June 18, 2015 at 20:54Self-study English - the optimal organization of time. Umin lessons for computer and smartphone
- Tutorial
The Umin method is one of the most popular alternative methods for studying a foreign language, it has been known for over 20 years and has many hundreds of reviews in the press and on the Internet. The method was published in 1993 in the book by Umin E. A., “Foreign is easy and with pleasure ” (50 pages, available on the Internet). The author of the method, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Evgeny Alekseevich Umryukhin, in an interview talks about its capabilities as follows:
- I saw many examples when, after six months of learning a language using my method, a person got the opportunity to communicate on it, maybe imperfectly, making individual mistakes or sometimes experiencing difficulties in expressing complex thoughts. But in communication, perception of speech and reading books in a foreign language, these difficulties were quickly overcome. The proposed method is effective because it differs significantly from many standard ones.
The method itself is based on the scientific research of E. A. Umryukhin on the functioning of the brain, as set forth, for example, in the books “Brain Mechanisms: An Information Model and Learning Optimization” (1999), “Medical and Biological Aspects of Intellectual Activity”(2004), as well as in the training courses taught by him, including at MSTU im. Bauman, where I met him himself and his research.
Like other effective methods of learning languages, the method uses the technique of immersing the student in the language being studied. The peculiarity of the method is that immersion in the tongue is much more intense than in ordinary courses or at the tutor, thanks to special listening and speaking exercises performed daily according to a specific program.
Another feature of the method is that (especially after selecting the material and mastering the exercises) there no longer needs the participation of a teacher, you can study according to the program yourself. Accordingly, the cost of training is much cheaper than in courses or with a tutor, although the speed of advancement in mastering the language per hour of classes is higher.
To understand the processes that occur when learning a foreign language, we can apply this analogy - the language environment, we will consider speech as a container with water, and the student as an oak bar that needs to be completely immersed in it so that it does not float. And we will consider the learning process as a gradual impregnation of the bar with water.
The most effective, of course, is the constant stay of the tree in the water - that is, the constant stay of the student in a foreign language environment, abroad, with limited communication in his native language. In this case, the learning process will be the fastest and deepest.
Lessons in a group or with a tutor can be considered as periodic immersion of a tree in water, the rest of the time it lies in the air and dries. With sufficient frequency and duration of such dives, the tree is also sufficiently saturated with water, i.e., the language will be mastered at a certain level. And with insufficient intensity, it will remain almost dry, that is, language acquisition will not occur.
The Umin method, with this analogy, can be considered as a set of organizational measures to minimize the time of impregnation of a tree with water - the choice of the optimal diving regime, as well as the addition of some artificial components that speed up the impregnation in water. That is, the choice of the optimal duration and frequency of classes, as well as the use of special intensive exercises with audio materials instead of the usual lessons.
Objectives of the material:
- Transfer the method from the book Umin using a computer and smartphone instead of a tape recorder and radio;
- Share your personal experience in the practice of applying the method, give your vision of the moments from the book, which seemed to me not quite understandable;
- Indicate the values of parameters from the book that I used, which the author leaves to the reader's choice.
This material, in fact, describes my experience (successful experience) with the Umin method and the implementation of its elements with the help of modern technical equipment instead of outdated ones.
In the presentation, I tried to use only materials that are freely available on the Internet, and also minimize (at least in the first stage) the use of online services (such as Yotube) in order to keep the method working in the absence of a permanent Internet connection and, thus , make the course more accessible for mobile devices that do not have a fixed connection.
Means and materials for learning a foreign language (implementation option)
Language course: Gimson - Intermediate English
The course is available for download on the Internet and contains 21 (or 20, depending on the publication) program, each of which consists of 3 texts, total 63 (or 60) fragments. It is advisable to use the edition that is bigger, but you can limit yourself to less.
01A..63YA - a fragment of language laboratory course - to match the material of the book renamed from Programme # Text # follows:
Programme1Text1 - 01A
Programme1Text2 - 02b
Programme1Text3 - 03V
Programme2Text1 - 04g
Programme2Text2 - 05D
...
Programme21Text2 - 62YA
Programme21Text3 - 63YA
will also be used separately, more small fragments, for which it will be more convenient to have their own separate audio files:
Each of the fragments 01A, 02B, 03B is divided into three approximately equal parts 01A1, 01A2, 01A3 ... 03B3.
Each of the fragments 04G, 05D, 06E, 07ZH, 08Z, 09I is divided into two approximately equal parts 04G1, 04G2, 05D1 ... 09I2
01A. mp3 ... 63Я -eng.doc - English texts of the language course
01А-eng.doc ... 63Я-rus.doc - Russian texts of the language course
01А-eng.doc ... 63Я-eng.doc - English texts of the language course
If it is possible to study daily on a computer, you can view them when you perform exercises, you can directly view from the screen.
If there is no daily access to a computer, and at least part of the classes will be carried out using a smartphone, then all these texts will need to be printed on paper so that when performing exercises you can see the entire text of the fragment.
British Council Phonemic Chart (Sounds)
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/phonemic-chart (the page contains links for downloading offline versions in swf and exe format).
Alternatively, instead of this page, you can use the Sounds.mp3 file from the language course of the previous step: Gimson - English for Beginners. The following is a listing of Sounds.mp3, because it is not available in copies available on the Internet:
Vowels and Diphthong: each lift red map far not four good too cup go omen late home time how boy hear where poor Consonants: pop bag time day case good cheap job five very thing wear some zoo shock measure meat now long red left hot yet well
In the case when there is no advancement in the Intermediate English course (for example, if you fail to complete Exercise L5 within two weeks - listening to a fragment with recalling the contents, despite the daily activities and the correct completion of the exercises) - you can try to use the English for Beginners course in full volume instead of Intermediate English. But, most likely, everything should work fine, even if Intermediate English will be used from the very beginning with zero knowledge of the language.
