Managing the Language Learning Process

We provide help for self-directed language learners in setting their goals, developing their own lessons, and for self-evaluation.

Most of us have never had to plan and manage our own language learning because teachers and curriculum designers did it for us. But in a typical field situation,  there is no professional teacher. In such situations language learners must be self-directed; they need to set their own goals, develop their own lessons, and monitor their own progress. Although the emphasis is on providing help for field workers learning undocumented languages, many of the principles and techniques are applicable to self-directed learners of any language.
As part of the LinguaLinks product, SIL has developed an extensive set of resources to help the self-directed language learner with this task of managing the learning process. Many of these resources are made available here as part of this Web site.

Principal tasks

These are the principal tasks involved in planning and managing a language learning program:

• Set appropriate language learning goals.
• Make a strategic language learning plan.
• Monitor your progress by periodically evaluating your language proficiency.
• Identify and solve language learning problems.

Even though this is a short article, I think it says something really important. Many learners expect that their teachers give them a plan of their language learning; however, there are situations where language learners need to set their own goals, develop their own lessons, and monitor their own progress as the article said. Sometimes, the only person that you can depend is yourself.