I have always loved learning, especially languages, but my experiences with learning Modern Greek have been surprising. The challenge has given me a fascinating opportunity to observe the learning process.
One of the most important learning tasks for a young child is language acquisition. Family, friends, and caregivers provide informal instruction, teaching new words and correcting grammar and pronunciation. Our schools formalize the process with specific instruction in phonics, spelling, grammar, reading, and writing. Through all this, children don’t really think about how they learn, they just do it.
As an adult, it is a different story. For me, learning a new alphabet meant learning how to read all over again. I felt dyslexic. I just couldn’t seem to keep the Greek letters straight.
Despite the struggle, I was hooked. I tried to remember how I learned the Roman alphabet. Even though I knew my letters before going to school, I had a vivid memory from first grade. There was a narrow poster that stretched across the top of the blackboard with the alphabet printed in upper and lower case. It was right there before our eyes, all day, every day.
Inspired by this memory, I made a poster of the Greek alphabet and digraphs and taped it to my office wall. Every time I walked into the office I took a minute to review. Within a few weeks, I finally felt comfortable with the alphabet. Continuous visual feedback was the key.
I wanted to reinforce my new language skills by communicating original ideas. My Greek was still at an elementary level so I wrote a children’s story and translated into Greek. I had so much fun with this project that I was inspired to do even more.
And so it begins…