Motivation: Steps to Maintain your Language Learning Journey
When Mountains aren't necessarily Mountains
Motivation: Steps to Maintain Your Language Learning Journey. These steps are universal and can be applied to all of your endeavors if you keep an open mind. Follow along and review some advice I offer to my English learning students. There is more than one piece of advice; perhaps something will help you.
Have you ever set a goal, only to find yourself stuck or considering giving up along the way? This is a common struggle with motivation. Knowing you’re not alone might not ease the embarrassment of feeling like a failure. Many realize too late and carry the burdens of anger and bitterness. Motivational studies in language learning are not new. Countless researchers write about it. So, what makes this article different?
I am a practitioner—a teacher with half a lifetime of experience teaching Japanese students. I’ve studied motivation and applied it in the field, offering a unique perspective. Times have changed, and new approaches can enhance discussions on motivation.
Language learning is a long, arduous journey. It may not have literal pitfalls, but it can feel like climbing a never-ending mountain. Learning a language is not only linguistical but also psychological. Maintaining motivation is crucial. How does one stay motivated? Let’s explore some advice I offer my English learning students. Perhaps it will help you too.
The Challenges
Advice Given with some Personal Anecdotes:
I will be upfront and honest right away. My advice hasn’t always been successful. Sadly, I have lost students in the English conversational school setting due to their lack of motivation and possibly my inability to inspire. Additionally, I have also struggled with my own motivation in other endeavors, such as my overall purpose as a content creator. However, I have persevered in the end despite the many obstacles using my own reasoning. If I can, so can you!
Let’s get started
Avoid the Fixed Mindset
Benchmarks like textbooks, Eiken, and TOEIC levels are designed to assist but can undermine motivation by fostering a fixed mindset. Language learning is a fluid journey, not confined by rigid benchmarks. Each person learns at a different rate and requires unique methods. These standards are artificially created and should be thought of as such, without feeling demotivated if you haven’t reached the level in a set period of time.
When benchmarks aren’t met within a specific timeframe, they can become discouraging obstacles. While benchmarks indicate progress, they aren’t the journey itself. Strict adherence to them often leads to a lack of motivation.
Sadly, many educators also place too much emphasis on textbooks, which are based on leveling. Students may feel frustrated when they finish a textbook but still don’t feel they’ve achieved a higher level. However, textbooks are merely guides and don’t genuinely reflect a person’s ability to communicate. This excessive emphasis causes more confusion than necessary.
Teaching this concept can be quite challenging, but when I have done so, my students have relaxed. They were able to focus more on the present moment rather than on what could or should be.
Set Realistic Short-Term Goals
While aiming for total fluency in a second language is admirable, it is an end goal. Often, we set higher standards for ourselves than necessary, leading to dwindling motivation when we can’t meet these lofty benchmarks. For example, achieving Eiken 2 within a short timeframe is unrealistic. Language learning is not a formulaic process and can’t be easily measured by time.
Students need to understand that learning a language takes time, often longer than expected. The key is to make small, incremental steps towards the end goal, finding joy in the journey. For instance, setting a goal to learn something new each lesson is feasible and motivating. Another example is aiming to ask better questions by a certain date. While there is a timeframe, the goal is fluid and not tied to a rigid benchmark.
Embrace Mistakes as Learning Opportunities
Making mistakes in language learning is natural. As children, we made mistakes and learned from them. This should be the same now.
Unfortunately, benchmarks and peer pressure, especially in the Japanese education system, have distorted this natural learning method. Being formally told you made an error can affect motivation, but it shouldn’t. Mistakes are good—they mean you’re making efforts and can learn from them.
While teaching English, I noticed that students from other countries, like Brazil, didn’t fear making mistakes and their fluency improved quite dramatically. In contrast, Japanese students rarely spoke unless asked, fearing mistakes.
Make mistakes. Make them often. Learn from them. Be a child again. Mistakes are a part of the language learning process.
Be Curious and Ask Questions
Following the advice of embracing mistakes, being curious and asking questions is a natural and essential part of learning. We shouldn’t be afraid to ask why something works a certain way or to admit when we don’t understand and need the teacher to rephrase it. This fundamental learning process is how children learn languages quickly, and it shouldn’t be hindered by fear.
Curiosity and questioning are key to maintaining motivation. When you ask questions and seek to understand, you stay engaged and interested in the learning process. This active involvement helps you find joy in the journey and keeps your motivation high.
Critical thinking and a growth mindset are crucial in this process. By questioning and analyzing information, you develop a deeper understanding and become more adaptable in your learning. Embrace challenges as opportunities to grow and learn from them.
