Note taking in foreign languages

So today I begin to give you concrete examples of what I had done or what my parents had done for me to learn languages. This first one is a perfect example of applying CLAP, i.e., finding language learning opportunities in things that you do anyway in your daily living context.



We all take notes often, whether it's during class, a seminar, or a meeting. We continuously scribble things onto pads while someone else gives lectures or presentations, etc. Now how can you make that into a language learning opportunity? Well, take your notes in your target language!! I used to take notes during my chemistry classes or biology classes in Spanish. Well, Spanglish. Yes, chances are you don't have enough vocabulary to take your notes completely in your target language. And even if you did, you probably don't master your target language enough to translate in real-time. So of course, you can and will fill in the holes with your first language.

Now, other than great practise for your language learning, three other great things will happen with this method. First and foremost, you will grasp the presented contents very well. Think about it, by necessity you must first understand the material before you can translate it. So even if you were not interested in the materials presented, you will still make extreme efforts to clearly understand what is being presented. There's just no way around it. Second, because you're brain is running at 100 mph trying to translate in real-time, you won't fall asleep during your lectures or meetings! Third, people will not bother you for your notes anymore. It's was always funny to see the face on my classmates when they ask for my notes. They'd open the notebook, squint, and hand it right back to me with the expression of someone who had just heard the words "April Fool"... Grin.