Textbook V. S. Shakh-Nazarova, K. V. Zhuravchenko - English for you
From there, sections with phonetic rules, sections with brief grammar rules and tables with word substitutions will be used.
Textbook K. N. Kachalova, E. E. Izrailevich - Practical English Grammar with Exercises and Keys (in 2 volumes)
From there, a detailed grammar description and exercises will be used to substitute missing words with keys.
Both of the just mentioned textbooks can be downloaded on the Internet.
Adapted art books in English
Usually, the texts of adapted books are simplified and contain only the most used words, and they are usually provided with comments with explanations and translations of complex expressions and words.
Such books can be purchased or printed downloaded on the Internet, you can use such queries in a search engine to search:
adapted parallel texts
adapted books with translation
, etc.
Books by the Frank method are a good example of book adaptation.
The adapted book should be selected in such a way that when reading (exercise K1), its contents should be understood (it is possible that using the comments in the book). In total, about 10-15 of these books will be needed.
Unadapted art books in English with translation.
Such books can be purchased or printed downloaded on the Internet, a paper version will be required, because during exercises you will need to make notes in the text.
A translation of the book into Russian is required. It is desirable that the Russian translation go in parallel with the English text, page to page. There should also be a correspondence between the level of difficulty of the book and the current level of the language.
When deciding to read a book, you need to randomly select 2-3 paragraphs from it (7-10 lines each) and read them. If the general meaning of the paragraphs is understandable without translation (albeit with the possibility of having separate obscure words), then it is suitable for reading using translation (exercise K2).
Unadapted art books in English without translation
Techniques used in the classroom (implementation option)
For definiteness, all techniques are indicated here for fragment 01A, the application of LX technique to any fragment of the language course Y in the amount of Z times will be denoted as:
Y - LX: Z
For example: 03B - L2: 4
- means that the L2 technique will be applied to a fragment of the language course 03B for 4 times.
So, for fragment 01A, the methods of the Umin method will be as follows:
L1 - listening to an audio recording 01.mp3
L2 - listening to an audio recording 01Amp3 with simultaneous tracking in an English printout 01А-eng.doc
Л3- analysis of the meaning of fragment 01А - we look through each line in the English printout 01А-eng.doc and the corresponding line in the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc - line by line, first the first lines, then the second lines, etc., to the end.
L4 - listening to the audio recording 01.mp3 with simultaneous tracking according to the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc
L5 - listening to the audio recording 01.mp3 without tracking the printouts while recalling its contents. The difference between L5 and L2 is that L2 is performed without understanding the meaning of the fragment, and L5 - with understanding the meaning.
L6- Speaking immediately after the speaker of the audio file 01A1.mp3 with simultaneous tracking on the English printout 01A-eng.doc, without pausing the playback of the audio recording. At the same time, there is no need to pronounce it absolutely correctly, for a start you can speak as qualitatively as you can. The file 01A1.mp3 is indicated here instead of 01.mp3 - to emphasize that first lesson fragments of the language course will be used in classes for exercises L6-L9.
L7 - speaking the audio file 01A1.mp3 immediately after the speaker without tracking the printouts.
L8 - speaking on an English printout 01А1-eng.doc without playing an audio file.
L9- speaking in the English printout 01А1-eng.doc immediately in front of the speaker when playing the audio file 01А1.mp3
Further exercises L10 and L11 are control ones, they should be performed once a month for three lessons in a row. If during the development of a course any part caused particular difficulties with pronunciation, then it is advisable to perform them specifically for this part.
L10 - open the printout 01A-eng.doc;
start playing the audio file 01.mp3;
start the recorder (a program for recording sound);
we perform the following actions in a loop while the audio file lasts:
- wait for the speaker to pronounce phrases on 2-3 lines of the printout;
- turn off the playback;
- We pronounce the phrase of the speaker on the recorder;
- turn on the playback.
The result will be a record containing the speaker’s recordings mixed with pronunciation. Listen to her.
L11 - performed in the same way as L10 - speaking, recording and checking the received recording on the recorder; difference is that the pronunciation of phrases, speaker after speaker has not made, and before him, by printing 04g-eng.doc
A12 - discharged from the material covered 3 phrases of everyday communication, which are well utter; further for each of the phrases we imagine a situation where we could say it, say it out loud 3 times; it is also desirable to pronounce the phrase to oneself when the corresponding situation arises during the next day; phrases themselves can be changed to another once a week.
This exercise is the least formalized of all the others in the method. Its meaning is to create a direct connection between objects and situations encountered in everyday life and phrases of a foreign language, without using the phrases of the native language as intermediaries.
K1 - reading adapted books with an understanding of the meaning of what they read.
K2 - reading non-adapted books using a translation with the repetition of new words that are encountered.
We write today's date in the margins of the book opposite the place from which we are starting to read. We read the book sentence by sentence:
- if the sentence is completely clear, then read on.
- if the sentence as a whole is clear, but any word or phrase is not clear - we look at the parallel translation, find out the meaning of an incomprehensible place in the Russian text, emphasize the incomprehensible word or phrase in the English text and put a tick in the margins of the English text opposite this place.
- if the sentence as a whole is not clear - we look at the parallel translation, if we understand the meaning of all the words of the sentence from the parallel translation - we emphasize the most problematic ones in the English text and also tick the box, and if the meaning of any words is unclear - mark the sentence with a wavy line in the margins and read on.
We do so until we read 20 checkmarks in the fields. After the last sentence read, we draw a horizontal line in the margins and proceed to the repetition of the words learned in past classes with K2.
We look in the English text for the places highlighted with checkmarks and underscores related to the following dates (if we can’t remember the meaning of the word, then look at it in the Russian translation):
- 25 days ago
- 11 days ago
- 4 days ago
- 2 days ago
- 1 day ago
- for today - once again we look through the just found words.
When viewing a fragment for each day, put a dot near the date written on the fields (total, ultimately, 6 points should appear opposite each of the dates as you study. This fragment can be considered completed.
In the original method, exercises K2 2-3 once a day - the first repetition should not be done immediately after class, but after a few hours, and the second after another 12 hours (that is, the first repetition in the original method occurs several hours later, and the second - several hours earlier). I'm at anyatiyah decided to simplify the scheme and to limit the sessions to once a day. It is, of course, causes some damage to the quality of work with the book, but provides a much simpler and more convenient schedule of classes.
K3- reading non-adapted books using translation without repeating new words.
It can be used when the number of new words encountered is 3-5 per page. At the same time, we just look into the Russian text to find out their meaning, but we should not emphasize, highlight and repeat it.
K4 - reading non-adapted books without the use of translation.
C1 - We look through the textbook of Shakh-Nazarov of parts I and II in lessons 1-4 (“Letters and sounds” and “Intonation”) - pp. 12-19, 29-34, 47-49, 66-68. There is no need to do exercises.
C2- We look through the textbook of Shakh-Nazarov of Part IV in lessons 1-6 (“Grammar”) - pp. 22-25, 37-39, 51-56, 70-75, 90-93, 109-111. and also part I (“New Grammar Structures”) from lessons 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23– pp. 126-138, 153-159, 174-181, 194-199, 216 -226, 243-254, 272-281, 301-311, 329-333. There is no need to do exercises.
C3 - Use of material from C2 and C5 as a reference.
C4 - We write out the options for proposals from the tables of the textbook of Shakh-Nazarov - p. 53-54 (Lesson 3 - IV - paragraph 4), 71 (4-IV-2), 90 (5-IV-1), 133 (7-1 -6), 153 (9-1-1), 174 (11-1-1), 176 (11-1-2), 194 (13-1-1), 216 (15-1-1), 245 (17-1-2), 250-251 (17-1-6), 272 (19-1-1), 279 (19-1-4), 303 (21-I-2), 329 (23- I-1).
It will be convenient to print the corresponding pages of the textbook.
C5 - We look through the first volume of the textbook Kachalova-Izrailevich, finding out incomprehensible moments from previously passed material.
C6 - We look through the second volume of the textbook Kachalova-Izrailevich, select the exercises for inserting missing words into the English text. We carry out exercises, check answers by keys.
Options for performing C6:
- print pages with exercises and enter words there
- rewrite sentences again by inserting words.
After that, we analyze and correct the errors, look at the material of the 1st volume of the textbook with which they are associated.
P1 - Repeatedly listening to audio or video from learningenglish.voanews.com (first 3 times, then, as you progress in understanding - 2 times)
P1 execution options:
- select the material of interest on the site and listen to it - the option is suitable if a computer and stationary Internet on it are available daily.
- select the material of interest on the site, download and then listen to the downloaded file 2-3 times offline - on a computer or smartphone - the option is less convenient, but more mobile and does not require constant access to a computer and the Internet.
Audio materials are placed on the site, and video with accompanying text copying their contents, but it is not necessary to track it.
P2 - One-time listening to audio or video from learningenglish.voanews.com and voanews.com (performed similarly to P2 , but once).
As you progress in understanding the video, you should move from the Level 1 section to the Level 2 and Level 3 sections, and then to listen to the video from voanews.com
P3 - Pronunciation correction at advanced stages of the language
Performs similarly to L10 and L11, but with audio or video with learningenglish.voanews.com We
listen to the audio material 2 times.
Next, do the following:
start playing the audio material;
start the recorder;
the following actions are performed similarly to L10 in a cycle while the audio material lasts:
- wait for the speaker to utter sentences;
- turn off the playback;
- We pronounce the phrase of the speaker on the recorder;
- turn on the playback.
The result will be a record containing the speaker’s recordings mixed with pronunciation. We listen to the audio recording, paying attention to our mistakes in pronunciation.
Then we restart the audio material and the recorder and once again we make and listen to the audio recording.
After 2-3 days, we do the same with the same audio material, but we speak in front of the speaker, similar to L11.
P4 - One-time listening and viewing videos from voanews.com , video and audio news from other sites, as well as films in English.
P5 - Communication with native speakers through social networks and Skype. It is advisable to seek communication not on the topic of language learning, but on common interests.
First level program (implementation option)
Classes need to be conducted daily (!).
One day - one lesson. In the case of skipping classes - instead of the next class we repeat the previous one, but even this still does not compensate for the skip. If you get more than three absences per month, then there probably is no point in doing this method.
Lesson 1 The
first part of lesson 1
01A - L1 - one time listening to the audio recording 01.mp3
02B - L1
03V - L1
04G - L1
05D - L1
06E - L1
07ZH - L1
i.e. we listen to the audio files 01.mp3 ... 07Z once. .mp3
2nd part of session 1
01A - L1: 4 - four times listening to audio 01.mp3
Lesson 2
01A - L1
01A - L2: 3 - three times listening to 01Amp3 audio recordings with simultaneous tracking on an English printout 01А-eng.doc
02Б - Л1: 4 - four times listening to 02B.mp3 audio recordings without tracking over printouts
lesson 2 = П1 (01А, 02Б) - т I.e., similar actions with respect to another fragment of the language course (for example - U, V) will be denoted by P1 (U, V)
Lesson 3
1st part of lesson 3
01A - L1
01A - L2 - one-time listening to 01Amp3 audio recording with simultaneous tracking according to the English listing 01A-eng.doc
01A - L3 - disassembling the meaning of fragment 01A - we look through each line in the English printout 01A-eng.doc and the corresponding line in the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc - line by line, first the first lines, then the second lines, etc. to the end
01A - L4: 3 - three times listening to the 01Amp3 audio recording with simultaneous tracking according to the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc
2nd part of class 3
P1 (02B, 03B)
1st part of class 3 = P2 (01A) - i.e. Actions similar to the first part of lesson 3 (without the second part of lesson) relative to another fragment of the language course (for example - W), m denote as P2 (W).
