MSI Press Blog

      excerpt from  Individualized Study Plans for Very Advanced Students of Foreign Languages  by Betty Lou Leaver Chapter Two The Need for an ISP at High Levels of Foreign Language Proficiency Achieving near-native competence generally does not come by serendipity, coincidence, accident, or “a fluke,” although occasionally (rarely) such things do happen. I know of several people who have said that high level proficiency just happened to them—but even so, it was only after many, many years of study and use of the foreign language in professional situations. Most high-level language users have reported spending much time in direct instruction, study abroad, and self-study (Leaver, 2003a). The average length of time taken by native-like speakers of nearly any foreign language, based on recent research, is 17 years (Leaver and Atwell, 2002). Some learners have been able to achieve this level, however, in much shorter periods of time. Most of these learners had a ...

Today's story behind the book gives a look behind the scenes at  Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Superstar  by Dr. Betty Lou Leaver. From the Author This book was an amalgamation and an outgrowth of the Tuesday language learning tips I would sent out to students on every Tuesday morning when I was the Provost of the Defense Language Institute-Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC). When I retired and become more involved with the civilian and academic worlds, the need for this book -- ways to improve (and speed up) language learning success was clear. In assembling books for MSI Press to exhibit at a CATESOL conference, it made sense to refine and organize these tips into a book for all language learners to have as a feature at the conference. And so this book came into being.  For more posts about Betty Lou and her books, click  HERE .  VISIT OUR  WEBSITE  TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OUR AUTHORS AND TITLES. Purchase this book at 25% discou...

  Please enjoy this month's newsletter form the Museum of Language here . Read other posts about the National Museum of Language here . See posts about language learning and teaching here . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter (recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date)   Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC?  We help writers become award-winning published authors. One writer at a time. We are a family, not a factory. Do you have a future with us? Turned away by other publishers because you are a first-time author and/or do not have a strong platform yet? If you have a strong manuscript, San Juan Books, our hybrid publishing division, may be able to help. Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start?  Our  author au pair...

   Achieving Native-Like Second Language Proficiency  (Speaking) by Betty Lou Leaver is a research-based catalogue of factors that would seem to predict ability to reach the highest level of foreign language proficiency and is based on common characteristics shared by more than 200 near-native speakers, identified by self-report, survey, and interviews by master testers. While there were a lot of surprises in the data, some results fell in line with expectations. For example, students shared many strategies. These included the desire to use and the ability to exploit authentic context and authentic materials. They preferred to check their work or otherwise turn to a native speaker or to use a native-produced publication as a guide, rather than to work with reference aids, once they had reached. This was a strategy that changed from strategies that lower-level students used and then these very same learners had used at lower levels. Further, in keeping with observations of...

  Today's Publisher's Pride is  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by Boris Shekhtman, which reached  #13 in study and teaching reference and #34 in academic and commercial writing reference .  Read more posts about Boris and his books  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC monthly newsletter (recent releases, sales/discounts, awards, reviews, Amazon top 100 list, author advice, and more -- stay up to date) Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Interested in publishing with MSI Press LLC? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Planning on self-publishing and don't know where to start? Our  author au pair  services will mentor you through the process. Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy ...