You don’t need to be poor to learn new skills fast. But, it helps.
At 14, I was learning English. Scarce means. Plenty of enthusiasm.
Following intuition.
Each day, finding a new way to advance.
Building my own Approach to become fluent in English.
At 10, when my mother died, the future of this youngest of six boys couldn’t be more uncertain.
Or, predictable. In a predetermined way.

 

To call this a time of few opportunities or alternatives, wouldn’t begin to describe it.
Still, at 12, against all odds, I picked my pieces.
I had to make some money to help my family, somehow.

So, I started cleaning the back yard for the lady next door.
And sold horse manure to a local farm.

Since then, I grew accustomed to looking at every stumbling block in the way, as the prompt to create an alternative.

 

Beginning to pave the way to new opportunities.

At 14, my dear father started to teach me English.
I’ve been fortunate to be introduced to the English language so early.
By a truly passionate and accomplished language teacher.

He devoted his life to perfecting the half dozen languages he mastered like few. And lectured like none.
My dad guided me through the first lessons with dedication, enthusiasm, and endless love.
I can say now, it’s been contagious.
To complement his lessons, he used to buy me new English books very often.

I was fascinated from the very beginning by the English language. And always worked with genuine enthusiasm. Devouring every new book, I could get my hands on.

Even so, our differences in preference didn’t take long to show.
My father liked to study language theory, mostly. I preferred to listen to American songs and watch films.

 

The first cry of independence.

 

English grammar alone was mostly an uphill battle. But, the grammar routine was a ride in the park compared to English phonetics. Sometimes, I’d try to reproduce the sound of a semivowel 55 times. And it was never right. So, in a few weeks, I decided to go on my own.

 

The Escape From Phonetics Fanatics.

To this day, the simple mention of English phonetics teleports me to the world of My Fair Lady, the screen adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.
I see myself as a male reincarnation of Eliza Doolittle, portrayed by Audrey Hepburn, the girl who was submitted to endless sessions of English phonetics by the most relentless perfectionist in the world.
The unforgiving Professor Henry Higgins, masterfully interpreted by Sir Rex Harrison.

Driven by passion, not constrained by a set of rules.

Soon, I’d spend most of the time doing just what I liked most.
I’d spend as much time as possible, listening to American pop songs.
And writing all the lyrics I could get my hands on from my favorite singers, like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Pat Boone.

No subtitles. The best way to advance your English comprehension. And fluency.

Immensely motivated, I used to go to the movies at least once a week, to watch American films.
Whenever possible, I’d go to the balcony and position myself in a way that the subtitles were blocked from view.

By following my intuition and creating my own means to study and practice English, I was having a lot of fun.
Was also naturally building the essence of my Concept for studying and practicing foreign languages based on deliberate practice. Although unaware of it, then.

 

Accelerating the pace to English proficiency.

 

At 20, I worked as a commercial correspondent in English and Portuguese at Custodio de Almeida Advogados, a patent office in Rio de Janeiro. Twice a week had to send standard letters to a list of regular clients.

To advance my English, I started writing a personalized letter to each recipient.

By taking this initiative, I refused to work like a robot. And accelerated my fluency in English.

 

Crossing borders for the first time.

 

Always eager to move ahead, I was constantly looking for new ways to grow.
2 years later, when I learned Pan American Airways, in Rio was hiring new Sales Agents, I immediately applied.
And was accepted for the most exciting job of my life.

It was also the ticket to practice languages, meet interesting people from different countries and study abroad.
At Pan Am, I attended workshops in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and New York City.

 

Pan Am allowed employees to fly for free to different destinations. As long as we didn’t miss a day’s work.
This meant a few trips within the country on weekends and international flights on vacation.

In less than 2 months, I was promoted from the Reservations to Sales Agent to work at the front store.
I helped passengers in English and Portuguese.
A year later, was also helping passengers in French and Italian.

In addition to 2 promotions, also won a few prizes for sales performance.

 

Once more with feeling. A lot of it.

