Why isn't important to study output

mrasiteren   Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:28 pm GMT
Well, this website tells it isn't important to study output, what really matters is studying input as hard as you can.
but i had an experience with this when a native speaker first came to our school. At first, when we talked (which was a whole new experience for me) i spoke with hesitation and pausing(?). But after a while i started to talk with more confidence and when i lost myself in the conversation i noticed that i could speak influent. With agreeing the importance of achieving a lot of input, i can not imagine a way to improve your speaking without speaking at all.
So my question is what's wrong with speaking?(well i know you reinforce your mistakes with using them but if you tell the one who you are talking to to correct you it wouldn't be a problem)
mrasiteren   Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:55 pm GMT
by the way should it be why isn't it important to study output
Robin Michael   Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:11 pm GMT
Most of the people who write in the Forum have nothing to do with the antimoon philosophy.

Why not ask a slightly different question?


Should you learn the correct pronunciation before you attempt conversation?


Try livemocha.com

You can contact native speakers and do various language exercises.


I am sure that the people associated with antimoon would say that both input and output are important. I know that their philosophy is to try to get pronunciation right in the first place, rather than reinforcing mistakes by attempting conversation too early in the learning process.

Various people have have said that language drills are important in learning a foreign language. But at some point you have to think for yourself.

I am a native speaker and my partner is Polish. I often ask her to re-phrase what she is trying to say, rather than try to say something using the words that she has initially chosen. Often if you try to express something grammatically, you end up in knots. It is better to use common expressions.

"What a carry on"
blanc   Thu Jun 04, 2009 2:11 am GMT
<<
Why not ask a slightly different question?


Should you learn the correct pronunciation before you attempt conversation? >>


Why not stick to the original subject? No one said anything about pronunciation.
Robin Michael   Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:27 am GMT
In the Introduction to the Antimoon method there is a discussion about the importance of Input: Reading and Listening



http://www.antimoon.com/how/input.htm


The person who asked the original question, who started this Topic, was interested in - Speaking.


Speaking: pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, etc.


My suggestion was that someone learning to talk in English should try to remember complete expressions, like:

"What a carry on"

So you can have a simple conversation.

How are you?

"Very well! thank you"

and yourself?

"not too bad"


At some point, someone learning English has to make the leap from 'absorbing information' to 'output' - saying something.

I felt the original question was complex and confused. So, I was trying to think of a simple question that could be addressed. Like:

At what point should a student try to speak in English?



The other point that I would like to make is that 'reading and listening' are passive activities, and it is difficult to determine how well or badly someone is doing. Whereas 'talking and writing' are active activities. It is possible to assess how well people are doing.

When someone tries to do something, they realise how much they still have to learn.
mrasiteren   Thu Jun 04, 2009 11:40 am GMT
output skills(including writing too!) are skills. And the most efficient way to improve a skill is to practise. If someone knows something he/she must use it to ''reinforce'' his knowledge. I know the importance of studying input but even my knowledge is limited why shouldn't i use that?
.   Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:38 pm GMT
One of the best places you can go to practice writing and speaking is

livemocha.com
K. T.   Thu Jun 04, 2009 3:54 pm GMT
Input helps with understanding, getting the accent in your ear, and learning grammar in a natural way. Then you have to put what you learn into practice by writing and speaking.

I am suspicious of people who are so rigid about ways to learn a language. I always want to ask them, "Okay, so how many do you actually speak?" Just one?

The multilingual people I admire usually used a variety of methods. I suppose some people cannot afford to do this because they buy very expensive language programs, or they are students on a budget. Buy programs used, then. Go to some internet site where you can practice the language! Accept correction.