Learning a language and becoming fluent

Let’s face it, unless you are lucky enough to have been born in a multilingual family or have been exposed to more than one language in your childhood, learning a new language will take some time and effort. Anyone who has tried it in their adult years knows that unfortunately, there is no magic trick. Becoming fluent in a new language takes dedication and time. And when I say fluent, I don’t just mean that you master the structures of the language and have an extensive vocabulary. What I mean by fluency is that you start thinking in that language, you don’t translate in your mind anymore. In fact, you don’t even know how to translate something into your native language, but yet you understand 100% the meaning. You understand the small nuances, and rhythm flows easily. It’s also these kind of things I mean when talking about fluency.

My native language is Finnish and I started learning English in primary school when I was nine years old. Later on, when I was in my thirties, I started studying Spanish and that truly has taught me a lot of language learning. I wish all language teachers stepped out of their comfort zone of using only the language they master to see and feel for themselves what it is like to struggle with a new language. It is so frustrating when you have so much to say, but you just can’t put it into words. I’ve also had my go with Modern Greek, German, French and Arabic so I know a thing or two about trying to learn a new language (just for the record, all those four have so far remained at beginner’s level).

When teaching English and Finnish, I’ve noticed that some learners seem to have this natural tendency to learn by imitating. These students just know what is right because it sounds right. If you have this skill, good for you! Go with the flow. Speak, imitate and follow your intuition! If you think you don’t have this natural inclination, don’t worry, you also have the possibility to become fluent. It will probably just take a bit more time and effort, but it is there for you to achieve. With these learners I’ve noticed that the teaching of phonetics and structures has been of great help.

Fluency doesn’t happen in a snap of fingers. However, it IS possible and more importantly, with the right techniques it doesn’t have to take an eternity. All learners have their own unique backgrounds so what works for one doesn't work for the other. In my next posting, I’ll give you some practical tips based on my experiences as a language teacher for students of various language levels. 

How has it been for you, easy or difficult? What would help you in becoming fluent?

Best, Minna

Speak to you soon! Just returned from South Africa!