Lesson 4 The
first part of session 4
01A - L2
01A - L4: 2 - double listening to the 01Amp3 audio recording with simultaneous tracking according to the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc
01A - L5 - one time listening to the 01.mp3 audio recording without tracking through the printouts while recalling its contents. The difference between L5 and L2 is that L2 is performed without understanding the meaning of the fragment, and L5 - with understanding the meaning.
Part 2 of class 4
П2 (02Б)
3rd part of class 4
П1 (03В, 04Г) Part
1 of class 4 = P3 (01A)
All lesson 4 = P4 (01A, 02B, 03B, 04G) - that is, actions similar to lesson 4 with respect to any four parts of the language course U, V, W, X will be denoted as P4 (U, V, W, X)
П4 (U, V, W, X) = П3 (U) + П2 (V) + П1 (W, X)
Lesson 5
П4 (02Б, 03В, 04Г, 05Д)
Session 6
P4 (03B, 04G, 05D, 06E)
Session 7
P4 (04G, 05D, 06E, 07G)
If in classes 4-7 you can’t remember at least the approximate meaning of the fragments of the language course during exercise L5, then something’s going not so (the most likely reason is a violation of the rule on daily activities or distraction during classes).
Lesson 8
first part of the class 8
08Z - A1
09I - L1
10K - L1
...
21X - A1
.. Ie, once listen to audio files 08Z.mp3 ... 21H.mp3
second part of the class 8
P4 (05D, 06E, 07ZH , 08З)
Lesson 9 The
first part of lesson 9
01А1 - Л2
01А1 - Л5
01A1 - L6: 3 - three times speaking immediately after the speaker of the audio file 01A1.mp3 with simultaneous tracking in the English printout 01A-eng.doc, without interruption in the playback of the audio recording. At the same time, there is no need to pronounce it absolutely correctly, for a start you can pronounce it as qualitatively as the
second part of lesson 9
P4 (06Е, 07Ж, 08З, 09И) is done
Lesson 10 The
first part of lesson 10
01А1 - Л6: 2
01А1 - Л7: 3
01A2 - L6: 2
01A2 - L7: 3
2nd part of class 10
P4 (07ZH, 08Z, 09I, 10K)
Session 11
1st part of class 11
01A1 -
L7 01A1 - L8: 3
01A1 - L9
01A2 - L6: 2
01A2 - L7: 3
01A3 - L2
01A3 - L5
01A3 - L6: 4
2nd part of session 11
P4 (08Z, 09I, 10K, 11L)
1st part of session 11 = P5 (01A1, 01A2, 01A3)
In lesson 18 and further, in the program P5 for exercises repeating 3-4 times, the number of repetitions will be reduced to 2 times.
Session 12
P5 (01A2, 01A3, 02B1)
P4 (09I, 10K, 11L, 12M)
Session 13
P5 (01A3, 02B1, 02B2)
P4 (10K, 11L, 12M, 13H)
Session 14
P5 (02B1, 02B2, 02B3)
P4 (11L, 12M, 13H, 14O)
Session 15
P5 (02B2, 02B3, 03V1)
P4 (12M, 13H, 14O, 15P)
Session 16
P5 (02B3, 03B1, 03V2)
P4 (13N, 14O, 15P, 16P)
Lesson 17
P5 (03B1, 03B2, 03B3)
P4 (14O, 15P, 16P, 17C)
Lesson 18
P5 (03B2, 03B3, 04G1)
In this and further classes in the P5 program, we everywhere reduce the number of repetitions for L6, L7, L8 from 3-4 reps to 2 reps (due to the fact that it now uses larger fragments of the language course)
P4 (15P, 16R, 17S, 18T)
Lesson 19
P5 (03V3, 04G1, 04G2)
P4 (16R, 17C, 18T, 19U)
Lesson 20
P5 (04G1, 04G2 05D1)
P4 (17C, 18T, 19U, 20F)
Lesson 21
P5 (04G2, 05D1, 05D2)
P4 (18T, 19U, 20F, 21X)
Lesson 22
C1
01A - L5
02B - L5
...
21X - L5
That is, we listen to the completed part of the language course - while paying special attention to the sound correspondence to the material from the textbook read above.
Lesson 23
C1
Sounds - L1
Sounds - L2
Sounds - L6: 2
That is, we listen to words highlighting the sounds of the English language, first without following the text, then with tracking, and then we will speak after the speaker 2 times.
Lesson 24
Sounds - L6: 3
P5 (05D1, 05D2, 06E1)
P4 (19U, 20F, 21X, 22C)
Lesson 25
P5 (05D2, 06E1, 06E2)
P4 (20F, 21X, 22C, 23CH)
Further exercises L10 and L11 are control, they should be performed once a month, for three lessons in a row. Part 04G is selected for definiteness. If during the development of a course any part caused particular difficulties with pronunciation, then it is advisable to perform them specifically for this part.
04Г - Л10
С1
04Г - Л10 - repeat again, while trying to correct the discovered errors in pronunciation
Occupation 26
P5 (06Е1, 06Е2, 07Ж1)
П4 (21Х, 22Ц, 23Ч, 24Ш)
04Г - Л10: 2 (twice)
04Г - L11
Lesson 27
P5 (06E2, 07Zh1, 07Zh2)
P4 (22Ts, 23Ch, 24Sh, 25Sh)
04G - L11: 3 (three times)
Lesson 28
P5 (07Zh1, 07Zh2, 08Z1)
P4 (23Ch, 24Sh, 25Sh, 26b)
L12
Lesson 29
P5 (07ZH2, 08Z1, 08Z2)
P4 (24SH, 25SCH, 26, 27E)
A12
Session 30
P5 (08Z1, 08Z2, 09I1)
P4 (25SCH, 26, 27E, 28YU)
A12
Session 31
P5 (08Z2, 09I1, 09I2)
P4 (26E, 27E, 28th, 29th)
L12
Session 32
P5 (09I1, 09I2, 10Ya)
P4 (27E, 28Yu, 29th, 30th)
L12
Session 33
P5 (09I2, 10K, 11L)
P4 (28th, 29th, 30th, 31st)
L12
Lesson 34
P5 (10K, 11L, 12M)
P4 (29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd)
L12
Lesson 35
P5 (11L, 12M, 13H)
P4 (30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd)
L12
- I saw many examples when, after six months of learning a language using my method, a person got the opportunity to communicate on it, maybe imperfectly, making individual mistakes or sometimes experiencing difficulties in expressing complex thoughts. But in communication, perception of speech and reading books in a foreign language, these difficulties were quickly overcome. The proposed method is effective because it differs significantly from many standard ones.
