The study of language learning is very complex. How do people learn language? Why do children learn languages so easily, so quickly and so perfectly? Researchers that study language learning have made a lot of progress. We now know more about the answers to these questions than we did fifty years ago. But there is still much we donﾕt know.

Some people are better at learning a second language. They seem to have a natural talent for learning a second language. In 1979, Rubin, a language researcher, decided to examine people that were "good language learners." Rubin thought that researching about this would help us understand more about language learning. She discovered seven things that good language learners did. She found out that:

1. Good learners are willing and accurate guessers.
2. They have a strong drive to communicate, or to learn from communication.
3. They are often not inhibited.
4. They think about correct grammar and sentence structure when they speak.
5. They seek out practice.
6. They monitor their own speech and the speech of others.
7. They think about the meaning of the sentences they say and hear.

(I'm not sure if the following translations are correct but they will probably help your understanding.)

1. よい学習者は自発的であり、正確な質問者である.
2. 彼（女）達は、コミュニケーションしたり、コミュニケーションから 　学ぼうとする強い行動がある。
3. 彼（女）達は、ほとんど内気なことはない。
4. 彼（女）達は、話すときにただし文法および文構造に注意する。
5. 彼（女）達は、練習を探し出す。
6. 彼（女）達は、自身の話や他人の話をチェックする。
7. 彼（女）達は、言うたり聞いたりした文の意味を考える。

Researchers have now discovered over twenty-five strategies that good language learners use. The following is a list of some of these strategies.

1. Good language learners imitate (模倣する) the language by practicing aloud and silently.
   (you can repeat the English sentences and phrases you hear while watching an English video or song)
2. they relate (関連する)new information and concepts (概念) to others in their memory.
3. they place a new word or phrase into a meaningful sentence(s).
   (make a sentence with new vocabulary and phrases you learn)

4. they use available information to guess meanings.
5. they use available information to predict outcomes.
   彼（女）達は、利用可能な情報を結果を予測するために使う
6. they cooperate with other learners and work with their peers to combine information and do language activities.
7. they ask the teacher or native speaker for clarification, repetition, explanations and examples.
   彼（女）達は、明確な意味、反復、説明及び例を求める。
8. they use English reference materials (English dictionaries, English articles for reports, the Internet in English)
9. they use Japanese as a base for understanding and/or producing the second language. 彼（女）達は、英語語を理解するため、喋るため、日本語を基にする。
   (watch the Japanese news before you watch the English news/read the translation in English of a book you have read in Japanese (for example you can read the English translations of Murakami Haruki)

Using these learner strategies is very important because they allow learners to make the most of each language learning experience. They help learners become more independent about their language improvement. Learners must teach themselves. This is the most important strategy for becoming a good speaker.

We will use some of these strategies in class. You will imitate the sentences on tape for your textbook. You will try guess and predict during the listening exercises. If you speak with me after class then you will probably ask me for clarification or repetition. You will work together in groups for many activites. Try to cooperate with memebers in your group. Try to help each other enjoy the lessons during class. In the final assignment, you will work together as a group to record several conversations. You will be graded as a group. Working and cooperating with other classmates to improve your English is a very important language learning strategy.

It is impossible to learn English if you study for only one and a half hours once a week. In order to become good at English you must make it part of your life. You must listen to English as much as possible. You can watch English programs on TV. You can listen to ZipFM. You can listen to NHK Radio English Conversation. (Please look at the other papers that I give you today to find out when the English programs are on TV.) You can rent English movie vidoes. You can listen to your favorite English song. There are listening tapes in the LL, as well.

Don't worry if the listening is too difficult. You donﾕt have to understand everything! One time you can listen to only the intonation and pronunciation and the next time you can try to learn a few new vocabulary words. But listen to things that you are interested in and things you like. If you have a favorite actor or actress, watch a movie with the actor or actress in it. Record it on a video tape and watch it many times. All these things can help you learn English.

The following is a list of three activities that can help you practice your listening:

1. Choose your favorite song in English and dictate it. ,li>Choose two or three sounds whose pronounciation you would like to improve. Listen to any English song. You can record one from Zip FM. Listen carefully to these sounds in the song. Write down all the words with the sounds you have chosen.
2. Go to a Taiken lesson of any Conversation school. Listening is very, very important. It is the best way to learn English because it is the most natural way. It is the way children learn to speak. Please improve your listening. You cannot be a good speaker if you are not a good listener.

