It’s grey and cold outside, it still gets dark really early, and spring feels like a million miles away…so how do you stay motivated or enthusiastic about anything, let alone learning English…?!
Well, it’s a big topic, and of course it varies from person to person. But even when it’s sunny and the birds are happily singing in the trees, there is no denying that when you have a long-term project, such as learning a language, it is often hard to keep going.
But over the years, from learning languages myself and most importantly, listening to my students, I’ve realised that you don’t have to be an expert, and you most certainly do not always need to get everything right. Because a long time before that happens, you’ll already be able to express yourself well, even if not in the same way you might do in your first language. And surely that doesn’t matter so much - it’s being able to communicate in some way that is the most important and rewarding thing.
In fact, unless you really have to take an intensive course for work, study or moving country, I would strongly advise to not rush – make sure you have learnt whatever you’re learning really well, before you move on to a new subject. Otherwise, you’ll need to keep going back to learn the same material again. To some extent, this is normal, but the firmer your foundations, the firmer and longer-term your knowledge will be.
It really does helps to take things at your own pace, step-by-step. It’s even a good idea to break things down into each lesson, each topic, each chapter. What have you learnt, understood or got better at recently, or even today?
Another big trap is comparing yourself to others. You may know someone who is better than you or faster than you at something, but you are you, and it’s important to focus on your strengths and weaknesses. In fact, if you know someone who can help you to understand something better, or vice versa, helping each other is a great way to communicate, exchange ideas and get to know others – which is what language is all about after all.
It also helps a lot to vary how you learn, and to make it fun! You can listen to English radio, watch TV, films or box sets; read books in English (you can get graded readers in places like Waterstones and various online bookshops); play games like Scrabble and Pictionary; speak with or write to native English speakers; go to a language exchange; join an English-speaking group for one of your hobbies or a sport you’ve always wanted to try…the possibilities are endless. But the main thing is, don’t be afraid to make mistakes or to ask someone to repeat or slow down - that’s a big part of how we learn too.
So what I’m really saying is: it takes time to learn something properly, but rather than being disappointed, take things at your own pace and reward yourself for the small things as you go along. Then one day, you’ll look back and be amazed at how far you’ve come!
How do you keep yourself motivated? Do you have any tips and tricks for other students? If so, please don’t hesitate to write in the comments below.
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