When I was studying basic German, at home, my tape recorder was my favorite companion.
To listen to songs. To learn with Linguaphone. To exercise pronunciation. This way, I advanced comprehension, vocabulary, and my writing skills.

After a few weeks, I applied to a summer class at Goethe Institut in Rio de Janeiro.
One day, Monika Hackstein, my teacher, casually said: if you keep your high grades till the end of this course, you can win a full Scholarship to complete studies in Germany. It got me fired up. I immediately accelerated my intensive learning even more.

Curiosity and passion leading the way.

The final exams at Goethe Institut have always been a tough nut to crack. Even for a native German.
The oral part is the hardest.
I was learning, and practicing German intensively. But, following my own passion.
So, was taking the whole thing, lightly.

On the day of the exam, at the oral session, I was greeted by 2 unsmiling, middle-aged ladies on the bench.
I could almost hear: “Silence! The court is in session.”

Still, I naturally managed to turn the whole thing around.
Before leaving the room, the 2 ladies, and I were relaxed, and chatting, informally. As if at a party.

Welcome back to the Multilingual World.

I passed the exam of Basic German, and won a full Scholarship to study Intermediate German, in Munich, Germany.
According to the Principal, this was the first time since 1956, that Goethe Institut, Rio de Janeiro granted the top score
to a student of German language.

I don’t say this to boast. Just want to show you the importance of being prepared.
And be always willing to try a bit harder.

In 2 weeks, I flew to Munich, Germany.
On the next morning, travelled to Prien Am Chiemsee, in the South, where I completed
Mittelstuff Zwei (Intermediate German ).

Accepting one more challenge. This time, testing unknown boundaries.

Had just arrived in Priem Am Chiemsee to follow my Scholarship at Goethe Institut in Germany. I’d stay there a full year with afternoons free. Needed a part-time job.

Tried everywhere for 3 days. Nothing. It was obvious no one would hire me. Not even to clean toilets, if I so wanted. One day, I saw an ad in a store: “Need a girl who speaks German and French to work as a secretary.”

Went to see Rolland Milleli, the owner. He asked in French: when can you start?

Right now, I said.

Cassar & Milleli offered luxury summer homes for vacation in Saint-Tropez. After a few days, I started to participate in the production of advertising material in English, French and German. At the end of my term at Goethe Institut, Rolland offered me a career in his firm.

My stay in Germany turned out to be the most educational and enriching experience of my trajectory on this Planet.

A humble kid on a fortifying and enriching journey.

In the beginning, didn’t have too many opportunities or alternatives.

One day, I finally stopped feeling sorry for myself because of the initial lack of formal education and a few limitations.

After all, my strong disposition to work and intuition never failed me.
Armed with these powerful allies, every new obstacle became at once, an incentive to create an alternative.

 

The golden visa to a New World.

My dedication to the English culture has been a natural process, and the most important choice of my life.

Using my own Approach of Intensive Language Practice, I became fluent in English, French, German, and Italian.

Even before I began to study Italian, I was already learning it. With all of my favorite Italian songs.

I wrote more about it in this article:

The amazing power of music to boost language learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Many Countries, Some Schools And Universities Still Follow A 200-Year-Old Lecture Model.

• They preserve rigid standards that discourage participation and comprehension.
• Making language learning excessively long, uninteresting, and unproductive.
• By encouraging too much competition, instead of stimulating curiosity and participation, some teachers complicate matters still further.

Language Learning Is Not A Logical Process.

Contrary to what many language teachers say, rules constrain more than stimulate advancement.

When you learned to speak, you were not required to follow rules.

If You’re Passionate About A Language,

Follow Your Passion,

And Let your curiosity Show You The Way.

 

See this article that I published recently:

The Amazing Power Of Music To Boost Language Learning.

Throughout my long and rewarding career in Brazil, the USA, and Germany, I have often been called by clients and friends who were looking for a more effective way to reach fluency in a foreign tongue. So, I decided to share the first steps of The Intensive Language Practice for free.

