Overcome the Learning Plateau

Last week I posted about having reached a learning plateau with rock climbing.? I also experienced it while learning Spanish years ago – so I know first hand that it can feel incredibly frustrating!?

First of all, what is this “learning plateau” phenomenon?

According to the Psychology Dictionary, a learning plateau ("meseta de aprendizaje") is a flat place in a learning curve, indicating a period when we feel we’re making little or no progress.?

In reality, we still ARE making progress, but it doesn’t seem nearly as obvious as when we began our learning adventure.

The duration of the plateau depends on the task, motivation, and approach of the learner. It's also influenced by the amount of previous experience we’ve had, and occurs more often in tasks involving habit formation and routine practice.

Learning a language can be described as peeling an onion.?

You start with the outside layer, full of the most common words and grammatical constructions, and then as you start taking off the layers, you find lots more detail; things that you never knew about or could even imagine.

Sometimes the language-learning challenge is exciting, as there are plenty of new words and expressions to discover, an endless amount of interesting things to listen to, and countless conversational and networking opportunities with new people that we meet.

It can be exhilarating at first, but often becomes overwhelming and challenging.

Inevitably, you will hit the plateau point. This is especially common when we’ve reached a B2 (high-intermediate) level.?You start to question your methods, your teacher or you feel like giving up.

After all, if you don’t really HAVE TO work in English, is it really worth the effort?

YES, it is!

Learning English can be an amazing tool, and being able to communicate well can open so many doors -- both personally and professionally.

What can you do to keep up the momentum?

Here are 5 TIPS to overcome the plateau:

TIP #1 – Check your mindset

Do you have a fixed way of thinking that stops you from progressing with English?

Maybe you’re feeling one or more of the following limiting beliefs:

• My accent is embarrassing
• Everyone else speaks better than me
• My clients won’t understand me
• I don’t have enough vocabulary
• It takes too much effort to become fluent
• I’m just not talented with languages

?It may seem of little importance, but our internal soundtrack is crucial to reaching our goals.

We need to overcome these negative thoughts and move beyond the mental noise and self-inflicted obstacles. Daily meditation can be especially helpful with this.

?TIP #2 – Make it relevant to your needs!

It’s important that you study materials and content that is relevant and interesting to you. For example, studying general business English isn’t going to get you the most effective results if you need English for therapy sessions.

Work with a teacher/coach to create a curriculum that works for you, so that it’s customized to meet your specific needs and keeps you motivated. Regular feedback is important!?

Listen to and read relevant English content to reinforce what you cover in your sessions.

TIP #3 – Mix it up!

Many students are happy with staying with the same English teacher for years.?It’s great to find someone that you really click with, but there’s also a danger of getting too comfortable.?

You know their way of teaching, their accent, and you know that if you don’t do your homework, they won’t mind. Maybe it’s time to mix up activities and strategies.

Why not try a virtual or in-person language exchange? Break out of your comfort zone and join a fun English-speaking group .?

If it’s difficult to find an English-speaking community where you live, have a look on Facebook for an expat (foreign resident) group in your area. I know plenty of Spaniards who participate in them where I live, and they are welcomed with open arms to a variety of fun events and activities in the language.

TIP #4 – Journal to reinforce what you know and practice what you’ve learned

?I recommend sitting down for 15-20 minutes each day and just writing whatever comes to mind. Write about your day, something you read, a work-related misunderstanding, how you’re feeling, etc.

?Ideally, you could try to incorporate some new words or expressions that you’ve learned recently or look up a few that you’re not sure of. The important thing is to just let the words flow, without judgment or much thought.

Journaling is writing like how you speak. It helps you develop your speaking skills as well as your writing skills. Save the formalities for your professional emails.

TIP #5 – Silence your inner grammar perfectionist!

A lot of my clients learned most of their English at school, and one thing that was very important at school was…GRAMMAR! The uninspiring memorization and regurgitation of language-teaching methods from the past (and present, depending on where you live) have left many English learners traumatized.

Yes, grammar is important, but speaking with confidence is even better! I’d much rather speak with someone who is not so accurate but speaks clearly and with confidence.

When you do practice grammar, use it in situations that are relevant to you. As adults, we really need to let go of the grammar book and just jump right in!

If you’re going to focus on anything, focus more on vocabulary, useful expressions and role-play situations that can help you communicate more clearly.

If you think you might be at this stage with your English, I recommend taking the necessary steps to move beyond the plateau and into a more positive growth mindset.

Warmest regards,

Heather

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Get in touch if you think you might benefit from a language coach to support you on your journey and keep you motivated to reach your goals!

Email: [email protected] / Website: www.myenglishtherapy.com