Ask questions, be interested in the answers, and keep asking until you are satisfied. This is the way of learning and staying motivated.
Take Breaks
Language learning is a long journey, often taking years or even a lifetime. During this journey, it’s natural to lose motivation. Sometimes, you need to take a break and reflect on your achievements, the reasons behind your journey, and your goals. This reflection takes time, but it’s essential for maintaining motivation. Taking breaks allows you to come back refreshed and eager to resume. Your motivation can be elevated when you achieve a deeper understanding of your will.
I remember one student who heeded this advice. After years of making little progress, this student took a few years off. When they returned, they became a dedicated student once again and a lifelong friend of mine.
A language journey doesn’t have to be a daily grind.
Change your Learning Environment
As an online teacher, I believe face-to-face learning is not the only method and can sometimes detract from motivation. Since the COVID pandemic, I’ve been teaching online lessons. Initially, my online lessons weren’t as good as my face-to-face ones, but now they are equally effective. With today’s technology, I can teach my students with the same quality as face-to-face lessons. In return, my students benefit from several aspects that face-to-face learning can’t offer:
Affordability: No overhead costs, so you get the same quality without paying for a company’s rent and utilities.
Convenience: Learn from the comfort of your home, even in pajamas if you want.
Flexibility: More flexible scheduling compared to fixed time slots in traditional classes.
These factors and more boost motivation.
While some students find motivation in physically going to lessons, this can be negative if it’s the only way to stay motivated. Instead, change your mindset to accommodate the journey as being online and available instead.
I believe online learning with the right teacher is better than face-to-face, which is why I’ve based my business model on it. Moving forward, I believe this will become the standard for most secondary education, albeit more slowly in Japan.
Find what inspires you
Language learning can be boring if it’s just about ABCs and textbooks. To stay motivated, students should follow their own interests and passions.
My own hobbies, like board games, drive my learning. If I were learning Japanese, I’d use Japanese versions of games like Magic the Gathering. Can you find that same inspiration in your language learning journey?
I tailor lessons around my students’ interests. For example, I had a student interested in cars and motorcycles, so I created lessons centered on these subjects. Learning doesn’t have to be one-way. Lessons relevant to students’ interests motivate and inspire them. Additionally, I direct students to explore their interests in English through various forms of entertainment, promoting self-study.
By inspiring students to explore their interests in English, I keep them motivated. It’s a win-win.
Find Teachers that can Inspire you
An inspiring teacher makes the journey both easier and fun. Unfortunately, many teachers follow textbooks word for word, lacking imagination and experience. Textbooks are just guides, not bibles. Teachers who fail to break free from them prevent their students from reaching greater heights.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – W.B. Yeats
In this day and age, it isn’t difficult to find teachers or tutors that can help you on your journey. You just need to look. I hope you find them as well.
Just a Thought
When I introduced this article, I stated that language learning is like climbing a mountain. It’s a popular metaphor, often accompanied by terms like reaching a plateau, taking steps, or ascending to new heights.
However, this metaphor can be negative. If we change our outlook and metaphor, the task becomes easier.
As I mentioned earlier, one of my hobbies is board games. Throughout my self-study of board games, I learned terminologies, board game design, theory, and Game Theory on my own. This was under my own initiative and drive. I didn’t think for a second that my journey into that learning was climbing a mountain. Actually, I didn’t even consider it as a journey of learning until now. What if language learning could be thought of in this way?
Let’s change ‘the mountain’ to ‘a journey across the land’. This doesn’t sound daunting but still conveys the essence of the language learning journey. It fosters a positive mindset. Instead of climbing steep slopes, students can navigate through valleys, cross bridges, and explore new territories. They can reach summits, set up base camps, and follow trails marked by milestones. With the right climbing gear and a guide, they can achieve peak performance. This way, they can enjoy the scenic route and appreciate the progress they make along the way.
Anyway, just a thought.
In Conclusion
The topic of motivation and language learning is not new. It has been covered by researchers and teachers for a long time. While there are many other points that could be discussed, such as creating a study schedule or visualizing success, I have focused on a few key points to help you stay motivated in your language learning journey.
We learned about avoiding a fixed mindset, setting realistic short-term goals, embracing mistakes, being curious and asking questions, taking breaks, changing our learning environment, and finding our own inspiration. These subjects not only address factors that detract from motivation but also provide ways to enhance it.
I hope that in the future, you can look back on this article and find it helpful. Remember, the journey of language learning is unique to each individual, and finding what works best for you is key.
What do you do to stay motivated? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
As always, thank you for reading. I hope you have a great day wherever you are.
Discover more from Austin Worx
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.