The method itself is based on the scientific research of E. A. Umryukhin on the functioning of the brain, as set forth, for example, in the books “Brain Mechanisms: An Information Model and Learning Optimization” (1999), “Medical and Biological Aspects of Intellectual Activity”(2004), as well as in the training courses taught by him, including at MSTU im. Bauman, where I met him himself and his research.
Like other effective methods of learning languages, the method uses the technique of immersing the student in the language being studied. The peculiarity of the method is that immersion in the tongue is much more intense than in ordinary courses or at the tutor, thanks to special listening and speaking exercises performed daily according to a specific program.
Another feature of the method is that (especially after selecting the material and mastering the exercises) there no longer needs the participation of a teacher, you can study according to the program yourself. Accordingly, the cost of training is much cheaper than in courses or with a tutor, although the speed of advancement in mastering the language per hour of classes is higher.
To understand the processes that occur when learning a foreign language, we can apply this analogy - the language environment, we will consider speech as a container with water, and the student as an oak bar that needs to be completely immersed in it so that it does not float. And we will consider the learning process as a gradual impregnation of the bar with water.
The most effective, of course, is the constant stay of the tree in the water - that is, the constant stay of the student in a foreign language environment, abroad, with limited communication in his native language. In this case, the learning process will be the fastest and deepest.
Lessons in a group or with a tutor can be considered as periodic immersion of a tree in water, the rest of the time it lies in the air and dries. With sufficient frequency and duration of such dives, the tree is also sufficiently saturated with water, i.e., the language will be mastered at a certain level. And with insufficient intensity, it will remain almost dry, that is, language acquisition will not occur.
The Umin method, with this analogy, can be considered as a set of organizational measures to minimize the time of impregnation of a tree with water - the choice of the optimal diving regime, as well as the addition of some artificial components that speed up the impregnation in water. That is, the choice of the optimal duration and frequency of classes, as well as the use of special intensive exercises with audio materials instead of the usual lessons.
Objectives of the material:
- Transfer the method from the book Umin using a computer and smartphone instead of a tape recorder and radio;
- Share your personal experience in the practice of applying the method, give your vision of the moments from the book, which seemed to me not quite understandable;
- Indicate the values of parameters from the book that I used, which the author leaves to the reader's choice.
This material, in fact, describes my experience (successful experience) with the Umin method and the implementation of its elements with the help of modern technical equipment instead of outdated ones.
In the presentation, I tried to use only materials that are freely available on the Internet, and also minimize (at least in the first stage) the use of online services (such as Yotube) in order to keep the method working in the absence of a permanent Internet connection and, thus , make the course more accessible for mobile devices that do not have a fixed connection.
Means and materials for learning a foreign language (implementation option)
Language course: Gimson - Intermediate English
The course is available for download on the Internet and contains 21 (or 20, depending on the publication) program, each of which consists of 3 texts, total 63 (or 60) fragments. It is advisable to use the edition that is bigger, but you can limit yourself to less.
01A..63YA - a fragment of language laboratory course - to match the material of the book renamed from Programme # Text # follows:
Programme1Text1 - 01A
Programme1Text2 - 02b
Programme1Text3 - 03V
Programme2Text1 - 04g
Programme2Text2 - 05D
...
Programme21Text2 - 62YA
Programme21Text3 - 63YA
will also be used separately, more small fragments, for which it will be more convenient to have their own separate audio files:
Each of the fragments 01A, 02B, 03B is divided into three approximately equal parts 01A1, 01A2, 01A3 ... 03B3.
Each of the fragments 04G, 05D, 06E, 07ZH, 08Z, 09I is divided into two approximately equal parts 04G1, 04G2, 05D1 ... 09I2
01A. mp3 ... 63Я -eng.doc - English texts of the language course
01А-eng.doc ... 63Я-rus.doc - Russian texts of the language course
01А-eng.doc ... 63Я-eng.doc - English texts of the language course
If it is possible to study daily on a computer, you can view them when you perform exercises, you can directly view from the screen.
If there is no daily access to a computer, and at least part of the classes will be carried out using a smartphone, then all these texts will need to be printed on paper so that when performing exercises you can see the entire text of the fragment.
British Council Phonemic Chart (Sounds)
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/phonemic-chart (the page contains links for downloading offline versions in swf and exe format).
Alternatively, instead of this page, you can use the Sounds.mp3 file from the language course of the previous step: Gimson - English for Beginners. The following is a listing of Sounds.mp3, because it is not available in copies available on the Internet:
Vowels and Diphthong: each lift red map far not four good too cup go omen late home time how boy hear where poor Consonants: pop bag time day case good cheap job five very thing wear some zoo shock measure meat now long red left hot yet well
In the case when there is no advancement in the Intermediate English course (for example, if you fail to complete Exercise L5 within two weeks - listening to a fragment with recalling the contents, despite the daily activities and the correct completion of the exercises) - you can try to use the English for Beginners course in full volume instead of Intermediate English. But, most likely, everything should work fine, even if Intermediate English will be used from the very beginning with zero knowledge of the language.
Textbook V. S. Shakh-Nazarova, K. V. Zhuravchenko - English for you
From there, sections with phonetic rules, sections with brief grammar rules and tables with word substitutions will be used.
Textbook K. N. Kachalova, E. E. Izrailevich - Practical English Grammar with Exercises and Keys (in 2 volumes)
From there, a detailed grammar description and exercises will be used to substitute missing words with keys.
