material trying to understand at least
90% of what you hear and read. At first, it can be disheartening: too many pieces, too
many vocabulary. Start flying your kite little by little, at least half an hour a day. Close
the circle. The words have a sound dimension (syllables), a visual dimension (letters), a
kinesthetic dimension (pronunciation and writing). The word is associated with a

meaning that can be visual (red, green, blue) auditory (miaow) or kinesthesic (soft).
Those dimensions appear not only in vocabulary but in sentence construction too.
III. MODELING PROCEDURE.
13. How are experts modeled? How to make things right?
You start looking for the best experts in an area of expertise (in our case I have worked
with good teachers and polyglots). You can model an only expert in three different
situations probing his/her skills. Three experts may also be used for modeling
contrasting what they do with average people.
14. How are patterns detected?
The patterns are detected through similarities in three studied situations. David Gordon
and Graham Dawes follow a protocol for the elicitation. Robert Dilts extracts patterns
from differences and variations in the degree of the variables too.
15. Why the installing of metal programs is so important? How to install patterns?
That’s for sure that you have sometime downloaded and installed a program in your
computer. The program is given and you only need one click to install the program at
once. But, you know what? Our brain doesn’t work that way! Human learning doesn’t
happen so fast. To install a new program in your mind you spend time and normally you
have to chunk down the material in small pieces to make it easier. How much time do
you spend installing a program? There is kind of myth that says that it takes three
weeks. Maybe is more exact at least a month. It may be less, it may be more, it depends
on your own experience. Apparently neuroscience suggests that the period is a month.
Remember this: you only can eat an elephant in small pieces. Our brain doesn’t install
programs with a single click, you need to spend time and patience. As far as modeling is
concerned I’d rather say that you should spend 80-95 % of your time installing and 20-
5% of the time extracting the program.
16. . How to make things wrong?
Usually when people have attitude and/or aptitude problems, they make things wrong.
The cause of the attitude problem can be intrinsic or derived from the bad influence of
some other person (sometimes some teachers insert in your mind mental viruses: “you
are not gifted for languages or mathematics or whatever…”).
You can solve an attitude problem reflecting on your own motivations to learn a foreign
language. If unfortunately somebody has infected your mind with a mental virus
(limiting beliefs) you should start neutralizing it.
If your problem is aptitude modeling could be a solution. So, here you can find a lot of
systems for learning and customize or adapt them to you own learning style.
Of course, my friend, starting such an adventure as learning a foreign language moves
you out of you comfort zone into the unknown. Along the way you are going to find
obstacles (you don’t understands, they speak too fast, too many vocabulary and

grammar…boredom, monotony). So, only if your motivation and confidence in your
learning system is high you are going to undertake inevitable obstacles along the way.
17. Which excuses are not acceptable?
You don’t have enough time? I can’t belive it. We all have 24 hours a day. So, if you
are not ready to spend at least half an hour a day to kite your fly and learn a foreign
language these pages aren’t for you. Half an hour a day is a minimum, you should
increase your dedication.
You don’t have money? Oh! Nowadays you can access to free resources and materials
to learn foreign languages. How much does ignorance cost? Suppose that you earn 30
euro for each hour you devote to learn a foreign language, if you spend 3000 hours
studying a foreign language you get a return of 90.000 euro. That’s the way Richard
Vaughan motivates his pupils to spend their time and their effort. Try to fly your kite on
matters interesting to you (traveling, reading, mode, make up, etc.).
You don’t know what you want? Money and love motivate people. If your partner
speaks a foreign language it can be a beautiful challenge to learn it. Maybe you need to
move into another country to make a living, so if you need to speak a foreign language
it can be very motivating too. Precise the scope of your objectives little by little: what
do you want to achieve? Get by in a hotel or in a store? travelling abroad? Simply
reading stories? Listening comprehension at B2 level? Speaking skill at a B1 level?
You can’t learn a foreign languages because you are older than 5? You can’t travel
abroad? It could be that children learn faster because of neuronal plasticity reasons.
Anyway, my friend, take a look on youtube and check out how does Luca Lampariello
speak English, French, Spanish, German. You know what? He never traveled to the
USA and he masters English. He didn’t learn English when he was five. Take a look
again on youtube and look at Steve Kauffman. How old is he? More that five? Yeap!
More than forty? Yeap!. And he follows learning foreign languages. So, it is not a
question of age.
18. What shouldn’t you do after having devoted your time to read this work?
Of course, this text is not only for reading, you need to practice the system described here.
Modelingisabouta systemworkinginyourmind (David Gordon). This text is your friend, you
can take it whereveryouwant.That’s notthe question.Iinsist,onlyif youinstall in your mind
a system of the ideas here presented, you will get a return of profitability.
IV. INSPIRING EXAMPLES
19. How do best polyglots learn?
Usually polyglots have a solid belief system (attitude), so they can get by with the
inevitable obstacles that appear along the way. At the same time they follow useful
learning strategies making more fun, easy, effective and efficient their learning
(aptitude).
Let’s see some of those belief systems.

