Biologically our ear, when we are young, is able to perceive the most possible sounds of several languages. That is to say languages are vibrations and a not yet completely �modeled � ear perceive a wide range of sounds.

 

On another hand our vocal cords are able to reproduce the widest range of sounds before we are 21 years old. That �s why yound children repeat so easily everything they ear.

 

Thirdly it was proved that the more languages you speak the faster you learn another one. The �magical � number of different languages to speak to possess the whole range of vibrations would be 7.

 

The 1st very thing to do is to ask the students (as soon as they ara able to understand) to immerse themselves in an English, Italian.... language sounding ambiance (music, films...) with no visual aid. The brain will register the new sounds naturally and will recognize them more easily after. The most important is to LISTEN not to understand if you are not used to the language.

 

Let �s be back to your point : teaching through reading stories. When the students have got the first basis, and after 2 preliminary readings (with close eyes) it is paricularly efficient if the reading is reinforced with pictures explaining the different scenes of the book. The children will instinctively understand the background, repeat some words or sentences they have registered and liked a lot. So little by little their brain becomes used to new sounds they will recognize further in lessons more structured.

 

For adults the problem is different. Their ear is used to a limited range of sounds. Their vocal cords are no longer adaptable to reproduce other sounds that the ones they are completely used to. More than that they fear the novelty and often think that foreign languages are more difficult that their own mother tongue.

 

An efficient means is to ask the students (as soon as possible and particularly adults) to close their eyes while they are listening. No visual means for 2 or 3 times. Then give them the text and make them listen again. Talk about the sounds they recognized, identified. Maybe some words or parts of sentences. Then make them  close the eyes again while there is a new reading.

 

Give again the text. Make them try to read. Or read the sentences 1 by 1 and make them repeat. You will work with them after the reading (the whole text or only some lines) the vocabulary by deducing it if possible or the grammar points making them noticing what is common in several sentences for setting some grammatical structures (order of the words for example).

 

But never never forget that listening is not enough : students must practice oral AND writing ! Most of us are mainly visual persons, some others are mainly auditive. The goal is to develop both skills.

 

Reading is as an art. Some story tellers are able to give life to an oral text in an amazing way and make the understanding of their text much easier. If a text is well read the threat of misunderstanding disappears and curiosity comes up : �I want to understand what is said ! It SOUNDS so interesting ! �

 

Well your topic is really interesting but I do not want to occupy the whole post. LOL !

 

I only hope that these few information will be useful. If ever you want to go further and ask me some other questions pm me in private. I will try to answer.

 

LISTEN to your intuition dear and try the means I gave you. You will understand and exclaim (as 1 of my students proudly did) �Now I understand why you asked me to close my eyes ! I DO feel my brain FOCUSED on the sounds ! Wonderful ! �