"Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.''

Among the maxims on Lord Naoshige's wall there was this one: ''Matters of great concern should be treated lightly.'' Master lttei commented, "Matters of small concern should be treated seriously." Among one's affairs there should not be more than two or three matters of what one could call great concern. If these are deliberated upon during ordinary times, they can be understood.

Thinking about things previously and then handling them lightly when the time comes is what this is all about. To face an event anew solve it lightly is difficult if you are not resolved beforehand, and there will always be uncertainty in hitting your mark. However, if the foundation is laid previously, you can think of the saying, "Matters of great concern should be treated lightly," as your own basis for action.

From Chapter One of The Hagakure
—Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659 - 1719)

Affordance Theory

Recently I stumbled upon the word affordance. The significance of this word is still becoming more apparent to me, but my initial findings are scantly noted below. Initially I found this related to interaction design and usability (Norman), but quickly realized there are many dimensions to this theory as it relates to many disciplines including but not limited to language acquisition.

J.J. Gibson, an American psychologist, coined the term "affordance" in 1977 in his book, The Theory of Affordances. Basically, an affordance is an interactive opportunity of an object or environment. For example a handle on a pan affords grasping or an obstruction free, flat surface affords a safe walk.

James J. Gibson (1977), The Theory of Affordances. In Perceiving, Acting, and Knowing, Eds. Robert Shaw and John Bransford

Not available on Amazon, but a preliminary description of afforance is available:
A Preliminary Description and Classification of Affordances

James J. Gibson (1979), The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception


Also Multiple Language Learning in the Light of the Theory of Affordances
Good research paper (please note that the link is to a pdf).

"Motivation is a dimension of language learning that is notoriously difficult
to study. Hence the wide variety of perspectives on the issue and on the
paradigm shifts that are claimed by some to have taken place in this domain
(for discussion see e.g. Crookes & Schmidt, 1991; Dörnyei, 2001; Gardiner,
2005; Ushioda, 2006). However, there is wide consensus on the notion that
motivation is enhanced by goal-setting (cf. Deci, 1995; Deci & Ryan, 1985)..."

"If you tell the truth, you don't have to have a good memory."

-Mark Twain

I found this quote on an article I was reading this morning. In it the author, James J. Asher, Ph.D., the creator of TPR (Total Physical Response), briefly explains how vital it is to play with language. In playing with language, the learner increases comprehension and is able to create the mental maps needed for future communication.

He likens the situation the first year of a new born. They do not speak but react to what they are hearing. The babies hear imperatives of their parents and learn the dos and don'ts this way.
"Don't eat that!"
"Drink this."
"Don' throw your spoon!"

Comprehension develops and truths are created. Soon the baby is speaking its first words.

The idea of play is quintessential in Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi's Bujikan School. His idea in training is for the students to have fun at what they are doing. In having fun they are able to be creative and innovative. Thus the shape of the style is only limited by the creativity of the students. Dr. Hatsumi asks only to be mindful of walking. All your actions should be done as if you were walking. Every completed action is one that you walk away from. "Doing without thinking."

Dr. Asher calls this idea of play, doodling. By doodling around with the target language in the target language the mind is able to begin making its precious network in the target language. Therefore further developing comprehension. Assigning truths to stored related and relevant vocabulary. He recommends doodling as often as possible every day.

It is an obsessive behavior, but in order to become something we have to begin by thinking. By developing "truths" in the target language we can stop thinking about what we want to communicate and start communicating.

We become what we think.

Thanks!

Matthew, MB

Beat your Mental