Challenges in Language Learning

When people learn a new language, there are always many obstacles and challenges that people need to overcome in order to reach a good level. These obstacles come in many different forms and today we are going to look at what we can do to overcome them so that we can fulfil our potential.

Don’t be embarrassed!

More often than not, many people are terrified of having to put the language that they are learning into practice and speak to people- the thought is petrifying. One thing that is a certainty when learning a language is that you have to realise that you are going to make mistakes because if you don’t, how do you plan to improve?

In order to combat the fear of embarrassment, you have to make the first move. If this fear is too much to begin with then practise in front of a mirror first until you are confident of your ability or in private with a friend.  It is recommended to look for a local language exchange if you are able to. By doing this you will have the opportunity to practise the language you are learning with someone (who is most likely in the same situation as you) but in a private environment. These local language exchanges can often be found through social media like Facebook with groups dedicated to it.

Memorising vocabulary can be tricky

Some people have problems when it comes to retaining information that they are studying. There are many different ways that we can try to memorise the information including the following:

• Record your pronunciation and listen to it until memorised
• Ask a friend to test you to see if we remember vocabulary we have studied
• Use post-it notes to label items so that you can see their names without realising you are studying

These are just some of the ways that you can memorise vocabulary but it goes without saying that there are many more ways which can also be adopted.

Integrating into society and getting a native sounding accent can be difficult

People who learn languages know just how difficult it can sometimes be to get a firm grip on a native accent which is why it’s a good idea to seek out the natives. Practising with natives on a regular basis is excellent for your skills. This is because without realising it we start to imitate and copy the interlocutor’s accent which if done on a regular basis will start to develop into our own accent in the language which we are learning. Think about it – Nothing screams more integrated in a language than hanging out with people who speak it.

In addition to your language skills improving, hanging out with native speakers will improve your knowledge of the culture as well as giving you a better, more rounded understanding of the language and culture in general. This is very important because it is vital and very beneficial to know what a culture surrounding a language is like.

Self-belief is key

One of the most, if not the most important aspect is how much belief you have in your own ability and the drive you have to succeed. This is paramount because if you do not believe in your own ability to retain the information and practise the language, then you have already accepted defeat.

You can sign up for free to the ABA course to continue practising but remember to always make sure you set your own bars and challenges rather than someone else doing it for you.

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