Both of the just mentioned textbooks can be downloaded on the Internet.
Adapted art books in English
Usually, the texts of adapted books are simplified and contain only the most used words, and they are usually provided with comments with explanations and translations of complex expressions and words.
Such books can be purchased or printed downloaded on the Internet, you can use such queries in a search engine to search:
adapted parallel texts
adapted books with translation
, etc.
Books by the Frank method are a good example of book adaptation.
The adapted book should be selected in such a way that when reading (exercise K1), its contents should be understood (it is possible that using the comments in the book). In total, about 10-15 of these books will be needed.
Unadapted art books in English with translation.
Such books can be purchased or printed downloaded on the Internet, a paper version will be required, because during exercises you will need to make notes in the text.
A translation of the book into Russian is required. It is desirable that the Russian translation go in parallel with the English text, page to page. There should also be a correspondence between the level of difficulty of the book and the current level of the language.
When deciding to read a book, you need to randomly select 2-3 paragraphs from it (7-10 lines each) and read them. If the general meaning of the paragraphs is understandable without translation (albeit with the possibility of having separate obscure words), then it is suitable for reading using translation (exercise K2).
Unadapted art books in English without translation
Techniques used in the classroom (implementation option)
For definiteness, all techniques are indicated here for fragment 01A, the application of LX technique to any fragment of the language course Y in the amount of Z times will be denoted as:
Y - LX: Z
For example: 03B - L2: 4
- means that the L2 technique will be applied to a fragment of the language course 03B for 4 times.
So, for fragment 01A, the methods of the Umin method will be as follows:
L1 - listening to an audio recording 01.mp3
L2 - listening to an audio recording 01Amp3 with simultaneous tracking in an English printout 01А-eng.doc
Л3- analysis of the meaning of fragment 01А - we look through each line in the English printout 01А-eng.doc and the corresponding line in the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc - line by line, first the first lines, then the second lines, etc., to the end.
L4 - listening to the audio recording 01.mp3 with simultaneous tracking according to the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc
L5 - listening to the audio recording 01.mp3 without tracking the printouts while recalling its contents. The difference between L5 and L2 is that L2 is performed without understanding the meaning of the fragment, and L5 - with understanding the meaning.
L6- Speaking immediately after the speaker of the audio file 01A1.mp3 with simultaneous tracking on the English printout 01A-eng.doc, without pausing the playback of the audio recording. At the same time, there is no need to pronounce it absolutely correctly, for a start you can speak as qualitatively as you can. The file 01A1.mp3 is indicated here instead of 01.mp3 - to emphasize that first lesson fragments of the language course will be used in classes for exercises L6-L9.
L7 - speaking the audio file 01A1.mp3 immediately after the speaker without tracking the printouts.
L8 - speaking on an English printout 01А1-eng.doc without playing an audio file.
L9- speaking in the English printout 01А1-eng.doc immediately in front of the speaker when playing the audio file 01А1.mp3
Further exercises L10 and L11 are control ones, they should be performed once a month for three lessons in a row. If during the development of a course any part caused particular difficulties with pronunciation, then it is advisable to perform them specifically for this part.
L10 - open the printout 01A-eng.doc;
start playing the audio file 01.mp3;
start the recorder (a program for recording sound);
we perform the following actions in a loop while the audio file lasts:
- wait for the speaker to pronounce phrases on 2-3 lines of the printout;
- turn off the playback;
- We pronounce the phrase of the speaker on the recorder;
- turn on the playback.
The result will be a record containing the speaker’s recordings mixed with pronunciation. Listen to her.
L11 - performed in the same way as L10 - speaking, recording and checking the received recording on the recorder; difference is that the pronunciation of phrases, speaker after speaker has not made, and before him, by printing 04g-eng.doc
A12 - discharged from the material covered 3 phrases of everyday communication, which are well utter; further for each of the phrases we imagine a situation where we could say it, say it out loud 3 times; it is also desirable to pronounce the phrase to oneself when the corresponding situation arises during the next day; phrases themselves can be changed to another once a week.
This exercise is the least formalized of all the others in the method. Its meaning is to create a direct connection between objects and situations encountered in everyday life and phrases of a foreign language, without using the phrases of the native language as intermediaries.
K1 - reading adapted books with an understanding of the meaning of what they read.
K2 - reading non-adapted books using a translation with the repetition of new words that are encountered.
We write today's date in the margins of the book opposite the place from which we are starting to read. We read the book sentence by sentence:
- if the sentence is completely clear, then read on.
- if the sentence as a whole is clear, but any word or phrase is not clear - we look at the parallel translation, find out the meaning of an incomprehensible place in the Russian text, emphasize the incomprehensible word or phrase in the English text and put a tick in the margins of the English text opposite this place.
- if the sentence as a whole is not clear - we look at the parallel translation, if we understand the meaning of all the words of the sentence from the parallel translation - we emphasize the most problematic ones in the English text and also tick the box, and if the meaning of any words is unclear - mark the sentence with a wavy line in the margins and read on.
We do so until we read 20 checkmarks in the fields. After the last sentence read, we draw a horizontal line in the margins and proceed to the repetition of the words learned in past classes with K2.
We look in the English text for the places highlighted with checkmarks and underscores related to the following dates (if we can’t remember the meaning of the word, then look at it in the Russian translation):
- 25 days ago
- 11 days ago
- 4 days ago
- 2 days ago
- 1 day ago
- for today - once again we look through the just found words.
When viewing a fragment for each day, put a dot near the date written on the fields (total, ultimately, 6 points should appear opposite each of the dates as you study. This fragment can be considered completed.
In the original method, exercises K2 2-3 once a day - the first repetition should not be done immediately after class, but after a few hours, and the second after another 12 hours (that is, the first repetition in the original method occurs several hours later, and the second - several hours earlier). I'm at anyatiyah decided to simplify the scheme and to limit the sessions to once a day. It is, of course, causes some damage to the quality of work with the book, but provides a much simpler and more convenient schedule of classes.
