Steve Kofman Lecture
"How to improve your English?"
Location: Chapters on Robson St.
Date and time: Wednesday, April 5, 2006 7:00pm-9:00pm
Approximately 70 people gathered for the event. According to Downtown Chapters, the venue for the event, even for prominent professors, the attendance is usually only 20 to 30 people, so this was a much larger turnout than expected. The number of chairs provided by the venue was insufficient, and some people had to stand. It seems that the announcements made through the Chamber of Commerce were effective.
The first half of the session consisted of a lecture by Mr. Kaufman, using various props and incorporating Japanese, English, and Chinese, while the second half was dedicated to questions and answers. Mr. Kaufman has developed a system for effective foreign language learning that can be done independently, making the most of one's own time, and is working to popularize it.
- First of all, I used to have really bad gums, but they completely healed thanks to my diligent daily use of dental floss. This shows that studying a foreign language every day also absolutely requires "persistent effort and dedication."
- Taking responsibility for your own learning, especially studying English or other foreign languages, is key to sustained effort.
- They absolutely do not care about their native language accent. Many famous speeches feature strong accents of their native language.
- In any case, repeatedly listen to simple short sentences that interest you.
- I'm currently studying Russian, my tenth language, and I've found it easier to learn unfamiliar languages than when I was younger. Perhaps my brain opens up new neural pathways as I continue to study.
The lecture concluded with these points, followed by a question-and-answer session. The speaker answered the active questions in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese with care. Finally, there was an explanation about the author's book and a free CD explaining its contents, bringing the enjoyable and informative lecture, which lasted about two hours, to a close.
Related articles (with cooperation from Vancouver Shinpo)
Report/Photos: Keiko Imaizumi
