This is a very common question I get asked by many people. The moment I say I am a language instructor, there’s always someone who asks this question. My answer has changed over the years; at the beginning, I always blamed the educational system that many language academies have, but now, I have added a few more things.
When we start learning something new, there is always a learning curve. Many people pass that “training period” really fast and they start seeing tangible progress, but why is that?
This happens due to many reasons, but the main reason is that they do more output.
Input Is Not Enough
There’s input, which refers to all the information that we get by reading, attending classes, watching tutorials, among other things. That information is stored in our brain for a short period of time, and for some people, it sticks forever.
Is that enough to learn something new? No, and that is why we have output, which is basically all the practice we do based on the information we gathered from the input.
Think about this: in math, you don’t just learn the formulas; you apply them to solve problems. So, why don’t we do the same when learning a new language?
The Real Reason Students Quit
There are thousands of excuses people always use when they are asked if they practice outside their English or Spanish classes. The answers are almost always similar: “I don’t have someone to practice with,” “I don’t have time,” “I am afraid of what people will say if I don’t pronounce the words correctly,” you name it.
It is very concerning that many people think that by just attending their language classes, they are going to learn a new language. Then, as they don’t see a huge difference, they start blaming their teachers, the academy, and the methodology. I am not going to lie; I thought exactly the same several years ago.
When I started as a language teacher, my goal was to be “different.” I wanted to teach in a different way, and I was doing it—my students can attest to that—but there was a problem: student attrition.
Whenever I had a group of 10 students, there were always one or two students who dropped out after the first month. All sorts of things came to my mind: Are my classes that bad? Do students not like the way I teach? What’s wrong with my methodology? I have helped many students learn a new language, so why is this still happening?
It was not until I started talking with my students about why they left that my eyes were opened. It was not my methodology; it was not me. It was my students. Now, this sounds bad, doesn’t it? How do you blame your students? Hey! Let me explain before you close this page.
When I asked my students why they left my classes after the first month or two, the answers were many but very similar: “I don’t have the time,” “I really want to continue, but some things changed at work…,” “My boss changed my schedule….” See the pattern?
I understand there are things that we cannot control. I always tried to provide a solution, but they were always saying “no.” Then I found the root cause: they simply didn’t want to continue and used their “job” as an excuse. Of course, some of those scenarios were real, and some students even asked me for a certificate of enrollment to present at work. I gladly did it because they showed commitment.
The Key is Commitment
This is the point I wanted to get to. “Commitment.” This is what many people lack when learning something new, and not just a language. I am not saying this may be your scenario, but after years of being a language learner and teacher, I know what I am talking about.
The lack of commitment simply makes us create excuses to avoid doing something. We think it is the best option, but in reality, we are lying to ourselves. Avoiding classes or canceling classes just because you don’t feel like it shows your poor commitment, so in the end, it’s best that you quit. However, if you really want to learn that new language for whatever reason, then you must commit to it.
Stop Making Excuses and Start Speaking
The first step is paying for the classes and enrolling. That’s easy, but what comes next—keeping up—is what really matters. Learning a language is not just a matter of attending class every day; it is a matter of putting into practice what you learn.
How many times have you practiced outside your class? Duolingo counts, but it’s not enough. You can do 5 minutes of it at the end of each class, and that works, but you need to speak. How do you learn a new language? By speaking it, listening to it, and repeating what you hear.
So, if you really want to see progress in your language learning journey, practice, listen, write, and for God’s sake, SPEAK. Don’t say, “I have no one to practice with.” You have AI: ChatGPT, Gemini, you also the AI from Sesame that sounds really like a human.
Apps like Tandem and HelloTalk where you can join voice chat groups with people from around the world who are also learning a new language. YOU HAVE OPTIONS. Make improvements, not excuses.
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