K3- reading non-adapted books using translation without repeating new words.
It can be used when the number of new words encountered is 3-5 per page. At the same time, we just look into the Russian text to find out their meaning, but we should not emphasize, highlight and repeat it.
K4 - reading non-adapted books without the use of translation.
C1 - We look through the textbook of Shakh-Nazarov of parts I and II in lessons 1-4 (“Letters and sounds” and “Intonation”) - pp. 12-19, 29-34, 47-49, 66-68. There is no need to do exercises.
C2- We look through the textbook of Shakh-Nazarov of Part IV in lessons 1-6 (“Grammar”) - pp. 22-25, 37-39, 51-56, 70-75, 90-93, 109-111. and also part I (“New Grammar Structures”) from lessons 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23– pp. 126-138, 153-159, 174-181, 194-199, 216 -226, 243-254, 272-281, 301-311, 329-333. There is no need to do exercises.
C3 - Use of material from C2 and C5 as a reference.
C4 - We write out the options for proposals from the tables of the textbook of Shakh-Nazarov - p. 53-54 (Lesson 3 - IV - paragraph 4), 71 (4-IV-2), 90 (5-IV-1), 133 (7-1 -6), 153 (9-1-1), 174 (11-1-1), 176 (11-1-2), 194 (13-1-1), 216 (15-1-1), 245 (17-1-2), 250-251 (17-1-6), 272 (19-1-1), 279 (19-1-4), 303 (21-I-2), 329 (23- I-1).
It will be convenient to print the corresponding pages of the textbook.
C5 - We look through the first volume of the textbook Kachalova-Izrailevich, finding out incomprehensible moments from previously passed material.
C6 - We look through the second volume of the textbook Kachalova-Izrailevich, select the exercises for inserting missing words into the English text. We carry out exercises, check answers by keys.
Options for performing C6:
- print pages with exercises and enter words there
- rewrite sentences again by inserting words.
After that, we analyze and correct the errors, look at the material of the 1st volume of the textbook with which they are associated.
P1 - Repeatedly listening to audio or video from learningenglish.voanews.com (first 3 times, then, as you progress in understanding - 2 times)
P1 execution options:
- select the material of interest on the site and listen to it - the option is suitable if a computer and stationary Internet on it are available daily.
- select the material of interest on the site, download and then listen to the downloaded file 2-3 times offline - on a computer or smartphone - the option is less convenient, but more mobile and does not require constant access to a computer and the Internet.
Audio materials are placed on the site, and video with accompanying text copying their contents, but it is not necessary to track it.
P2 - One-time listening to audio or video from learningenglish.voanews.com and voanews.com (performed similarly to P2 , but once).
As you progress in understanding the video, you should move from the Level 1 section to the Level 2 and Level 3 sections, and then to listen to the video from voanews.com
P3 - Pronunciation correction at advanced stages of the language
Performs similarly to L10 and L11, but with audio or video with learningenglish.voanews.com We
listen to the audio material 2 times.
Next, do the following:
start playing the audio material;
start the recorder;
the following actions are performed similarly to L10 in a cycle while the audio material lasts:
- wait for the speaker to utter sentences;
- turn off the playback;
- We pronounce the phrase of the speaker on the recorder;
- turn on the playback.
The result will be a record containing the speaker’s recordings mixed with pronunciation. We listen to the audio recording, paying attention to our mistakes in pronunciation.
Then we restart the audio material and the recorder and once again we make and listen to the audio recording.
After 2-3 days, we do the same with the same audio material, but we speak in front of the speaker, similar to L11.
P4 - One-time listening and viewing videos from voanews.com , video and audio news from other sites, as well as films in English.
P5 - Communication with native speakers through social networks and Skype. It is advisable to seek communication not on the topic of language learning, but on common interests.
First level program (implementation option)
Classes need to be conducted daily (!).
One day - one lesson. In the case of skipping classes - instead of the next class we repeat the previous one, but even this still does not compensate for the skip. If you get more than three absences per month, then there probably is no point in doing this method.
Lesson 1 The
first part of lesson 1
01A - L1 - one time listening to the audio recording 01.mp3
02B - L1
03V - L1
04G - L1
05D - L1
06E - L1
07ZH - L1
i.e. we listen to the audio files 01.mp3 ... 07Z once. .mp3
2nd part of session 1
01A - L1: 4 - four times listening to audio 01.mp3
Lesson 2
01A - L1
01A - L2: 3 - three times listening to 01Amp3 audio recordings with simultaneous tracking on an English printout 01А-eng.doc
02Б - Л1: 4 - four times listening to 02B.mp3 audio recordings without tracking over printouts
lesson 2 = П1 (01А, 02Б) - т I.e., similar actions with respect to another fragment of the language course (for example - U, V) will be denoted by P1 (U, V)
Lesson 3
1st part of lesson 3
01A - L1
01A - L2 - one-time listening to 01Amp3 audio recording with simultaneous tracking according to the English listing 01A-eng.doc
01A - L3 - disassembling the meaning of fragment 01A - we look through each line in the English printout 01A-eng.doc and the corresponding line in the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc - line by line, first the first lines, then the second lines, etc. to the end
01A - L4: 3 - three times listening to the 01Amp3 audio recording with simultaneous tracking according to the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc
2nd part of class 3
P1 (02B, 03B)
1st part of class 3 = P2 (01A) - i.e. Actions similar to the first part of lesson 3 (without the second part of lesson) relative to another fragment of the language course (for example - W), m denote as P2 (W).
Lesson 4 The
first part of session 4
01A - L2
01A - L4: 2 - double listening to the 01Amp3 audio recording with simultaneous tracking according to the Russian printout 01А-eng.doc
01A - L5 - one time listening to the 01.mp3 audio recording without tracking through the printouts while recalling its contents. The difference between L5 and L2 is that L2 is performed without understanding the meaning of the fragment, and L5 - with understanding the meaning.
