MADURAI: Students can acquire and improve foreign language skills through social media. The easy way was explained by Prof.Milton Powers, a popular French faculty in Madurai, in his talk at Fatima College in Madurai on 26th February 2020.
10 POINT ROUTE:
Prof.Milton Powers gave 10 points on how to learn foreign languages like French or German etc by using social media.
1.Create and establish the contact with the polyglots, language
specialists, professors who have good spoken language etc and
follow them in social medias and maintain the contact with them
to practice the language.
2.Watch the You Tube videos but in French or German with the
objective of developing the languages. For example, see the video
of French cuisine to know the recipe of making a Poulet roti
(roasted chicken). The beginners can see with the sub title in
English or reduce the speed of the video. This practice with help
to have the right pronunciation and intonation.
3.Interact with the native French speakers without shyness and
hesitation. The mistakes can be corrected. This interaction will
become the habit and routine in due course.
4.Join in the groups which are interested in developing language
skills in facebook and in whatsapp. Interact with other students.
Choose a topic to be discussed. Fix a date and time and discuss
the topic in simple phrases. It is better to prepare some points to
discuss the topic. This practice will give a good result in
developing the spoken language.
5.In social medias the students should not use other languages
other than the foreign language they learn and practice. For
example they should not use tamil or English. In case if they don’t
know a word or phrase in French, they can ask the others, know it
and have to speak.
6.The wishes can be shared to the friends through messages like
Birthday, marriage, new year, functions etc. Chatting in foreign
language will help to develop the writing skills without mistakes.
7.There are many sites to learn and practice foreign languages.
Exemple : Busuu, Duolingua, Mosalingua, FluentU, Natoo, Live
Mocha, Les Tutos etc. Some sites are free and some offer free
lessons for a particular period.
8.Watch the movies, serials, quiz programs, discussions and listen to
the music according to the level of a students.
9.The social medias can be used during the free time, travel time
and time of relaxation. For example, in the train and bus, during a
long wait in a queue, in the waiting hall in different places and
during the peaceful time.
10.The time which is spent on social media just to pass the time can
be used to develop a language outside the class in an interesting and
funny way.
