On December 2nd, Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) announced the MAZDA3 “Winner of the ALG Residual Value Award in the Mid-Compact Car Segment! Mazda beats out it’s Competition such as Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, And The Volkswagen Jetta.

As for the car manufactor in all they ranked 2nd in the Mainstream Residual Value Rankings.

This question comes up again and again. Perhaps my experience as an ALG student many years ago is instructive. When I began, I took about three months to settle into the program. The first three months were frustrating as it was a complete paradigm shift – from hard work, home work and study, to entertainment, and letting the brain do whatever it does. It’s not that I was passive – My role was to actively guess about what was going on, and to avoid trying to speak or even think about words. This I have done since that time and I’ve never wanted to go back to the old ways.

What I found was that I understood many easy words, such as ‘then’ and ‘but’ only after a very long time – which I believe if I was translating at any level, would not have been the case. Also, early on I began to understand the gist of things better than my friends who had studied the language, even though I didn’t know equivalents of any words. This later became a very accurate understanding of both the intended meaning and later the language, and without any apparent conscious connection to anything in English, my native language. I actively turned off the adult tendency to connect languages. Therefore, it’s my understanding that I have acquired Thai without any form of translation. (David Long)

Level 2

(description) This level is a transition level between 1 and 3. The format is more advanced than level one, and focuses primarily on stories. The subject matter still changes every day and can be quite challenging at times.

(feelings) The level may feel like a big change for you. Many students report it’s a great adjustment. The format will tend towards less games and more stories. The vocabulary increases because you’re understanding is increasing. You will feel frustration when you are in classes you cannot follow. Sometimes, this is due to your focusing on words rather than the whole experience. Sometimes it’s due to an unfamiliar topic. It may be you arrived to class late. Don’t stress. Gain through guessing. You may also be feeling you’ve done things the ‘right way’ according to everything we’ve said, but are the slowest in the class.

(pitfalls) The increases of understanding are still enough to carry you forward. Don’t give in to concerns about your inability to speak. There are a growing number of words you understand, but also an even bigger number of words which are foggy or still not clear, even though you understand them in a general context. It’s a mistake to grasp at these sounds and words.

(recommendations) Let the foggy words become clear in their own time. This will enable you to avoid the problems of advanced traditional students who are unable to distinguish between words with only slight differences of tone or sound, but with completely different meanings. Also, don’t waste time comparing yourself to other foreigners. This is not only a waste of time, but those who study using other approaches should have different results. One of the main visible differences at this point, is they can say things, and you can’t. Do you want the benefits of fluency? Remember there’s no shortcut, and forcing speaking now will limit your end result.

Level 1

(description) This is the most basic entry point. It is designed for those with little or no understanding in Thai. It is not for those who have studied previously or have practiced Thai. Each class has two teachers, and they interact together and with the student through games, simple stories, and activities of all kinds.

(feelings) You may feel a strange combination of hope and doubt at the same time. You will sense rather than really know that you are improving and you should feel good from the vast amount of language you are being exposed to.

(pitfalls) Following your peers’ advice may lead you down a wrong path. The fact is, unless they’re already fluent, they probably don’t know how to advise you. Get to know a few level 5-10 students who started at Level 1 – they’ll understand what you’re going experiencing.

(recommendations) At this level, adjust from a focus on listening to a focus on watching. Guess about what’s going on and don’t try to hold on to words, especially when you begin to recognize them. Don’t waste time writing, looking up in dictionaries, and don’t practice outside of class. Gain understanding and don’t worry about speaking. You’ll do better communicating in your own language, just as our teachers are doing with you anyway. If you absolutely need to speak a few phrases or words, limit it to as few as possible, and memorize them.

Note: Our measurement of your progress includes things you do outside of our program. We will ask, or you can inform our office staff about input you receive outside of AUA. For example, you may live in a Thai household, surrounded by Thais all day, or you may work in an office where most of what’s going on around you is Thai. Treat every experience as if it were a class and you will be surprised at how fast you begin to understand what’s happening around you.

ORIENTATION

Take some time to understand what we’re doing, and to get the most benefit from our program, every student should view the “David Long on the ALG Method” videos.

For students who began in level 1 and are now in level 3, I’d encourage you to go visit a level 1 class on http://youtube.com/algworld. If you’ve not done this yet, you’ll be amazed at how much you have improved!

BLOG

Specific and valuable information is available that pertains to AUA Thai Program students: follow our blog at: http://auathai.blogspot.com
You may also want to ask questions, offer answers or insights here as well.

If you’d like a more personal perspective on things, follow David’s LongInAsia Blog.

INFORMATION & UPDATES

Do you use Twitter? Follow us at @auathai for reminders of holidays, blog updates and special events. Http://twitter.com/auathai

If you’re on Facebook, join the “AUA Thai/Japanese Program” group and interact with others, share photos, and have discussions.

How much does it cost?

The basic price is 107 Baht per hour. There are discounts, and other promotional bonuses as well. The details are available at: http://www.auathai.com/tuition.html

When can I begin to study?