Powel Janulus, who was modeled by Robert Dilts, used to think that if even people with
mental disabilities were able to learn a language, he could learn too. He had his own
learning system that went directly from language to experience (objects, colors,
actions). He had an original system for auditory notation common for all the languages,
so he could manage quite well with pronunciation in different languages. He tried to
identify himself with the culture and identity of the language he had chosen. He worked
in NLP second position (he identified himself with native speakers) and he used to
correct immediately his mistakes.
Luca Lampariello is well known on youtube. He speaks a lot of languages really good.
He is an electronic engineer, but he loves languages. He likes to make difficult things
easier. He looks for simplicity and fun when he learns a foreign language. His learning
system is named “to close the circle”, he basically translates from second language to
mother tonge, and then from first language to second language. His system allows him
to remember about 80% of the material he reads, listens and writes.
Professor Alexander Arguelles is a polyglot who combines teaching and auto-learning.
He has a deep interest in other cultures and appeals to well focused energy, discipline
and good materials for success in learning. He follows two techniques called
“shadowing” (listening and immediately speaking what you learn; like it were an echo)
and “scriptrorum” (a technique that combines writing and speaking out loud).
Moses MacCormick looks for fun when he learns a foreign language. He looks for big
challenges with difficult languages like Chinese. He feels a big interest for foreign
languages and peoples. He follows a system for speaking called “FLR” (Foreign
Language Roadrunning) basically he wants to accelerate oral production (speaking
skill).
Tim Ferris speaks Japanese, German, Spanish…He looks for efficiency when he learns.
So he focuses on most frequent vocabulary and grammar and follows de 80/20 rule. We
use 20% of our language 80% of the time. He usually begins with phonetics, and then
he assimilates a basic grammatical framework and the basic vocabulary.
Steve Kaufman understands the foreign language process of learning as if it were an
adventure. He focuses on listening. He suggests that everyone with a sufficient exposure
to a second language can learn it. If you can travel and live abroad it’s up to you to
create an environment in which you can become familiar with a foreign language.
Stuar Jay Rag, speaks more than 13 languages. His pronunciation system uses colors.
When he looks at the dictionary some word, he tries to visualize himself speaking that
word. He listens, reads, writes, makes mental maps of the throat, mouth and tongue. He
expands the basics to more advanced degrees.
Michel Thomas used to think that anyone can learn a foreign language. It was just the
responsibility of the teacher to teach it the right way. He created a relaxed and friendly
environment focusing on comprehension more than in memory (what you completely
understand you never forget it). He used the familiarity among some languages
(German-English or Spanish, French-Italian) to somehow lever the leaning process.

20. How do teach great teachers? How do you know is your teacher is a good one
for you?
Michel Thomas though that the responsibility of learning lies on the teacher. However,
Luca Lampariello says that a language can be learned but not taught, so he follows an
auto-learning system. Probably both are right. Depending on the learning style of the
student may be more useful to follow an auto-learning system or hire a teacher.
Professor AJ Hoges, has inspired me. He is a natural motivator and he applies NLP
techniques to learning too. In Spain there is an amazing blog written by Monica Tapia
Stocker for learning English. Professor Alexander Arguelles suggests to adapt learning
material depending on the student’s learning style. In his opinion Pupils drive and time
management are important too.
So there are great teachers out there.
According to Ander Ericsson the best practices to reach excellence through deliberate
practice include:
1. The importance of a coach or mentor who provides motivation and feed-back
about our progress.
2. Visualizing how experts work.
3. Divide and chunk tasks, make things easier.
4. Repeat many times each of these fragments.
5. Use different speed when you repeat, sometime use slow-motion repetitions.
6. Leave the comfort zone and get over our limits.
7. Maximum concentration. Achieving this state is possible only a few hours a day.
8. Feed-back to learn about our mistakes.
Malcolm Gladwell estimated at 10.000 hours (2 hours a day for 14 years) the time
required to achieve mastery in any skill. If we apply the 20/80 rule we can learn the
basics in 2.000 hours.
In the early 30s. Mrs. Maw was 70 years old and asked Dr. Milton Erickson to teach her
how to read and write. She has tried it unsuccessfully for many years. Dr. Erickson
became Mrs. Maw an assiduous Reader Digest reader. Some initial small successes
changed her conviction that she could not learn to read and write. Dr. Milton Ericson
combined simple lines “that even a child could do” and made those lines to have letter
forms. When she formed the first letters, words and sentences she was sure that she was
able to read and write, the rest of the process was quick and simple. Our beliefs
determine the limit of our capabilities, and a good teacher not only provides a good
model or system but also a set of positive beliefs. A belief system is like a leverage
point where you support your cognitive system.
Through modeling we can synthesize talent, we can create talent artificially and
accelerate our learning.
21. And you? How do you learn?

What is your predominant sensory channel? Do you learn better when you see, when
you hear, when you do or when you speak to yourself? Are you interested on principles
or about what experts say? You think that procedures or methods is what matters? Do
you prefer to explore yourself and get your own experiences? Do you learn better when
you relate to other people?
22. How it is difficult to learn?
A set of negative limiting beliefs stops us: if you think that you cannot learn foreign
languages you have an attitude problem. It is also needed to find a model/system to
facilitate the task of learning and give us feed-back about our progress. If you have an
attitude problem even if your learning system is awesome you’re not going to learn.
23. Learning with or without exams?
The real test, the real proof, is when you are in a position to speak the foreign language
with a native speaker. I prefer auto-evaluation maybe because my learning style tends
more to auto-learning. However, I must admit that when we need to face an exam we
usually work harder because of the challenge. More than to get an A or a little victory
the real value of exams is the information that they give us about our progress. When
we must take an exam we manage our time depending on the date for the exam but
learning a foreign language is a never ending story. Maybe you can combine distribute
periods of learning with periods of total immersion in this never ending story.
Michel Thomas and A. J. Hoges avoid exams just because they create unnecessary
tension and negative physiological estates.
24. How do you know that you don’t learn?
It’s up to you to answer this question. I do know that I’m not learning when there isn’t a
learning project running in my agenda.
V. HOW DO YOU LEARN. YOUR LEARNING STYLE.
25 Which is your learning style?
Each person has his/her own learning style. NLP tell us that people usually have a
preferred or dominant sensory channel: some are more visual, another more auditory,
there also more kinesthesic people and people who prefer to talk themselves (internal
dialogue). More than a predilection for a sense it seems that every person follows a
particular order with their sensory perceptions and mental representations.
Ned Hermann developed a brain model distinguishing 4 ways to operate, to think, to
create, to learn and to live, according to the predominance of one of the four brain
quadrants:
1. Those who have left cortical quadrant predominance, are logical, analytical, they
base on facts and figures. They process information sequentially. They think, act
and feel.

