Well, I'm finally finished with PLLT. I have my final in Professor Brown's class tomorrow, then one more class session with him to wrap everything up. Just two more finals after that, then I'm done for the summer. I'll take a short break, then hopefully start some work for a couple of language preservation projects that have caught my eye (more on those later).

So, what have I learned from Brown's class?

I've learned a lot about how people learn. More importantly, I've learned about how I learn. One of my classmates (who rarely shows up, and when he does, leaves early) commented to me "I'm never going to teach English. Even if I was, I wouldn't now." Well, good for the learners I say. What was most distressing about this comment was that he seemed unable to see the value of what we were learning. He seemed to think that it only applied to teaching English.

Theories about learning anything are theories about learning. Even if you don't intend to teach, it's good to know how you learn. Especially if you're going to be in school for the foreseeable future. Discussions of learning styles and strategies, affective factors, motivation, and theories of Second Language Acquisition all have application outside of this specific field. Once you're aware of these things, it becomes possible to make conscious decisions about your classroom and study behavior. You can alter your behavior in ways that are likely to encourage success.

How?

Well, there are a few things that are universal. First, lower your inhibitions, participate in class. If you put something out there, you'll get something back. Chances are it will help you. Second, relate what you learn to other things you know. The universe is a big place, and everything is connected. If you can figure out what those connections are, it will help you remember new information better. Third, understand your motivation. Knowing why you're doing something makes it a lot easier to dedicate the time and effort necessary to really learn. Even if the reason seems shallow or stupid. At least you know. And finally, understand your own personality and learning styles. You don't need to waste time on exercises that you know won't help you learn. Focus on the things that you know will work for you.