Our program is not based on terms. Students may begin study at any time. Classes at all levels are always available, except during our holidays.

How do I apply?

The application process is simple. Come into our office, fill our a simple basic form, and visit a complimentary class. If after that, you choose to enroll, pay for the number of hours you choose and that’s it.

How do I obtain an ED or Student Visa?

We can help you with this process. The requirements and conditions are found on our website here.

How long before I begin to speak?

Each person is different. By ’speaking’ we mean the ability to form a unique sentence, without forethought or rehearsal. If you allow the natural process to take place, this generally takes as long as 700 to 1000 hours of input. (Not only input from our program but other ways as well) If you ‘push’ yourself as most adults do, you will speak sooner, with less satisfactory results. This is evidenced the world over in the differences between children and adult language learners.

How Do We Measure Progress?

We record the hours of attendance, methods of listening,, and understanding of meaning, for each student individually. We also factor in outside influences, other study or sources that help or hinder growth. Based on these things, we calculate the ‘growth rate’ or language acquisition of every student. These assesments are available when a student moves from level to level in the program. The appropriate level for a particular student is determined through consideration of the teachers’ and staff evaluations as well as student self-evaluations.

Taken from Long in Asia – david long: Culture Shock

“One thing I realized as a student in the AUA Thai Program is that through sharing their lives, our teachers gave us more understanding of culture than was even imaginable. I realized that in fact, understanding culture was more important than being able to use Thai, and preliminary to being able to use Thai as a Thai. There is so much added value in that, the for me, becoming fluent in Thai was merely a by-product.”

Thank you Kevin, for your question: “What advice could you give me regarding my incorrect approach to learning Spanish by talking from the very first day, and not receiving correct input. I also translated word for word and still have a lot of problems having to think about almost every word before speaking. Any tips would be appreciated.”

I don’t know of any way to undo what’s been done, however we are all learning new things all the time. Will your study get in the way of acquisition? Yes. It is this point that draws the most criticism from the language teaching community. The problem is, we see it all around us.

So let’s not worry about what’s happened already. Past is passed.

Let’s think about improving from where you are.

The only way to acquire a language is to gain more input. See my blog: The Airside and the Brainside of Language. We must find ways to gain experiences in that culture/language.

What can thatinput be? What can you do to gain input?

Follow your interests in the society – Do you like football? Get together with others who like football too. Listen in on their conversations. It’s much less important what those interests are – in other words, don’t worry too much about balance.

Watch movies in the culture/language. Watching with subtitles will focus your attention on the words, rather than the whole experience and thus keep you from developing your ability to “hear”.

Use Crosstalk. One way you might use this is to make regular appointments with Spanish speaking people who want to learn English, or any other language you may be fluent in. You use that language with them, while they use Spanish in communicating with you. For a very short period, your ears will need to adjust, but you’ll soon be surprised at how much you can communicate in this way. The key to using crosstalk successfully is to never give in to the tendency to translate something. If it’s not readily understood, always look for a way to ’show’ them rather than to use verbal language.

The basic rule is this – input that leads to acquisition must be understandable, and interesting for you. It can be any sort of happening, direct involvement, or third party observation. Don’t focus on language however, because that will detract from the happening!

Good luck to you!

—- Tyck inte synd om mig. Även om jag ibland blir våldtagen av jakthundar så ser jag mig inte som ett offer. Jag är en glad skit som älskar livet och ser det positiva i tillvaron.

Jag är tex med i ett coverband som spelar funkjazz-versioner av tidiga E-Type låtar, jag samlar på gula cykelpumpar och fotograferar stubbar när tid finnes. Strunta i folks fördomar och koncentrera er på att förverkliga er själva istället. Lev livet!!

SANTA BARBARA, 23 NOV 2009 [Business Wire via Sys-Con] – ALG, a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings, Inc, a leading provider of on-demand software and data solutions for the U.S. automotive retail industry, today announced that Toyota and Honda were the top performers among mainstream brands in ALG’s Fall 2009 Perceived Quality Score (PQS).

Skin: <TheAbyss> [ SKIN ][ Adam Crius_Deep Tan ][ Chin Beard ]

Hair: Aitui – Hair – Blindside w/headband – Dark Brown Highlighted

Shirt: Emery – Tank Men #Carrot

Pants: GAGA BERMUDA PLAID BLUE

Shoes: *Alg.* Canvas Lace Sneaker “Classic”

Carrot: [LP] Carrot Comedian

Pose: GLITTERATI – Ice skating 3

Har jagat på onsdag och lördag (idag), det har inte varit de bästa av jakter som jag har varit med om under min “jaktkarriär”. Onsdagen blev till stor del förstörd av att Pippi sökte upp en katt och lade ned stort arbete på att skälla på henne, därefter kom hon i kontakt med älg som var folkskrämd så att hon fick inte stopp på den inom rimlig tid därför slutade hon att förfölja den och kom tillbaka till utgångspunkten, vilket var bra, det gäller att se de positiva sidorna!!!
Lördagen samma visa vid första släppet, alltså katt, vilket beror på att vi jagar nära bebyggelse och stora riksvägar för att ta bort de älgar som uppehåller sig nära dessa vägar för att minimera trafikolyckor inför/under kommande vinter.
Andra släppet kom hunden på en älg som rusade rakt fram i 4,2 km vilket gjorde att både älg och hund kom långt utomför det jaktområde som vi har jakträtt på, vi avbröt jakten vid kl. 13,15, nya tag och marker imorgon.

Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om älgjakt, jakt, älg, katt, jakt, jakträtt, jaktområde, trafikolyckor, vinter, jaktmark, hund, buhund

Den här dagen tillhör inte mina favoritdagar, skitväder ute men lite pyssel med den älgkalv som vi, Jonas och jag hängde upp i går, städning och bortforsling utav det skräp som blir när man pälsar ett djur så dagen har blivit till sen kväll nu. Dags att tillfoga sig den skönhetssömn man så väl behöver, så till ER alla godnatt.

Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om älgjakt, älgkalv, jakt, älg, styckning,

Någon undrade hur det gick med bilen som kört på älgen jag skrev om i förra inlägget. För jag får väl förmoda att någon i en bil kört på den eftersom den låg död vid vägkanten. Men någon bil fanns det inte där, ingen varningstriangel eller så heller. Nu låg älgen på sidan av vägen så för den skull behövdes ingen varning.

Nix, har ingen aning med andra ord. Ska strax ta itu med alla kommentarer men först lite jag måste fixa med! Såg förresten att den sista funktionen jag väntat på funkar nu, nu kan jag se vilka ord folk söker på i sökmotorerna för att hitta hit. Det går som tåget!

I morse när jag åkte till jobbet låg det en död älg vid sidan av vägen så någon hade förmodligen haft en mindre trevlig resa. I mina trakter är det mycket djur överhuvudtaget, och naturligtvis också på vägarna då. Och när vädret är så här grått och dimmigt så är ju sikten rätt begränsad också så det gäller att tänka sig för även om det inte är direkt halt.

Själv kom jag fram till jobbet utan incidenter i alla fall. Skönt det! Har väl knappt vaknat ännu känns det som, än mindre fått fart på tankeverksamheten. Men ett par koppar kaffe till kanske råder bot på det. Och nej då, jag sitter inte inloggad på bloggen och skriver på arbetet inte, men jag kan skicka in inlägg via e-post så nu kan ni kanske räkna med en och annan uppdatering även på dagtid. Ibland behöver man rensa huvudet med något helt annat än arbete faktiskt.

Men nu är det nog hög tid att ta itu med arbetet igen, det är väl det jag är här för har jag hört!

Jag har noterat att det för egen del blivit mycket fokus på träd och buskar i mina bilder på sistone. Det handlar nog mest om att det är dessa stillastående individer som har haft ödmjukheten att ställa upp som mina modeller, i motsats till deras mer mobila kusiner bland djuren. Det var i och för sig likadant i våras som denna buskbild bevisar. Alla har ju inte en situation där de vilda djuren springer efter en så fort man visar sig.

Vicklebyskogen, Öland, den 4 april 2009.

Maffiga djur. Och betydligt trevligare att ha dom knallande runt huset än att mötas öga mot öga på en bilväg. Men smyga på en älg är nästan omöjligt. Åtminstone om man har en 5-åring som bara måste “viska” hela tiden.

nyfiken

Nja, det är inte lätt att gå helt ljudlös i skogen. Har man däremot vinden i rätt riktning så ökar chanserna avsevärt.

Även när man klampar på som mest gäller det dock att ha ögonen med sig. Skogens djur är också nyfikna och gömmer sig ibland närmare än man tror.

Dag 39 – Här kommer en något försenad rapport av torsdagens händelser. Under torsdagen var jag ledig hela dagen. Jag och min sambo passade på att införskaffa lite nya kläder åt oss och den hemmavarande sonen. En god lunch blev det även på restaurang och en fika på stan därefter. Eftermiddagen spenderade vi hos våra goda vänner A&M som även bjöd på dagens middag. Oj vad deras barn har vuxit sedan vi sågs sist, den minsta kände jag knappt igen.

Dagens aktivitet: Baka Kärleksmums
Jag fortsätter fylla på fikaförrådet i frysen med vad vi i min familj kallar kärleksmums. Vet dock att denna kaka har många namn; snoddas, chokladkaka med kokos m. fl Vad använder ni för namn på denna kaka? Något annat än det jag nämnt?

Det blir även städ inför helgen redan idag då jag jobbar två jobb i morgon, 08-20, och endast är ledig 1½ timme mitt på dagen.  Det blir mat och resa till och från jobben, nått annat hinner jag inte med.

Dagens middag: Älggryta hos A&M. (Ska försöka lura av henne receptet så jag kan lägga ut det.)

Dagens hushållspyssel: Plocka ihop, dammsuga, skura toa & torka golv