Why am I not making progress in my Spanish course (Part I)?
If you are studying Spanish, you may have asked yourself the same question on more than one occasion. Suddenly, you feel stuck and what was once exciting has now become a maze with no way out. Are you sorry for not getting any reward, despite all your efforts. Does it sound familiar?
In today’s article we’ll explain the causes that may be affecting your academic progress. We’ll also give you some tips on how to overcome the obstacles that stand in your way, so let’s get down to business!
The dreaded critical period
Surely, you’ve heard the phrase “perro viejo no aprende nuevos trucos” (old dog doesn’t learn new tricks). It’s a well-known Spanish saying, which refers to a person’s diminishing ability to train after a certain age. As we get older, studying a new language becomes a real challenge. But what’s the truth in that?
According to several studies there is an ideal period for language acquisition, which is called the critical period (also called the advantageous or privileged period). Most research agrees that it occurs during early childhood. According to this hypothesis, postulated by E. Lenneberg (1967), the ability to learn a language decreases with puberty. Our brain loses plasticity and is no longer as flexible.
Although this physiological reality affects your learning process, it in no way determines it. In fact, in the last few decades, a great deal of research has been published, that refute the critical period hypothesis. What seems to be clear is that the adult learner must activate other mechanisms – more active and conscious – to speak a second language, unlike children.
Fortunately, increasing age brings other advantages. You have more experience, judgment and problem-solving skills. Don’t forget that, as an adult, you have knowledge that allows you to make beneficial associations.
At our school, we encourage students of a certain age to take advantage of the wisdom acquired over the years. We propose various tasks that help to mitigate the effects related to brain plasticity. Similarly, we provide an environment enriched with sensory experiences, such as active exploration, social interaction and cognitive stimulation.
On the other hand, we must discard the idea that learning will happen automatically, just because we live in a country where Spanish is spoken. It demands from the student a more proactive approach to the process. It requires working with patience and acceptance in those aspects that can be improved. And it is necessary to make the most of the multiple resources available.
There is no doubt that children are like sponges that absorb their environment with little effort. On the other hand, you are a complex machine capable of consciously expanding your brain connections. Make the most of it! It will take some time, care and perseverance. But, as the well-known Spanish proverb says “Nunca es tarde, si la dicha es buena”.
Aptitude vs. attitude
First of all, we must differentiate aptitude from attitude. Aptitude is the potential to operate competently in a given task. This includes your innate abilities and all those acquired skills. Attitude, on the other hand, tells us about your willingness to carry out such activities.
It is quite common for Spanish learners to focus on the lack of natural aptitudes when they start learning. Perhaps you are not good at grammar or you find it very difficult to pronounce correctly. You can’t remember the conjugations, much less retain the vocabulary provided in class. You have to make great efforts to understand what the native speakers are saying and it is practically impossible to follow the thread of the conversation. In short…you’re bad at languages!
All of the above may have some truth to it. However, from experience, we know that the right attitude will go a long way towards compensating for these shortcomings. And what does it mean to have the right attitude?
- Keeping an open mind to other ways of approaching learning.
- Making the most of the skills you do have.
- Accepting mistakes as part of the process.
- Persevere with your goals.
- Feeling passionate and committed to what you do, even if it’s difficult.
Ultimately, it’s a matter of attitude, not aptitude. Grammar may not be your strong suit, but you can sing Shakira’s songs in Spanish with no problem. Believe it or not, this skill can become an ally when it comes to studying the more formal aspects of the language. You just have to find a way around it. And your Spanish teacher can help you with that.
The intermediate level plateau
You’ve finally reached the coveted intermediate level (B1-B2) and suddenly you feel completely stuck. The progress you’ve been making has stopped, you can’t integrate everything you’ve learned into your speech and you’re even making mistakes you didn’t make before. So, dear student, you have reached the intermediate level plateau.
To understand this phenomenon, you first need to know how language learning works. We often have the misconception that it is like climbing a ladder with independent rungs. Or a kind of video game, in which we unlock levels, once we solve the different tests. But nothing could be further from reality.
This process is more like an ascending spiral. The complexity is increasing, but there is also a deep and constant review of everything learned in the previous phases.
Don’t worry. It is usual not to experience significant progress when we access the plateau of intermediate levels. This happens because the student’s work is more focused on practice, integration and deepening of what he already knows.
But, how can we go through this plateau without falling into frustration? First of all, you must set feasible goals and keep track of those mistakes or difficulties you are overcoming. One step at a time.
Even if it takes you a long time to express the subjunctive mood correctly, surely there are other structures that you will master along the way. Celebrate each small achievement.
Also, keep in mind that you are dealing with a much larger number of rules, vocabulary, structures and usages than in the initial stages. Assimilating all of this requires practice, perseverance, time… And tons of patience!
So, if you are already on the plateau of the intermediate level, take advantage of this time to review the content you have seen, deepen your vocabulary, improve your pronunciation and achieve small daily goals. Your journey is still underway, only the direction has changed, so immerse yourself in the experience!
