What is matrix method of learning English?
The shortest way to learn any foreign language is to begin with a so-called matrix. That is, 25-30 dialogs or other texts in this language, read by native and only native speakers. Other sounds in the dialogs are very undesirable. Speech only. If there are pauses between phrases more than one second long, they must be cut. What about the vocabulary of the dialogs? Simple, often used words, short phrases are good, especially if you are a novice. Emotional and expressive speech is desirable, but only positive emotions. If you are listening about something negative, even in the foreign language, it will influence your mind negatively, too.
A dialog should be 30-50 seconds long. It's an optimum size. Speed must be normal, as people speak in real life.
First, you listen to the first dialog, again and again, three hours a day. It may take two or three weeks. Why so much? Because our brain tries to detect the sounds of the foreign language using the basis of the sounds existing in our language. So, when you just begin, you don't really hear what you hear. And it takes time to detect everything correctly.
When you are sure you have heard everything, start to listen and simultaneously read the text with your eyes only. It will also take few days. Listen and read, until you can read each phrase as fast as you hear it.
After this, begin speaking, trying to exactly copy the pronunciation of the speakers. You can return to listening if needed. Do it until you can read the whole dialog with ease.
Having finished with the first dialog, come to the second, and so on.
Then loop all the dialogs and listen them, and listen, and listen. Then speak, and speak, and speak - from the first to the last. Three hours a day, about two months. Do it until this speaking will be as usual to you as, say, your cup of tea in the morning.
Working with all the matrix takes from half a year to year. It will give you basic vocabulary, as well as listening, reading and speaking skills. Now you are ready to improve your skills and broaden vocabulary through reading books and watching films.
Criteria for matrix dialogues in detail:
- At least average quality of sound, without cracklings, voice distortion, etc.
- Often used grammar and words.
- Complete and logically ended plot.
- Speed should be absolutely normal, not intentionally slowed down for novices.
- Language should be natural, living and not poor. Here is an example of the worst possible dialogue: "Have you eaten the apples? - I have eaten the apples. - What am I doing? - You are sitting". If your language is very little-known, for example Indonesian, even this will be a treasure, but in case of well-known languages - choise is surely wide enough to find something else.
- Positive, emotional, humoristic content if possible, or neutral if you haven't found anything else. Never allow negative content.
- If you are a total novice, it's better to begin with 20-30 seconds and simple phrases like "Hi, how are you?", then make the grammar more complex and time longer. If you have some knowledge of the language you may begin with complex grammar if you wish. Maximum time is 60-70 seconds, not more, otherwise your brain will have difficulties in analyzing all the dialogue.
- Taking radio report or news for your dialogue may result in extreme difficulty while trying to repeat it. People don't speak in so long phrases in real life.
- No background sounds like dog barking and street noise. When you loop the dialogue and listen it for 10,20,30 min…, first time it's funny, but later becomes a real torture.
- If your language is not so popular, you may use an audiobook as a last resort. However narrative intonation is not like that in the speech, if you don't have any choice, that will do.
I also want to put here some ideas from the book in short.
- Train your pronunciation as well as possible.
Heavy accent can make your speech very hard to understand. Both articulation and intonation are important here, because intonation takes part in the meaning of the sentence also. In most cases an adult can't get rid of accent at all and it's normal. Just do you best to reduce your accent as it is possible, that will be fine. It is good if you can consult some specialist who can estimate your speech at this point.
- Don't think that the effectivity of a language course depends on its cost, and never believe that you can learn a language in "3 months" or "one minute a day".
Learning a language is a hard work, unless you are a genius having unusual abilities, but in this case you needn't to read any instructions… And a general person can learn a language in a year, it's minimum, and for a hieroglyphic language or, say, Russian or Hungarian, with their complex grammar, it will take even longer. So don't give your money to any frauds who promise you easy life.
- Never believe that once you go to the country, you will learn its language in some magical way.
