I’ve written about not using idioms as an English language learner, yet I still can’t stop using them to explain my thoughts. I think the idiom, “learn to walk before you run.” is easy to understand and is relevant to every learner, especially me!
If you are impatient like me, you want to be able to achieve things with minimum effort, alas, this is unrealistic when learning a second language. I want to run before I have learnt to walk, I want to communicate in a second language before I have learnt one word. Impossible!
You wouldn’t expect a baby to run around the first day home; they can’t even crawl! Allow yourself time to; crawl, stand up, walk, and then run. And there’s a lot of falling down in the process. It takes time, dedication, and motivation to get results.
Find your time
Adults can’t always choose how to spend their time; work, commuting, and family commitments are a few examples. However, there will be time during the day when you can do whatever you want. It’s easy not to see when and it will pass you by if you don’t recognise it. Find that time.
Focus
Dedication means to commit (oneself) to a particular course of thought or action. Once you find your time, use it and keep using it. It’s easy to put off something that is only for you and use that time for others. It takes a strong will not to be distracted, and like any exercise, doing it regularly will create a good habit.
Goal scoring
People are motivated differently, and, some days it’s difficult to be motivated at all. Setting a goal for yourself with a time limit might be all you need, “By the end of this month, I will know and use this grammar rule.”. Or, “By the end of this week, I will remember this vocabulary.”
Just a moment of your time
When you are not at all motivated and have planned time to study, study for a tenth of the time dedicated; a tenth of the time is nothing! One hour planned study time? Do six minutes of study. 20 minutes planned study time? Do two minutes of study. You may only achieve a quick reading exercise, nevertheless, you have done something which could motivate you to continue.
There are no babies jogging
I have never seen any babies outside jogging, and I have never met an adult who could speak a language without learning it. You may feel like it’s a slow crawl, but that’s at the beginning and should be accepted before you can run.
【あなたの心が伝わるあなただけの英語】
英語でのコミュニケーションをあなたらしい英語で。一人一人のレベル、能力、
興味に合った教材や方法を用いた英語レッスンプログラムをオンラインで学べます。
”あなたの英語”でコミュニケートしたい方は、まずは無料カウンセリングをご予約ください。
