Learning a language is challenging but interesting, especially when you start to find that you can suddenly understand quite a few words and sentences in a non-subtitle video or talk to people from different countries. But as you go further, learning a language is more and more compulsory and torturous, a lot of words to recite, difficult articles, no improving in the tests, all the other stuff like school work or job to be done, etc. When it is comfortable to use the language I've already been familiar with, I tend to enjoy the present and stop learning new things.
Are you confronted with this kind of problem? How do you encourage yourself? How do you find a way to break the stagnation and expand your limits?
Sometimes, I get same feeling. It's really interesting when I listened to a English song and heard clearly its lyrics or understanding TED talk show without subtitles. It's when I realized small progress in listening skill. It's just a small sign but courage a lot .
Whenever I feel down, being stuck or dissapointed with myself about learning progress, I relax with my favourite music, comic book, or others hobbies for a while ( usually about 1 day ). Then I come back to learn after refreshing.
I really hate my limited English. I think about my target on learning English and I would regret someday if I give up now.
I think this is a very normal stage to language learning :), where you can spend a lot of time on the language, and yet feel like progress is so small!
I would say to focus on variety and enjoyment :). Read as much as you can, watch TV and documentaries, get involved in discussions that are not the same topics each time, really push yourself to use other structures and words, whilst focusing heavily on input (reading books, watching TV). This is what I do :)
I agree a 100% with you, <a ui-sref="user({id:comment.commenter_obj.id})" href="https://www.italki.com/user/1758403" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Tuyết</a>:
"Whenever I feel down, being stuck or disappointed with myself about learning progress, I relax with my favourite music, comic book, or other hobbies for a while ( usually about 1 day ). Then I come back to learn after refreshing.
I really hate my limited English. I think about my target on learning English and I would regret someday if I give up now. "
Sometimes you can feel fed up with so many things that you don't know and how far you are from fluency...
Also, I'm trying to align my interests with the language that I'm learning to keep the most contact as possible always when I need to search for an information on internet I search in English, my playlist songs are from English speaking artists, when I buy a book (Kindle is helping me a lot) I buy books written in English (or try to find the book in English) and now with Italki I've found some friends who I talk through skype or hangouts almost every day and I'm having lessons too that are helping me a lot.
But the same formula could not work with everyone.... each one has different learning curves an different needs and hopes... so I think that we can sure come to a framework of BEST PRACTICES to boost both knowledge curve and confidence that will suit some people and don't help others at the same time.
It's up to each one to find a method.....
See ya...
Thank you for your sharing. Actually, I use the ways you mentioned too. Bury me in various material that I'm interested in, books, videos, songs, etc. I particularly enjoy TED show and short, interesting courses on youtube. But still, can't get rid of the tired feeling. I know it's inevitable. I guess the only way-the ultimate way- is to take the suffering and persist in the goal. Thank you, guys. You help a lot.
