Second language acquisition
How often have you heard: “You can’t learn another language well because you’re old and only children learn languages fast and well?” I bet all of you were told that at some point. Is it true, though? No, it isn’t. Most people can learn another language later in life. The process is often referred to as L2 acquisition and it is well-researched.
This article will help you to understand second language acquisition. Learning proper techniques does make a huge difference. Here are 3 things you might want to know about L2 acquisition:
It’s a new language, not the language you already know
Learners, especially adult learners, often try to use what they already know about their native language to learn their second language. While that is natural and there might be no way for you to prevent yourself from doing it because your brain is trying to find something you already know to connect this new knowledge to, it can lead to less than ideal results.
This is where children have natural leverage over adults. They don’t know their native language well enough to compare. What children do is quite simple. They learn what they see, hear and sense in other ways. You should do the same. Next time you learn something, take it as it is and focus on understanding it as a separate item. Once you fully understand the item in question, you can think about how it’s different from something you already know.
Stick with what you can comprehend
Learners often find themselves studying materials they can’t fully understand. You’ve probably found yourself reading something that you could read without comprehension. Scientific and philosophical works can feel that way. You read, but nothing sticks to your brain. People often quit because they feel bad about themselves when this happens. This doesn’t mean you can’t learn something. That’s why you shouldn’t feel bad about yourself. You can learn. You just aren’t learning effectively. We can only learn the things we can comprehend. If you can’t, it means you need to make changes. Persistence doesn’t pay off in this case.
Let’s imagine you are reading something and you notice you IDN Poker can’t understand the material. What you need to do when this happens is to slow down and focus on comprehension. If this doesn’t help, you need to change the material. This happens for many reasons. Sometimes it’s about the level and sometimes it’s about the way things are presented, but it shouldn’t matter to you. Just keep things simple. Materials are either comprehensible or not. Stick with what is comprehensible!
Take your time
The concept of time is one of the most fundamental concepts known to humans. Everything we do revolves around time. You need to wake up, work, study, eat and sleep at a specific time. Most of the tasks we perform are measured and rated based on the amount of time it takes to complete them.
It’s understandable why we focus on time so much. Our time is limited and we need to be efficient, but efficiency in learning isn’t achieved by forcing yourself to go through tasks faster or by checking the clock all the time. Efficient learning is achieved with suitable methods that allow us to acquire knowledge faster. Looking at the clock and feeling down or even anxious because something can’t be done within the projected timeframe doesn’t bring results. It brings the feeling of incompetence and sadness. That’s precisely what you don’t need.
What you need is time to find a way for yourself to learn. You probably know how you forget about time when you do something you enjoy. That’s the kind of feeling you should look for when learning another language. This feeling means your brain is focused on the topic and no energy is wasted on other issues. You are doing what you want to be doing at the highest rate your brain can sustainably do.
The question that remains is how to get to that point. The answer is simple. Think about what you enjoy doing and find a way to incorporate language learning into that. All people are different. If you like reading books, finding interesting books about your target language might help to get you started. Reding books might not be your cup of tea. What if you like beauty and fashion? Then find appropriate materials in your target language within your interest zone.
The purpose of this article is to help with second language acquisition and it points to so some of the most common problems people seeking help experience. It’s seldom about one’s ability to learn something new and almost always about how we misunderstand learning and work. There are no universal formulas and there is no substitute for knowing yourself.
Many people believe that working hard is the key to success. It could be, but hard work can never beat smart work. Smart work is when you know what you are doing and you find the most optimal way for yourself to achieve your goal. Your goal of learning another language is achievable. All you need to do is to focus on yourself and find the best way for yourself to get there!
