As somebody who is now proficient in three languages, in addition to
having been an English language teacher at various points in his life,
Will Heikkinen understands the many difficulties that people face when
they start learning new languages. This can lead to a number of common
mistakes being made, with all of the below being blunders that new
learners should aim to avoid.
Being Inconsistent
One of the keys to learning any new language is constant practice, so if you find that you go long amounts of time without speaking the language that you are trying to learn you will probably end up stunting your development. Try to schedule time to practice the language every day and make sure that you attend regular lessons.
Not Having A Goal
Many people make the mistake of having the vague idea that they want to learn other languages, without really putting much thought into why they want to do so. By defining a goal for yourself, such as being able to communicate with a friend who speaks another language, you will be able to focus your efforts and give yourself the motivation required to keep learning more.
Dwelling On Mistakes
Will Heikkinen points out that all new language learners will make mistakes, especially when they are trying to get to grips with pronunciation and different sentence structures. This is all part of the process, but many allow themselves to be discouraged when they make mistakes. Instead, you should focus on learning what you did wrong, so that you can make improvements to your skills.
Being Inconsistent
One of the keys to learning any new language is constant practice, so if you find that you go long amounts of time without speaking the language that you are trying to learn you will probably end up stunting your development. Try to schedule time to practice the language every day and make sure that you attend regular lessons.
Not Having A Goal
Many people make the mistake of having the vague idea that they want to learn other languages, without really putting much thought into why they want to do so. By defining a goal for yourself, such as being able to communicate with a friend who speaks another language, you will be able to focus your efforts and give yourself the motivation required to keep learning more.
Dwelling On Mistakes
Will Heikkinen points out that all new language learners will make mistakes, especially when they are trying to get to grips with pronunciation and different sentence structures. This is all part of the process, but many allow themselves to be discouraged when they make mistakes. Instead, you should focus on learning what you did wrong, so that you can make improvements to your skills.
