What Makes a good Language Learner?

 

In my years as an language teacher no question has been more repetitively asked than this one.

Scores upon scores of people embark on the process of learning a foreign language everyday. Whether it’s their second, third or even fourth or fifth language, I usually get asked what best practices to follow if they are to succeed in this endeavour efficiently. 

Comments like “Some people are just bad for languages. Being good at language learning is something you’re born with” and “Unless you learn another language when you’re a child it’s impossible to learn it easily…”

Though the benefits of learning a language at an early age are undeniable, the fact remains that learning a foreign language as an adult can be done fluently and efficiently and without any birth-given talents, if I may humbly add.

As a matter of fact, there are four things that stand out in every good practice of really efficient language learners that I’ve gotten to see in my classroom over the years. And though it is true that level plays a fundamental role in the approach to learning, —Starters listen first and then speak as they get used to the sounds of the language before learning to use them and intermediates though communicating effectively, struggle with holes in structure and vocabulary and pronunciation left unperfected in the basic levels— these four things remain equally relevant throughout the entire language learning process.

The first thing is, in my opinion, the differentiating factor between a successful and an unsuccessful language learner.

 

Having an Inmersive Learning Strategy. 

The efficient language learner understands that practice makes perfect. But more than practice, “mindful practice” of the target skills to acquire in the form of daily contact with the language she is striving to learn, incorporating it in her own personal life; giving the language an “authentic use” in her day to day and directing her attention to content in the target language that is meaningful and relevant in her life.

The second thing a good language learner does is become familiar with the Structure of the Target language.

Perhaps the most natural and instinctive thing is for a language learner to believe that the target language shares the same structure as their native tongue. Nowhere is this evidenced more than in the old cowboy movies when the Native Americans (politically incorrectly referred to as “Indians”) tried to communicate in English with the cowboys and did so with a broken structure. The theme of “Indian speech” became the source of jokes in movies and cartoons alike, which might have brought a sense of self-awareness in new language learners of the time, at the moment of speaking; but it illustrates poignantly the importance of becoming familiar with the structure of the language you are striving to learn.

This brings us to our third important thing, In line with this last topic, self-awareness at the moment of speaking, the third important thing a good language learner does is to Confront her Fear of Speaking.

Stage freight and the fear of speaking in public are perhaps the most universally common fears in the world. Ask a Human Resources  professional what the most common answer to the question “What’s your greatest weakness?” And you’ll find that the answer most commonly is “Speaking in public”, which for most language learners devolves into “Speaking in the target language, period!”. A good language learner confronts this fear of ridicule and shame and takes every opportunity she is presented with to use the language she is striving to learn. She understands it will be difficult in the beginning but confronts her fear of speaking on a daily basis. She makes it into her “do one thing that scares you everyday”.

Finally, the fourth and last important thing is Culture.

Paying attention to the culture of the language you are trying to learn goes a long way. It is the most common reason for being lost in translation and takes into account not only idiomatic expressions, slangs and sense of humour but also body language and personal space. In the example of the native Americans and cowboys, much could be learned from the exchange between the two just by watching their body language, facial expressions and even the inflexions made in their sentences. In an English-Speaking country, a performer in a theatre being told to “break a leg” before her performance, might find the comment…confusing.

So, which of these do you already do? Which ones are you lacking? What’’s your approach in each of these strategies?

In the next few weeks I will be going more in-depth in each of these topics, which I believe to be fundamental in the acquisition of your target language.

Please join me as we go deeper into the best practices that make a good language learner.