NEW - Quizlet Flashcards: click here for link to vocabulary cards from this episode
[00:00:00.720] - Oliver (Host)
Welcome back to English and Beyond, an intermediate level podcast for learners of English as a foreign language. Welcome to the third episode, episode number three: how to get motivated enough to learn English. If you're listening to this podcast, it's probably because you're looking for some motivation in your language learning journey. You might be asking yourself, how do I stay motivated to learn English, or any language for that matter? Motivation isn't always easy to find.
[00:00:34.980] - Oliver (Host)
When we are motivated, everything feels effortless, but the challenge is maintaining that drive over the long term. In this episode, we'll explore how to strengthen that motivation muscle and keep learning with enthusiasm. I'll share seven key factors that have been shown to help keep us motivated when learning a language. These have worked for me, for César, my co host for the advanced version of this podcast, and our students, so I hope that they'll be helpful for you as well, as well as learning how to boost your motivation when studying English. This episode is a great opportunity to practise your listening skills, pick up new vocabulary and review some grammar points.
[00:01:26.810] - Oliver (Host)
If you enjoy this type of content - listening to natural English to improve your comprehension - I encourage you to subscribe to this podcast. In the rest of the episodes still to come, I'm going to discuss a variety of topics. This podcast is aimed at intermediate English learners and you can also read the full transcript for free at www.morethanalanguage.com as well as review the most difficult vocabulary using our Quizlet Vocabulary Flashcards. You can also follow me on Instagram @britishenglishandbeyond, where I share more tips and insights on improving your English. Now, let's dive in.
[00:02:16.900] - Oliver (Host)
How can we increase our motivation and what factors can help us? 1) have clear goals. Why are you learning English? What is your main goal? It's important to be clear about your "why". The "why" of something is its reason or purpose.
[00:02:38.940] - Oliver (Host)
So what's your "why" for learning English? Maybe you need to pass a B1 or a B2 exam. Or perhaps you're moving to an English speaking country and want to reach a level of fluency that allows you to communicate with people. Maybe your partner is a native English speaker and you want to be able to talk with their family and friends. When your motivation drops, you need to remind yourself of the goal you are working towards.
[00:03:13.840] - Oliver (Host)
2) Take it step by step. Sometimes when César and I start working with a complete beginner, we ask them about their goal and they tell us they want to become fluent and understand everything. This is of course an ambitious goal and it's not impossible. The problem is that It's a very long term goal. Thinking only about your long term objective can be frustrating because it feels so far away and you might not notice the progress that you're making.
[00:03:49.380] - Oliver (Host)
That's why I recommend breaking your goals down into smaller steps based on your current level. For example, if you're a beginner, a good short term goal might be to learn the most common irregular verb conjugations in the present tense within three to four weeks. Achieving smaller goals within a reasonable time frame gives you a greater sense of satisfaction and helps you to stay motivated.
[00:04:19.860] - Oliver (Host)
3) Create a study plan. If you're learning English on your own, you need to develop a study plan that works for you. Everyone learns differently, so you need to figure out what methods and resources suit you the best. If watching series in English frustrates you because you don't understand enough, don't force yourself to do it. Perhaps you need to start with simpler content before moving on to native material. Also, make sure your plan includes a clear schedule. How much time will you dedicate to learning English? That depends on your availability and how important it is for you to accelerate to speed up your progress.
[00:05:08.900] - Oliver (Host)
4) Take action and do it now. Don't procrastinate. Many people think that motivation is a magical force that just appears, but that's just not how it works. Motivation is created through action. It's a cycle with three steps.
[00:05:26.820] - Oliver (Host)
Take action. Start doing what you need to do. See results. You'll notice changes and improvements and feel motivated. Seeing progress will encourage you to continue.
[00:05:40.580] - Oliver (Host)
Let's illustrate this with an example. Imagine you're an intermediate English learner, which shouldn't be very hard for you. You can communicate quite well, but you'd like to improve your grammar and expand your vocabulary. To get better, you need to take action and do something different. You could start reading a book in English, perhaps a non-fiction book, which is often easier to understand, or a fiction book you've already read in your native language.
[00:06:13.480] - Oliver (Host)
As you read, you could highlight every phrasal verb or conditional sentence you come across. At the end of each chapter, you could analyse how these structures are used, and you could also write down new vocabulary in a notebook and create your own example sentences. Now, I know this approach takes effort, but it does produce real results. You'll start to understand grammar better and your vocabulary will expand, and seeing those improvements will keep you motivated to continue.
[00:06:51.610] - Oliver (Host)
5) Don't be afraid of mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process and they actually provide valuable information. For example, if you failed the listening section of your English exam, take action and adjust your plan. Focus more on improving your listening skills. Mistakes show you where you need to improve.
[00:07:16.640] - Oliver (Host)
6) Don't compare yourself to others in English. We say that "comparison is the thief of joy". Comparing your English level to someone else's won't help you. As we've already seen, everyone learns differently and people have different amounts of time to dedicate to studying. Instead of comparing yourself to others, compare yourself to your past self. When you started learning English, maybe you knew nothing, but now, for example, you can understand this podcast - you should celebrate that progress.
[00:07:55.180] - Oliver (Host)
7) Enjoy the process. Learning a language is a journey. It has fun and exciting moments, but also challenging ones. You can't have the good without the bad, but overall it's something incredibly rewarding. Have you ever met someone who regretted learning a language? Probably not. Besides improving your language skills, you'll also gain new perspectives and connect with people from different cultures.
[00:08:29.150] - Oliver (Host)
So those were seven key factors that can help you stay motivated to keep learning English or any other language. If you have any other suggestions, I'd love to hear them. You can contact me via email oliver@morethanalanguage.com. And finally, if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a comment on your podcast platform. It really helps others discover the podcast. Plus, if you do, I'll see the results and I'll feel motivated to create even more episodes like this one!
[00:09:05.110] - Oliver (Host)
Thanks for listening and see you next time.
Comments