MSI Press Blog

  Excerpt from Achieving Native-Like Second Language Proficiency PREFACE Contrary to popular thought in some quarters, learning languages to very high levels of proficiency, i.e. those very close to those of native speakers, is, indeed, possible. Not only is it possible, it is done on a routine basis by a number of learners, not only in other countries, but in the United States , as well. True, the numbers in the United States are not large, but they are sufficient enough to show that it can be done here, as well as in countries of Europe , Eurasia , Latin America , and elsewhere. Further, there are some very skilled teachers quietly producing these levels of proficiency also on a regular basis.       The problem is not the ability to teach to native-like levels of proficiency in direct instruction programs or the ability to learn to native-like levels of proficiency, given the appropriate help and experience. Rather, the problem lies in the all-too-pervasive mindset that high leve

  All English Blog posted a review and overview of How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately by MSI Press author, Boris Shekhtman. The review is dated, but the information is fresh and so comprehensive that it is indeed worth bringing readers' attention to it, especially the detailed overview of the book contents. Summary given in the review, which gives an extensive overview of the book contents: "If you want to have a relationship with a native speaker you need to be able to communicate on their level. And using these approaches helps you put your best foot forward and helps you look your best using the existing language skills and vocabulary that you possess." The review can be seen HERE . For more posts about Boris Shekhtman and his books, click HERE .                                              Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter                           Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

  Released yesterday: the hard cover of edition of How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately by Boris Shekhtman.  Read all about the book HERE .                                                  Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter                           Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .

  MSI Press has added to its collection of affiliated books, a self-published book edited by Boris Shekhtman, a prolific author of MSI Press books and books published by Cambridge University Press. Contributing authors include Dina Kupchanka (Specialized Language Training Center), Natalia Lord (Foreign Service Institute), and Svetlana Sibrina (Specialized Language Training Center).   To purchase this book on Amazon. click HERE . For more posts and Boris Shekhtman and his books, click HERE . For more posts about Dina Kupchanka, click HERE . For more posts on language learning, click HERE . To see more affiliated books and learn about affiliated status, click HRE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter.

  And the best books of First Quarter 2024 are ... drumroll! .... Amazon Top 100 Greg Bagdade's book, Mental Health Mayday , reached #51 in Psychology Education and Training and #83 in safety and first aid. Kris Girrell’s book,  Learning to Feel , reached #60 in biographies of social scientists and psychologists. Shannon Gonyou’s book,  Since Sinai , reached #11 in biographies of Judaism. Steven Greenebaum’s book,  An Afternoon’s Dictation , reached #59 in ecumenism. Larry MacDonald’s book,  RV Oopsies , reached #80 in travel humor. Bob McGee’s book,  A View through the Fog , reached #63 in bridge engineering. Ken Mogren’s book,  Spunky Grandmas and Other Amusing Characters , reached #71 in limericks and humorous verse. Boris Shekhtman’s book,  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately , reached #15 in study and teaching references and #35 in academic and commercial writing reference. Awards A View through the Fog (Bob McGee) Pinnacle Book Achievement Award An Afternoon'

  Continuing in what seems to be coming a trend -- we keep coming across videos of readers -- teachers and language learners -- who have fallen in love with     How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by  Boris Shekhtman . The falling in love is not surprising; this book is the darling of diplomats and international journalists, both groups of individuals that Boris spent his life teaching. What is a little more surprising is the number of people who have quietly made videos about the book and its contents -- and which we stumble across upon occasion, such as today. Here is one such video: How to Use Language Islands to Reach Fluency Faster - YouTube The book contains seven tools, one of which is "islands." While the assumption may be -- and often is -- that these tools can help improve language proficiency at intermediate and advanced levels, it can also improve proficiency at the very lowest and very highest levels. With islands (which are essentially completely i

  Boris Shekhtman's thousands of fans will be delighted to know that their clamoring for an e-version of his popular book, How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately , has resulted in a Kindle book becoming available. Description of the book: This is the fifth edition of a popular book that provides a unique and extremely powerful set of tools designed to enhance an individual's success in communicati0n in a foreign language environment. The devices presented allow the speaker of a foreign language to demonstrate the level of his/her language more impressively, so impressively, in fact, that it appears that the speaker's language itself has improved overnight. These techniques were developed and tested by the author with adult professionals in such varied fields as journalism, diplomacy, government, and international business. Many of these professionals have attested to the efficacy of these tools in their own columns. For more posts about Boris and his works, click

  Communicative Focus (Shekhtman and Kupchanka) which has been read for language instructors for year is now available as an e-book. At last! Book description: In the current volume, the author describes in detail the theory and nature of the principles and practices used in his approach to language teaching. He is not afraid to talk about some aspects of language learning and teaching, such as the development of lexical and grammatical accuracy, as well as the need for memorization and the development of memory, that have been increasingly omitted from the classroom as a result of the rise in popularity of theories that debase their significance but which are very important, especially if students are to reach the highest level of proficiency. He also discusses some ideas, such as the unique nature of the connection between language and meaning that native speakers experience that non-native speakers must learn to deal with-in differing ways at differing levels of proficiency. His fo

  Today's Publisher's Pride is  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by Boris Shekhtman, which reached  #15 in study and teaching reference and #35 in academic and commercial writing reference .  Read more posts about Boris and his books  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter 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  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com. Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can! Find the

It is Thursday, and we are talking about the highest levels of foreign language proficiency as we do every Thursday.  One of our bestselling books for language learners, How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately , is not necessarily for Level 4 learners, but rather it provides guidance for learners and teachers at all levels of language proficiency. The author was Boris Shekhtman, shown above, the Una Cox Chapman (i.e. most outstanding) teacher at the Foreign Service Institute, where he taught diplomats at all levels of proficiency. Later, he taught foreign correspondents at the New York Times and the LA Times .  Another book, much lesser known, is his book, How to Use Your Russian in Communication Effectively , an MSI Press affiliated book.  For more posts about Boris and his books, click HERE . Read the full review  HERE . For more ideas about teaching at near-native levels (and to share your experience and research), check out the  Journal for Distinguished Language Studies

  Today's Publisher's Pride is How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by Boris Shekhtman, which has been a reader favorite for a very long time and is described in Amazon reviews as "the book most polyglots recommend." It recently reached #43 on Amazon's besttseller ranking for study and teaching resources. For more posts about Boris and his book, click HERE . For more publisher pride posts, click HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter 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 . 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  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com. Want to communicate