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By Nari
The Struggle of Using What You've Learned
We’ve all been there. You worked really hard on studying your target language. You feel like you understand what you’ve been reading and hearing for your level, but then… It’s time to actually put all that learning into use by speaking or writing with natives!
“Oh no” you think. “But what if I make a mistake? What if I look stupid or say something wrong?”
Or even worse: you think you can do it, only to end up realizing that you’re not actually as great as you think you are! (-10 points to confidence!) 💢
This is where some of you will stop putting yourself out there and go back to practicing alone. You might also think: “Once I am ready, I will try again!”
No, don’t do that!
Even though I know how tempting that is, think again.
Remember how it was growing up and learning how to swim or ride a bike. You could read up and study it forever, but actually doing it was totally different. You likely failed a lot until eventually you succeeded! It’s the same concept while learning languages too! If your goal is to truly improve, you have to buckle up and likely make a fool of yourself multiple times until eventually it becomes second nature. Only knowing without practicing is simply not enough!💭
Tips on How to Let Go in Language Learning
Okay, then how do I get over my fear(s) and actually stop caring? 🤔 This is where various approaches come into play. The approach you take depends on your personality, previous experiences, where you live, etc.
1. Find at least one person to speak your target language with. This person could be a native speaker or an experienced learner as long as they can correct your mistakes properly. It is important that you fully trust them, get along with them, and they do not get frustrated or annoyed correcting you. No matter how many mistakes you make, they’ll want you to succeed and improve! 👩🏻🎓 2. Remember that each mistake is a learning opportunity, not a setback or failure. If you’re like me, you’ll feel so embarrassed that you won’t even have to write down the mistakes because they are imprinted into your brain right away. 3. Relax and go at your own pace. Don’t try to speak or write at a native’s pace! The faster you increase your output, the more prone you are being stressed out, panic and make mistakes that you otherwise could’ve easily avoided! (I make this mistake a lot myself) 🚅 4. Acknowledge your strong points when you’re feeling down or not good enough. You have to be your own cheerleader when things aren’t going as well as you had hoped! 🦾
Eventually, you’ll look back and notice how much you improved! Once you gain confidence, you will have an easier time using your target language. And more importantly: it will also be a lot more fun since you won’t struggle as much anymore! 🥰
About Nari
Just a gal in her 20s who likes to learn from various fields that exist in this world, as well as strive for self-improvement so she can live a better life. Currently studying Korean, likes watching dramas and movies, exercising daily, and playing games with her friends.