The other day someone asked me if we had scenarios at The Linguist. He meant do we have scripted scenarios of dialogues at the bank, at the train station etc.. I said no.

The scenario approach is like so much else in language training; a vain attempt to find a short cut. It does not work. Even if you learn a scenario for the bank, when you go to the bank the conversation will be different. Sure you need to learn the words for bank book and bank account and deposit etc. These should be taught through natural and interesting content and not through artificial scenarios.

But even if you know some of the words that you need, you still need the language knowledge. The real dialogue at the bank will not be the same as the scenario you study in your book or CD. Every scenario in real life is unique. You need real language competence to deal with what awaits you at the real bank. To achieve that competence there is no substitute to a lot of exposure to the language.

So I return to my battle cry. Listen to and read things that matter to you. Stay with it. Put in the time.  And use a systematic method to really learn the new words and phrases that you encounter. Go the language itself and figure out how can make your listening and reading and talking and writing as efficient and enjoyable a learning experience as possible. I may be prejudiced but I think that The Linguist system offers that.