MSI Press Blog

  Ever seen those planes in airplane magazines -- learn languages like a diplomat? The implication is that a course being sold teaches you like diplomats are taught. Misleading. I taught diplomats for six years. While the "courses" are generally ripped off, older, public-domain courses that very likely were used at the Foreign Service Institute at some point in time, they actually do not represent how diplomats are taught since diplomats learn language from interactions with skilled teachers, working in highly individualized environments and very small classes. Very little of what they do in their intensive day-long classes can be represented in a textbook, which generally is just a jumping-off point for work on language development.  That said, a few MSI Press books are written or edited by teachers who did teach or supervise teaching programs for diplomats. They wrap the theory in content meant for non-diplomats, self-learners, or specific kinds of language classes in ways

  Excerpt -- # 14   Tapping into Learner Motivation with Authentic Texts   Olla Al-Shalchi (University of Texas at Austin)   Using authentic material in the language classroom is essential. It not only helps build learners vocabulary and grammar but gives them an insight into the culture of the region. During the early stages in learning a language, it may be challenging to find appropriate authentic materials, but when learners are at the Advanced level aiming toward Superior-level proficiency, that challenge no longer exists and the sky is the limit with the authentic texts available. Additionally, authentic material motivates learners to continue learning the language because they see that they are closer than ever to reaching professional proficiency. Learners feel accomplished and proud when they are able to work with texts that were intended for native speakers. At the Advanced level, learners after have mastered the most common grammatical structures and have learn

The National Museum of Language is something that we just learned about, and it is quite a neat place for linguists, teachers, students, and anyone just interested in languages. According to its website, NML's purpose is to inspire an appreciation for the magic and beauty of language. Just because we just learned about only means that the word has not gotten around--at least, as fasr as us at MSI Press LLC in California. The history, provided at the website, shows that NML has been around for a while: The idea of a National Language Museum in the Nation’s Capital began in 1971 among a group of expert linguists, language specialists, and language enthusiasts who were intrigued by the potential of a unique kind of museum. Over decades of feasibility studies, startup pains, and slow but steady incremental growth, The National Museum of Language (NML) opened its doors in May of 2008, sustained by a nearly all-volunteer governing board and roster of docents.  The physical exh

  The following excerpt comes from Practices That Work (Thomas Garza). Introduction             This volume represents a revised and expanded version of the 2008 first edition titled What Works: Helping Students Reach Native-Like Second-Language Competence and includes, in addition to all of the excellent original contributions, [1] eleven new pieces from language practitioners with experience in Language Flagship Programs and/or university programs with established records of success in bringing learners to Professional-level proficiency in languages. Like its predecessor, this new edition seeks to offer the reader a broad selection of tested, successful models of practice from classrooms in both government and post-secondary institutions that have attested results of professional proficiency among its learners. Its intended audience is the language practitioner who understands that the goal of attaining high-level proficiency is possible and is looking for new or additional wa