2. Those who have right cortical quadrant predominance, are strategists, holistic,
integrative, intuitive. They look for synthesis and process information
simultaneously. They act, feel and think.
3. Those who have left limbic quadrant predominance, are organized, sequential,
planners, perfectionist, collectors. They love procedures and methodologies.
They act, think, feel.
4. Those who have right limbic quadrant predominance, are good communicators,
sentimental, aesthetic. They feel, act, think.
Kolb distinguishes 4 ways for processing information:
1. Through concrete experience. Divergers.
2. Through reflective observation. Assimilators.
3. Through abstract conceptualization. Convergers
4. Through active experimentation. They combine concrete thinking and active
experimentation. Adapters.
Once you have identified your favorite sensory channel, your brain dominant quadrant
and you favorite way to process information you can get a pretty accurate idea about
how do you learn. Differences between the student’s learning style and the teacher’s
teaching style can create some conflicts in the learning process. Imagine an intutive
student with kinesthesic sensorial preference, and then imagine a teacher who loves
concepts and theories with visual sensorial preference. Could they get on? The student
needs to do and experience to learn, while the teacher is more visually oriented an loves
theory…a little conflict could emerge.
From the point of view of language learning:
1. Communicators like interactions and relationships. Maybe they are not very
interested in grammar.
2. Theorists prefer tables and grammar rules. Maybe interaction is not so important
for therm.
3. Intuitive people would prefer experience to theory.
4. Organizers will look for methodology and quality in everything they do. They
maybe spend less time interacting with people.
Each learning style has its strengths and weaknesses. Good polyglots combine in a
balanced way the four brain quadrants: the ultimate goal of learning is to communicate,
so they need to master some principles and a praxis based on a sound methodology, so
they can crystallize intuitively a complex system.
Of course, all this is a simplification. I realized that polyglots use different ways or
systems to learn. Why is that? We are all different human beings. Is there something
common among all polyglots? I’d rather say yes, some circuits are universal. Maybe
each polyglot learn his/her own way, but there are ways that get you where you want to
go, and there are ways to nowhere. Could you write before you read? Could you speak
before you listen? Noop. We need some audio-visual in put before being able to
reproduce sounds and letters. Unfortunately some teachers only give you a list of
vocabulary and they ask you not only to write them correctly but a good pronunciation
too? Are they crazy? How can you reproduce a sound that you have almost never ever

listened before? Aha, bureaucracy. Aha, they have always done things so. Aha, their
common sense is missing: they suppose that only visualizing some words you will be
able to pronounce them correctly!
26. How do you know that they teach you well and you learn well? How do you
know that they teach you wrong?
In the answer to the question above I alerted about some discrepancies that once
identified can be solved. This does not mean that the teacher is bad or the student is bad,
there are simply cognitive styles differences: perhaps some compromise can be reached
between the teacher and the student.
To know if you are well taught and if you learn the right way you need to get on the
track and record and evaluate your own progress.
I wouldn’t accept to learn lists of written vocabulary without the necessary sound and
out of context. How can you speak if you haven’t listened before? Is it really
meaningful a word out of context? The teachers can provide materials according to the
student’s interest and motivation (sports, business, fashion, or whatever it could be).
Evaluation is only a way to give us information and make the necessary adjustments if
necessary. In my opinion it’s not enough to listen, once you have the sound in your
mind you have to pronounce it. It’s just my experience, although I know that following
some theories listening is enough to start automatically speaking. So, I think listening is
necessary but not sufficient to speaking.
So, you need to close a circle: words have a sound dimension (syllables), a visual
dimension (letters), a kinesthesic dimension (speaking and writing). All these
dimensions occur in each word of vocabulary and in grammar, when you built and
combine words making sentences. Whatever the vocabulary or grammar could be, listen
to it, pronounce it, read it, write it. We have to two channels for sound and visual in
put, our hears and our eyes, and we have two channels for the output: our voice and our
hand (for writing). You know what? Our first language will be most of the time out
there, sometimes interfering, sometimes helping, there is a double direction path
between our first and our second language. Is it better to translate or to suspend our first
language? At the beginning some basic cues are necessary, but you cannot always
translate from first language to second language, because they are different languages
with different structures, so I think that at the intermediate phases of the process of
learning we should somehow suspend the interference of our first language.
27. Do you take your own decisions? Do you learn with a teacher or alone?
It’s obvious that a person who prefers communication just because brain reasons will
learn better in good company. Other people could prefer a rational approach and
prefer to learn on their own. Anyway, a good teacher is always a valuable resource,
even a critical resource. However, when there are restrictions in your environment and
you can’t afford to hire a good teacher, you can always study on your own. Even
Professor Alexander Arguelles admits that self-learning is a perfect way in the
beginning.
28. What if we didn’t care about grades?

In the current education system evaluations entail some tension, some fear from failure,
some risk of discredit. Sometimes the negative consequences that the school system
produces in student train ruin people perfectly capable. Some teachers avoid exams
because motivation for learning should go further than passing some tests. I think, that a
good feed-back is always valuable to make adjustments, so I would eliminate
connotations of rewards and punishment when evaluating. The award is the progress
itself, and being aware of some backward movements can help you to enhance your
drive.
29. Learning without plans, without systems, without records?
There are people with such a big motivation for learning that they learn even without
any conscious system. In the past polyglots in Africa learnt through massive listening
and repetition (without distinctions for reading and writing). These days you need to
read and write too. Maybe it’s a good idea to be illiterate in Chinese. Anyway, I
think that some systems for learning are more efficient and effective than others. There
will always be someone opposite to wheel. Do you think that a car will never replace a
coach with horses. Mmm. You know what? Whatever your system is you only have two
hears, a tongue, two eyes, and we usually write with a hand!
30. Do you set your own goals? What scope do you want to achieve? How to design
your own learning project?
Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic. The best polyglots don’t need anyone to
encourage them to learn foreign languages. Each person should set his/her own goals
based on their needs, preferences, beliefs, resources, etc. For setting you own goals you
can follow the SMART method (look at on the Wikipedia). One could be to master
1200 basic words and most of basic grammar (present, past and future) in 9 month,
other one could be to read and listen to an audio-book for one month. Some people will
need to get by when they travel abroad, other will need more ambitious goals.
VI. MYTHS AND TRUTHS ABOUT LEARNING.
31. What if the genetic and Darwinian paradigm of talent were not completely
right?
The dilemma between nature or nurture was somehow decided towards genetics.
Intelligence was something inherited and immutable. Ander Ericcson argues that
deliberate good practice can create talent. Malcolm Madwell has theorized that 10.000
hours of deliberate practice are needed to reach mastery at complex skills like musical
composition, business skills, etc . Good teachers and an a total immersion environment
can make a difference if you are learning something.
It seems clear that some people are born with the virtue of making some distinctions
that go unnoticed by others. NLP modeling makes it possible to accelerate learning,
synthesize talent, creating distinctions, structures and systems that facilitate the process
of learning.
32. Emotional intelligence or intelligence quotient?

Intelligence quotient predicts success. Daniel Goleman introduced the idea of emotional
intelligence, that makes a difference about personal and professional success. Howard
Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory includes: verbal intelligence, mathematical
intelligence, spatial intelligence, musical intelligence, kinesthesic intelligence, intra-
personal intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and naturalist intelligence.
The brain perceives stimuli through sensory channels, processes information in a
sequential and simultaneous way, makes, executes, creates, relates to other people, etc.
A good integration of the four brain quadrants seems to be behind the best results.
Maybe that happens in a random genetic form, maybe it could be possible to replicate
and democratize what have been a random genetic privilege until now.
I don’t think intelligence is absolutely independent from will. A healthy curiosity and
willingness are variables over which we have some control. The belief that the more
you want the more you can could be useful and maybe you can leverage on your will.
Plants need a fertile ground to grow.
33. And if you had something to win and nothing to lose?
If you have nothing to lose and everything to gain you move into a double positive
bound. That is a good starting point for any learning.
34. And if you had no fear or hurry?
Fear is a useful tool of control and some people don’t hesitate to use it in their own
benefit. Teaching sometimes is based on fear. The rush comes either from outside or
we have internalized it. We can set our own pace and use our little space of liberty.
35. Why not to break your grammar rules?
One of the strategies I follow to learn a foreign language is to take the Spanish
vocabulary and built sentences following the grammar of the second language. I get a
little advantage doing so, because if I translate from “Spanish” to second language the
task is easier.
36. Is your mother tongue a leverage or a brake that slows you down? Do you
know how to distinguish true friends from false friends?
You master your native language, that has its advantages and disadvantages. Languages
from the same family (English-German, Spanish-French-Italian-Portuguese) have a
common root, so there is a familiarity between some words, and learning vocabulary is
easier. Michel Thomas and the Peruvian polyglot Jorge Fernandez Gates have
capitalized these partnership among some languages. The downside is that, of course,
languages are different, and the first language usually interferes with the second
language, just because languages haven’t the same pronunciation, vocabulary and
grammar.
VII. MODELING PRINCIPLES.

37. Which principles underlie mental programs?
1. Relax and appropriate physiology. (Michel Thomas, Luca Lampariello, Assimil
method, Alexander Arguelles, Robert Dilts, A. J. Hoges)
2. Spaced learning. (Pimsleur, Michel Thomas).
3. Deep learning. (Michel Thomas, A. J. Hoges. Luca Lampariello)
4. Association. (Michel Thomas, Ramón Camapayo).
5. Total immersion. (Steve Kaufman, Krashen).
6. 80/20 Rule. (Zipf took a text and counted how many times each word appears.
The French mathematician Benoit de Mandelbrot, father of fractal mathematics,
devote his doctoral dissertation on the mathematics underlying the frequency of
words. Tim Ferris uses the 80/20 rule)
7. Combination. (Steiner Brothers use combination and listened grammar, I think
it’s a great idea).
8. Circle closing. Luca Lampariello uses a double translation system first from
second language to first language and afterwards from first language to second
language. I’d rather say vocabulary and grammar have an implicit visual and
auditory remembered component, so you need to recognize sounds, reproduce
them, recognize visually letters and write them down.
9. Leverage. Michel Thomas, Jorge Fernandez Gates.
10. Immediate feedback. Michel Thomas, María Montessori.
38. Where did I extract those principles from?
Modeling polyglots, great students and great teachers they appeared.
39. Do you think those principles are reasonable?
It’s up to you to answer this question my friend. This space is for you own reflection.
40. Is it enough to know these principles?
No. You need to systemize them, internalize them, practice them and verify your criteria
and standards.
41. Is contradiction healthy or unhealthy?
Contradiction and paradox are sources for creativity. There are apparent contradictions
that are partially true. For examples, Michel Thomas said that the teacher was
completely responsible of the student’s learning. Luca Lampariello, on the contrary,
downloads all the responsibility on the students. I think that more than a contradiction
there are two different styles for teaching and learning, Moreover both of them (Luca
and Michel) are excellent teachers and students at the same time.
From a logical point of view, contradiction is dangerous. How is that we are forced to
speak a second language without a previous listening period? How is that if you need to
speak a foreign language material you focus on reading and writing? How is that some
teachers don’t distinguish use from mention and prefer to explain grammatical rules

instead of using them in a relevant context (listening, speaking, reading and writing).
There is kind of logical misunderstanding there that confuses mention/explanation and
use.
42. What if we couldn’t deny those principles?
If we cannot deny those principles the system would be validated.
VIII. PRE - REQUISITES.
43. How much does motivation count? What motivates us? What discourages us?
Motivation has to be greater than the resistance to change. Foreign languages learning
involves overcoming some adversities, so our drive has to be bigger that the feeling
relating to handicap.
We can distinguish between needs and wants. We need bread to survive, although we
want chocolate. Needs from the point of view of submodalities implicate greater
motivation. Who learns before, a person who needs to learn a foreign language or
someone who only wants to learn it? Well, when we were children we needed to
communicate. Tod Epstein said that is amazing how fast you can learn when we have to
survive. Vietnam veterans learned Vietnamese to return home alive. Language is also a
social tool because it serves social needs. If we keep climbing Maslow’s pyramid
speaking languages could be a form of self-realization or a way to social recognition.
Mc Cleland studies motivation from the point of view of power (status), affiliation or
belonging and achievement. So we move towards control, acceptation and success and
we avoid domination, rejection and failure.
Some people need to emigrate so they need to speak a foreign language. Money (work
positions) and love motive most of the people. If your partner speaks a foreign
language you can practice with her/him, you’ll probably be more interested in foreign
cultures.
Some people are motivated to avoid some risks instead of getting some opportunities.
Fear drives a lot and it is on the base of the educational system.
And you, what motivates you? What do you do if you lose your drive? Do you motivate
yourself or do you need somebody to motivate you?
You will find some barriers and difficulties on the way? Are you ready to overcome
them?
1. The sound barrier. The pronunciation is pretty weird, oh man! Native speakers
speak too fast…
2. The barrier of meaning. What does this word mean? And that? And…!!!!
3. The barrier of syntax and grammar. The order and structure of the second
language is new and different of ours.
4. The barrier of writing. If you learn Greek, Russian or Chinese alphabets, so to
speak, are different so you will need to become familiar with them.

