The following post is written for all those if you who want to learn a language but are not sure where to start,. Hopefully, after reading this you will walk away better equipped to make a decision.1. Knowing your own ignoranceThe first thing about learning a language is that you are stepping into a field that you do not understand. And this is where schools make their money. It's also where you lose time and face disapointments.If I asked you the question point blank, you would probably define a foreign language as "wiggling my tongue around with foreign words". And if you were EXTREMELY WELL informed, you would even be aware that there is a thing called "grammar" that is terribly boring.As to the ideal method to learn one, you wouldn't know either way. But you would suggest watching films, visiting a foreign country, learning a few "key sentences" to survive abroad, listening to songs, finding an exchange partner, burning a candle and just about everything else from rain dancing to the occult. Am I wrong? (Picture: Ann is enjoying Phone Call French for the 8th year straight) Your experience in school would tell you that it takes many years to get absolutely nowhere. You would think that all words are equal, that the first lesson should be about introducing yourself, and that a new language is a transfer of words from one to the other. (All I have to do is learn "la casa" for the house = That's it I speak Spanish!!)In sum, most people think they know because they use at least one language in their life every day. They figure that if they can do it once, they can do it twice even though they have no understanding of what they are doing on a subconscious level when they speak. Knowing your own ignorance in this matter is the first step. It's the "make or break" of all language learning.2. What learner are you?Now that we've established that you have NO IDEA how languages work, the next thing is to try to reflect on the type of learner you are. By this, I don't mean that you have a knack for languages or a "talent", but simply the variables that could best describe you as a person.The first question is how much resilience you have. Do you have the habit of seeing a project through or do you give up early? Do you have any experience hanging on to something you value, like an obstinate Jack Russel biting into something he won't let go of? It's also called grit. (Picture: Spoilt kid Veruca Salt wants French NOW!) People with a PhD are well-trained in grit because they understand the value in not giving up the distance run. Entrepreneurs may possess similar qualities. On the opposite side of the spectrum, people who enjoy getting things "now" will have less experience knowing that things of value takes time. (Rome wasn't built in a day?) The reason it is so important is that in the case you are "mellow" and enjoy average results, you are probably best suited for a comfortable weekend class with local people. Or perhaps even an app like Duolingo. You will be sure no to learn anything meaningful but at least you will be in tune with yourself and avoid any unwanted discomfort. It's never nice to give up on a project, so it is best to choose well from the start. (Picture: Mr and Mrs Green are about to choose a class to their liking) The second point is understanding well in advance how much time you have on your hands. If you have an hour or two a week to dedicate to a new language, by all means join a casual class at the local library and enjoy it. Though it will take you many years to get anywhere it will at least fit into your schedule and provide you with some well-deserved fun.Remember that when doing the maths, it's not how much time you actually possess, but how much time you are ready to give up to pursue a new language. Everyone has the same 24 hours, but some will place Netflix higher on their list and calculate their available time by deducting the 7 or 8 hours of weekly TV. There is nothing "wrong" about this but it has to be well understood. What do you actually prioritize in a week? (Picture: Annie has up to 20 hours of TV to watch a week. Do you think she's MADE of time???) The third point is how naturally curious are you? Languages can be very abstract and you will need the ability to marvel at things that seem "boring". (Such as "how amazing that humans invented a tense to speak about things that happened "before now". They actually incorporated it into the verb! How did they do that? Why did it become necessary to do this?) Fascinating! Curiosity of one of the single most important qualities because it allows a learner to want to discover a new topic. If you're not that interested it will be like joining a gym while knowing full well you'd much prefer be eating a 3 course meal at a restaurant. These types of learners will show up for the French class but can't wait for it to end and do something else instead. They will not put in a minute of overtime and will fall into the bare minimum of attending the class.Another consequence is that these learners will skip certain parts of the language that seems "boring" and make the same repeated error in the exact same place. They will "pick and choose" the parts that seem