3 Passive Language Learning Tips that Delayed My Progress
When the most popular passive learning tips hinder your progress, don’t be afraid to change gears.
I joined the language learning community out of necessity.
After moving countries for a job, I realized how little I could speak French. There was a disconnect between what I wanted to say and what I could say.
Using google, I stumbled into multiple online forums and groups for language learning. While many of these people had a presumably high level in their target language, many techniques popped up consistently.
- Push yourself to speak every day
- Just watch a bunch of TV
- Expose yourself to the language and you’ll progress naturally
After two years of considerable trial and error, I’ve learned that most of this advice is only a small part of the language learning process.
1. “Push yourself to speak every day”
Here’s the truth for my necessity to speak my target language: some days I haven’t needed to speak French at all because of my specific situation. Nearly 2 years after the initial quarantine, I avoid mingling in large groups as much as I can. If it’s a particularly slow day at work, I may not even interact much with my colleagues as we move through our individual to-do lists.
When people suggest to “speak everyday,” I’ve seen it most in the context of talking to native speakers. When I tried to take this advice to heart, any day I noticed I didn’t speak much French led me to the nearest boulangerie and repeated the exact same conversation each time. My french wasn’t getting any better, but I was definitely perfecting my pronunciation of “I’ll have a demi-baguette, please.”
I progressed when I did this instead:
If I could start my journey again, I would set aside more time to study different conversational phrases. Then, I would schedule conversations with teachers on iTalki instead of language exchange partners. My progress started skyrocketing because I wasn’t too overexposed to new phrases, pop-culture jokes, and body language.
However, I wasn't just practicing the same 5 mini-conversations each day in the name of “just talk to a native speaker.”
Practicing the elements of a conversation before entering a controlled conversation allowed me to layer new information in a productive way.
2. “Just watch a bunch of TV.”
Consuming content in your target language is, in my opinion, necessary to strengthen your language skills. Others in the language community would agree. Nevertheless, I never really understood the crowd who claims they learned the language by only…watching TV.
This technique is a similar way babies acquire their first language. They spend years and years being exposed to the language before being able to utter their first words and complete sentences. I can tell you with confidence if I tried to learn French that way, I still wouldn’t be able to function.
I really like watching French shows, but it started feeling pointless when I could only understand 10% of what was going on.
I progressed when I did this instead:
I checked for shows that French natives/Advanced French speakers recommended based on 3 things.
- clear pronunciation
- accurate subtitles in the original language
- unique characters and storyline
If your ears aren’t used to the sounds of the target language, muddled pronunciation won’t help. You probably skip letters and slur syllables in your native language. Accurate subtitles will help you distinguish how the spoken dialogue differs from the actual words. Unique characters and storylines can easily imprint new phrases because it connects the word to memorable experiences.
I tried to figure out what words and phrases I could use in my own life. Oftentimes you will have to replace one or two words, and the phrases are ready-to-use for you.
Watching Au Service de la France, a comedy/drama about the French Secret Service in the 1960s, I’ve learned normal vocab through the unfortunate antics of the protagonist. I learned the verb décrocher when the intern accidentally took a call for diplomacy that led to temporary destabilization in another country. Every time I pick up my work phone now, I’m thankful my job doesn’t easily influence a country’s political stability.
3. “Expose yourself to the language and you’ll progress naturally!”
This goes in line with #2, only it’s twice as annoying.
Imagine going to another country not knowing the language, but needing it to survive. Will you stand in the supermarket for hours, pointing at random things until strangers tell you the French words for milk, eggplant, and salt? Would you go to the bank and try to figure out, on the fly, how to open a bank account without knowing what it’s called?
For many people, this is not a choice. Some flee to other countries away from situations many of us have the privilege of not understanding. I, however, am not in that position.
You won’t know all the appropriate vocab when you enter a new situation, but you can prepare for it to the best of your ability. If I knew I would need to use a piece of equipment pretty often, I need to learn what that equipment is called at its surrounding vocabulary. That just makes sense to me. It’s not a guarantee you will breeze through all of your conversations. The point is that you’ll be better prepared.
I progressed when I did this instead:
I realized that language learning is different for everyone. Some people learning French are doing it out of love of learning and curiosity. My main motivation for learning French is because…I live in France. Now that I’m more comfortable with the language, my motivation has expanded into making new friends and learning about the country’s history.
But I’ve stopped denying that the pressure I put on myself to improve my French is unnecessary. I don’t really have the luxury of learning the language through passive information only.
A Proactive Approach Made Me Happier
What do all these pieces of advice have in common? They encourage a lax, passive language learning experience. For some, that’s the way to go.
For a long time, I felt really ashamed that I couldn’t take advantage of these methods. I constantly compared myself to other language learners who could absorb information like a sponge. But now I know that’s not how I learn.
Taking a more proactive approach kick-starting my progress again. It’s also made me so much happier. I know how that I have to spend time consistently practicing the language, not just consuming content. I need to review grammar points and new phrases through Anki decks. I need to do phonetic drills to actively improve my pronunciation.
Reflecting on this, I realized I excelled in many different skills when I alternated learning theory and engaging in the practice. The time spent on either has changed slightly as my skill evolved, but it was essential nonetheless.
Other language learners have actually advocated against methods that help me internalize the language. These people, in my opinion, have a one-sided view of what it takes to learn a language. I’ve stopped listening to them and started listening to those who advocate for trying new methods and figuring out what works for you.
Bored of stale articles? Get interesting stories delivered right in your inbox. Sign up for a Medium membership using the affiliate link to get unlimited access to great content!
