about Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a toy that shows changing patterns, consisting of a type with colored pieces inside.

Just like MBTI test, kaleidoscope is another method in finding one's characteristic and background factors which affects the experinc of learning. I did three senctions that include personality, motivation and current skills. Not only just checking what type of person I am but I could get some tips to overcome the problems.

①personality : "It helps me to remember words if I see the words written down."

You have a visual and verbal style of learning. You can help your memory by using images, drawing diagrams, writing words down and focusing on them. Ask your teacher to write unfamiliar words on the board. It’s a good idea to use memory strategies that suit your learning style.

②motivation : "I've never been a language learner."

You are not motivated to learn because of your beliefs about yourself as a learner. Where do these beliefs come from? Could it be that you have depended too much on external judgments of your skills? Or that in a different learning context you might be more successful? Try to look at your beliefs and understand where they come from. A fresh start or a new way of learning might have altogether different results.

③ current skills :

"I can't write at all."

It is not always essential that writing has to be faultless. Reflective writing may also enhance learning. Think carefully: what kinds of writing have you tried earlier? When you write an informative text, for example, accuracy is more important. Look for models on the Net for writing a CV. Study academic theses and articles from your field to get ideas about academic writing. Make use of unilingual dictionaries and grammars when you’re writing. Look what courses are offered and choose a suitable one especially if you want feedback on your texts. But also write just for yourself sometimes: use the words you want to learn and don’t be afraid to experiment with language used by other writers.

"I've forgotten the grammar."

It might well be that in fact you are correctly using the grammar you have learnt in the past even though it feels as if you’ve forgotten the rules. Why not try some quick revision on the Net or in the Self Access Studio in the Aleksandria Learning Centre. You’ll find a wide choice of grammar books and exercises for many languages.

"My vocabulary is really poor."

Think about the words that you really need. Is it academic vocabulary, adjectives to describe things, verbs used in writing up research, or something else? For what purposes do you need words? For reading it’s not always necessary to know exact meanings, whereas for writing a careful choice of words and spelling is important. When speaking you can usually find alternative words of your own. Collect words and put them in a notebook which you can look at now and then. Collect words from the books you read, from the films you watch, from conversations, from lessons, and so on. Make sentences out of your words. Make a decision to use the words you want to learn in the next possible situation.

"Listening to lyrics has improved my language."
That’s great! Try to find other rewarding ways of learning language.