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Vol. LXV, No. 30
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011
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Vol. LXV, No. 30
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011
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 LEARNING A LANGUAGE: “Our clients are from all around the world. They come for social, business, and travel reasons, and they are all ages — from four to 70 and up,” says Ron Buchanan, Director of the Berlitz Language Center in Princeton. Shown are a student and teacher enjoying a session focusing on the Berlitz direct learning method. |
Learning a new language is challenging, rewarding, enriching, entertaining, fun — and beneficial.
As globalization, and with it, increased travel and interaction with other countries, is a part of more people’s lives, the value of speaking and understanding another language is apparent.
“English, French, and Spanish are the most popular languages we teach, but we offer everything,” points out Ron Buchanan, Director of Berlitz Language Center at 138 Hulfish Street.
A resident of Germany for three years, Mr. Buchanan taught in the Berlitz language center there before returning to the U.S. last year. He was impressed with the Berlitz method of teaching language and its long history.
Direct Method
“It was started in 1878 by Maximilian Berlitz, and it was the first direct method of language learning,” explains Mr. Buchanan. “It is conversation-based, and this has proven to be the most effective way to learn to converse with fluency in a new language.”
Practical vocabulary and grammar are presented in the context of real life situations. Students learn to speak their new language the way they did their first — through natural conversation.
Today, there are more than 500 Berlitz language centers in 70 countries, and 55 in the U.S. Berlitz offers language instruction and cultural consulting for adults, children, and teens.
Mr. Buchanan interviews prospective students and assesses their level in the language. They may be complete beginners, people who have studied the language and want to brush up, or intermediate or advanced students. He discusses their goals, what they hope to achieve: is it for pleasure or personal enrichment, business, social, or travel reasons?
“Then, I can recommend an instructor, and that is important. I want to have a good match,” he explains. “Chemistry is half the battle. All our instructors are native-fluent in the language, and have had 50 hours of initial training in our Berlitz method, followed by continuing education. Our instructors are very serious about teaching the language, and they are great motivators.”
Classes can be private — one-on-one, semi-private (two to three), or group (no more than six), he says. “The goal is to get the student to speak in class. There will be a lot of interaction: teacher to student, student to student, and role-playing. Only the new language is spoken. Sometimes, there can be two teachers with a student.”
Target Language
Even after one hour of instruction, beginning students can start to think in the target language, he adds, and after a month, they can communicate courtesy expressions.
The classes are in 45 minute units, and most students typically take three units: two hours and 15 minutes at a time. Schedules are flexible, and many students come three to five times a week to gain the most benefit.
“Berlitz has learned that the most effective way to learn a language is with frequent, intense blocks of learning, rather than spreading out instruction over a longer period of time” says Mr. Buchanan. “The more exposure you have to your new language, the faster you will learn it.”
There is also review at home, including Berlitzmulti-media materials, such as audio CDs and books.
Several different types of classes are available. Total Immersion is offered for those who really need a crash course. This is an intensive full day (9 am. to 5:15 p.m.) instruction five days a week, notes Mr. Buchanan.
The virtual classes on-line program offers another option for students whose schedule doesn’t permit time for classes at the learning center. Instruction at the student’s home or office is another alternative.
Proficiency Levels
Corporate language training and cultural consulting are other opportunities, and classes geared to children, including after-school and summer camp are also available.
Berlitz has developed standardized proficiency levels for all the languages taught so that students’ existing ability and progress can be measured. There are 10 levels of categories: functional ability 1 and 2, intermediate ability 3 and 4, upper intermediate ability 5 and 6, advanced ability 7 and 8, and professional ability 9 and 10.
Each level has specific requirements. For example, at functional ability 1, knowledge of language is sufficient to communicate in a very limited way, within the simplest oral and listening tasks and situations.
At intermediate ability 1, students can handle most uncomplicated communication tasks and routine social and work situations. They can follow the general meaning of a conversation about familiar subjects. At advanced level 1, they can function in the language in more complex, cognitive demanding situations, and in conversation. They can deal effectively with most subjects on the phone.
“We are becoming more multi-cultural in the U.S., and people are interested in knowing another language,” points out Mr. Buchanan. “I enjoy being able to interact with different cultures and to make a difference in people’s lives. They are often concerned about getting a job and if knowing another language is important to the job description, we can help them.
“We also help them to understand other cultures — whether people might be introverted or extroverted in certain cultures; behavioral issues. We offer cultural consulting to those who would like to learn how to interact with people on different levels.
“With the Berlitz method,” he continues, “we offer solutions for our consumers’ needs. We look forward to reaching out to those who want to enrich themselves by learning another language.”
Flexible payment plans are available, he adds, with payment over time — two to four months — an option.
Hours are 7:30 am. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. (609) 497-6571. Website: www.berlitz.com.