Most language learners fail because they lack the motivation to put in the time and consistency needed to succeed. But this is not simply a matter of laziness. I have seen even the most driven, self-disciplined people fail in foreign language learning. While discipline is certainly important (I will be writing a post on this soon), I believe that most people are unmotivated (and ultimately fail) for 3 main reasons:
“The best methods are those that supply comprehensible input in low anxiety situations, containing messages that students really want to hear.” ~ Stephen Krashen
Read just about any book, blog or well-written bathroom stall scribble on the subject of foreign language learning and you’re bound to hear the term “comprehensible input.” One of Stephen Krashen’s key theories, the Input Hypothesis goes as follows: a learner will “acquire” a language (which is to be distinguished from the conscious and rather unproductive process of “learning”) only when listening or reading input is just above their level of comprehension.
So if you are new to Japanese, for example, watching the nightly news or reading the Asahi Shimbun is probably not going to provide very much comprehensible input and will do little for your progress in the language. On the flip side, newspapers may in fact be below one’s level of comprehension for more advanced learners. To continue one’s progress, such learners should seek out materials that include more advanced vocabulary.
The second (and I would argue more important) half is getting interesting input. Even if you understand the basic gist of an article, new words and structures are less likely to stick if the content bores you to tears. Our brains are amazingly efficient at filtering out information that we are uninterested in.
With the plethora of content available today online, there is simply no excuse for listening to or reading content that doesn’t float your boat. I personally find podcasts to be the best medium because there are just so darn many of them on so many different topics. Blogs are a close second for the same reason, but you should try to listen more than you read.
When it comes to choosing topics, always ask yourself this question: Would I read or listen to this in my native language? If the answer is no, find something else.
When you use content that is not overly easy or difficult for you (and covers topics that are of interest), you are much more likely to spend sufficient time with the language and the culture that speaks it. Which brings us to…
Most people set out to learn a foreign language so that they can communicate with the culture who speaks it. Yet I am often surprised at how many people learn foreign languages in a cultural vacuum.
If you want to converse freely with native speakers, you need to know what makes them tick.
Many language books do mention some interesting tid-bits of culture (eating customs, how and when to bow, kiss or shake hands, etc.), but few ever dig deeper into the culture’s psyche.
Since words only account for 7% of meaning in human communication (on average), it is essential to learn how a culture expresses the other 93%. This is especially true in “high-context” cultures like China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea that rely more on non-verbal cues than low-context cultures like Germany, England and the U.S. Consider this: when someone says yes in Japan, for example, do they really mean “Ok, I agree to do that” or is it simply a culturally conditioned way of saying “Hell no” without causing offense?
Learning about a culture doesn’t just mean figuring out whether to bow or shake hands; it means finding out the historical, moral and emotional fibers that make the culture unique. And yes, different cultures are in fact different. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that just because a culture laughs, cries and gets angry that they do so for the same reasons (and in the same circumstances) as you.
“I’m good enough, smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.” ~Stuart Smalley (Al Frankin)
One of the most potent fuels in foreign language learning, or any complex physical/psychological skill is positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement can be internal (the quiet but intense satisfaction you get when you can effectively communicate an idea, request or need to a native speaker in their language) or it can be overt (getting compliments on how well you speak the language, pronounce certain words, or use “difficult” idioms, vocabulary or structures.) Both kinds are important, but keep in mind that many cultures (especially Japan and Taiwan) often compliment people on their language ability as a matter of course.
There are four main sources of potential positive or negative feedback:
I will only discuss the first 3 here since the last one requires deep internal reflection and minimizing the control of the ego on your emotions and thinking; a topic which deserves a later post of its own.
Feedback from Your Better Half: If you are dating (or married to) someone from the target language group, make sure to communicate clearly with them about how (and WHEN!) you like to be corrected. Most native speakers have absolutely NO IDEA how to learn or teach their native language and don’t have a good sense of what will be hard for you and why.
Teachers & Tutors: Find a tutor who is patient and positive, and waits until after you have finished speaking to make corrections. If you are living in an immersion environment, find local native speakers who are studying another foreign language (perhaps your native tongue) so that they will be more patient and empathetic with your mistakes. I am not saying that you should not seek correction of you mistakes (I think you should), but it needs to be done so in a nurturing way that does not raise the “affective filter” (see the Linguistionary) and discourage future output.
Yourself: Another excellent way to get positive reinforcement is to provide it yourself! While looking in the mirror like Stuart Smalley may help, it has the nasty side-effect of scaring off friends and lovers. Instead, I recommend making video and audio recordings every 3 months or so. This allows you to really see the progress you have made in the language. Progress happens so steadily that it is often hard to notice improvements in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, etc. Recordings take out the guesswork.
Strangers: Interestingly, feedback from people you don’t know can often have the biggest impact (for better or worse). In countries like Japan and Taiwan, you will often be praised for speaking the language (no matter how little you know.) In the early stages, this can help provide motivation to continue learning. But in these same countries, people will often assume you can’t speak the language and begin listening for English words even when you are speaking their language. This happens less and less the more your pronunciation improves, but don’t underestimate the power of assumption. When this inevitably does happen, try not to take it personally. It happens even to highly fluent individuals from time to time…