Category: Motivation

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

Seek inspiration from successful language learners.

There are video channels, blogs and social media profiles where successful language learners share ideas and give tips on language learning.

Such polyglots can be very motivational when they share their stories and encourage others to achieve what they have done.

Hearing success stories from people who were once at the level where you are now and who went on to reach much higher levels on their language learning journeys can provide inspiration when things get more challenging or difficult.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

It’s important to regularly assess, and adjust if necessary, the learning strategies that you are using.

It’s important to recognise that not all strategies work equally well for all learners and it’s okay to try something new. With some trial and error and by not being afraid of trying different learning methods you should be able to identify what works best for you.

There is no clear, one-size-fits-all approach or process in language learning and it’s important not to compare yourself and your progress to others – easier said than done, I know.

Tailor your approach to what you like and what you find works best for you. Staying engaged in the learning process is the main goal. You may have to try several different methods before you clearly see what the best one is for you.  That’s okay.  It’s a marathon not a sprint!

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

Try to incorporate language learning into your daily routine and build up a regular habit to do this. You don’t have to necessarily learn for a long time each day – start with a small amount of time and build up gradually.

Listening to podcasts is a great way of including English in your daily routine. Podcasts can be used passively – i.e. you can listen to them while you are doing other things – for example while in the car, on the train, travelling or doing the housework.

If you don’t understand everything, it doesn’t matter. Podcasts are a great way to listen to natural English spoken in a range of situations such as conversations, interviews, narrations, casual dialogues, scripted dialogues and jokes.

You can hear the natural flow of the language and get a better sense of pronunciation and intonation.

If you want to practise active listening, set aside time to listen to a podcast and make notes of any new words or phrases that you hear. Add them to your ongoing vocabulary lists and then try to put these words into sentences of your own.

With such a variety of subjects available – fictional stories, inspirational TED talks, current affairs, national and world news, history, sports, entertainment, culture, and investigative journalism to name but a few – there really is something for everyone. Plus, podcasts are free.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

If you don’t have time or the opportunity to meet up with other learners or native speakers, just speak to yourself.  Sounds a bit weird, right? Wrong.  It can actually be a very good way of practising new language skills.

Challenge yourself to think in the language you are learning. It might sound strange at first but it can be really helpful.

If you have an internal monologue running in your head, try constructing these sentences in your new language. 

You could try imagining a conversation you are likely to have at some point in the future. It could be ordering a meal in a restaurant, making a presentation at work, answering questions in a job interview, or describing your hobbies etc.

This kind of visualisation can help you when having these conversations in real life at a later date.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

Language exchanges and meetups can be a great way to improve your skills.

These exchanges could be formal, in-person study groups or casual, online chats or meetups.

It’s never been easier to find likeminded people learning languages or native speakers to interact with.

Such meetings can really help you to gain confidence and confidence is often closely linked with motivation. 

Language meetups organised in your city or local area, Skype sessions, and language exchange apps are great ways to practise your conversation skills and make new contacts and friends.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

If you are finding it hard to keep motivated it might be a good idea to connect with other people in a similar situation.  Being in contact with other language learners, or even finding an official study buddy, is a great way to provide practice and maintain motivation.

Regular contact with other language learners enables you to pick up tricks and tips that they have learnt as well as offering a chance to practise what you have learnt.

Sometimes a little healthy competition is a great motivator, so regular contact with someone at a similar language level can be beneficial.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

If you are finding it hard to get started try doing a small task or something that you think you can achieve quite quickly. 

Aim for a quick win: start with a task or learning activity that is the easiest or quickest on your list. 

Once this is finished, you will quickly have a sense of achievement and accomplishment that should encourage you to continue and do more.

Try changing your mindset.  Instead of thinking “How will I ever learn all this?” ask yourself “How much of this can I learn in the next 30 minutes?”

Try not to be overwhelmed by all the task you have to do.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language.  

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

If you want to improve your reading skills try reading a book in English that you already know very well in your native language. (It could be a book from your childhood or a book that you have previously read several times).

As you are already familiar with the story / text, it should help you understand the English.

Some books are available to buy with English on one page and a second language on the opposite page.  Here, you can translate both languages line-by-line and see more easily how sentences and grammar are formed.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

Sometimes people lose motivation when they start to doubt their progress. It’s all too easy to get frustrated when you can’t see progress being made or you feel your progress is too slow.

It can be helpful to find ways to prove to yourself that you have made and are still making progress. Go back to an earlier lesson or a previous chapter in a coursebook, or a previous learning level on a language app.  See how easy it now is for you to understand the words and answer the questions.

Remind yourself how earlier on in your language learning journey you couldn’t understand much of your favourite tv series in English but now you can watch an episode and understand much more (or even, perhaps, nearly everything). 

Regular progress checks are a great way to keep motivating yourself to learn more as they really do show how far you have come.

Have fun learning English!

Louise

Sometimes, for lots of reasons, it can be difficult to stay motivated when learning a language. 

Have you ever planned to learn some vocabulary or revise some irregular verbs but then just didn’t feel like it? Perhaps you found something more interesting to do.

Don’t be frustrated if this happens – it’s normal!

If you don’t already do this it might be useful to keep a log of all your language exchanges or online classes.

The log would show how much time you have already spent learning and speaking English in those settings and how much progress and effort you would be giving up if you decided to stop learning now.

Reviewing the log from time to time and remembering how much effort you have already made could motivate you to keep going.

Have fun learning English!

Louise