How do I learn better?
Many students are disappointed when they don’t see results, despite putting all their efforts into Spanish classes. They spend a lot of time studying the irregular conjugations, but there is no way to store them in their memory. Sometimes, everything they think they have learned disappears from their heads and they feel like they are back to square one. Why does this happen?
Although there are several contributing factors, one of the main reasons is the way students learn. Some immediately grasp the information contained in a newspaper article, while others are able to perfectly repeat phrases they have heard on the street. This particular way in which each student carries out the acquisition and learning processes is called learning styles.
In this sense, it is affirmed that there is no single style, but rather the contrast of some with others. Similarly, this notion is also related to the way of perceiving the world (visual, auditory, tactile and kinaesthetic) or to the concept of multiple intelligences developed by H. Gardner. In ELE didactics, reference is made to concrete, analytical, communicative and authority-oriented learning styles, to name a few.
When a student is faced with a task that is the opposite of his or her natural learning tendency, he or she may find it difficult to perform. Our Spanish school proposes dynamics and exercises designed to cater to the various learning styles. It should be noted that in a group class, it is not always easy to meet the individual needs of each member.
If you wish to overcome these obstacles, we recommend that you identify your learning style. To do this, you can take any of the online questionnaires that are available. It also works to ask yourself questions such as: How have I managed to learn things throughout my life? What am I best at retaining and integrating knowledge? How do I like to learn? What things are easy for me to memorize? What learning techniques do I use in my daily routine?
Once you have discovered this (or at least intuited it), you can talk to your teacher so that he/she knows your learning style and can better adapt to it. In addition, try to review the contents of the class with exercises or techniques that are more natural and productive for you, according to your natural way of assimilating the concepts.
Learning any language is also a journey of self-knowledge. Most of the time it doesn’t depend on the path itself, but on the means that you use to travel it, so be encouraged to discover your style so that you can continue to progress in your Spanish course!
Consistency… half-heartedly
Have you enrolled in an intensive course, you don’t skip any classes, you follow the class schedule to the letter, but you still can’t make any progress? Don’t worry, it’s more common than you think.
Most of the time we believe that classroom work is more than enough to learn a language. And we associate consistency with daily class attendance. But there is one detail that students often forget: work at home.
It is essential to integrate practice in our daily lives, beyond the walls of the academy. For that reason, our Spanish school usually assigns homework to students. That’s all well and good, but it also takes a little extra push?
To begin with, we suggest that you analyse the following:
- What aspects would you like to improve?
- What language skills do you need to cope with your daily life?
- What do you want to learn?
- Finally, make a list of the goals you want to achieve and organize your agenda.
The idea is that you open a space to practice Spanish on your own, apart from your academic obligations. If you don’t have enough time after your class, don’t panic. Thirty minutes a day may be enough, as long as you dedicate yourself exclusively to it.
Establishing a routine may be difficult at first. But if you stay consistent and add opportunities for practice outside the classroom, you’re sure to see progress sooner than you think.
But remember! Perseverance is fuelled by enthusiasm. Enjoy the process and applaud your progress, however small. Every day adds up.
Anxiety, anxiety, anxiety…
Learning Spanish could be compared to climbing a mountain in a spiral. Our students become climbers and little by little they ascend, with the help of the teacher-sherpas. However, at some point along the way, the climber looks at the top and begins to feel anxious about how far he still has to go. Has this ever happened to you?
Most students go through periods of anxiety that, far from bringing them closer to their goal, slows them down or stops them in their tracks. This feeling of fear, uneasiness or nervousness occurs when we feel threatened by an external or internal danger. And, on many occasions, it is enough to anticipate negative situations to fill us with anxiety.
Have you experienced moments of anxiety in your Spanish class? If so, we invite you to analyse why you feel that way. Perhaps you fear not meeting your goals on time or not meeting the expectations of those around you. Perhaps you dread the thought that you will never be able to communicate properly. You worry about wasting time or money. Or you simply feel dumb and slow.
Whatever the reason, going faster doesn’t get you any further. Anxiety can lead to paralysis. It also affects our ability to process information, memorize and organize our thinking. In short, anxiety is a student’s worst enemy.
Learning any discipline requires time and patience. Learning Spanish is a long-distance race. Therefore, we recommend that you focus on the daily tasks and appreciate the small accomplishments of the day. Live your present knowing that you are one step closer to what you want to achieve than you were yesterday.
Also, don’t forget that it’s normal to make mistakes. In fact, it’s even a good sign! You may not know it, but many of the mistakes that students make are actually evidence that they are assimilating certain structures. The mistake is part of the process and serves as a benchmark to measure progress.
So, when you feel overwhelmed by anxiety, breathe and trust. What seems like an unattainable mountain today will eventually become a small hill.
We hope you enjoyed today’s post. Next week we will continue talking about other factors that affect your learning and we will propose more useful solutions. Don’t miss the second part of this article!
Remember that in our Spanish courses you will learn this and much more, ¡take a look at our course list and start improving your Spanish today!