5. The plateau. In the beginning the study of a second language is fast, but at
intermediate levels the learning curve flattens and it seems that we don’t
progress despite our efforts.
44. How important is time?
Time is a critical barrier and somehow it’s under our control. It’s a fact that those who
have studied since childhood at an English school, a German school, a French school, a
Basque school…command at least the second language. On the other hand, most of the
students who simply studied the second language as a subject most of the times have a
poor knowledge of the second language. So, the exposure time to a second language
seems to be critical.
45. How important is money?
With more money you can travel abroad or take an intensive course or buy better
materials. I don’t think money is a critical variable anyway. Whatever your economic
situation is there is always something you can do about that. Do what you can with
what you have.
46. What if I am not motivated?
The best thing here would be to stop and think if you are really interested in starting a
learning project. Maybe you can change your motivation changing your beliefs. Robert
Dilts has an useful test about beliefs maybe you can use it like a thermometer for your
motivation.
47. What if I have no time?
All people have 24 hours a day, but we occupy it in different things and those things are
expression of our values. If you don’t have even half an hour a day to start learning a
foreign language, it means simply that you don’t mind learning a foreign language
because it is not important to you.
48. What if I have no money?
Wealth it is not only about money but also about things that you can do for you and for
others. You can start learning a second language with a very low budget. Perhaps the
absolutely essential equipment are an mp3 reproducer (almost all cellular phones have
one) and reading material (preferably audio-books graduated according to the level of
each student). Oh my friend, with little money, a lot of motivation and some time you
can learn foreign languages. So, here money is not the problem.
IX .BASIC DISTINCTIONS, PROCESSES, PROCEDURES, SYSTEMS AND PRINCIPLES.
49. Which are the basic distinctions to learn a foreign language?
1. Pronunciation.
2. Vocabulary.
3. Grammar.
4. Listening skill.

5. Speaking skill.
6. Reading skill.
7. Writing skill.
Think about that, my friend: we all have in our minds some kind of audio archives
(listening comprehension) and visual archives (reading) about each word. Only if we
have those memories we are able to reproduce them: speaking and writing. Think about
that my friend… grammar is about order and structure: has grammar an audio-visual
component? It’s up to you. Yeap.
So, how do best polyglots face those distinctions? Good question. We’ll address it a
little later.
50. Which order to follow? Process and procedures? What is the difference
between a process and a procedure? What are the operating principles?
Some teachers focus on vocabulary. Others prefer to focus on grammar. Some people
prefer to read and listen before studying grammar. Some people just listen a lot of time
before trying to speak. Other ones start listening and speaking just from the very
beginning. Of course, there is a traditional system to focus on reading and writing.
Some teachers believe that after a massive input of the second language mistakes
correct themselves. Other experts suggest that you should correct your mistakes from
the very beginning through immediate feedback and self-correction.
Oh, there are a lot of ways.. and Frank Sinatra did it him way…. Each of us will have to
decide too.
Most materials present progressively vocabulary and grammar. It is important to
graduate materials according to the student’s level. I think we should start with the
pronunciation. After pronunciation I should put my focus on listening, and most
frequent vocabulary and grammar (listening and reading are critical to me, only if we
have a memory of sounds and letters we are going to be able to reproduce them later
speaking and writing). So I’d rather start listening and reading, later I should listen
without reading trying to understand. Can I reproduce what I’m listening and reading?
So, I should try to listen and repeat, read and write, listen and write. At the end of each
unit I should study a little grammar. You know…Has grammar and audiovisual
component? What about double translation? It could be useful because you read and
write. It could very useful because even when we speak a foreign language our first
language is dominant and we translate from our first language (Luca Lampariello’s
systems for translating is very interesting).
51. How many dimensions does a word have? How to close the circle of learning?
How to modulate the intensity of the differences?
The word has an aural dimension (listening comprehension), a visual dimension
(reading) and a kinesthesical dimension (speech and writing). We see and understand,
that’s reading. We listen and understand, that is listening comprehension. We talk to be
understood, that is the speaking skill. We write and are understood that’s the writing
skill.

When we learn vocabulary and grammar we have to cover all dimensions, not only
reading. Do you recognize the word/sentence when you listen? Are you able to
pronounce it? Can you write it down? Can you read and understand it? Some people are
aware of all those dimensions. Luca Lampariello’s system includes double translation
first from first and second language. That makes sense, at first we think with the
vocabulary and structure of our first language. Pimsleur somehow knew that there are
two separates channels for listening-speaking and listening-reading. Illiterate people
can’t read or write but they understand and speak. Somehow there are at least two basic
circuits for listening-speaking and reading-writing. We have in our memory sounds and
letters associated, so we usually don’t read and immediately write but, usually we listen
and read so we create a strong aural-visual association. Once this strong association is
created, we can reproduce sounds (speaking), decode sounds into visual letters, and
decode letters into sounds.
The complex linguistic system could be reduced to vocabulary, grammar and
pragmatics (contexts of communication). The multidimensional aural, visual and
kinesthesic (oral for speaking and hand for writing) applies to vocabulary (the pieces of
the aircraft) and to grammar (the motor of the aircraft).
52. How is that we do not notice those circuits?
We speak our mother tongue pretty well. It is easy for us to understand and be
understood, we listen and automatically understand, we speak, we read, we write. We
are not aware of the difficulty of those tasks and we don’t remember the time we have
spent learning them. We acquire an unconscious level of mastery in which we get a
deep understanding of the whole system and parts of our language.
53. Does the size of the vocabulary and grammar matter? What is the scope of our
goals?
An airplane of papercanfly(onlya piece,asmall pushand itfliesalittle),butit won’t get very
far. With1200-2000 wordsof vocabulary andbasic grammar youcan make a pretty good basic
system. To fly higher and to read, you will need to extend your vocabulary to 7.000 to 9.000
words.Dependingonwhere you want to go you will need a simple aircraft or a complex one.
Yes,the size of the vocabularymatters. The motor of the aircraft is important to, so without a
good control of the grammar you won’t go too far. Without the structure of the syntax, the
pieces will lack connection and the engine won’t work.
.
54. How is that children don’t confuse use from mention?
Children are leading experts about learning languages. Children learn vocabulary and
grammar intuitively when they use the language. Because of inertia and historical
reasons the educational system focuses on mention: how grammar rules work. Babies
first listen and speak, the educational system asks for reading and writing. What was
first listen and speaking or printing? Guttenberg came later. The natural way is to use
the language first and then deduce grammar rules. It seems that education is somehow
confused by the importance of writing and reading. What is the historical cost of
confusing the logic levels of use and mention when learning a second language? I don’t
know what Sir Bertrand Russell should say about that.

