MSI Press Blog

  From  Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star WORK YOUR MEMORY  Just having a memory is not enough for good langauge learning. One just use it. Here are some ways in which you can use your memory.  Make rote memory your back-up, not your primary approach Learning "by heart" ids the least effective means of remembering anything. Yes, there are tools, such as flash cards. Yes, this is among the most popular approachces of traditional textbooks. And yes, relying on rote memory can set learners up for overload and failure. As a back-up, yes, it can provide a sense of support and be there when you need automatic and even unthinking recall, but as s business-as-usual approach to language learning, rote memory is not the business you want. Associate memory works better, and binnding works best. Take a look --    Rote memory Rote memory is what you learn without a whole lot of meaning attached. Just repetition. Of course, repetition is one of the ways to get inf

Released today! This book encompasses traditional tips that have worked for most people and then goes way beyond them. adjusting them to individual learners and teaching the learners to develop their own heuristics for rapid and successful language learning.  Within these pages, the reader can find a trove of treasure, such as strategies and tactics reading, listening, writing, and speaking mental management ways to manage cognitive dissonance ways to control emotional reasoning the connection between health and language learning understanding and improving memory knowing how personality type and cognitive style affect learning successfully preparing for tests

  From  Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star No one uses the word, sloth , nowadays, but it is a good word. Learners who spend their time glued to a chair, couch, or bed will find themselves fighting fatigue—from doing too little. Get up, get out. Run. Go to the gym. Whatever it takes to get the blood circulating in your body, and the endorphins that come from exercising pumping through your veins. Those endorphins play an important role in learning. See more posts on  this book . See more posts about   language learning.                                         Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter                           Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

  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

  From  Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star Chemicals I once had a student who appeared unable to retain anything she was taught. Trying to figure out the cause, I gave her a series of learning styles test, which had odd results. I called her into my office and told her, “Either you answered the questions very strangely, or you have a storm in your head.” “I have a storm in my head,” she said, which was not the response I expected. It turns out that she had been given some incorrect prescription medicine that had caused some temporary damage. With her permission, I spoke to her doctor, who told me that the medicine had caused damage to short-term memory that would, over time, dissipate. With some support from the doctor, we were able to move beyond her temporary impairment. Chemicals can impede language learning, where possible they should be avoided. Here are some chemicals you may not be thinking about: some allergy medications nicotine too much alcoho

  Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) Discount begins (first day) at 99 cents, with amount of discount decreasing during the countdown period, so, if you are interested in the book, snatch it on day one for the best price. (Subsequent prices, though, are something to smile about as well.) Books return to regular price the day after the last day listed below. Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star 4/13 - 4/20 Blest Atheist 4/14 - 4/21 Tucker & Me 4/15 - 4/22 AWARD HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL HONORABLE MENTION How to Stay Calm in Chaos 4/16 - 4/23 AWARD KOPS-FETHERLING INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS HONORABLE MENTION Paperback formats (and in some cases, hard cover formats) of the above e-books can be purchased on discount at MSI Press webstore; use FF25 as a coupon code to get a 25% discount. Q Books on deep discount at  MSI Press webstore /books available while supplies last: 10 Quick Homework Tips  (McKinley-Alder & Trombly) 365 Teacher Secrets for Parent

  From  Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star Time Off: Marinating the Mind   Acquisition of a language does not occur in one setting, one course, or one year. It goes without saying, then, that language study will not be continuous, at least in the sense of every day without break. Of course, there will be breaks. Though many students, especially those in intensive courses, worry that they will lose some of what they have gained while they are away from their studies, that is usually not the case. You see, language proficiency progress comes from both conscious learning and unconscious learning—and something I call the marination factor, which is related to the unconscious factor. As with cooking, “marination” requires taking some time out and walking away from active work. Just as meat does not remain the same while marinating, neither does your brain. It is busy sorting and categorizing the information you have been stuffing into it during you active conscious

  Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) Discount begins (first day) at 99 cents, with amount of discount decreasing during the countdown period, so, if you are interested in the book, snatch it on day one for the best price. (Subsequent prices, though, are something to smile about as well.) Books return to regular price the day after the last day listed below. Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star 4/13 - 4/20 Blest Atheist 4/14 - 4/21 Tucker & Me 4/15 - 4/22 AWARD HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL HONORABLE MENTION How to Stay Calm in Chaos 4/16 - 4/23 AWARD KOPS-FETHERLING INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS HONORABLE MENTION Lamentations of the Heart Mingled with Peace and Joy 4/23 - 4/30 Spunky Grandmas and Other Amusing Characters 4/23 - 4/30 Paperback formats (and in some cases, hard cover formats) of the above e-books can be purchased on discount at MSI Press webstore; use FF25 as a coupon code to get a 25% discount. Q Books on deep discount at  MSI Press webstore /

  Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) All books begin (first day) at 99 cents, with amount of discount decreasing during the countdown period, so, if you are interest in the book, snatch it on day one for the best price. (Subsequent prices, though, are something to smile about.) Books return to regular price the day after the last day listed below. Survival of the Caregiver  (Snyder) 12/10-12/17 Tucker and Me  (Harvey) Hollywood Book Festival  12/11 - 12/18 The Widower's Guide to a New Lif e  (Romer) Book of the Year finalist 12/12 - 12/19 Christmas at the Mission  (Sula) 12/13 - 12/20 Heart to Heart Resuscitation  (Montgomery) 12/14 - 12/21 Blest Atheist  (Mahlou) 1/8 - 1/15 in time for Orthodox Christmas, reflected in the opening and closing scenes Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star! (Leaver) 1/9 - 1/16 Paperback formats (and in some cases, hard cover formats) of the above e-books can be purchased on discount at MSI Press webstore; use FF