How many times have you decided to start learning English or other languages and simply quit after a few lessons? Whatever the language is, here are some of the most common mistakes behind this issue.
1. Choosing the easy way out. We can easily be misled by those miraculous courses that promise we would be fluent in the language in no time. That simply does not happen; there are no shortcuts. Learning a foreign language takes time and dedication. It is a process in which we start reaching milestones little by little. We need to be realistic, patient, and persistent.
2. Not setting achievable goals. Linked to the previous reason is the fact that we may tend to set unrealistic objectives, which, in the end, will only discourage us. We need to consider the context we are in, learning styles, the time we have to devote to the new endeavor (learning a new language), and the purpose of learning. Only then, can we think about how far and how fast we can get to the target.
3. We do not make time for it. It is true that most of us have hectic schedules, and at times, we may not have time for additional practice, but come on! How many hours do we spend scrolling through posts on social media? It is a matter of taking better advantage of our time. We need to schedule our study time and commit to it.
4. We judge our progress against other people’s. We are unique and so are our learning pace, style, and conditions. We cannot compare ourselves to others who probably have more time to practice, more chances to interact in the language, or that simply get it naturally. We can only compare ourselves against ourselves. We need to look back and see our starting point and how far we have come; then we will see how much progress we have made.
5. We are afraid of making mistakes. We fear mistakes, so we simply don’t dare to try and use the language we have learned. However, we need to change our mindset and consider that mistakes are an unavoidable part of any learning process. Neither our teacher nor our classmates will laugh, and if they do, laugh along and keep on learning.
The only mistakes you should avoid making are these five; bear them in mind and DO NOT give up!
