Some of you who have reached an intermediate level in other languages may have experiences this: there comes a point where you seem to ‘hit a wall’ and can’t improve anymore, or at least it feels like that. It’s called a plateau, and it happens usually just before you become fluent, so it’s important to overcome it!
I was wondering if you could share your tips and advice on how you keep yourself motivated in that situation. How do you keep going, even when it’s so challenging and it feels like you’re not making any more progress?
It happened to me a couple of times… it’s really frustrating >_<’
It is frustrating. Sometimes I have felt that I was actually going backwards with my language ability.
What has helped me is to read, read, read. I notice, then, that my comprehension is much better. Also, listening to podcasts and watching movies/tv in the language helps with comprehension and vocabulary building.
I also listen to language learning podcasts, you know, where the person says a phrase and you repeat it. That helps with the automatic memory, intonation, and pronunciation.
After that, I just have to force myself to speak and write, even if I make mistakes. I have heard that recording yourself speaking the language can help motivate you, but I haven’t tried it.
But I’ve found that trying to teach the language I’m learning to others really, really helps. It refreshes the basics in my mind and motivates me to learn more.
These are all great tips! Especially reading… by reading books I improved and enriched my vocabulary immensely! But it can be frustrating when you only understand 20% of what you’re reading - I especially don’t like stopping to check the dictionary every few minutes >_<
In my case, I had this problem with my French. I just didn’t have the confidence in my translating abilities, and speaking French… definitely not.
So… I took a movie in French and watched it, just for the sake of it. And to my surprise I understood it completely. The movie was “La Belle et La Bête” (Beauty and the Beast)
So, what I recommend is to put that language in a familiar, relaxing context, whether it’s a movie or music. Or maybe to read a novel written in that language. You must take a step back, relaxing your mind, leaving the grammar and such for a while and just do things in order to remember why you liked that language in the first place.
We all know that learning a new language also implies learning a whole new culture, and culture is fascinating… When this happens to me I try to discover more and more about the culture of the countries that speak that language, I read blogs about those countries, I try to make typical dishes of those countries at home, maybe try to understand the fashion there and even buy some items online, watch their tv series, listen their music, reading about their history (if you like history like me hehe) and so on… Just immerse yourself in the culture and share it with others.
Teaching is also a good way to keep you motivated because it forces you somehow to learn more in order to teach better…
Subtitling in Viki is a great way to keep you motivated too… I love doing it.
Find friends online that are also learning, or friends that speak the language you are learning
@morico
That’s true! I think finding a relaxing way to enjoy the language certainly helps, and movies or novels are an excellent way to keep leanring without much effort ^^
@katherine_tsarinniko
I’m saving up for a ticket to Korea, but I’m not sure when I’ll be able to go. Hopefully next year ^^
But I’d like to get to intermediate before that…
@johannacostag
I love learning about other cultures, and I like history too! Those are really great tips! I can’t think of anything better than eating Korean food while learning the language. Imagine giving yourself some of your favourite Korean food as a treat after leanring something new, THAT’S motivation! o^^o
You know sometimes I really hate to read the subs, because I’m lazy to read, read, and read. I really frustrate with it.
For me, I just keep watching TV, but of course with the subs.
I remember I learn chinese from TV but I don’t know how do I remember those words. Once, When I was 4 or 5 years old, I went to Singapore with my mother. In the foodcourt, one uncle ask me in chinese, “have you eaten?”, I just nod my head and keep mum. But I understand him.
When I’m watching my favourite idols/artists, that keep me motivated. Because I keep wondering how do I greet or ask sign with them.
I don’t know if this work for you too.
