Life is a continuous journey of trial and error. There are always going to be times where you will face adversity. At the end of the day, it is up to you how you deal with it. That being said mistakes will always be part of life no matter what you do. Whether it's starting a new job or learning a new language.
Here's the thing, learning a language isn't the easiest thing in the world. That's why most people don't even try to. It takes a lot of patience, focus, and motivation. When you start learning a language you also have to be okay with making mistakes. It's highly unlikely that your first conversation with a native speaker will go smoothly.
Language learners embrace mistakes. It's the only way you can improve. While it's perfectly fine to encourage making mistakes when you're learning a language. There is a certain point where you need to internalize those corrections and actually apply them. So, what are the most common errors in language learning? Let's find out.
#1 Not Embracing the Errors
I already told you that making errors is part of the journey. Seriously it's okay to fumble around and stutter. You aren't going to be fluent overnight. If you have a fear of looking like a complete idiot when learning a language, you aren't going to get very far my friend.
#2 Fear of Speaking
You have probably heard at least once to start speaking right away when you are learning a language. It really does work to help you learn faster. A lot of times, a language learner will avoid this because it's quite intimidating. Think about it this way, you have to start talking eventually. This part of the main process is unavoidable.
#3 Not Having a Study Plan
You can say that you want to do something, but if you don't have a plan to reach that goal, it's just a thought. The same thing goes for language learning. You need to have very specific goals in mind with a timeframe and the right materials to reach that milestone. Don't let all your efforts go to waste.
#4 Stop the Comparisons
Comparing is an ugly habit. Take a look at social media apps such as Instagram where you compare lifestyles. When you're learning a language it can be so easy to get intimidated by people who seem so perfect. This is not a good trait because you will feel so bad about yourself and give up. Remember that same person was in your position at some point.
#5 Avoiding the Harder Concepts
The beginning of learning a language is exciting till you face the complicated grammar rules and such. For example, the Spanish subjunctive or learning the irregular verb forms in French. I get that those parts aren't fun, but you have to build up a foundation for yourself. Don't pass over it because it's hard, once you get it you will be unstoppable.
#6 Not Studying Every day
The last mistake should really be obvious, but to get good at something you have to practice. This doesn't mean hitting the books or language apps whenever you're bored. It means putting effort into studying the language daily, even if it's for 15 minutes. Our brains aren't wired to look at something once then come back to it later and still know it. One of the most widely used studying methods for language learning is spaced repetition. It helps tremendously with vocabulary but only works if you do it every day.
