MSI Press Blog

  Diplomats don’t necessarily learn better than university students, but they learn differently —with higher stakes, tighter timelines, immersive conditions, and training systems designed for real‑world performance rather than academic mastery. Those conditions produce faster, more functional proficiency gains, especially at the ILR 2–3 levels. But when it comes to the highest levels—ILR 4 (“full professional proficiency”) and ILR 5 (“native‑like”)—the picture becomes more nuanced. 🌍 Why diplomats learn differently Diplomatic language learning is shaped by three forces that university students rarely experience simultaneously: 1. Mission pressure Diplomats must use the language to: negotiate, read local press, understand nuance, avoid cultural missteps, and build relationships. This creates a performance mindset , not a “pass the course” mindset. The brain encodes differently when stakes are high and communication matters. 2. Intensive, full‑time study Foreign Service Institute...

  Discover the Tools That Make Communication Feel Natural and Effortless Let’s be honest—learning a foreign language isn’t just about mastering grammar or memorizing vocabulary lists. It's about finding your voice in another tongue, navigating real-life conversations without freezing up, and feeling confident enough to keep the dialogue flowing—even when words escape you. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Luckily, there’s a book that reimagines fluency not as perfection, but as functionality . Boris Shekhtman’s How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately arms learners with practical, field-tested tools that diplomats and professionals have used to succeed in high-stakes communication scenarios. 🧠 Communicate First, Polish Later Forget the myth that you need to know everything before you speak. Shekhtman’s methods prioritize real-world interaction through: Verbose Communication : Use what you know to say what you mean—even if it takes more words. Fluency isn’t...

  Among language learners and would-be language learners, there has always been great interest in how do diplomats learn language since they are often held up as the premier language learners (and users). Well we know that. Among MSI Press authors are individuals who have taught diplomats and who have led language-learning programs for diplomats. Want "recipes" and hacks that teachers of diplomats use that anyone learning a language can benefit from? Well, check out these books. By Dr. Thomas Garza   Practices That Work: Bringing Learners to Professional Proficiency in World Languages By Betty Lou Leaver Achieving Native-Like Second Language Proficiency Individualized Study Plans for Very Advanced Students of Foreign Languages The Invisible Foreign Language Classroom (with Laura Dabbs) Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star By Boris Shekhtman Communicative Focus How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately Working with Advanced Foreign Language Stude...

  We regret to announce that on March 18, 2017, Boris Shekhtman passed into eternal rest after a long battle with cancer. His colleague and friend, Natalia Lord, wrote the following commentary on his obituary page: I have known Boris since 1982 as a colleague and friend. He was a genuine trailblazer in foreign language teaching, caring not only about what bits of language his students had acquired, but also focusing on how to help them effectively use their language in face t o face communication with native speakers. His belief that an instructor is responsible a student's proficiency, spurred him to come up with his Rules of Communication and eventually his own method of teaching. He continued to learn from his student's challenges and pass along the findings to the broader foreign language teaching community through his writings. The full significance of his contribution to the field probably won't be understood for quite some time because he was so far ahead of most of ...