When learning a new language, your first step may be to learn basic greetings, words, and phrases that will help you get around a foreign country or simply communicate with someone who speaks a different language. Things such as conjugations, subject-verb agreement, and sentence structures will allow you to string the vocabulary you know into stronger sentences and hold more complex conversations. Even if you have taken multiple classes in your chosen language, you could still be feeling uneasy about your ability to speak the language beyond a beginner’s level. Getting to know what is preventing you from reaching that next level allows you to actively overcome those obstacles and get you speaking like a pro!
- Pronunciation
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If you have ever tried to learn a language on an app such as Duolingo, you will learn new words by hearing them and repeating the words for pronunciation. The difference in learning a language in a class is the heavy emphasis on the alphabet and phonetic sounds of each letter. You may feel like this is mundane, but what you may not realize that without learning these in your first language, you wouldn’t have the skillset that you have now. When you were a kid and learned English, your teachers or parents may have told you to “sound it out.” Learning the basic sound of each letter and the sounds letters make when they are next to each other helped you learn new words by taking what you already know and applying it. The same goes for another language. Learning what sounds a letter makes and also which sounds are not made will help you sound more like an experienced speaker in that language. In Spanish, people may all think they know basic greetings, but are not conscious of their pronunciation. If you say hola and pronounce the “h,” it is harder for people to understand your skillset because that is one of the most basic parts of the language. Understanding that an “h” does not make a sound in Spanish will help you when you learn new words such as “haber: to have, to be” or “hacer: to do, to make” the same principle can be applied.
- Reviewing
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In school, specifically college, you only have to make a C to pass a class and move on to the next class. In foreign language classes, you may be moving from class to class without demonstrating mastery of the level you were previously at, which can make it harder for you to be comfortable at the next level. You may still do well in the next class, but it will require you to work harder to make up for the missed lessons. This can be something as complex as not being comfortable with a certain verb tense, as well as needing to move to the next class or simply forgetting words for body parts or numbers above 100. These may not seem important in theory because you can easily look it up when you are doing your homework, but in practice, in a job, or just a conversation, not knowing these elements of the language as again make it seem like you are not at the level you claim to be. Don’t be ashamed to go back and review lessons on sounds, numbers, and the alphabet. Even as we take on more complex knowledge, we can easily forget the foundational pieces of a language, and taking time to practice can actually ingrain those pieces into our memory.
- Practice
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College classes are usually on either a MWF or TR schedule, meaning you are only in class a few times a week. Even when a semester ends, there may be a 3-week or even 3-month break before you are in another class. If you are not in a country where your chosen language is spoken regularly, you have to go out of your way to continue practicing on those breaks. This will help train your mind into thinking in said language even outside of those classes. Try actively practicing speaking in your language on your own whether you are being graded or not. This can be done in ways that don’t seem educational and can be fun to do. From watching TV shows and movies in your target language to reading books or listening to podcasts, there are many ways to supplement your classroom knowledge and practice outside of class.
- Fear
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One of the biggest obstacles most, if not all, people learning a language face, is fear. This mental block can prevent us from speaking with people, practicing, and revealing our problems so that we can be helped. Even in a class setting where everyone is learning, it can be intimidating to participate for fear of judgment. This can block any learning because we won’t get the personalized attention we need. If you don’t speak up and make those mistakes, how will anyone correct you? Someone in a conversation may not correct you because they can at least understand you, but it is your professor or teachers job to teach you and help you when you need it. They can’t read your mind, and honestly, they would rather see you make mistakes during class than during assessments or outside of the class. Your classmates probably don’t care about your mistakes because they are also learning the language and will make their own mistakes. Fear can only stop us if we let it. Make those mistakes and just roll with it; you will get the help you need so you won’t make the mistakes again and can move forward. It’s as simple as that.
As exciting as it is to learn a new language, there are unexpected challenges that come along with it. Frustration and fear of failure are very common obstacles no matter what language you are trying to learn. It may seem impossible or maybe you are doubting your abilities to ever fully be fluent, don’t give up but rather figure out the root of your feelings so you can deal with them head-on. It will take extra time and effort, but if you are serious about learning the language, it will help you improve and feel better while doing it.