(for part 1, check out the previous blog article)
Every language learner will encounter specific life
situations he or she will need to tackle later on. Everybody learns a foreign
language with an individual objective. Even if many students are not aware of
this. They say they just want to learn language XYZ “perfectly”.
The greatest problem with most standardized language
tests is that they do not test to that individual component. They are generic
and the same for all students around the globe. Therefore, their predictive validity,
that is, their capacity to predict whether a person will be able to successfully
use the respective language in real life, should be quite low.
The alternative would be to have a multitude of tests
for different situations: language tests for accountants, tourist guides, bank
clerks, construction workers, etc.; for living and working in New Zealand,
Jamaica, Alaska, Northern Ireland, etc.; for interacting with delinquent youth,
the elderly, members of the high society, angry customers, etc.
For very few professions, there are tests like this.
The reason why language testing is not more specific is that most standardized
tests are needed
·
to obtain
scholarships or to be admitted in educational institutions, or
·
as a requirement
by government authorities (e.g. for a residence or work permit).
That is, they are bureaucratic in nature. The
consequence is like at school. Many language learners, fearing the standardized
test, will postpone preparing for their individual life situation until after
the test. That is, they will lose sometimes years, in which they could have
already been training language skills specific to their future work situation.
As a language learner, you should try to have clear
goals written on paper about what to do with that language. Even if you are
preparing for a standardized test, you should already be learning in parallel
in the direction of your personal goals. Remember, the real test will be
whether you can master your specific private and work life situations later on,
or not. There are many that successfully pass all the necessary exams, but fail
miserably in adapting to real life. There are also many that are highly
successful in using foreign languages without ever passing any exam.
The GO Method
“I have been living in
Germany for years. I have gone through all the levels and sustained the
necessary exams. Nonetheless, I still make too many mistakes as to get a
serious employment in my profession.”
It is easy to start a foreign language. It takes only
practice and living abroad to get fluent. To learn the last (!) 5% and to speak
without mistakes, however, you will need completely different approach.
The GO Method helps you get rid of your chronic grammar and
pronunciation mistakes by applying psychology and principles of quality
management.
We offer corrective courses for some languages, as well a
general system for improving your use of any language. We support companies in
improving the language proficiency of key employees.
Gerhard J. Ohrband
Psychologist and polyglot from Hamburg /Germany (*1979).
Married, one son. MA in psychology from the University of Hamburg. More than 15
years of experience as a university lecturer in psychology as well as a
consultant for UNICEF, Terre des Hommes, IOM, the EU and private companies.
Coordinator of the GO Method network, with representatives in more than 90
countries worldwide.
Contact
If you want to save time in learning a foreign language
without a teacher, please check out my book “The GO Method” on Amazon.
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