You’re invited to A Voyage Of Unlimited Discoveries And Personal Growth

Bring your most important companion: your Inner Child.

This creature who’s too often forgotten. And who has unlimited curiosity.

A lot of enthusiasm and desire to know what the World has to offer.

 

 

 

At 14, I received my first English lessons from my dear Father.

Soon, I began to spend most of my time doing just what I liked most:

listening to American pop songs, and writing all the lyrics from my favorite singers, like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, among others.

Fully energized and constantly motivated, I used to go to the movies at least once a week to watch American films.

• Whenever I could, I sat in the first row on the balcony.
• And positioned myself so that the subtitles were blocked from my view.
• I was determined to advance my English comprehension. 
• So, blocking the subtitles was the way to watch films!

By following my own intuition and adopting my own way of learning, I felt much more stimulated to go on.

Although I didn’t know it then, I was naturally building the foundation for my Approach for studying and practicing foreign languages, The Intensive Language Practice.

The Escape From Phonetics Fanatics 

To this day, the simple mention of phonetics instantly teleports me to the world of My Fair Lady, based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

I see myself as a male reincarnation of Eliza Doolittle ( Audrey Hepburn ), being submitted to endless sessions of English phonetics by the most relentless perfectionist in the world.

That’s how I remember the indefatigable and unwavering Professor Henry Higgins. Masterfully interpreted by Sir Rex Harrison.

 

As a communication Professional with a life dedicated to the study and research of languages, I have received a few diplomas in my long career.

A Certificate of Proficiency in English from the University of Michigan, English Language Institute. Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, and a few other diplomas and certificates from the USA, Brazil, and Germany.

• But, a diploma alone is just a promise. 
• You don’t need promises. You need a Solution.
• An effective approach to becoming fluent in English.

Let’s Move On

I began to work before I was 12 years old.

At 14, I received my first English lessons from my dear Father.

A passionate and accomplished Teacher of languages.

He devoted his life to perfect the half dozen languages that he mastered like few and lectured like none.

Under his guidance, and mostly on my own, I always worked very hard on English Grammar exercises. And that was pure hard work.

But the Grammar routine was a ride in the park compared to the lessons of English phonetics given by my Father.

In some sessions, I’d try to reproduce the sound of a semivowel 55 times.

And it was never right.

It was around that time that I decided to continue to learn English on my own.

Immensely motivated,

I used to go to the movies

at least once a week to watch American films.

Whenever possible, I’d go to the balcony, and position myself in a way that the

subtitles were blocked from view.

Used to follow my intuition.

And created my own means to study and practice English,

while having a lot of fun.

Although unaware of it, then, I was naturally creating

my own Approach for

studying and practicing English through Deliberate Practice.

See

The Intensive English Practice in action.

 

 

 

 

And it’s going to be a lot easier and much more pleasant, if you forget a few myths, while you enjoy your ride to the World of Bilingualism.

One of the greatest examples of rare talent in the world is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He wrote his first opera at age 12.

He’s considered the greatest prodigy of classical music, to this day.

In this article published by theguardian.com in January 2006, you can discover a new angle about this story.

A Musical Genius? No, Mozart Was Just A Hard-Working Boy.

Now, as the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth approaches this month, one film-maker is setting out to prove that such astounding achievements were a product more of hard graft than genius, as has often been assumed.”

The Guardian also showed that Mozart was the son of music teachers.

And his talent was not simply a gift from God, it was the result of tremendously difficult work.

I recently received this book “The Talent Code” from the author, Daniel Coyle.

It’s quite enlightening.

In The Preface, Daniel Coyle Says: “Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How.”

A truly extraordinary work by an engaged researcher and scholar who traveled the world to discover how the greatest masters reach the highest level in each of the skills that they perform.

See this review by GoodReads:

The Talent Code: Unlocking the Secret of Skill in Sports, Art, Music, Math, and Just About Everything Else:

A New York Times bestselling author explores cutting-edge brain science to learn where talent comes from, how it grows—and how we can make ourselves smarter.

