Seven (7) Ways to Overcome a Language Learning Block

You want to learn a new language. You’ve picked it out and have a program that suits your learning style. But the learning is just not happening. Some days you forget to do it, other days you clearly procrastinate. Cleaning up your desk seems vitally more important than learning and practicing 15 more vocabulary items.

Language Learner’s Block

What you may have is Language Learner’s Block. It has some similarities with Writer’s Block. To borrow and adapt a definition: Language Learner’s Block “is the condition whereby a language learner cannot summon up the will and energy to continue learning a foreign language.” (From Fiction Writers’ Mentor) 

There may be various reasons for feeling blocked. A lack of confidence in yourself as a language learner may be sapping your motivation. Or you may feel you’re too busy with other things. But even people with a full schedule find ways to add an item they want to do. As a matter of fact, doesn’t the saying go: “If you really want to get a job done, find a busy person to do it”? The implication is that such people will be disciplined and efficient.

Seven (7) Habits...

Here are seven (7) simple ways to help you get out of a Language Learner’s Block.

1. Tell yourself that you’ll do a minimum of 5 minutes a day. Be honest with yourself, if that’s all you do, that’s fine. Your main goal is to get into a routine that will get you into an easy language learning mode.

2. Get a daily reminder. For most online programs, you can sign up for a daily e-mail to remind you. Or, you can put a daily alert on your phone.

3. Set yourself a small, specific task for every session (see examples below). Then do it with gusto, for a minimum of 5 minutes. 

• Go through a specific exercise/segment in your chosen language program.
• Learn & pronounce 1 new verb, and its conjugation in the present.
• Learn, write, and pronounce 7 new words.
• Learn & practice 5 new phrases.
• Read (aloud if you can) 1 page in a book that’s on your level
• Watch a YouTube news video.

4. When you’re done, set yourself a quick next task. That will make it easier to get right into your next session.

5. Try things out, and don’t worry about making mistakes. As Benny the Polyglot says, perfectionism leads to paralysis. Don't go for perfection in speaking and writing in a foreign language. Even when you sound a little weird (in comparison to the native speaker on the program), don’t worry about it. Your first tries may be tentative, but if you keep trying, you will improve. The same goes for writing. With time, you’ll master the new spelling and grammar.

6. Every time you complete a task, feel good about it! Or treat yourself to something special, after 10 days in a row, after 30 days in a row, etc.

7. Embrace a new personality for your new language. For example, when practicing Italian, allow yourself to be more dramatic than you usually are. Have fun with exploring new ways to express yourself. And read, Change of Language, Change of Personality? by François Grosjean about being different when you change languages.

PT Lessons for BT (Brain Therapy) and Language Learning

Moreover, as a Lifehacker blog sums it up, engaging in regular language learning will begin to boost your brain. If you’ve ever done physical therapy after an injury, you know that patience and persistence can lead to very rewarding results. Most of the PT exercises you do at first consist of small movements done for a short time. Eventually, you’ll be moving normally and no longer have think about doing things carefully. That’s also a good lesson to take into language learning.