Crush the Language Learning Jitters

Language learning is such an interesting journey. It opens you up to other people's culture and I'm of the opinion that it gives you an integrated mindset in relating with others.

You are able to relate with people of different tribes, races, and ethnicities in an unbiased way.

That said, language learning requires intentionality just like acquiring any other skill. Especially for adults, it's important that you're in charge of your learning journey, not using your schedules and responsibilities as excuses to hinder your learning progress.

Do not be surprised that there are jitters you need to crush in your language-learning journey. Permit me to sum them up in a word. It is fear! I repeat, fear! It is a four-letter word that can inhibit your progress.

This fear could come in the form of you doubting your ability to be continuously committed to your language learning journey or in the form of imposter syndrome.

Even when you feel you're not good enough, continue! Continue to learn and practice. One of the things that helped me when I started was dealing with that fear.

Crush it by doing the following:

Set SMART goals

Set aside a convenient time for your language acquisition. If all you can do consistently is 15 minutes daily, that is okay. If you can go 1 hour, 2 hours, or even more, that is also perfect. What about 2 hours weekly? That is not bad either. The most important factor is consistency. So be realistic about the duration you can be consistent with.

Be patient with yourself

Language acquisition incontestably requires patience. Be patient with yourself. A learner can attain a level in three months and it might require 6 months or even more to attain that same level. This is not about the other learner being smarter, it is about factors such as your availability, consistency, intentionality, and learning model.

For example, the progress of a learner learning via an app may differ from one who purchased a full course or one who hired a tutor. So do not make comparisons. Just go at your pace steadily and committedly, and you can be sure to get there strong.

One word at a time

Take it one step at a time. This is about engaging the language. In the proper context of language acquisition, practice should accompany learning. Learning here would imply both during classes and out of classes.

Besides your classes, you can incorporate the language into your daily conversations. Employ words and expressions you have learned while conversing with friends and family. You might have to mix your first language with the target language (the language you're learning); that is part of the fun.

I did this a lot while I started learning French, and even when it seemed funny to my friends and family, I was not deterred. I even did it with my classmates, and at some point, everyone caught the bug.

Doing this is actually fun and you should enjoy it. If you do it often, you will be confident in having a conversation in the language, without the fear of making mistakes because you already acknowledge that you are still learning.

This will help you retain those words and expressions and will also motivate you to learn more of them.

Feedback

Communicating your language learning progress and challenges is important. The channel could be a site, app, or tutor. It shows you are in charge of your learning and are seeking ways to improve.

Let your teacher know if you feel there are ways your classes or learning can be more efficient. Share your concerns and be open to receiving support.

Explore other learning models

With technology and media, you are better empowered to acquire a new language. You can explore other learning platforms such as YouTube, social media communities, connecting with native/non-native speakers of the language. This will no doubt boost your confidence, no matter the level of proficiency you have attained.

I would have loved to share more with you but I think this article is getting long.

Let me know in the comments what other points you feel should be added. Feel free to drop your questions, concerns, and contributions and I would be glad to read from and respond to you.

Keep your language-learning dreams alive, I am just a DM away.

Till my next newsletter,

Cheers!

Adejoke Adewuyi.