Part 2 of class 4
П2 (02Б)
3rd part of class 4
П1 (03В, 04Г) Part
1 of class 4 = P3 (01A)
All lesson 4 = P4 (01A, 02B, 03B, 04G) - that is, actions similar to lesson 4 with respect to any four parts of the language course U, V, W, X will be denoted as P4 (U, V, W, X)
П4 (U, V, W, X) = П3 (U) + П2 (V) + П1 (W, X)
Lesson 5
П4 (02Б, 03В, 04Г, 05Д)
Session 6
P4 (03B, 04G, 05D, 06E)
Session 7
P4 (04G, 05D, 06E, 07G)
If in classes 4-7 you can’t remember at least the approximate meaning of the fragments of the language course during exercise L5, then something’s going not so (the most likely reason is a violation of the rule on daily activities or distraction during classes).
Lesson 8
first part of the class 8
08Z - A1
09I - L1
10K - L1
...
21X - A1
.. Ie, once listen to audio files 08Z.mp3 ... 21H.mp3
second part of the class 8
P4 (05D, 06E, 07ZH , 08З)
Lesson 9 The
first part of lesson 9
01А1 - Л2
01А1 - Л5
01A1 - L6: 3 - three times speaking immediately after the speaker of the audio file 01A1.mp3 with simultaneous tracking in the English printout 01A-eng.doc, without interruption in the playback of the audio recording. At the same time, there is no need to pronounce it absolutely correctly, for a start you can pronounce it as qualitatively as the
second part of lesson 9
P4 (06Е, 07Ж, 08З, 09И) is done
Lesson 10 The
first part of lesson 10
01А1 - Л6: 2
01А1 - Л7: 3
01A2 - L6: 2
01A2 - L7: 3
2nd part of class 10
P4 (07ZH, 08Z, 09I, 10K)
Session 11
1st part of class 11
01A1 -
L7 01A1 - L8: 3
01A1 - L9
01A2 - L6: 2
01A2 - L7: 3
01A3 - L2
01A3 - L5
01A3 - L6: 4
2nd part of session 11
P4 (08Z, 09I, 10K, 11L)
1st part of session 11 = P5 (01A1, 01A2, 01A3)
In lesson 18 and further, in the program P5 for exercises repeating 3-4 times, the number of repetitions will be reduced to 2 times.
Session 12
P5 (01A2, 01A3, 02B1)
P4 (09I, 10K, 11L, 12M)
Session 13
P5 (01A3, 02B1, 02B2)
P4 (10K, 11L, 12M, 13H)
Session 14
P5 (02B1, 02B2, 02B3)
P4 (11L, 12M, 13H, 14O)
Session 15
P5 (02B2, 02B3, 03V1)
P4 (12M, 13H, 14O, 15P)
Session 16
P5 (02B3, 03B1, 03V2)
P4 (13N, 14O, 15P, 16P)
Lesson 17
P5 (03B1, 03B2, 03B3)
P4 (14O, 15P, 16P, 17C)
Lesson 18
P5 (03B2, 03B3, 04G1)
In this and further classes in the P5 program, we everywhere reduce the number of repetitions for L6, L7, L8 from 3-4 reps to 2 reps (due to the fact that it now uses larger fragments of the language course)
P4 (15P, 16R, 17S, 18T)
Lesson 19
P5 (03V3, 04G1, 04G2)
P4 (16R, 17C, 18T, 19U)
Lesson 20
P5 (04G1, 04G2 05D1)
P4 (17C, 18T, 19U, 20F)
Lesson 21
P5 (04G2, 05D1, 05D2)
P4 (18T, 19U, 20F, 21X)
Lesson 22
C1
01A - L5
02B - L5
...
21X - L5
That is, we listen to the completed part of the language course - while paying special attention to the sound correspondence to the material from the textbook read above.
Lesson 23
C1
Sounds - L1
Sounds - L2
Sounds - L6: 2
That is, we listen to words highlighting the sounds of the English language, first without following the text, then with tracking, and then we will speak after the speaker 2 times.
Lesson 24
Sounds - L6: 3
P5 (05D1, 05D2, 06E1)
P4 (19U, 20F, 21X, 22C)
Lesson 25
P5 (05D2, 06E1, 06E2)
P4 (20F, 21X, 22C, 23CH)
Further exercises L10 and L11 are control, they should be performed once a month, for three lessons in a row. Part 04G is selected for definiteness. If during the development of a course any part caused particular difficulties with pronunciation, then it is advisable to perform them specifically for this part.
04Г - Л10
С1
04Г - Л10 - repeat again, while trying to correct the discovered errors in pronunciation
Occupation 26
P5 (06Е1, 06Е2, 07Ж1)
П4 (21Х, 22Ц, 23Ч, 24Ш)
04Г - Л10: 2 (twice)
04Г - L11
Lesson 27
P5 (06E2, 07Zh1, 07Zh2)
P4 (22Ts, 23Ch, 24Sh, 25Sh)
04G - L11: 3 (three times)
Lesson 28
P5 (07Zh1, 07Zh2, 08Z1)
P4 (23Ch, 24Sh, 25Sh, 26b)
L12
Lesson 29
P5 (07ZH2, 08Z1, 08Z2)
P4 (24SH, 25SCH, 26, 27E)
A12
Session 30
P5 (08Z1, 08Z2, 09I1)
P4 (25SCH, 26, 27E, 28YU)
A12
Session 31
P5 (08Z2, 09I1, 09I2)
P4 (26E, 27E, 28th, 29th)
L12
Session 32
P5 (09I1, 09I2, 10Ya)
P4 (27E, 28Yu, 29th, 30th)
L12
Session 33
P5 (09I2, 10K, 11L)
P4 (28th, 29th, 30th, 31st)
L12
Lesson 34
P5 (10K, 11L, 12M)
P4 (29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd)
L12
Lesson 35
P5 (11L, 12M, 13H)
P4 (30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd)
L12