Guests: Professor Tim Matthies & Pastor Tony Barthels (Asia Lutheran Seminary)

Summary

Learning a new language is a crucial part of mission work, but it often comes with challenges. In this episode, we talk with Tim Matthies and Tony Barthels, who share their extensive experience learning and teaching languages like German, Chinese, Greek, and Hebrew.

* Embracing Mistakes: A major hurdle in language acquisition is the fear of making mistakes or sounding silly. Tony emphasizes the importance of "failing forward" – being willing to try, make errors, and learn from them without taking yourself too seriously.

* Immersion is Key: Both guests highlight the value of immersion. This includes finding patient native speakers to practice with, consuming media in the target language, and aiming for at least 90% of learning time to be in the target language.

* Living Language vs. Grammar Rules: Tim discusses the difference between learning a language through grammar rules (like traditional Latin or Greek classes) and learning it as a "living language". The living language approach focuses on comprehensible input, using physical actions, context, and stories to build understanding and fluency naturally.

* Practical Tips:

* Resist the urge to default to English or your native tongue.

* Focus on understanding and distinguishing the sounds of the language first.

* Practice "inner speech" – thinking to yourself in the new language.

* Involve the whole family in the learning process and cultural integration by making local friends and participating in local activities.

* Be patient and persistent; language learning is a journey.

* Technology's Role: Tony offers a counter-intuitive perspective, suggesting that over-reliance on technology (like translation apps or online shopping) can sometimes hinder language learning and relationship building by removing the need for real-world interaction and problem-solving. Leaning on people for help builds relationships.

* Encouragement: Humans are created to learn language. Don't be afraid – leverage the opportunities God gives you to connect with people through their own language.

Resources & Reading Mentioned

* "Notes on Learning a Foreign Language from an Informant" by Professor Ernie R. Wendland (Referenced for practical tips, including informant interaction and inner speech).

* "Selective Survey of English Education in the 19th and 20th through the 21st Centuries" (Referenced regarding the ACTFL recommendation for 90% target language use in class time ).

Common Terms and Links on Jesus and Jetlag

* WELS = Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (wels.net)

* WLS = Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon Wisconsin (wisluthsem.org)

* Collection of Confessional Lutheran Essays

* BWM = WELS Board for World Missions

* CELC = Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference

* CICR = Commission on Inter-Church Relations of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod

* Vicar = a pastoral intern in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran system

* Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly (WLQ) - A theological journal, published by Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, that aims to serve pastors and theologians with scholarly articles, book reviews, and reflections on contemporary theological and pastoral concerns.

* Pastoral Studies Institute of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary

* Asia Lutheran Seminary

All commentary, statements, and discussion on this podcast reflect the knowledge, insight, and experience solely of the individuals presenting and featured on the podcast.

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