more engaging and end up with an unbalanced level. (Picture: Jack's dad was never overly curious) The fourth is to be honest with yourself. Are you going to handle language like you did your last New Year's resolution and are you a person who will easily roll out the excuses once the going gets tough? Are you going to make a true decision to know that new language or do you already know you'll most likely flake out within weeks? Again, there is nothing morally bad about this but it is a matter that necessitates careful consideration. In my experience, excuses include tiredness, no time, busy schedule, forgetting, changing priorities, taking a little break from French, the dog ate my homework, my grandma suddenly died and others. Before you even choose a school, these 4 attributes (in combination with the fact that you are stepping into a field you do not know) are among the most important when embarking on the learning of a new language. The journey of learning starts with yourself and knowing what you respond to and prioritize.Know thy self, as the ancient Greeks used to say.3. What is your actual goal? When looking up a language school or tutor, it should not be forgotten that there is a CATACLYSMIC DIFFERENCE between "being in the process of learning" and "targeting the end result of having learned". While all schools can provide the service of "being in the process of learning", only a small minority will tell you with confidence "Yes, I know how to bring you to the upper levels of the language. It's not because a person works as a teacher in a language school, university or high school that they have knowledge of how to help you reach the stage of "having learned". Any child with a textbook can be propped in front of a class and conduct a language class. It's that easy. By the strictest definition, that child would be helping students to be "in the process" of learning. (Picture: Technically, anything qualifies as "teaching a foreign language class") If your priority is about enjoying yourself with languages you needn't look for a quality teacher because any "tutor mill" can offer you that service. You can use a website like Preply and be extremely happy.But If its about "having learned" and being able to look at a foreign language in your rear view mirror, few teachers can actually do that for you. Hence, the importance of knowing what you want before looking for a school.4. Size and timeThe average person approaches a foreign language without having given it much thought. They don't think about it on a technical level and why should they. It's not their job.What is a preposition? Do I need to know the word for "dentist"? Is introducing myself an important skill in a foreign language? A novice learner doesn't usually know where it starts or ends. They see a new language like an infinite collection of words rather than as a system. (Picture: How far will YOU be 20 hours later?) On this website you are on, there are 2 whole pages that list our study program for French. It is so long that I could not put everything on one web page due to it slowing down my browser. For the present tense alone, I have 5 different PDF documents that represent about 50 pages. When choosing a language school, you must be aware that a language is a sizeable entity. You must also know that there is absolute uncertainty surrounding the time it will take before the passive knowledge transforms into an active skill. I could teach you the future tense in French, but have no guarantee how long it takes before you can use it as a skill. Keep in mind that there are 50 pages of exercises just for the present tense. And keep in mind that there is absolute uncertainty that you will ever use the present tense the right way every time. Does the project of booking a weekly class still seem that reasonable?Some would say that a weekly or bi-weekly class in a classroom would be like picking at a pyramid with a toothpick. 5. To concludeTo sum up the ideas in the blog post, there is firstly the necessity of admitting that language learning is a very opaque field of knowledge (and business). In terms of its size, the skills needed, the processing of the brain...it is extremely unpredictable.At OuiCommuicate we have the advantage of being able to lay it all out in a course and say to you "This is what you need to know". But just as the other teachers, we cannot guarantee how long it will take for your unique set of mental skills to remember it and transform it into an ability. The variables are just too numerous.A second point is to know yourself as a person and to understand your goal. If you are quite sure not to have the tenacity or curiosity to "truly" learn a language, by all means go to a local class. It's good fun and will accommodate the bar you have set for yourself.Lastly, it is good to have an idea of the size of a language and to be able to gauge whether modest means are suited for a gigantic task. We took as an example the present tense, which will easily eat up 4 to 8 hours of the course you purchased in that language school. And that's not even including the other words needed to build a sentence.Thanks for reading and best of luck in your travels !
