Terry Marshall was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and Peace Corps country director in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tuvalu



Terry Marshall was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and Peace Corps country director in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tuvalu

Terry Marshall
A real asset to those…whose language learning takes place mainly in the community where they are serving.
—Training Forum, Peace Corps

Terry Marshall, Peace Corps veteran, offers a set of clear and easy-to-follow guidelines and instructions that, used conscientiously, will enable anyone going abroad to pursue language learning successfully. Marshall demonstrates how to learn from native speakers beginning with the first days of your stay—even if you have never heard a word of the language.

This book will be useful to a variety of learners: overseas students; volunteers, missionaries, business executives, and teachers; members of the armed forces and others living and working abroad; families of all of the above; an anyone in countries whose languages are not regularly taught in language classes.

Once one decides to learn the language, Marshall offers the tools for doing so inexpensively, at the learner’s own speed, and with the involvement of local people.

Two elements form the core of Marshall’s technique. One is the use of a “mentor,” a native speaker who lives in the community and serves as a guide and aide in learning the language. The other is the “daily learning cycle,” in which the learner, by following specific steps and drawing on guidance from the mentor, plans the language learning experience, practices communicating, carries out the plan in the community face-to-face with local inhabitants, and evaluates the results. Thus day-to-day life is turned into systematic language study—something which no classroom can do.

Marshall, who writes in a exuberant, humorous style, includes six detailed lessons (for instance, “I’ll Pass on the Pigsblood Soup, Thank You” or “Finding Sustenance in a Local Cafe”) and suggests dozens more.

Terry Marshall was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and Peace Corps country director in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Tuvalu. He has written several articles about in situ language learning and is co-author of 101 Ways to Find an Overseas Job.

When this story was posted in January 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."

RPCVs active in new session of Congress In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.

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January 8, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Zambia RPCV Karla Berg interviews 1,374 people on Peace 7 Jan Breaking Taboo, Mandela Says Son Died of AIDS 6 Jan Dreadlocked PCV raises eyebrows in Africa 6 Jan RPCV Jose Ravano directs CARE's efforts in Sri Lanka 6 Jan Persuading Retiring Baby Boomers to Volunteer 6 Jan Inventor of "Drown Proofing" retires 6 Jan NPCA Membership approves Board Changes 5 Jan Timothy Shriver announces "Rebuild Hope Fund" 5 Jan More Water Bottles, Fewer Bullets 4 Jan Poland RPCV Rebecca Parker runs Solterra Books 2 Jan Peace Corps Fund plans event for September 30 Dec RPCV Carmen Bailey recounts bout with cerebral malaria 28 Dec more top stories...

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Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?

The World's Broken Promise to our Children Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Changing of the Guard With Lloyd Pierson's departure, Marie Wheat has been named acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Operations responsible for the day-to-day management of the Peace Corps. Although Wheat is not an RPCV and has limited overseas experience, in her two years at the agency she has come to be respected as someone with good political skills who listens and delegates authority and we wish her the best in her new position.

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.

Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

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