listen to learn language.. if "listen to learn" language, then learn to listen..

listen to learn language means we learn by listening.. babies aren't born speaking correct language.. we need some time to listen before we even start to speak.. TPR and TPRS don't ask students to speak at first.. TPRS and TPR ask students to listen to a repeating flow of comprehensible input.. listening, little by little, we learn to understand what sounds mean..

so what?

so what's worth listening to? what makes a language speaker say anything worth listening to? for the listener, if the language spoken is totally incomprehensible, it's not worth the effort to listen.. listener tunes out.. if the listener understands the language but doesn't care about the message, then listener tunes out..

can you hear me?

if listener tunes out, how can speaker ask listener to tune back in? ask good questions:

• what did i just say?
• is it x or y?
• etc.
• did you hear me?

do you feel me?

make input meaningful by relating language to what's really going on.. not just yes and no but maybe:

• pleasure or pain
• good or evil
• love or hate
• true or b.s.
• life or death
• blah or bla

who are me?

who am i? do you actually believe that question? is it possible to storyask yourself?.. ask yourself, which question below is correct language? which question communicates more to you?:

• who are me?
• who is us?
• who am i?

• two voices
• call response