Hi there!
Are you having a difficult time in learning English?
Do you find it tough to handle the pressure?
Then this blog is for you, because today, I am going to talk to you about an extremely important topic: how to prepare yourself before you start to learn English.
Everyone you meet will tell you that you need to join a spoken English course, buy a certain set of books, make time to practice and so on to begin learning. But there is another thing you need to do before you start and that is to prepare yourself mentally.
What does it mean ?
Let’s suppose you have to get up early for a job interview or exam.
How would you prepare yourself at night? You will set an alarm, of course. But more than that, you will tell yourself that you need to get up early as it is a big day for you and you cannot afford to get late. This is exactly what preparing yourself mentally means.
If you have made up your mind to learn something new, be prepared to work hard for it. There are changes you will have to bring about – in yourself and in your routine to be successful and achieve your goal.
Being strong mentally is one factor that is entirely in your hands whereas other factors are not. A good trainer and reference material are external factors you cannot control, but your mind is under your control.
A mentally strong person has an undeterred will to learn, which helps him/her learn despite the hurdles.
How to Prepare Yourself Before You Start to Learn English
- Know that it is NOT going to be a piece of cake
Usually the excitement of learning a new language overpowers us. We are all pumped up but when things do not go according to plan, this illusion is shattered. Therefore, always remember that learning something new, be it a language like English or an instrument like the guitar, it is never easy as we do not have any knowledge about it.
We need to be open to change and ready to adapt in order to learn to speak English. The sounds in English may be different from the sounds in your native language. Also, to pronounce words in English, we need to roll our tongue in a certain manner which may be different from our mother tongue. This makes speaking English difficult for beginners.
- Understand that embarrassment and frustration will be a part of life
Till the time you do not move on to the intermediate level, frustration and embarrassment will always come your way. As a beginner, one is not aware of the English grammar rules which results in broken sentences.
Remember that people will make fun of you when you speak English. You will feel embarrassed but do not let this embarrassment get to you. Many learners stop speaking English altogether and as a result they are never able to become fluent in English. Take it as a challenge and work on your speaking skills harder.
You will also lose motivation and feel like giving up at times. Every learner goes through that phrase, those who fight the odds and practice without losing heart emerge as winners.
Here are 3 ways you can stay motivated to learn English:
– Remind yourself why learning English is important for you: All of us have a different reason to learn English. It may be for academics, career, business and so on. Whenever you feel depressed, think of all that you will be able to do and achieve once you learn English!
– Learn in a positive environment: Don’t let other people’s negativity affect you. Be around those who believe in you, support you and wish the best for you. Positive vibes, appreciation and encouragement can work wonders!
– Improve every day: Nothing satisfies us more than results. When we see improvement in ourselves, we strive to work harder. Hence, learn a new word every day, practice for an hour and take quizzes every now and then to assess yourself.
- Accept that you WILL make mistakes
Learners tend to be hard on themselves. They want to learn in a short span of time which is impossible. DO NOT set high expectations and unrealistic goals as failing to achieve these will bring your hopes down.
Do not punish yourself when you make mistakes; work on them instead, reward yourself when you perform well and achieve your short term goals.
Once you accept that you will make mistakes, you will be made fun of and that it takes time and effort to learn English, you will be at peace and learn according to your own pace.
I hope this article helps you understand the dynamics of learning English. Keep reading our blog for more!