Based on principles developed by neuroscientist Andrea Kuszewski, I was pleased to run across 5 Ways to Maximize Your Language Learning Potential. I wish I'd had this information during my two years of Latin in high school, or my one year each of Spanish and French in college. The principles are applicable to almost any learning situation, but since new languages have always been difficult for me to internalize, this has special relevance. The link is to a website which promotes learning Irish (that would be fun!), but I'd also like to go live in Mexico, Central America, or Spain for a year or two, for total immersion learning. I wouldn't turn down France, either. Check out the article ~ here is a summary of the guidelines ~
- Seek novelty
- Challenge yourself
- Think creatively
- Do things the hard way
- Network
Sound advice, whether you're learning Swahili, car repair, or beekeeping.
Courtesy of science writer Jennifer Ouellette ~ while we're thinking about learning and knowledge, Could You Have Passed Thomas Edison's Job Interview Test? Here was a man after my own heart ~ conversant in many fields, and with high expectations for those who worked for him. "Disappointed by the lack of knowledge among his prospective employees, Edison would hand job-seekers a 150-question exam before he would consider them for employment .... He considered 90% a passing score, and only 35 of the 500 applicants who took the test ever passed." Click on the link for a brief sampling of the questions Edison posed.
Lastly, out of sheer perversity, here is How To Win a Fight Against Twenty Children. You are likely to find it either wildly funny, grossly offensive, or just plain silly. But I can tell you, as one who formerly practiced karate, the premise isn't as ridiculous as it may sound. Twenty diminutive opponents might prove formidable. I think one would have to use psychology as much as physical prowess ~ and being a certified psychopath might also contribute.
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