Pitfalls in Language Learning and Teaching

Many people fail in learning a foreign language because they do not have strong enough motivation to bring the process to completion. There is a great saying which goes: “He who has a why can endure any how.” Thus, if you have a very strong reason to learn the language, you will find your way to its mastery no matter what. But if the reason is weak, you will fall at the first blow. I would not lie to you and tell you that it is easy to learn languages. Language learning is hard work; it takes a lot of time, effort and practice. If you are not willing to persevere, you will never make it to the end line.

Speaking a new language is one of the most exciting experiences you can have. However, before you can speak another language fluently, you will need to put in a lot of practice and effort. You should also keep in mind that this process is going to take some time. Many people get disappointed when they fail to speak a language fluently after a few weeks of learning. If you are not patient enough, you could wind up giving up too soon. Language learning takes time. But it all depends on how much time you are investing in your learning. It also needs to be done regularly, daily if possible. Otherwise, you could end up forgetting everything you have learned before you have a chance to use it.

Many people want to find a shortcut or an easy way to improve their writing in a foreign language. They find that it takes a lot of time to improve your writing through regular practice. But you should know that there are no shortcuts to anything that is worthwhile. You either put in the effort and time or quit. You should always think of the time and effort you put in as an investment. In other words, you are going to get something valuable in return for these sacrifices. If the promise is clear, the price will be easy to pay. Be assured that there is no way to become a good writer in any language if you do not write in it often.

Many language learners commit the mistake of attempting to understand naturally occurring conversations in a foreign language during their first days of learning the language. They usually get upset and demotivated because they cannot keep up with the flow of speech. Learners are recommended to start with audio recordings that are targeted towards beginner users of the language. These recordings have conversations that are very slow and in which words are pronounced with extra clarity. Once you get comfortable with these recordings, you can shift gears and start listening to normal speech in the target language. In other words, the process of listening practice is gradual and takes time.

Reading is skill that we all need to master. It is crucial for anyone engaged in language learning to become a good reader. If you are learning a foreign language, then you should spend a lot of time reading in that language. The more you read the more you learn. You will be able to learn a lot of vocabulary and of grammar. As you read, you will come across new terminology. Try to learn these new terms that you encounter. You will start to observe that there are some grammatical patterns which seem to recur throughout the reading material. You may pick up some of these structures and start using them in your own writing.