X. THE "OPEN SOURCE" GENERATIVE MODEL.
55. What consists of the model? How to learn a foreign language?
Modeling has two important aspects. One is to extract the mental software from experts.
The second one is to transfer the extracted model and install it in other people. I will
focus on the second one.
Here I follow basically David Gordon’s model for installation with some little
innovations.
0. Ecology.
1. Primary Motivator (Yours). Why is learning a foreign language important to you?
2. Laboratory of experiences and Primary Motivator: I consider all temporary lines
present (experience, good practice makes perfect), past and future. Which are your
past, present and future experiences about learning a foreign language?
3. Definition/ Criterion/ Evidence + Supporting Emotion (physiology +mental state)
What is important for an expert when he/she learns a foreign language? What
emotion (physiology and mental state) uses he/she when he/she learns?
4. Laboratory of experiences and Definition/Criterion/Evidence. All temporary lines.
5. Supporting Emotion.
6. Laboratory of experiences about supporting emotion.
7. Supporting Beliefs. Which is the system of beliefs of our expert/s?
8. Primary Strategy. How does he/she do when he/she learns? Which distinctions are
critical? Is there and order? Are the processes simultaneous or sequential.
9. Enabling Cause-Effect. What makes it possible for the expert to learn?
10. Secondary Strategy. What do we do if our first strategy for learning doesn’t work?
What do we do with mistakes?
11. Self assessment. Third Position. Do we record and evaluate our practice?
Does it sound weird? Let’s see some examples about each of the distinctions with our
admired polyglots.
0. Ecology. Learning a complex skill as to understand and express oneself in a
foreign language involves some changes in your thinking and behavior that can
affect your life? It makes sense to consider in advance which could be the
consequences of these changes in other areas or your life. Make sure that you
make the changes that you want to do.
1. Primary Motivator. Why is important to you to learn a foreign language? Do
you want to travel abroad? Do you want to study using a foreign language? Are
you interested in other cultures? Do you want to obtain more professional
opportunities? Do you want to read scientific articles? Do you want to
communicate with your partner if he/she speaks a foreign language? Do you
want to increase your status and power? Do you want to overcome a challenge?
Do you want to establish new relationships? The Primary Motivator is about
you, not about the expert or the model. I insist, here matters your true reason.

Here they are some reasons for polyglots:
o Michel Thomas. The innate drive to learn.
o Luca Lampariello. Moving around the world in many languages
(girlfriends, relationships, information, entertainment, education, etc).
o Alexander Arguelles. A deep interest in other cultures.
o Moses McCormick. Learning a foreign language is a way to extend your
identity and project your personality through other cultures, so you will
change your way of thinking.
o Tim Ferris. He is a traveler and speaking foreign languages helps you to
move around the world.
o Powel Janulus. He wanted to identify himself with another cultures and
languages.
2. Laboratory of experiences and Primary Motivator.:
o Past. Take a look at you past experience. Have you ever needed to speak
a foreign country? Is there any connection between knowing a foreign
language and your primary motivator?
o Present. Take a look at your present experience while you practice a
foreign language? Is there a connection between your primary motivator
and your actual practice?
o Future. Imagine that you are in the future (bridge to the future). Is there
some connection between your primary motivator and your future?
Although David Gordon and Graham Dawes test the Primary Motivator
only in the past I find useful to extend the test trough all temporary lines,
especially in present because you will need a big deal of practice.
3. Criterion, Definition and Evidence. Here I introduce 3 concepts:
o Criterion: What is really important for the expert when he/she learns a foreign
language?
o Definition: What is to master a foreign language?
o Evidence: How do you know that you master a foreign language?
Here we consider the expert’s criterion, definition and evidence. For instance:
 Michel Thomas.
Criterion: What is important to learn a second language? A relaxed and
stress free environment. You don’t forget what you completely
understand. Building first the structure (grammar) and later fill it with
vocabulary. Immediate feed-back and auto-correction.
Definition. What is to master a foreign language? Express yourself at a
functional level. Here in Europa I’d rather say it’s a B1 level (Common

European Framework of reference for Languages), a survival level of
expression and understanding.
Evidence. How do you know that you master a foreign language? When you
know how to build sentences and correct your own mistakes.
 Luca Lampariello
Criterion. What is important to learn a foreign language? Make things easy
and take it easy.
Definition. What is to master a foreign language? Understanding the second
language and feeling comfortable to speak it. It is a process that goes through
stages. In the intermediate level the curve of learning slows down, and it
seems that you don’t progress. I’d rather say that although Luca considers all
levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced) he moves at a very high
standard probably a C2 level in Europe.
Evidence. You feel comfortable when you speak and you understand.
 Alexander Arguelles.
Criterion. What is important to learn a foreign language? Well focused
energy, intelligent methods and good materials.
Definition. What is to master a foreign language? Express yourself fluently
and correctly. Understanding. He moves at very high level probably C1-C2
in Europe.
Evidence. You understand and you speak fluently and correctly.
 Moses McCormick
Criterion. What is important to learn a foreign language? To learn as soon as
possible and find ways to have fun while learning, good materials and
practicing with native speakers.
Definition. I haven’t found any interview answering this question. Anyway, I
bet I won’t be very difficult to complete it.
Evidence. I haven’t found any interview answering this question. Anyway, I
bet I won’t be very difficult to complete it.
 Tim Ferris.

