Man! Where was this book when I was in High School trying to learn Spanish? Though the full title is The Neuroscience of Language: A Frog Leap into Your German, this book by Karin Goldmann can apply to any language you are learning. I would even say that this book applies to most forms of learning, as it takes you through how the brain works specifically with learning and how best to take what you are learning and put it into long term memory. It's a great book and I highly recommend it.

I typically include a snip-it about the author in my reviews based on their website, but I have been unable to locate any information on Karin Goldmann besides the "About the Author" blurb at the end of the book. According to that, Goldmann is "an international Educator and Consultant on the Neuroscience of Language, with a worldwide experience in teaching and leading teams in intercultural settings" (p. 84). It goes on to note that Goldmann studied in Great Britain and Harvard, and focuses on holistic approaches to education.

I will be honest- I was not really into this book at first because I have no real desire to learn German. That would be my husband. He's been trying to learn German for years. As for me, I want to, should, and probably even need to learn Spanish, as I work in a bilingual school district. So I started reading and then put it down for a few days because life got in the way. I picked it back up this morning around Part II and was hooked and couldn't put it down. Goldmann references and writes about how learning and the brain works from a research perspective but also makes it user friendly. In order to have success with learning a new skill, specifically language, it is important to know your learning style, have SMART Goals, and have strong motivation- knowing your why. I preach this daily to my teachers and my students. Without these, you will not succeed in your learning. However, with learning a language on your own, you can specifically tailor your learning experience to your own style. I used to categorize myself only as a Reading and Writing Learner; it wasn't until recently I began working on my auditory learning and now would describe myself as a Mixed Learner. This is important to note and I am glad Goldman included this in her book.

My only criticism of this book is that it narrowed its audience to only those who want to learn German, and I personally think it can and should speak to a larger audience. The content in this book can EASILY be applied to any language you are attempting to study. Once I realized this, and I realized it quickly, I was able to make the book relatable to me and my current situation- I need to learn Spanish. Like yesterday. As Goldman points out on page 49, "Learning a new language requires not only a good plan, but also a reliable strategy." She then goes on to describe, in practical detail, how to implement a reliable strategy and bases the strategy on research.

I really enjoyed this book and feel motivated to implement a strategy on my morning commutes to work to learn Spanish. I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the education field, specifically those that teach languages. I would also recommend this book to anyone interested in how the brain processes learning new information.

Happy Reading!

Hession

https://www.hessionsreadingworld.com/2020/08/the-neuroscience-of-language-frog-leap.html