In this blogpost, I discuss some of the problem areas that most of us face when acquiring a foreign language. I attempt to provide some solutions, too. 🙂
*

*
In most cases our anxiety around language acquisition is about self-image and/or making a mistake (looking foolish). These stem from our low-self esteem that maybe the result of the negative messages we received as children around our abilities to learn something.
How does it feel/look?
You tend to avoid situations where you need to use the language aka speaking. When you make a mistake you feel bad about yourself. You often believe the solution is to study more, learn more words or to give up learning entirely because you do not have the ‘ability’ to learn a language (the target language). You may want to prove yourself so you study to pass an exam that ‘only’ requires you to prepare well for pre-set questions. (you can make sure that you will know the answer)
If your self-esteem is mostly based on the image you project into the world and this image is of someone ‘knowledgeable’ or someone ‘flawless’, you must have a hard time learning a langue because it requires you to look silly at times. Feeling and looking silly is not something you handle with ease and grace.
What now?
Well, I think that it is important that you acknowledge your challenges when it comes to learning and language-learning in particular. First gain – ask for feedback, look into the mirror, etc. – awareness of your challenges and become honest with yourself. It is the starting point because without this step you do not know what ‘issue’ to address.
Ask yourself: What is it that I am afraid of loosing when it comes to language learning? What am I afraid of ‘getting’? When I was a child, what did my parents and teacher tell me about my abilities as a learner? Was I a good student? Was it easy for me to learn? Why not? How did I experience myself as a student when I was young? (you may want to come up with your own questions)
If you see that you accumulated negative messages about your abilities as a child, simply create some positive messages or affirmations to support yourself. For example, if you find that you were told that ‘it is not one of your best subjects, is it?’, create an affirmation along the lines of ‘I learn languages with ease. I am enjoying learning ‘this particular’ language’. See what sits with you best. Create affirmative sentences that feel ‘nice’, ‘comforting, and ‘encouraging’.
If your issue is self-image, that fact that you like to be seen as someone knowledgeable or intelligent, well, in this case you need to learn to have fun! I would suggest that you go to the playground or the funfair and simply be silly. The best way is to take a kid along with you. S/he will show you how to do it. You will see, as you relax into having fun, that language learning is ‘child’s play’!
Please remember, however, that any of the above can only work if you are committed to overcome your challenges and when you truly want to let go of your ‘limitations’.
Let me know how it goes!
Ha szeretnél velem angolul ‘megtanulni‘ itt tudsz velem kapcsolatba lépni.











