Learning a foreign language
is an awful lot like learning to swim
(Written in 2004)
The ability to speak another language does not happen instantaneously. You have to take classes for many years. Gradual increases in ability come over time with lots of practice.
* * *
At first, the lessons are not very difficult. Basic techniques are introduced one technique at a time. Each exercise is kind of fun.
At first, the lessons are not very difficult. Basic techniques and vocabulary are introduced gradually. Each exercise is kind of fun.
* * *
If you don’t understand a concept at this point, or you can’t quite do a specific technique, it’s not a problem because your class is in the shallow end of the pool.
If you don’t understand a concept at this point, or you can’t quite remember certain new words, it doesn’t feel like a problem because your class hasn’t gotten very far yet.
* * *
You’ll continue to learn new concepts but after a while it begins to feel awkward and difficult trying to put the pieces together. Those straight leg kicks now have to occur at the same time as the arm strokes while not letting your middle section sink. Help!
You’ll continue to learn new concepts but after a while it begins to feel awkward and difficult trying to put the pieces together. The noun now has to occur with the correct article, reflecting its current position (subject vs. object), while at the same time conjugating the verb tense correctly and putting everything in correct sentence order. Help!
* * *
After a time and with much practice, the pieces begin to come together.
After a time and with much practice, the pieces begin to come together.
* * *
Eventually your class improves enough to move to deep end of the pool.
Eventually your class improves enough to move to the next level.
* * *
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION or it never occurred to you (or no one pointed out to you) that each of the techniques that have been introduced so far need to be mastered before moving on, then you will NOT do fine at the next level. In order to swim, you cannot master one or even some of the concepts and ignore the rest.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION or it never occurred to you (or no one pointed out to you) that each of the techniques that have been introduced so far need to be mastered before moving on to the next level, then you will NOT do fine at the next level. In order to speak another language , you cannot master one or even some of the concepts and ignore the rest.
* * *
If you have not mastered each technique along the way, subsequent classes become a desperate attempt just to keep your head above water while trying to keep up with the rest of the class. Lessons are no longer fun. They can in fact become excruciatingly difficult and at times really embarrassing.
If you have not mastered each technique along the way, subsequent classes become a desperate attempt just to “keep your head above water” while trying to keep up with the rest of the class. Lessons are no longer fun. They can in fact become excruciatingly difficult and at times really embarrassing.
* * *
Your predicament is complicated. If you’re missing techniques or concepts, you don’t always realize what you don’t know. For example, if no one emphasized to you how important it is to keep your legs straight, you will have great difficulty and expend much unnecessary energy just getting across the pool.
Your predicament is complicated. If you’re missing techniques or concepts, you don’t always realize what you don’t know. For example, if no one emphasized to you how important it is to learn the gender and case of nouns (easy to overlook since they’re not used in English at all), you will have great difficulty as the class moves along.
* * *
After a time and with much practice, the pieces begin to come together.
* * *
Eventually your class improves enough to move to deep end of the pool.
Eventually your class improves enough to move to the next level.
* * *
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION or it never occurred to you (or no one pointed out to you) that each of the techniques that have been introduced so far need to be mastered before moving on, then you will NOT do fine at the next level. In order to swim, you cannot master one or even some of the concepts and ignore the rest.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION or it never occurred to you (or no one pointed out to you) that each of the techniques that have been introduced so far need to be mastered before moving on to the next level, then you will NOT do fine at the next level. In order to speak another language , you cannot master one or even some of the concepts and ignore the rest.
* * *
If you have not mastered each technique along the way, subsequent classes become a desperate attempt just to keep your head above water while trying to keep up with the rest of the class. Lessons are no longer fun. They can in fact become excruciatingly difficult and at times really embarrassing.
If you have not mastered each technique along the way, subsequent classes become a desperate attempt just to “keep your head above water” while trying to keep up with the rest of the class. Lessons are no longer fun. They can in fact become excruciatingly difficult and at times really embarrassing.
* * *
Your predicament is complicated. If you’re missing techniques or concepts, you don’t always realize what you don’t know. For example, if no one emphasized to you how important it is to keep your legs straight, you will have great difficulty and expend much unnecessary energy just getting across the pool.
Your predicament is complicated. If you’re missing techniques or concepts, you don’t always realize what you don’t know. For example, if no one emphasized to you how important it is to learn the gender and case of nouns (easy to overlook since they’re not used in English at all), you will have great difficulty as the class moves along.
* * *
If you find yourself experiencing that sinking feeling, the best advice for you at this point is to start over at the beginning if possible or at the very least get some private supplemental instruction. You need to figure out what you’ve missed. However this advice will be meaningless if you still don’t realize the importance of mastering and integrating each new set of skills as they are introduced.
If you find yourself experiencing that sinking feeling, the best advice for you at this point is to start over at the beginning if possible or at the very least get some private supplemental instruction. You need to figure out what you’ve missed. However this advice will be meaningless if you still don’t realize the importance of mastering and integrating each new set of skills as they are introduced.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENION and working hard to master each concept as it was introduced, you will do fine at the next level. You will continue to make gradual progress as you practice and coordinate all the pieces. You’ll strengthen your muscles, increase your endurance and improve your strokes.
If you find yourself experiencing that sinking feeling, the best advice for you at this point is to start over at the beginning if possible or at the very least get some private supplemental instruction. You need to figure out what you’ve missed. However this advice will be meaningless if you still don’t realize the importance of mastering and integrating each new set of skills as they are introduced.
* * *
IF YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENION and working hard to master each concept as it was introduced, you will do fine at the next level. You will continue to make gradual progress as you practice and coordinate all the pieces. You’ll strengthen your muscles, increase your endurance and improve your strokes.
IF YOU HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENION and working hard to master each concept as it was introduced, you will do fine at the next level. You will continue to make gradual progress as you practice and coordinate all the pieces. You’ll strengthen your grammar, increase your vocabulary and improve your ease of speaking.
* * *
After a long while, you’ll begin to swim almost subconsciously. You won’t have to concentrate so hard anymore on each part, such as leg kicks or arm strokes. You will do them without thinking. You’ll become more relaxed and efficient.
After a long while, you’ll begin to speak almost subconsciously. You won’t have to concentrate so hard anymore on each part, such as verb position, conjugation or tense. You will do them without thinking. You’ll become more relaxed and efficient.
* * *
Once you learn to swim effortlessly, you can use your ability to go exploring. Instead of being limited to the pool, entire lakes, streams, and oceans await you! Swimming is now a means of expanding your world.
Once you learn to speak effortlessly, you can use your ability to go exploring. Instead of being limited to the classroom, entire peoples, countries and continents await you! Speaking another language is now a means of expanding your world.
* * *
THERE IS ONLY ONE LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEARNING TO SWIM AND LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
With swimming, your instructor will not allow you to proceed to the next level until you are ready. If you’re in a class with 6 other people and 5 have finally mastered the latest technique, they’ll be allowed to move on while you have to repeat that same level until you get it right. Sometimes, you may have to repeat a level many times.
When learning a foreign language, even if you’re taking private instruction, the classes proceed at a specific pace whether you’ve mastered the concepts or not.
* * *
The only way to avoid that “sinking feeling” when learning a language is to master the concepts as you go.
And "mastering" means absolutely, positively memorizing and internalizing all aspects of every word.
Master everything you learned from that day's lesson before going to the next day's lesson.
* * *
Conclusion:
Understanding how one learns to swim offers valuable lessons for how one learns to speak another language.
You'll have much greater success by mastering as you go.
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