Moving to another country to LIVE there is a very big stress, and learning the language will be the last thing you care. If you are a tourist, magic also won't work here. To learn a language you have to immerse, and immersion is quite a painful process, there are many examples of Russians abroad who don't speak the language and know only basic words to buy something, ask "how can I get to…", etc. Learn the language at home, in comfort, while you have this possibility, and then go abroad to practice.
- Never think that you can learn a language by songs.
Let's take an example in quite good English, in my opinion:
Ten thousand people, maybe more.
People talking without speaking,
People hearing without listening,
People writing songs that voices never share
Hear the prophet make his guess
That paradise lies to the west,
So join his quest for the sun.
Shades of death are all I see -
However good it sounds when accompanied by music, you won't speak this English in real life, will you? Rhythm, intonation, etc. - are quite different. I won't speak of RnB, gangsta rap, techno… - their language is either unnatural or very specific, in the best case. So songs may be a catalyst that warms up your interest to the language, and nothing more.
- Don't be afraid if you can't understand some words when reading.
Language is not mathematics. You can't assimilate information in the same way - first this word and this grammatic rule, then next… This is how our mind "is made", he just grabs what he finds interesting, and not in one day, what on earth made you think so? HE needs time to analyze that. So read your book and if you don't understand what is "jabberwocky" - is it really this important? You understand the main plot, and you can guess about often-used words, so seldom-used ones will also, little by little, join your vocabulary. There are polyglots who recommend reading without dictionary at all, but not all people can stand it.
Once you guessed what does a word or expression stand for, looking for it in the dictionary to confirm your knowledge won't do any harm.
- Read only big novels (I believe I have explained why) and only interesting to you.
Language is not an end-in-itself, it's only means for getting and exchanging information. If you meet something exciting that makes you forget that the language is foreign, results will be wonderful. But if you read some "very intelligent" classical book that you will never read in your first language, you may feel a desire to quit pretty soon. However, it's not a dogma that you should read only easy fiction. If you are fond of reading classical books - please enjoy them. And if you are interested in special literature on physics, politics, marketing, etc. - read it in foreign language, why not?
- Never mix your first language and the language you study.
Especially if you read a book and want to use its finished translation. Your goal is not understanding this very book, but "grafting" the second language into your Ego. If you want to translate a word very much - use dictionary, no one prohibits this. But if the translation is always around, you'll all the time look at it, unable to resist temptation. Will you learn something in this case? What about your language intuition? developing of thinking in the foreign language?.. they may feel free to go to sleep, as soon as the master has chosen an easy way. I won't tell that artistic translation is often unlike the original in phrases and constructions.
Note: all the aforesaid doesn't concern hieroglyphic languages. Here you can do whatever you like, for learning hieroglyphs is very difficult, and parallel texts may be a good help.
- Don't think that natives should explain you grammar of their language.
Only a philologist or a teacher is able to do it, and a general native uses all the grammatic rules intuitively. Of course do talk to them, it's very useful, sometimes you may ask them about idioms (what does it mean - "butterflies in the stomach"?). But if you want to get explanations, use grammar guide or etymological dictionary please. Don't make people feel embarrassed asking them about things they don't know and mustn't. By the way:
- Don't learn grammar rules, unless you need to pass tests or get some other formal confirmation of knowing language.
It's really very useful to read grammar guides, especially at the stage of matrix. But if you want to operate phrases and constructions automatically, thinking in foreign language will be enough. This goal can be achieved by books and films - kind of immersion, then by talking to natives or someone who knows language, etc. If you learn the table of first, second and third form of irregular verbs - you'll know this table, but when using it in real life you'll at least think a lot. If you feel such a wish to "learn" something - let it be finished phrases and turns of speech. Retelling your book may also be useful, if you like this business.
- Don't use subtitles while watching films (except for hieroglyphic languages).
It's clear, I suppose. Your purpose is not understanding this film but teaching yourself to understand the speech you hear. But if you've seen one film several times and there are some unintelligible places that you want to clear - watch the whole film with titles after this, or the difficult places only.
