Linkword Languages publishes language courses developed by Dr Michael Gruneberg, an internationally recognised expert in learning methods.
The courses use a large number of memory enhancing principals, including the method of association, to increase the speed of learning and to increase the amount of memory of what has been learned. Unlike the great majority of language courses available for sale, independent research has shown that compared to normal learning methods, the underlying method of association used in the courses is up to 3 times faster.
Courses are published in:
French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Greek, Russian, Dutch, Welsh, Japanese, Chinese and Hebrew.
Linkword language courses were born out of published evidence from a number of studies of the effectiveness of the method of association (otherwise known as the keyword or Linkword method) in vocabulary learning.
In first major study by Raugh and Atkinson in 1975, they found that for a list of 60 Spanish words retention was 28% for those not using the method of association, but 88% when the method was used.
In other words the method of association, the method used in linkword courses, was THREE TIMES FASTER THAN CONVENTIONAL METHODS. (A similar speed of learning effect was found in a case study at Thomson Holidays reported to the Financial Times (see Below). Since then, the method has been found in over 60 studies to enhance vocabulary learning, with only a small handful of studies failing to find an effect..
The method has been shown to be highly effective for CHILDREN, for the ELDERLY and for POOR as well as GOOD language learners.
Of course there is much more to learning a language than learning vocabulary. Early studies by Dr Gruneberg found that while the method of association was very effective for vocabularies of 200 or so words, learners eventually wanted more than only learning vocabulary. They wanted grammar so they could put the words together to form and translate sentences. Linkword courses were then created which teach not only vocabulary, but integrate vocabulary with simple step by step grammar and sentence translations. As fas as is known this was the first time that full language courses had been created using the method of association as a major part of the learning process. It was also the first time that images were thoroughly tested to ensure they were effective and later research has shown that poor images can even be less effective than rote learning!!
There is however, much more to Linkword courses than meets the eye. A large number of learning enhancements are built into its structure including optimal revision patterns and so on. All the innovations are based on well established scientific principles published in the scientific literature. As far as is known, no other expert in learning and memory techniques has ever designed such courses before.
Another unique aspect of the way the courses were designed is that to begin with, Dr Gruneberg designed the courses himself without help from any language expert of linguistic text. The courses were designed by the author asking himself as a learner, what did he want to know and in what order. So the courses were designed by a learner with expertise in learning, not a language expert with expertise in languages but with no expertise in how to facilitate learning through the latest scientific findings. Of course, after the courses were designed, the author brought in language experts to make sure the language side was correct and that all major grammar points were covered. To see the contents of the courses go back to the relevant page.
There is however, much more to Linkword courses than meets the eye. A large number of learning enhancements are built into its structure including effective testing patterns, semantic context, optimal revision patterns and so on. All of these innovations are based on well established scientific principles published in the scientific literature. As far as is known, no other expert in learning and memory techniques has ever designed such courses before.
Another unique aspect of the way the courses were designed is that to begin with, Dr Gruneberg designed the courses himself without help from any language expert of linguistic text. The courses were designed by the author asking himself as a learner, what did he want to know and in what order. So the courses were designed by a learner with expertise in learning, not a language expert with expertise in languages but with no expertise in how to facilitate learning through the latest scientific findings. Of course, after the courses were designed, the author brought in language experts to make sure the language side was correct and that all major grammar points were covered. To see the contents of the courses go back to the relevant page.
As can be seen from the list of scientific studies below, a great deal of research has gone into studying the effectiveness of the underlying Linkword method and the effectiveness of Linkword courses.
In increasing the speed of learning and motivation and enjoyment of learning. Some case examples are given below.
A case study of Thomson Holiday executives learning Spanish was reported to the Financial Times. After 12 hours of teaching using Linkword, an independent consultant from Berlitz was brought to test the executives on the 400 word vocabulary and grammar they had just learned. The executives made a total of 4 minor mistakes in a half hour testing session, and the consultant estimated that the learners had learned in 12 hours what normally would have taken 40 hours to learn. In other words the learners were assessed as having learned at more than THREE TIMES AS FAST AS CONVENTIONAL TEACHING METHODS.
