Prove It!

Language learning is a series of stages that you need to prove that you can do. Once you have proved that you can do something you are then free to use it, experiment with it, improve it, fine-tune it, do what ever you want with it, but the first and most important stage is proving that you can do it.

Who do you have to prove you can do it to?

Well, first and foremost you have to prove that you can do it to yourself. Once you feel confident with the knowledge that you are able to do it, then you will feel like you have proved it.

How do you prove to yourself that you can do it?

By proving to other people that you can do it.

The biggest hurdle is getting across that barrier that people put up. The barrier that says you cannot do something, and if you try to do something I will listen carefully and comment on your ability to do that thing. When you fail, I will correct you. When you screw up big time I will laugh a bit and offer you encouragement. When you succeed, I will applaud you. When you have succeeded enough times to prove to me that you can do something, then I will just listen to what it is you are saying and take it on face value.

Only then have you proved it to yourself, and you are free to use it.

This is definitely the case with people you know. With complete strangers you have the advantage of them having no idea what your language ability is. But they will soon find out, and the barriers will then be set.

So, to be able to work on gaining full mastery over something you need to prove that you can do it. To yourself, through proving that you can do it to others. You will then be able to experiment with it to your heart’s content, all the while receiving natural responses because the listener knows you can do it.

That’s my experience, anyway.