Why your Attitude is important in Language Learning

When learning a language, it is so important to have a good attitude.  Your mentality affects how well you learn, as well as determines whether you will easily give up, or continue on what may be a fun, lifelong learning journey.

Imagine a typical classroom setting for a language class.  The majority of the students are bored.  The teacher asks a question.  Almost nobody wants to respond.  Most just sit there, hoping they will not be called on.  But there is one eager student who always raises his/her hand.  For this student, being in this class, and participating is something they enjoy.  What sets this person apart from the others in the class?  Why are they engaged in learning?  Attitude.

Instead of dreading the learning experience, treat this as a great opportunity to learn and have fun! Think about being able to converse with native speakers of that language.  Find the easy things about the language.  Listen and sing along to songs in order to improve your vocabulary and pronunciation.  Watch movies or television shows that you have already seen in English and are dubbed in the langauge you are learning.  With the right attitude, you can find a lot of ways to have fun with learning a new language. 

Comments

[Anton Kunin]

Having read this post, I couldn't help putting in my two cents. On one hand, yes, attitude is important. But on the other hand, my impression is that teachers often underestimate their role in keeping their students interested. There are many who assume that by the sheer fact of being a teacher, they, as well as their lessons, should be interesting. And when I hear people say "Learning English/French/ is boring", my first thought is: "You probably had a bad teacher".

[Tracey]

I agree with you. The teacher must be engaged with their students in order to be effective. I remember when I started learning Spanish and it seemed like such a struggle and I dreaded going to class. I ended up dropping that class and enrolling with another instructor and it made a HUGE difference. I looked forward to her classes and she took the time to make learning "fun" yet effective. That was the key for me.

[Maria]

Learn Spanish In Barcelona spend time doing one thing, getting students and teaching. The question is, how do YOU choose one of the best courses to Learn Spanish In Barcelona?

[Tracey]

If I were going to learn Spanish in Barcelona, I would think about my objectives. Am I going to be in Barcelona for a few weeks, several months, or longer. I would research and find the best program to meet my learning objectives (do I want to become fluent), or do I just want to be able to converse on a more basic level. It all depends on what I am trying to accomplish and my timeframe. I might consider joining a small group, listening and practicing to audio recordings, and hiring a private language tutor.

[Volker]

Thank you Lisa for your encouragement and itipiranson. You understand that taking on the challenge of learning something new and totally different for an adult can be a bit daunting at age 76. There is something reassuring about your voice and openness in sharing your love of the guitar that's very motivational. I know you are a great teacher.