The Gauntlet

by AJ

I'm throwing down the gauntlet. I've read plenty of research. I've listened and talked to excellent language learners such as David Long, Steve Kaufman, and Jerry Dai. I've taught English as a foreign language for six years, and have carefully observed what seems to work best and what does not.

But in the end, integrity comes down to personal performance. Its not just what you know, or what you believe, its what you actually do.

And so I am committed to making myself an example of natural, grammarless, input-based language acquisition.

I will give myself two years to achieve fluency with Spanish. I will continue to use comprehensible input based methods, and ONLY comprehensible input based methods. No traditional classes or textbooks. I will continue to observe a listen-first silent period for at least another month (bringing the total to 4 or more).

Two years from my start will be May 2008. At that time I'll do a podcast, in Spanish, and let folks judge the results for themselves. I may even do a few podcasts before then, to provide a kind of before & after contrast.

In short, I am putting my money where my mouth is!

Stay tuned........

San Francisco, CA