Learning a language can be an unbearable experience, or it can be a journey that results in you feeling proud and motivated. Which way it goes for you will depend mostly on how you approach the job. Should you dive in without thought or preparation, you're probably going to wind up feeling frustrated and defeated, as has happened to numerous others. If you plan properly, however, you will likely become a pleased and accomplished student of a second tongue. The key part of preparing to master a second language is defining fluency for your own purposes. There are three reasons why it is best to take this approach to learning.
Break a Huge Task into Small Pieces
Many people think that becoming fluent in a language means communicating just like a native speaker. This is simply not true, and, as you know, not even all native speakers of a language speak with the same level of fluency. So, why should you, a non-native speaker, define success in such broad and unattainable terms? You shouldn't, and if you do you will set yourself up for failure. Instead, you need to specify different fluency targets.
To start with, at the very minimum, fluency should be defined in terms of daily activities. That is, you should consider yourself to be fluent in your target language once you develop the ability to carry out day-to-day duties, such as eating out, getting directions, booking travel services, and making purchases. Breaking down this type of vast and hard-to-grasp project into scaled-down portions will keep you moving forward, as opposed to becoming overwhelmed and aggravated.
Setting Attainable Goals
As noted above, the lack of fluency goals causes language students to inadvertently set unattainable targets, triggering disappointment along with a lack of commitment. Defining fluency for your own purposes, in contrast, enables you to establish objectives that are both visible and attainable. Developing distinct, attainable objectives keeps students motivated by providing finishing points throughout their studies; it generally feels good to conclude something that you've started. And, needless to say, success breeds success, so after you accomplish a fluency goal, you will find yourself enthusiastic to try another. With these attainable targets, expect your learning to become efficient and satisfying.
Learn What You Need
If you are studying a second language because you would like to vacation in a destination where people speak a language other than your own, do you really have to develop the cabability to talk about scientific concepts in your target language. No, you do not, but I've found scores of general language textbooks that include vocabulary words from the scientific and business disciplines. What is the end result of this? Wasted time and effort. Define fluency for your own purposes, and you will have laser-targeted objectives, and you will become fluent much faster. There is no reason to understand vocabulary words and expressions that you are hardly ever going to make use of.
Needless to say, I am in no way saying that it is not useful to learn the language of business or science in a second language, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time in a place that uses said language. I am stating, however, that such an endeavor should be defined as an additional fluency. Define fluency for your own purposes and you will succeed. Take on your learning experience without focus and you will stroll off into the land of disappointment and failure.
Final Thoughts
Learning a language is a lot of work, and if you don't establish distinct, achievable objectives you may become one of the numerous who become discouraged and give up. If you define fluency for your own purposes, on the other hand, you'll find inspiration and achievement. Remember, studying a language is not about becoming fluent or not becoming fluent, but, rather, about accomplishing different levels of fluency.
Good Luck with this and all of your future learning projects.
Author Resource:
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