Criterion. What is important to learn a foreign language? To learn quickly.
Methods and materials.
Definition. What is to master a foreign language? Understand 100% and
being understood 95%. I’d rather say, Tim considers a functional and survival
level, let’s say B1 in Europe.
Evidence. You understand and are understood.
4.- Laboratory of experiences and Criterion-Definition-Evidence. Now I
want you to choose only one of the polyglots, test in your experience his
Criterion-Definition-Evidence. Does it work in your past experience? Does it
work in your present experience? Let’s go ahead and imagine that you are in
the future, would the triad Criterion-Definition-Experience work in your
experience? For instance, let’s say that you choose Michel Thomas and you
are a beginner student: is important to you to built correct sentences , to get
immediate feedback in a relaxed environment and to be capable of correcting
your own mistakes? Does this Criterion-Definition-Evidence match your past,
present and future experience?
Make your learning funny, take it easy and make it easy, use good methods
(strategies) and materials, study regularly, immediate feed-back, self-
correction…etc. are without a doubt critical aspects. By the way, when you
go to the school, you have to pass an exam to get an A or B or an F or
whatever, but rarely the teacher explains you which strategies you have to
follow to reach the required standards (We will get to that point –strategies- a
little later, so it makes sense at least to me to model the systems and
strategies the best polyglots use and adapt them to your own leaning style!)
5.- Supporting emotion. All experts agree: the emotional state is a key
aspect when you learn a foreign language.
 Michel Thomas. It is very important to create a relaxed and stress-free
environment to avoid memories of school headed by fear. It’s through little
and continuous progresses that students self-convince of his/her own
capability, this way enthusiasm is generated.
 Luca Lampariello. Passion, joy, patience are some of his supporting
emotions.
 Alexander Arguelles. He introduces a physiological innovation. He
recommends listening and repeating out load while you are
walking/exercicing.
 Moses McCormick. He loves challenge, the more difficult the language to
learn the better.
 Tim Ferris. To him facing challenges is very important too.
 Steve Kaufman speaks about passion and patience.
 Assimil Method. Lessons are brief and sense of humor is present.

 Sugestopedy. It is a method created by Dr. Lozanov that paces breathing
and baroque music while student learn vocabulary. Pupils assume new
identities and roles and can choose new beliefs and behaviours.
 A J Hoges. He proposes physical and mental (NLP swichss technique,
submodalites) exercises at the beginning of the class.
 Robert Dilts. For Robert emotional stage is so important as content. The
neurophisiological predisposition is so important as the directions given
during learning. He has a pretty good job about postures and physiology.
The pupil himself can contrast which states are good for effective learning
and which states are distracting or blocking.
The emotional state has a physiological dimension (matrix of sensations in
the body) and a cognitive dimension (beliefs). Dr. Paul E. Dennilson has
created a system of physical exercises that can improve the coordination
between brain hemispheres. Mexican Luz Maria Ibarra has also published a
book about physiology and learning. The pioneers of the cognitive
component of emotions were Lesley-Cameron Bandler and Michel Lebeau
who addressed some techniques to gain control over emotions in their book
“Emotional Hostage” . Wyatt Woodsmall says that emotions are the result of
images, the tonality of our voice (internal dialogue) and sensations (some
sensations cause other sensations to happen).
We could distinguish the moments about emotional states: previous to
learning, during learning and after learning (probably a good emotion about
the future will help to consolidate learning).
What is the emotion you lean on when you learn a foreign language? Joy?
Challenge? Patience? The supporting emotion will help you to sustain the
Criterion in your experience when you practice them in your temporary lines
(past, present and future). Look for vivid and intense experiences until you
can maintain the supporting emotion.
6.- Test Criterion-Definition-Evidence and Supporting Emotion in all
temporary lines. Now you have to test in all temporary lines (past-present and
future) all the previous components: Criterion-Definition-Evidence and
Supporting Emotion. Do they help you to express your capability in each
situation (past, present and future experiences)? When you satisfy the Criterion
you help to satisfy Primary Motivator
7.- Supporting Beliefs. There are usually punchy statements, kind of motto or
slogan. Look for in your own experience those beliefs. Here are some
supporting beliefs of our geniuses.
 Michel Thomas. You never forget what you completely understand.
Teaching takes place in the now.
 Luca Lampariello. Studying and learning is funny. Anyone can learn a
foreign language following his method.
 Alexander Arguelles. I you are a mature student, you’d better learn yourself.
 Moses McCormick. Try to be a foreign version of yourself. Your personality
and your mindset change when you learn foreign languages.

 Tim Ferris. Traditional education doesn’t work, so he proposes something
better.
 Steve Kaufman. Learning a foreign language is just a question of practice.
8.-Test your supporting beliefs in all temporary lines (past, present and future):
Do they work?
9.- First strategy. A first strategy is what the experts do when they express their
skill. A second strategy is what experts do when the firs strategy doesn’t work.
Here we present different strategies for:
1. Phonetics.
2. Vocabulary.
3. Grammar.
4. Listening skill.
5. Speaking skill.
6. Reading skill.
7. Writing skill.
1. Phonetics.
 Luca Lampariello’s phonetic strategy. Luca’s pronunciation is awesome,
so native speakers usually get amazed when they listen to him. This way
the motivation for him to follow is greater. Phonetics fascinates Luca.
(1) He reads a phonetic introduction of the essential sounds (2) then
he goes to practice: listening and reading at the same time, this way he
creates a link between the written word and the sound. (3)
Understanding sounds is important in order to reproduce sounds.
He pays more attention on the musicality of the whole phrase rather than
on the pronunciation of simple words. (4) Once we understand how
phonetic works we are ready to speak . For instance, you can start little
monologues with yourself, nobody is going to correct our mistakes but
we are going to gain fluency. (5) Search somebody on the skype to
practice the foreign languages, this way we get feedback. The critical
moment to gain a good pronunciation is in the beginning, “A good start
makes win the middle of the battle”, this way you are going to listen new
sounds and reproduce them gradually. He get his awesome accent
through listening and what he calls “emotional repetition” of words and
sentences: he imagines himself as a one more character of the film he is
watching and interacts with the other characters (It seems kind of NLP
“second position” when yourself in someone’s shoes).
 Powel Janulus phonetic strategy. He didn’t try to repeat words to say
them correctly. Instead of listening carefully to the pronunciation he
observed a native speaker and reproduced his/her facial expressions,
movements and gestures –In NLP putting yourself in other’s skin is
known as “second position”- (Was he somehow aware of the
physiological phonetic cues? I don’t know, maybe). Then he started to
speak and he memorized the feeling he experienced while pronouncing
those words. He used to mentally record words in his own notation

