8MISTAKES THAT HAUNT LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Image by Halloween Stock on Flickr.com

1 Learning without a specific
goal.

“I want to speak Korean.”

“I want to speak Korean.”

Wanting to learn a language
is not enough, you need to have a specific plan for how and when you’re going to learn it. Image by Kyna Borlasa on Flickr.com

Set specific constraints and deadlines
on yourself.

Set specific constraints and deadlines
on yourself. I want to improve my pronunciation in Greek by hiring a conversation paper once a week. Every day, I want to read one chapter of “Le Petit Prince” in French.

In other words, set SMART
goals: Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Time-bound

Scheduling specific activities or buying
specific resources will not only give you structure, but also give you a sense of accountability for your language-learning.

2
Starting out too fast.

So, you’re excited to start
learning a new language.

So, you’re excited to start
learning a new language. (We’re excited for you!)

Just be careful not to
burn yourself out! One of the best ways to sabotage your language learning is to do too much too soon. Image by Laszlo-Photo on Flickr.com

Slow and steady wins the
language- learning race. The key is to develop a consistent routine that you can maintain. Image by Jason Hollinger on Flickr.com

Slow and steady wins the
language- learning race. The key is to develop a consistent routine that you can maintain. Image by Jason Hollinger on Flickr.com

As you progress, gradually add
more engagement time—and don’t forget, traditional “studying” isn’t the only way to learn a language. Make time for music, conversations, and beyond!

3 Using only one kind
of resource.

Seek out a variety of
language resources across different media. Image by Shutterhacks on Flickr.com Image by Paul Hudson on Flickr.com

Relying on a textbook alone
limits your skill development. Multimedia materials provide opportunities for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Don’t forget to acquire materials
for different occasions, so you can learn at home, during your commute, on lunch break, or while waiting in line at the store. Image by Mo Riza on Flickr.com

Don’t forget to acquire materials
for different occasions, so you can learn at home, during your commute, on lunch break, or while waiting in line at the store. Image by Mo Riza on Flickr.com

4
Using inauthentic materials.

Mixing up your learning materials
is a good start. Do yourself another favor and stir in a large portion of authentic resources. Image by gonmi on Flickr.com

Textbooks, audio tapes, YouTube videos,
and the like that are designed for language learners are ideal for beginners… to an extent.

These kinds of resources can
sometimes be guilty of oversimplifying for beginners.

These kinds of resources can
sometimes be guilty of oversimplifying for beginners.

Resources targeted at learners can
also have a certain element of awkwardness, contriving nonsensical phrases or dialogues just to point out a grammar concept.

Resources targeted at learners can
also have a certain element of awkwardness, contriving nonsensical phrases or dialogues just to point out a grammar concept. (“The dog has a moustache.” Very useful.) Image by ginnerobot on Flickr.com

Jumping in to authentic resources—newspapers,
books, music, TV shows, you name it—will expose you to more natural language use, as well as slang, idioms, and expressions you won’t find in your textbook’s glossary.

Don’t trick yourself into believing
that you can’t use authentic resources as a beginner. Start out slow with children’s books and movies, comics, short recipes, etc. and build up to the news and sitcoms as you go.

Don’t trick yourself into believing
that you can’t use authentic resources as a beginner. Start out slow with children’s books and movies, comics, short recipes, etc. and build up to the news and sitcoms as you go.

5
Memorizing without understanding.

When it comes to languages,
there’s a lot to memorize. Image by drcw on Flickr.com

When it comes to languages,
there’s a lot to memorize. Image by drcw on Flickr.com

But it’s not just about
memorization, it’s about understanding.

When studying the grammar of
a language, look for the connections between words. For example, you could memorize the French phrases “le poisson bleu” and “la maison bleue,” but that doesn’t mean you understand that bleu(e) takes an –e when describing a feminine noun. Image by Francisco Gonzalez on Flickr.com

Once you understand the connection
between noun gender and adjective agreement, you can apply that to thousands of other phrases.

Don’t undermine your efforts to
learn a language by trying to memorize everything. Exploring grammatical patterns and connections will eliminate that need.

6Translating directly to your native
language.

Speaking of undermining your efforts,
don’t fall in to the trap of relating everything back to your native language. Image by Bill Selak on Flickr.com

Some words and phrases just
won’t translate, word orders will differ, and you’ll come across concepts you’ve never heard of before—gender, case marking, and tones, oh my!

Keep your mind open and
your slate blank. The less you use your native language as a crutch, the more comfortable you’ll become with using your new language. Image by IntangibleArts on Flickr.com

7Avoiding speaking.

There is such a pervasive
fear of speaking in a foreign language that it even has it’s own term: xenoglossophobia.

Giving in to that fear
is a major mistake for any language learner. Image by Geoffrey Fairchild on Flickr.com

Speaking in another language gives
you the opportunity to practice your pronunciation, wrapping your tongue around new sounds.

But there’s more to speaking
than just pronouncing the words correctly.

But there’s more to speaking
than just pronouncing the words correctly.

But there’s more to speaking
than just pronouncing the words correctly.

Don’t wait until you’re “ready”
to start speaking—let go of your fear and start yapping right away for maximum results! Image by ddqhu on Flickr.com

8Doubting yourself.

While you’re at it, let
go of your doubts, too! Image by Karen Ellot on Flickr.com

Scott H. Young gives great
advice when it comes to being a better learner:

Scott H. Young gives great
advice when it comes to being a better learner: Be a perfectionist in the long-term, not the short-term.

Making mistakes is a big
part of learning a language.

Making mistakes is a big
part of learning a language. Embrace them.

Making mistakes is a big
part of learning a language. Laugh at yourself.

Making mistakes is a big
part of learning a language. Learn from them.

It’s not possible to learn
a language without saying something silly, using the wrong gender, conjugating in the wrong tense, and so on.

It’s not possible to learn
a language without saying something silly, using the wrong gender, conjugating in the wrong tense, and so on.

When it comes to language
learning, the cliché is true, you need to step out of your comfort zone.

You can learn a language—it
just takes time and practice.

Now that you know what
not to do when learning a language, what are you going to do next? f t in FREE TRIAL SUSCRIBE TO THE LANGUAGE NEWS BLOG