In this class you will use e-mail to improve your English. You may email me messages if you would like, but I have over 200 students so please donﾕt be upset if I donﾕt answer very quickly. I love to here comments about class. Please tell me if you liked or disliked a particular lesson or activity. These help me make better lessons for you. If you donﾕt give me feedback it is difficult for me to teach you in a way that is good for you. In this class, you must find a keypal (an e-mail penpal) you can easily find one. There are many people all over the world that want to practice English with you. I expect you to find a keypal and print out the messages you write to each other. Keep these printouts of your messages in your notebook. Many assignments using a keypal will be given in this course so please find a keypal as soon as poosible. Start this week. An excellent site on the internet, called Daveﾕs ESL Email Connection, can help you find a keypal. The address is:

Please look at the homepage (Daveﾕs ESL Cafe) for this site, as well, (), especially his ﾒlinkﾓ site. The link site address is: .

You can also look at to learn about email punctuation. (*U*) It was recommended to me by a student and it is very, very interesting! Here are some examples:

• にこ (^_^)（^_^）（＾_＾）（＾＿＾）（ ＾ ＿ ＾ ）
• にこ (^o^)
• まいった (*_*)
• まいった ＼(●o○;)ノ
• わくわく o(^o^)o

Additional email sites for finding a keypal are:

• http://www.comenius.com/keypal/index.html
• http://www.mightymedia.com/keypals/
• http://www.encomix.es/~its/newdoor.htm
• http://www.ncmc.cc.mi.us:433/esl/penpal.html

There are many sites that you can do on the internet to improve your English -- sites to improve your grammar (); your writing (); your vocabulary, slang and idioms (); your reading, just about anything. Please try these sites and discover some of your own. The internet is a powerful tool that will help you now and in the future. Please discover how useful and fun it is. The internet has information about all of your interests - sports, movies, pop stars and anything and everything else. And as you learn about these things you will be improving your English. You can use the internet in Japanese or English. Use both. Some sites have information in both Japanese and English. Read the Japanese first and then try to read the English. (Point #9 of the good language learner.) But remember that good language learners use resources in English! (Point #8 of the good language learner.)

Additionally, there is much more information in English than in Japanese on the Internet.

When you do lessons on the internet please write down (1) the address of the site (2) type of lesson you did (3) the date (4) the time you started and the time you finished (5) Write down whether you enjoyed the lesson or not and if you would recommend it to other students. Write this information in your notebook. I will give you 10 extra points on your final exam if you complete more than fifteen activites on the internet. (Also, please tell your classmates when you find something interesting on the internet.)

English is very important for your future. It is an international language. Many people need English for their jobs. People who are good at English will have better and greater opportunities. Japanese people that I have met have been able to reach higher positions in their companies because they can communicate with foreign clients. English is used not only when communicating with English speaking countries like Britain and America but with Asian and European companies, as well. Researchers in Japan know the advantages of being good at English. Many important journals and books are written in English. In addition, many conferences are held in English as well. I have met many Japanese people in America that were sent to America by their companies for research and for business. They were chosen because they had better English skills than the other employees in their companies. They were not just lucky. They were smart because they realized in university that English was important for their futures. Because they realized this, they were given the chance to live abroad. They were very, very happy about this opportunity. If you want increased opportunites, if you want to be international - then you must be able to read, write, speak and listen to English. Please improve all of your English skills because all English skills are important for your future.

1. Who is Rubin? What did she discover?
2. Have you ever used any of the nine good language learner strategies from the second list? Which ones?
3. What is the most important learner strategy?
4. What learner strategies will you use in this class? What learner strategy will you use in the final assignment?
5. What options are available for listening to English? Name five.
6. If a listening is too difficult, what should you do?
7. What is one of the three listening activites that I suggest? Can you think of a good original listening activity?
8. What is the most natural way to learn English?
9. What is a keypal? Do you have to find one? How can you find one?
10. How many keypals should you find for this class?
11. What will you do with the printouts of the messages you send and the messages you receive?
12. What can you find at this address? http://www.etl.go.jp/People/harigaya/doc/kao.html
13. What English skills can you improve on the internet?
14. What is the address of a site that can help you with English idioms?
15. What can you do to get ten extra points on your final exam?
16. How many pieces of information about the internet lesson must you write down in your notebook? Name two.
17. What will increase if you become good at English?