- Don't mix two languages belonging to one group.
If you learn Spanish and French, many similar words will mix into your mind and it'll be quite difficult to separate them, and if it's Spanish and Italian, or Spanish and Portuguese, the interference will be really awful.
If you want to learn two languages at once, choose languages from different groups (e.g. German and French) and alternate them like this: three months first one - three months second one. But note that if your native language is relative to the one you study, they will mix also. Based on this, we can conclude the next rule:
- Try to contact to your native language as little as possible.
Films, songs, talk-shows… you can do without them and it's not very difficult. Only communication and reading when needed. It can do you a good turn. If you don't get any entertainment in your own language, you'll be very glad to get in in foreign one, and here, please, as many books and films as you wish.
I believe that's enough for today))
Q: What's the reverse-resonance matrix?
A: It's set of audio dialogues or texts in the language your learn. What you are to begin with. You'll listen to them for a long time and then read aloud.
Q: Where can I get the dialogues for matrix?
A: From any existing course, taking into account the criteria given above.
Q: What's the purpose of working with matrix?
A: To help you create new linguistic center in your mind, to fight antagonizing of your mind, for it will suffer stress from the strange language and do everything to make you stop. To get basic skills for understanding by ear, reading and pronunciation. To analyze and assimil all the tiniest nuances of the language subconsciously. To get some beginning knowledge of words and grammar, and using that foundation, start building the "house" of your language. To feel free using the new language for all the rest of your life. To restore your language to active after long period of non-practice.
Q: How many dialogues should the matrix contain?
A: 20-30 for alphabetical language, and twice more for hieroglyphic one. This number was gotten by experience. While going further and further, you'll notice that effectivity becomes lower and lower, all the sounds and structures are familiar, so once you may stop and come to listening to all the dialogues you've passed, from beginning to the end.
Q: How long does it take to work over all the matrix?
A: Matrix can be completed in 6-8 months, may be less or more. Why such rough definition - people differ and languages differ, too.
Q: And how long does it take to become close to a native in your language skills?
A: Experience shows that it's 1-2 years. But exploring the real depth of language and all its nuances is an infinite process, and regarding your first language, it's also true.
Q: How much time a day should I give to language studies?
A: 3 hours is an optimum time. If you are sure you won't be tired, please study more.
Q: How can I find so many time for language learning?
A: By stopping watching TV, for example. Is there something so important? Playing computer games or surfing inet are also not necessary things to survive, at least for a year you can do without it. And what do you do in transport when you go to work or from work? All this time can be productively used. If you are a very busy person, you can find at least an hour. Who does search will find everything…
A: Many mp3 players have the feature of replaying the same file again and again. If yours hasn't, use a sound editing program, like Audacity, and make a big file by repeating your dialogue for 20 minutes or something like that.
Q: May I divide my studies into few?
A: Yes, each session should be at least 20 minutes long.
Q: If I listen to a dialogue and want to sleep, does it mean I'm lazy or incapable?
A: No, it doesn't. Just a normal reaction of your brain to the same information repeating all the time. Fight sleeping by walking, it's very effective. You may also let yourself sleep a little, some people become more fresh and ready to study after this.
Q: Will the matrix teach me a foreign language?
A: No, it's not enough. Once matrix is completed, begin to read books with minimum dictionary, watch films, listen to radio - 3 hours a day as well. The best is to combine it. If listening is difficult, you may focus on reading, until your vocabulary is full enough to understand at least some words and phrases you hear.
Q: Will I be able to read with minimum dictionary, when I've just finished matrix?
A: At the first pages use dictionary as often as you need. Later you'll understand the main plot and it will be enough. Most often used words can be guessed from the context, and sometimes you may look up in the dictionary some words that interest you most of all. You may use an explanatory dictionary as an alternative to bilingual one. Also mind that writers usually like to write in more complicated language in the beginning of their novels. So you may begin from the 40th page and read pages 1-39 after reading all the book.