system. He had his own notation code of pronunciation for all the
languages he knew (he spoke 28 languages). This code of pronunciation
was different from the one used for spelling. So he visualized in two
different languages (maybe you can use different colors) one for
pronouncing and another one for spelling. A great idea! Maybe some of
you know what IPA (an international code for pronouncing) is, it’s a
kind of phonetic alphabet, most of dictionaries use it, but I don’t find it
very useful because it doesn’t work on keyboards, and even if you
somehow can reproduce it on your keyboard you lose a lot of time. So, I
find a great idea to create your own pronouncing notation.
 Ramón Campayo’s phonetic strategy. Campayo has his own notation
system too. The international code (IPA) in my opinion doesn’t work as
well as it should, so to me creating your own notation system for the
sounds makes sense. Campayo uses sound associations and he creates
weird and funny stories that allow him to associate some sound of his
first languages (Spanish) with the sounds of other languages.
 Pimsleur. You just listen and repeat sentences.
2. Vocabulary.
 Powel Janulus’ vocabulary strategy. Powel Janulus learnt Pakistaní living
with a Pakistani family. One day he watched a mentally handicapped speaking
Pakistaní, so he decided he could learn too. Robert Dilts modeled Powel
Janulus’ vocabulary strategy, he distinguishes between object and actions,
adjectives, adverbs and phrases. You need to look for a native speaker and ask
him/her to make a list of 6 objects (door, chair, etc) , 6 actions (run, jump, hold,
etc) and ask him/her to say the word, draw, point and execute the action in the
case of verbs. Student try to imitate the pronunciation and expression of the
native speaker in second position, trying to say the word at first looking at the
word, and later without looking. The students are asked to pronounce the words
when they are shown and to write them down when they listen. In the case of
verbs students will take action. In the case of adverbs and adjectives similarities
and contrasts will allow to make distinctions (dancing fast, walking slowly,
green pencil, green chair, red chair..etc).
 Ramón Campayos’ vocabulary strategy. Let’s say that in a short period
of time you are going to travel abroad. Which words would you take in the
backpack? With this premise Ramón creates a list of vocabulary with his own
transcription for sounds. His hearing strategy is to find a similarity with his
own native language, the he creates extravagant visual stories to remember the
sound, this way he fix in his long term memory the sound of words.
 Tim Ferris’ vocabulary strategy. Tim seeks the 500 most frequently
used words in the spoken language. His approach is statistical. While it’s
pretty easy to find that kind of list for written language, it’s not so easy for
spoken language. It’s really a shame but there is no statistical approach for
spoken language.
 Pimsleurs’ vocabulary strategy. The Pimsleur method is based on spaced
repetition. The first lessons introduce translation of dialogues in your native
tongue. This method is very useful for the listening and speaking skills. You
learn to read later. Often the words are repeated through the lessons. So, there is
a circuit for listening and speaking and another one for reading. The drawback is

that written texts are not included. I like this method but you need to look a
solution for reading and writing to avoid became just illiterate.
 Luca Lampariello’s vocabulary strategy. Luca usually works with the
Assimil method. On each page you can read the translation into your native
tongue. He closes the circle: listening and reading, listening without reading,
listening and speaking, and then he translates (writing) from 2L to 1L and
from 1L to 2L. This strategy allows him to retain what you read, listen and
write.
 A. J. Hoges’s vocabulary strategy. He explains verbally and provides
written material about the vocabulary.
 Lozanov method’s vocabulary strategy. The accelerated learning is
based on a state of relaxation created by the pace of breathing and baroque
music. There is an active concert music that actives the brain frequency
(allegros), the material is read and pupil contain breathing while the teacher
recites. In passive concerts baroque music is used, pupils listen to the vocabulary
while the music sound in the background and breathe at the same pace that
word are recited, the contain the breathing while the information is provided
taking breathing (taking are in and out) during the breaks. Pupils try to visualize
images too during the passive concert.
 Steve Kaufman’s vocabulary strategy. Repeated listening is the key
(some time he repeats twenty times). He reads about topic of his personal
interest. You can learn the vocabulary better if you know how it sounds and if
you read it. So, it’s better to learn vocabulary in the context of a sentence.
 Michel Thomas’ vocabulary strategy. This teacher used to begin with
basic vocabulary taking advantage of the common family between 1L and 2L
(for instance English and Deutsche have an indo-european root, French and
Spanish have a lof of words in common because the two of them are bad Latin).
He puts a special focus on verbs, because they are the nucleus of the sentences.
Frequent used phrases are studied too. Spoken active vocabulary is about 1500
words. It’s funny but you need at least 7.000 words if you want to start reading.
Can we somehow design a method and combine some of those tips and procedures? I
use to create a data base with an open source software “Teach 2000” you can write the
words and its translation, you can put a phrase to remember it, you can put your own
audio (I usually put my own pronunciation a native speaker’s one would be better), an
image… you can review following the Pimsleur method (spaced repetition). You can
use baroque music in the background…you can evaluate your results. Is it possible to
test your pronunciation, no my friend, nothing in this world is perfect… sometimes
because we just don’t imagine solutions. Not perfect, but pretty good.
3. Grammar.
Grammar studies the rules and principles governing the use of languages and the
organization of words in a sentence. Sintaxis is the part of the grammar that studies the
ways words combine and the relationship between them. Basically we can reduce
grammar to the order in which words are put together and how verbs are conjugated.
 Michel Thomas’ grammar strategy. The master teacher followed a method
developed through his lifetime to concentrate learning in about 40-50 hours. He
focused on mastering basic grammar and vocabulary. Classes were intensive 8-

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