We have noticed that most adults struggle to learn a foreign language, not because they are not talented or smart enough, but because they harbor certain prejudices about themselves that hold them back along the way. In this blog post, we are breaking it down and giving you a guide to follow in your language learning journey.
Adults are Better at Learning - So, What's Happening?
Not only are adults better at learning, but they are also better at learning languages. So, why does it seem to be the opposite? Here are some (science-based) facts:
- Adults are better at pattern recognition
- They understand abstract ideas and concepts better and more quickly
- They have learning strategies that they honed during their school and university years
It seems like there are a few issues to understand.
1. Forgetting How to Study
It has been some time since you finished school or university. You already got comfortable in your job and you forgot how to use your brain for learning. It’s not that you lack capacity or strategies – your brain just got lazy and comfortable simmering in the familiar. By starting a new learning course, you are basically torturing it, and it needs time to adjust.
2. Perfectionism
Now that you are all grown-up, making mistakes in front of other adults, or, even worse, people younger than you, feels like a nightmare. You have a stronger sense of responsibility and self-awareness, so not being on top of your game and making mistakes feels more deeply connected to your worth, intelligence, and capabilities. You think that if you make mistakes and have a rough time learning/remembering something makes you an irresponsible adult.
3. Lack of Confidence/Sense of Shame
This closely relates to the previous subtitle. There is this myth circling that you need to feel confident before speaking. But the truth is that confidence comes way after embarrassment and vulnerability. Readiness is not a feeling; it’s a decision!
This is What You Must Do
Now, you need to relearn what learning is.
Instead of thinking of it as:
- Perfect grammar
- No accent
- Speaking only when certain
You need to reframe it into:
- Understanding more than producing
- Being comfortable with approximate speech
- Using wrong but functional language
- Celebrating tiny wins
What Should Be Your Next Steps in Learning Serbian
In these blog posts, there is only so much we can do for you. We hope this advice was enough for you for the time being. However…
If you really want to improve your learning and confidence while doing so, we recommend you check out our materials and the types of lessons we offer. Also, leave your email and subscribe to our newsletter, and you will get two extra emails about language learning a month.
