We learn to speak and understand our native language without any great effort, for these are natural aspects of the maturation of every human being. The skills of reading and writing, by contrast, have to be learned, usually in an educational context. Now, when it comes to a foreign language, all the skills (speaking, un derstanding, reading and writing) have to be learned - nothing can be acquired without considerable effort. This learning process does not take place in a vac uum: it is heavily influenced by our previous experience of acquiring our native language and learning to read and...