My experiment was to see how photoreading could elevate my reading skills of the language that I had learnt to a limited/poor level. So I cannot really advise you how to learn a language from a book.
I do have a question.
Are you listening to any language tapes in relation to your attempt to study Italian? Prior to even opening a book in a foreign language I would want to listen to some of the basic words... without that I cannot see how photoreading books that that teach the language, alone, will help at a conscious level. Unless you've heard some of the words how can you self check the sounds? (In the case of the written word the code cracker seems to be the ability to recognise the sound).
As you noticed, the Malay flooded back relatively easily and I see that you've actually used it in the past. Using that model it seems having a memory of having heard the language makes it easier to use photoreading to build on the language.
If you want to use the photoreading model for learning a language I would suggest you get a basic word tape for the language, enter the accelerative learning state and listen to that tape a couple of times fully focused on the learning process (not be driving a care or doing other stuff for the first couple of times). From what you are saying it seems you are attempting to learn the language solely from a book.
As I pointed out I needed to subvocalise many of the words in order to recognise them consciously. (that is I needed to hear them in my mind). Most language relies on hearing. It appears from my experiment that the inner mind can interpret the written words into sounds once you are familiar with the basics. The conscious mind appears to be the slowpoke in these matters.
It would be interesting if anyone else on the forum could add their experience of language learning with or without photoreading, self taught or school taught. What worked and what didn't. Perhaps we could come up with a better model for learning a foreign language.
Alex