Q: What if I need only reading, and don't need speaking in the language?
A: In that case search for some other methods. Language is a complex system, reading is closely connected to writing, and speaking is closely connected to listening, etc. Matrix method is for those who don't want to limit themselves with one aspect of the language, but master the whole language.
Q: Which earphones should I use for listening to dialogues?
A: The best variant is big, soft, comfortable earphones, isolating noise coming from outside. Note that it will be difficult to hear cars while crossing the street, so pay twice more attention to the street in these moments. If you doubt you'd better not listen to dialogues while going on foot. For the same reason don't listen to the matrix while driving a car. Something will suffer - either the quality of listening, or the quality of driving, and it's just dangerous.
Q: Will the matrix work, if I already have some knowledge of the language?
A: Yes, it may help you greatly improve some aspects that schools usually don't pay attention to (for example, pronunciation).
Q: Should I listen to all the dialogues, then read them all…
A: No, it's very difficult and unproductive. Take the first one: listen it, follow with eyes, read aloud. Then come to the second… and so on. You'll loop all the dialogues only after working with each of them, at this stage you'll be ready to that, but in the beginning - no way.
Q: Is it necessary to loop all the dialogues and work with the whole matrix, after working with each dialogue?
A: It can help you to confirm your language basis, especially regarding grammatic rules. You may also sometimes return to matrix when reading, but not often.
Q: When it comes to reading, should I read every book aloud?
A: No, you'll almost certainly be tired soon. Just pronounce all the words in your mind, like you do when reading in your native language. Sometimes you may feel like reading some sentences in whisper of loud voice, don't hesitate to do it.
Q: Should I translate my dialogues and analyze their grammar?
A: Yes, of course. If there's no any prepared grammar comments, use any grammar guide or coursebook (the first usually contains more information). It's better to translate when you come to listening and following the text with your eyes, because when you only listen, you need to make out all the sounds, nothing more.
Q: Will I understand my matrix dialogue once I've translated it?
A: Yes and no. You can't fully understand any text in any language if you don't have sense of this language and its logic, and such sense will appear later, may be in the middle of matrix.
Q: Should I learn dialogues by heart?
A: No, there's no need. You may remember a dialogue while working with it, and later forget it, no one will punish you. Your aim is to work the dialogues over, taking from them all the sounds, words, grammar, to use them as a basis for your language mastery.
Q: Will I speak using the finished phrases from matrix?
A: May be, but not necessary. Speaking is a creative job, and after learning plenty new words and phrases your vocabulary will be quite rich, so finished matrix phrases will be only a model where you'll add or change something, depending on the situation (same goes for the phrases from books and films).
Q: Does the matrix method work for children?
A: No, it doesn't. Minimum age recommended is about 16 years, when one develops will and can make a decision to teach himself a language. The fact that your child has better abilities than an adult usually has, doesn't mean that you should torture him by languages, instead of helping him become a socially developed person. If your family is bilingual or you live abroad, he'll easily master all the languages by socializing. And when he starts learning some language in school, here you may help him: talk to him in this language, find some cartoons or films for children, etc. At least it will be more useful and less harmful than the school system is in most cases. But don't make him listen to dialogues, if he doesn't want to. It won't do any good.
Q: Should I read physical books or e-books?
A: Even LCD screens make eyes tire quicker, than physical books do. So it's very desirable that all your books should be made of paper. If you've downloaded an interesting book you may print it and read. It's just an advice, follow it or not - it's up to you, but mind that reading in foreign language is very difficult by default.
Q: May I begin to read at the stage of matrix? Or watch films?
A: Yes, if you wish, but matrix time shouldn't suffer. Also note that if you learn Brazilian Portuguese, you shouldn't watch films in European Portuguese, until you finish with matrix. Same for Spanish of Spain and Spanish of Latin America, and for any language that has several versions of pronunciation.
