One of my favorite people has been watching a lot of TV programs in English recently. I think she often puts on the subtitles in English, which is very helpful in terms of learning new words and expressions, and also understanding characters who talk really fast!Of course this is a great practice in itself, but it has a surprising side benefit: sometimes she dreams in English. So she might wake up with a word in her mind, remembered from a dream. She writes this word down, and then looks it up and learns the meaning.
I don't know if you've ever experienced anything like this, but I have. Reading for an hour or so in Spanish before going to sleep often has a similar result for me. And the best part is that these practices are a kind of mental immersion in language, which continues while you're sleeping... What a great way to learn!
I've noticed recently that this English dreamer's speaking has really, really improved, definitely due to watching TV programs, but also because of these dreams.
So, why not try a little English before bed?
P.S. This post is dedicated to JL, a great learner and a spectacular person. And the image is reblogged from eros & thanatos.
Thank you for the post! I'll continue doing that. I'm sure this 'mental immersion', as you say, will happen more often.
ReplyDeleteFor sure, I will try it!!! Always I have thought that sleeping is necessary to recover energy, but at the same time is a "waste of time", because we spend a third of our life sleeping. Then if this "trick" runs, it is a good way to take advantage of sleeping and resting.
ReplyDeleteAnd if it runs for me, then I will sleep more and more to improve my English ;-)