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Within this article I will discuss a foreign language learning experience, the learning situation and personal feelings towards the methodologies used during the time and compare these to the method used during that period and those that are used today. I will also focus on how the earlier methods were effective but only to a certain extent. This in turn will reveal that the skills taught were not used in a realistic way and that there is always room for improvement in teaching a foreign language. Having attended schooling in British Cameroon, it was common to be taught several foreign languages (French, German and Spanish). During the early years of my schooling, I was taught a foreign language, beside my native tongue English. I was taught French language. French language was taught in the same manner and utilized identical methodology, which was grammar first and followed by translating word-for-word and phrases from native tongue into the foreign language. This was in effect accomplished through the memorization of extensive lists of words and phrases. The main problems that I faced can be reduced to a language barrier which I had to either jump over or overcome, either by pass to keep it simple, deal with it. While trying to overcome the barrier and making the mistakes along the way, I started blaming the innocent language and even worse myself, thereby making it more difficult to improve my French. Watching other people learning a language and trying to analyse my mistakes, I came to the conclusion that during the learning process various psychological problems tend to occur, perfectionism, poor motivation and lack of self confidence. I am sure that everyone goes through some of the issues when first started learning a language. The above experience proved to me that the main focus of the years of learning a foreign language was based on mental discipline and intellectual development rather than being able to communicate the target language effectively. This in turn was very frustrating, as well I remember are the numbers 1 to 70 and a collection of individual words. Because my native language was always there as a reference point I believe it did not teach me effectively and my learning experience was minimal, boring and rather purposeless because it did not encourage me to apply myself in using the target language. With regards to the level of French I achieved, it is fair to say that I have not retained much of what I was taught, though there are certain expressions and rules that I do have a small amount of linguistic competence. The best method of learning a foreign language I have found is actually live among the local which is what I did for 2 years. I learned more in those 2 years than I had done in previous years in classroom base learning. I had mastered entire conversations and was encouraged to communicate. In conclusion, what was learned was certainly not used in a realistic way, which made learning a foreign language monotonous. There were no goals, and activities to learn from. The teacher was always the center of attention and I was there to listen, read and write and somehow master the foreign language. I believe for success to take place in learning a foreign language, the learning must be purposeful, motivational and above all engage the learner. SOURCES CONSULTED; Teaching Treasures publications, copyright 2006, Ingrid Griggs.