Q: How do I learn proper pronunciation of the words and sounds in the matrix dialogues?
A: By scrupulous repeating after the actors, copying all the nuances of what they say. You may also read some theory on phonetics, but it's not necessary. If you don't know about this sound being a "Voiceless alveolo-palatal affricate", but you just pronounce it and do it right, what else matters?
Q: Should I record my voice and compare its graphic to natives'?
A: No. You're not a specialist and can't decide, whether the difference between graphics is normal or not. Moreover, usually your voice in record differs from how you hear it speaking, and it might make strange and unpleasant impression.
Q: Does the matrix method work for hieroglyphic languages?
A: Yes, it does. At the matrix stage, the order will be like this:
-listen,
It'll take more time, but these languages always were harder to learn, and will be so. Some hieroglyphs will be learned from matrix, and for further learning you may use mnemonics, writing or whatever you like.
Marathon reading won't work here, you'll have to translate each symbol with dictionary. You may also use parallel texts, or texts with simultaneous transcripts and literary translation, or audiobooks and their written versions together. The more ways you try, the sooner will find what's more productive and corresponds to your individual inclinations.
Q: How do I master producing - in other words, speaking and writing in the language?
A: By practice. The only and the right way. You may hire a tutor and retell him what you've read or done today, or find a pen-pal from other country, or visit foreign forums, or go to the country yourself, etc, etc. There's also an effect called a reverse resonance. What does it mean: it's easier to express yourself when you are full with language coming from outside. For example, when you've been immersed in reading and watching for few days, you may feel a desire to speak, and it's very good to use this possibility immediately. But surely you needn't try to express yourself in the very beginning, only at the stage of reading, probably, when you've read ten books or more.
Q: Should I read the dialogue very loud or I may whisper?
A: Very loud. Never afford whispering, for it'll give you an illusion, but not the real speaking skill. Note that your intonation shouldn't suffer, so it won't be shouting, just talking in full voice, maybe declamating. If you master this way of speaking, it will be easy to switch to normal voice, but the other way round will be difficult. It's a hint for those who don't search for easy ways.
Q: How long does it take to work with each dialogue?
A: In the very beginning you'll listen to each dialogue for 2-3 weeks, listen and read with eyes - 10 days, read aloud - a week. Later each stage will be shorter: 3-5 days, may be even less. You can define it yourself:
-Listen until you understand that you've made out every sound of talking;
-Listen with eye following, until you can successfully read along with the actors talking;
-Read aloud, until you pronounce each word as free as you do in your own language.
Listen to your feelings and try to follow these criteria.
Q: Why should I work with dialogues for so long?
A: Because you need to develop basic physical skills, like those for dancing or piano playing, and it takes time. This stage is crucial for your pronunciation. If you shorten it, you may meet difficulties later, and it won't be easy to correct them…
Q: What if I came to reading aloud and can't repeat anything natives say? I say it so poorly and can't help it…
A: After long listening, the dialogue with all its nuances should be imprinted in your mind. If it isn't so, you may return to listening, and then train reading again. Don't try to repeat everything at once. Begin from the most easy pieces (a word, two words) and little by little add the rest. Here you have wide freedom for developing your own tactics.
Q: What should I do, if I don't know how to pronounce unknown words when reading books?
A: You'll learn most of phonetic models from matrix, and it'll let you guess about nearly all words. If you doubt, use dictionary with given transcription. In any case, this fear to read a word incorrectly will seem to you a trifle, once you meet more serious language problems…
Q: Should I limit all the contacts with other methods, if I study by matrix? For example, if I visit language courses at the moment…
A: No, not at all. Courses and other studies may be useful from some point of view. In courses you compete and it additionally stimulates you, and if lessons include talking, it's better still.
Also you can compare the system there and the matrix system and decide what's more productive. If you have a tutor, it will be great if you speak to him all the time, and consult him about grammar. But if you write during your studies, it'll be a waste. Take it into account.