In another case study carried out in Rugby school for example, a group of children were selected because they were weakest in French performed poorly in exams and had problems in terms of motivation and enjoyment of French.
The result of introducing a once a week complementary lesson using a Linkword French computer course was that after 7 months following the end of term examination which was based on their normal classwork, a quarter of the class was promoted to the class above, something that had never happened before. The average class mark was 50% compared to 38% average for the previous year's group.
Just as important, pupils reported very high levels of enjoyment and speed and ease of learning compared to normal learning methods, a finding which has been reported in almost all studies which measure speed, ease and enjoyment of leaning.
Students all confirm that the great majority of both adults and children find Linkword courses easier, faster and more enjoyable than normal language learning*
We know of NO other courses in language learning that have published, in scientific journals, details of how they perform in terms of speed of learning or in terms of how fast easy and enjoyable learners find the courses. The level of satisfaction of actual users is also backed up by our feedback on ebay.co.uk, where there have been over 2200 feedbacks with NOT A SINGLE NEGATIVE
*See Gruneberg M and Jacobs G (1991) In defence of Linkword. Language Learning Journal,3,25-29. for a discussion of case studies. See the papers listed below for experimental studies.
Beaton, A. A ., Gruneberg, M. M., Hyde, C. Shufflebottom, A. & Sykes, R.N. (2005). Facilitation of receptive and productive foreign vocabulary acquisition using the keyword method: The role of image quality. Memory, 13, 458-471
Sommer S. and Gruneberg M (2002) The use of Linkword Language computer courses in a Classroom situation; A case study at Rugby school. Language Learning Journal, 26, 48-53
Gruneberg M. and Pascoe K. (1996) The effectivness of the keyword method for receptive and productive learning in the elderly. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 21, 102-109
Beaton, A. A ., Gruneberg, M. M., and Ellis N (1995) Retention of foreign vocabulary learned using the keyword method: a ten year follow up. Second Language Research,11,2,pp 112-120
Gruneberg M , Sykes R and Gillett E. (1994). The facilitating effect of Mnemonic strategies on two learning tasks in learning disabled adults. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 4, 241-254
Gruneberg M (1992) The practical application of memory aids. In Gruneberg m and Morris P. (Eds) Aspects of Memory: The Practical Aspects.London Routledge.
Popular Mermory Books
Gruneberg M and Herrmann D (1997) Your Memory for Life. Cassels. London
Herrmann D and Gruneberg M. (1999) How to cure your Memory Failures. Cassels. London Available as a download from Linkwordlanguages.com
Herrmann D and Gruneberg M (2008) Supermemory 11 . Strategic books. New York
Academic Books on Memory
Gruneberg M. and Morris P. (Eds) (1978) Aspects of Memory, Methuen and Co. London. Second Editions published in 1992
Gruneberg M. Morris P and Sykes R (Eds) (1978) Practical Aspects of Memory. Academic Press. London
Gruneberg M Morris P. and Sykes R (Eds) (1987) Practical Aspects of Memory: Current research and Issues. 2 Volumes. John Wiley and co. Chichester and New York
Herrmann D Raybeck D and Gruneberg M (2002)Improving Memory and Study skills: Advances in Theory and Practice. Hogrefe and Huber. Ashland . Ohio
Herrmann D Yoder C, Gruneberg M and Payne D.(2006) Applied Cognitive Psychology .Lawrence Erlbaum Mahwah New. Jersey
Other Books
Gruneberg M Job Satisfaction (1979) MacMillan and co London
Gruneberg M. and Oborne D (1982) Industrial Productivity: A psychological Perspective . MacMillan and co. London
Dr Michael Gruneberg, the author of Linkword Courses, is an internationally recognised expert on learning methods.
He is a former President of the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, an international learned society. He has been involved in a number of broadcasts for the BBC, including writing the original script for the BBC QED programme, THE MAGIC of MEMORY and was the scientific consultant for the BBC series on Unforgettable Memory.
Linkword courses are based on a large number of scientific studies, which show the underlying method to be highly effective in improving recall. Just as important, studies have also shown a huge increase in enjoyment of language learning.
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