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What’s a good reason to learn a language?

Necessity, obligation, opening doors, enjoyment?

I do believe that any reason is valuable and valid, but I also think that without a personal reason, motivation won’t be enough, you will start happily and driven, but you will interrupt that process before reaching an important point if you don’t have a goal in mind.

I’m currently fighting without motivation to continue a regular studying schedule for my German, Japanese and Korean learning journeys, and I believe it’s because I haven’t decided where am I going to do my Masters, and even if the goal is to go to one of those countries to study, because I’m not set on one yet, It’s getting hard to keep up with the three separate work loads.

So if you’re struggling, first of all know that it’s normal and then, try to understand your motive and fight to reach your goals.

My best wishes for everyone! Fighting!! 💪🏻

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Today at work (as an English-Spanish interpreter) an 80+ year old man asked me not to interpret his phone number and address, he said: I want to try, because I’m learning. 🥺 Honestly! GOALS! I want to be that old lady still learning languages and trying my best! Because that’s what this is about 🤍

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Here are some things that I’ve learned while teaching:

1. Background matters. Not because it’s not possible to learn for some people. I actually believe the opposite, that everyone can learn. But some people start their learning journey believing what the world has told them, that it’s impossible for them, and that is a huge obstacle, it’s important to bring that barrier down to help them open up and let the learning process begin.

2. Poor Vocabulary is the Great Wall! If you don’t enrich your vocabulary by reading, watching movies or series or paying attention to music lyrics, you just won’t be able to communicate things that matter; you’ll get stuck with the script you learned from your teacher but won’t be able to go further, and probably would not be able to understand a native speaker either, because colloquial speech is not how you learn it on any book.

3. Use of Native Language. It’s important to learn phrases and the different uses and meaning of the words, so learning about the culture and the dialect of the place you’re dreaming to visit or to move to is a must! Like I said before, perfect grammar is not the whole language.

4. Outdated Core Curriculum is a No! I think as teachers is important to have a list of topics that the students most learn, but we need to get creative on how we teach it, and be flexible with our ways, not every group will respond the same way to the material and not every person has the same learning style, so we have to observe how they respond to it and try to improve our plan in ways we know will work for them.

5. Lack of Speaking Skills is the pebble in the shoe. One dear teacher of mine used to say that being able to put something into words was what could materialize things, or even change our reality. And I think it has some true to it. If we can put it into words, then we are putting it into our minds, we start making it our own, and that’s how you learn. So I always try to make my students speak: to me, to their peers, to them selves, to their microwave if necessary! But it’s so very important for them to talk!

6. Lack of Confidence can be your worst enemy. So it’s important for us to celebrate even the smallest of things! Every step is a challenge that’s been conquered! So if you were able to read until this point 🔵 congratulations 👏🏻

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Why do I feel so passionate about languages?

I guess it’s the possibility to meet people from different backgrounds. The amazing feeling to open one’s eyes to a different culture and erasing preconceived notions about others, getting closer to them and finding out that even when you find differences, it means there are more similarities between us human beings. 🤍