LingQ inspires the young

The other night I watched James working at his computer with a very determined look on his face.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"It's for keyboard club," he answered. "I've found the sheet music for the Doctor Who theme music and I'm going to learn to play it."

"I didn't know you could read music!" I said, impressed.

"That's what we learn at keyboard club," he answered. "They want us to play really dull, easy stuff. I'm not having that. I want to learn to play the Doctor Who music, so that's what I'm going to do. It looks a bit hard, but if I keep at it, I'll keep getting better."

"Wow!" I said. "That's showing real motivation. Well done!"

"It's the LingQ way!" he answered, blushing with pride.

If only I could get him to show the same interest in learning languages. Still, it's a start. He has internalised the notion that if he learns what he wants to learn, as hard as he can, then he will excel in school and impress his teachers without having made any effort to do so.

Since he started in Big School he has had a detention every week (for disorganisation, failing to hand in his homework and generally not doing what the teachers expect him to do) and is performing in his favourite subjects at a level several years ahead of his class.

His teachers don't know what to make of him. I do. He is learning the LingQ way.