• How does a penniless Russian tennis club with one indoor court create more top 20 women players than the entire United States?
• How did a small town in rural Italy produce dozens of painters and sculptors who ignited the Italian Renaissance?
• Why are so many great soccer players from Brazil? 

Curiosity Leads To All Inventions. And The Most Important Discoveries

 

Many people believe that speaking foreign languages is for geniuses.

Or for little children, because they have a special talent for learning languages fast.

Children have a lot of curiosity. And they’re not worried about making mistakes.

If they don’t get it right the first time, they just repeat it as many times as necessary. They never give up.

Some articles describe bilingual people as gifted creatures.

• This may be flattering to those who achieve some success in a foreign language.
• But it’s a discouragement to many other people who are struggling with learning a language.
• Anywhere in the world, people feel lost when they try to speak the first words in another language.
• This is a natural feeling of insecurity. It’s not incompetence.

We often read: “Talent is overrated”.

I Say This Is The Understatement Of The Century

• It’s scientifically proved that innate talent is a myth.
• Some myths are extremely appealing to most of us.
• So, they become untouchable, almost sacred.

This question of innate talent is the focus of the new book Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Florida State University psychologist Anders Ericsson and science writer Robert Pool, The Myth of Talent

Ericsson and Pool argue that, with the exception of height and body size, the idea that we are limited by genetic factors—innate talent—is a pernicious myth. 

“The belief that one’s abilities are limited by one’s genetically prescribed characteristics….manifests itself in all sorts of ‘I can’t’ or ‘I’m not’ statements,” Ericsson and Pool write.

I don’t mean to raise controversy, just want to demonstrate that you can become fluent in English, or in any other language that you choose, by adopting The Intensive Language Practice.

 

 

Even if you have only basic notions of English, you can begin to adopt some daily habits, which will advance your practice in a way that will surprise you.

There’s no limit to what you can discover when you do your Searches In English.

• You’ll find the answers to all your questions.
• From the most frugal to rocket science.
• All major scientific breakthroughs advancements and discoveries are published in English.

You can start to experience rich interactions with people from different languages and cultures. Without leaving the comfort of your home.

What You Need To Do To Becoming Fluent In English

Do you want to speak English? Just speak!

To want to speak is the most important.

Forget the rules and don’t pay too much attention to your mistakes.

It’s your decision to learn and practice English

that will make all the difference.

Subscribe to my Fluent in English updates to receive actionable tips every month.

Some people try to avoid speaking

when learning a new language

because they don’t want to make mistakes.

Mistakes are inevitable when you learn and practice a language.

When you make a mistake you have the chance to review and correct it.
This process is essential for incorporating the newly acquired information.

Don’t try to hide your mistakes.

Your mistakes will help you

become fluent in English faster if you accept them.

Add a Daily Dose of Intensive English Practice. Let the conversation flow.

The Intensive English Practice is a comprehensive Approach for mastering foreign languages through Deliberate Practice.

With 20 minutes a day, Fluency is on your way.

See how you can start using The Intensive Language Practice Demo here.

The Benefits Of Speaking English As A Second Language

Besides improving your resume and increasing your chances to get a better job, there are many more benefits to speaking The Most Universal Language.

Some linguists describe the following benefits of mastering a second language:

• Your mental connections will improve;
• You increase your mental agility;
• You optimize your memory;
• You will take your intelligence to new levels.

In a recent article by medicaldaily.com: Bilingualism And Brain Health: Learning A Second Language Boosts Cognitive Function, Even At Old Age, we learn:

• Bilingualism may not necessarily make you smarter, but it can keep your brain healthy and active.
• Whether someone is a lifelong bilingual or just recently learned, there are plenty of mental health benefits.
• It’s never too late to learn a new language, for your brain’s sake.
• In addition, being able to speak more than one language may delay mental illnesses, like Alzheimer.

“ If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head.

If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. ” ― Nelson Mandela.

I can add a few more reasons why it’s important to become fluent in English.

Red on, and learn more about English As The Starting Point