10 Encouragements for Language Learners
“Take heart, everyone who has ever studied a new language has been there. I know that mistakes are frustrating and embarrassing, but try to keep a right perspective. A mistake is not the end of the world.”
If you find yourself deep in tone markers and new curly letters, or are trying to figure out how to form your mouth in just the right position to make that sound, or you’ve tried and tried and tried to communicate something and the other person just stares (or worse, laughs!) at you, know that you are not alone.
Language learning is hard. I’ve heard legends of people who can pick up a new language quickly and easily, but I think most of us don’t fall into that category. My high school Spanish teacher put it this way: “Some people just get language.” I knew then that I was not one of those select few. I get math. I generally did well at reading and writing in school. But learning a second language? Nope.
I studied two languages in high school and managed to pass my classes, but moving overseas and learning a new alphabet for a tonal language (I didn’t even know those existed!) was a whole new experience. I studied on and off for several years. I had enough vocabulary to buy my food and use public transportation. I could ask for fuel for my motorbike and pay my bills, but overall I knew my communication skills were lacking. The different tones were hard for me to hear, and therefore nearly impossible to replicate in conversation. Eventually I became discouraged and didn’t put much effort into continuing my education.
Now, I am in another country and had to study another language. There were a lot of factors at play, but this time learning the language came much easier for me. As someone who struggled with language for years, and now has experienced the joy that comes from successfully communicating in a new language, I’m here to offer you some encouragement.
1. Simplify your life
I don’t have to know you personally to know there’s a lot going on in your life. Studying a new language is probably just one of the challenges you’re currently undertaking. If you are a new language student and just moved to a new place, your house is likely filled with boxes, you don’t know where to buy groceries, and every person in your house is on a different sleep schedule. It’s completely understandable that you’re stressed and overwhelmed. Recognize that your mind and body are experiencing sensory overload and you will need to make some changes. You cannot be a perfect wife, mom, housekeeper, cook, friend, newsletter writer, teammate, student of culture, and language learner. You might even have ministry or other work expectations put on you at the same time. No one can juggle all of that at one time.
Be ok with letting some things go. Be willing to order in more often, let the kids have more screen time if you need to, hire a house helper and/or a cook, or ask your teammate to babysit. There’s also a time to be honest with your team or leadership and tell them you cannot manage everything on your plate. Take a step back and be honest with yourself and those around you.
2. Lower your expectations
If you’re like me, you had plenty of ideas about language learning before you tried to learn a language. Maybe you thought immersion was the best approach. (That’s obviously why I struggled with languages in high school, right?) Maybe you read a book that told you the only way to learn was to live with a local family. Maybe someone else told you how it was going to be. Let go of all those expectations now, especially the ones from other people.
You might not know what kind of language learner you are until you try to learn a language. I think that’s one reason my second target language came easier; I knew what to do. If your current situation isn’t working well, look for other options. Can you watch YouTube videos of kid shows in the language? Can going to the market with a tutor count as “class time”? Can you take some time away to give your brain a break?
Whatever approach you take, it will still probably feel like trying to drink from a fire hose. You don’t have to remember every single word or grammar rule. Learning a language is a process. It takes time.
3. Don’t compare yourself to others
You won’t learn at the same pace as anyone else. This can be especially difficult if you’re in a class with your spouse or a friend. Learning a language is a skill. Some will catch on faster than others. Some will understand the grammar but have trouble with pronunciation. You are an individual with your own learning style and your own pace. You don’t have to keep up with anyone else
4. Repeat a unit
There is nothing wrong with repeating a unit or class. You’re not a failure if you’re struggling or didn’t meet last week’s benchmark. In my most recent language school curriculum there is a unit near the beginning that is heavy on grammar. Everyone I’ve talked to–no matter how long they’ve been in the country–agrees that they would like to go back and repeat that unit. Learning a language is hard. It takes time for grammar rules to sink in. I didn’t start to comprehend some of those rules until six months later when I saw them in a different context.
5. Ask questions
Don’t be afraid to speak up if you don’t understand something. If you don’t know the difference between a direct and an indirect object, ask. If you can’t hear the difference in tones for two words with very different meanings, ask for more repetition. If you can read what the textbook says but you don’t understand how to apply it, ask for more examples. Don’t let pride get in the way of asking for help. You will be a better (and happier) student if you ask your questions.
6. Use an app
If you have a smartphone, you probably have a voice recorder app. Play around with it before class so it’s easy to record your teacher reading a list of words or a passage. Not only do you hear the words and sounds, but you also get a feel for the natural cadence.
If the speaker in your recordings speaks too fast, there are apps that will slow down voice recordings. This is helpful to hear the sounds more clearly or to follow along with a written passage if you’re not a strong reader yet.
For day to day studying of new words and phrases, I used Quizlet. You can make flashcards, but it will also turn your entries into games for you and keep track of your progress.
7. Learn to read
Unless you are a strong auditory learner, I highly recommend learning to read at or near the beginning of your language learning journey. I didn’t learn to read for the first several months of language school my first time overseas. Since the language used a new alphabet, I couldn’t make sense of anything. I was relying on what I thought I heard the teacher say and then trying to write that down using English sounds. What I didn’t realize was that this new language had new sounds that I didn’t know I needed to listen for. Needless to say, what I heard was not always correct. Looking back, I think this really hurt me as a language student for the remainder of my time in country. Learning the sounds of your language will make you a better listener, reader, and speaker.
8. Use a tutor
There are so many different methods to learning a language. Whether it’s seemingly endless repetition, or Growing Participator Approach, or something else, not every method works for every person. If your language school’s approach doesn’t click with you, consider using a tutor. The language school in my second host country used a method that worked well with my learning style, but I still chose to use a tutor for extra practice. Her help was invaluable. Talk to people who are a few steps ahead of you about what and who helped them.
9. Accept that you will make mistakes
None of us like to admit it, but we’re not perfect. If you’ve always been a good student and graduated top of your class and now you can’t even count to ten, press on. If you practice and practice at home but forget everything as soon as you try to use your new words in public, try again tomorrow. You will say the wrong word at the wrong time. You will ask for green beans and receive beans that are in fact green, but not the kind you wanted. You will tell the driver where to take you, only to realize after twenty minutes that he doesn’t know where to go and you don’t know where you are. Mistakes will happen. Take heart, everyone who has ever studied a new language has been there. I know that mistakes are frustrating and embarrassing, but try to keep a right perspective. A mistake is not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to be there or that you’re stupid. You are human and you’re a learner. Have a good cry sometimes if you need to, but be kind to yourself.
10. The struggle is worth it
Why do I feel so strongly about not giving up when it gets hard? Because I have struggled and given up and I have struggled and made it to the other side. I didn’t dwell on my mistakes; I kept trying. And I am here to tell you that the struggle is worth it. Keep trying to make that sound. Keep listening for tones. Use a study app like Quizlet to make learning into a game. The joy and pride you will feel when you can successfully communicate is such a great feeling. Your hard work will pay off.
Even though this newest language has been easier for me, I’m still learning. I forgot a lot of vocabulary and grammar during furlough. I often confuse the words for “yesterday” and “tomorrow.” I don’t usually catch everything during a conversation. But I know enough to usually understand the gist of what people are saying, and if I don’t, I have the words to ask questions until I do understand. Please don’t give up on the language or yourself. I’m rooting for you!
What has helped/is helping you learn your target language? What encouragement would you offer someone who’s struggling with language?
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