my language experience essay

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My Experience of Learning a New Language

Categories: Personal Experience Personal Growth and Development

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Updated: 5 December, 2023

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Works Cited

Gardner, R. C., & Lambert, W. E. (1972). Attitudes and Motivation in Second-Language Learning. Newbury House Publishers.
Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2011). Teaching and Researching Motivation (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Cook, V. (2008). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (4th ed.). Routledge.
Ellis, R. (2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2013). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Lightbown, P. M., & Spada, N. (2013). How Languages are Learned (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Nunan, D. (2004). Task-Based Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Nation, P. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, N., & McCarthy, M. (Eds.). (1997). Vocabulary: Description, Acquisition, and Pedagogy. Cambridge University Press.

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1 Your Language Experience

As you learned about in the “ Welcome ” section of this book, there are many different Englishes spoken around the world and even within the United States. A single person may speak multiple different Englishes depending on who they are with and what they are trying to communicate. In this chapter you will watch a video and read a short story that illustrate some experiences of children of immigrants to the United States with various Englishes. You will then think about how these experiences are similar to or different from your own experiences and write a reflection on your own experience with Englishes and other languages.

Chapter contents:

“3 Ways to Speak English” by Jamila Lyiscott

“My Many Voices” by Wilsee Kollie

“Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Reflective Writing: Your Language Experiences

Jamila Lyiscott is the daughter of immigrants from Trinidad, and she grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She gave this speech when she was a doctoral student at Columbia University in New York, studying literature and race. Now she is a professor at University of Massachusetts, Amherst and the author of the book Black Appetite. White Food: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom. She made this speech to illustrate how she is articulate in three different types of English: the English of American academia that she uses at college, the Black American English that she speaks with friends in New York, and the Trinidadian English that she speaks at home with her parents. As you watch the video, think about all of the Englishes and other languages you are familiar with in the various contexts of your own life.

“3 Ways to Speak English” by Jamila Lyiscott, YouTube.com

Hint: If you’d like to read the transcript of the video or read a translation into a different language, go to the TED website to view the video along with these resources.

After watching the video, discuss or journal about these questions:

Jamila Lyiscott says, “I speak three tongues. One for each: home, school, and friends.” What kinds of language do you use at home, at school, and with friends? Why do you think your language use is different in these different contexts?
Jamila Lyiscott says, “Sometimes I fight back two tongues, while I use the other one in the classroom. And when I mistakenly mix them up, I feel crazy, like I’m cooking in the bathroom.” What do you think she means by this? Do you ever feel this way?
Jamila Lyiscott says, “I have decided to treat all three of my languages as equals.” Do you treat all of your languages as equals? Why or why not?”

Wilsee Kollie is a student at Kirkwood Community College, and she won first place in Kirkwood’s 2023 code-meshing contest for her poem “My Many Voices.” In this poem Kollie reflects on the various voices that inhabit her consciousness and contribute to her identity as a young immigrant from Liberia to the United States. Listen to Wilsee read her poem in the video recording below.

It’s the rhythms and the blues that I feel in my voice, I rejoice in my tone, I speak and breathe infinity, My mind transporting you across the realm of equilibrium, Across the equator, as I am the narrator of my own story, Of my own truth, To be told through the voices of me.

One voice smoothly arousing your canals, as they travel through your drums bea-ting Slow-ly immersing you into an intimacy, Another voice speeding its way through the traffic of our days, As I stumble on the tracks of excitement, Around the world with people who give me a constant sense of comfort-ability.

I speak the way of the world, Masking into the person that you may want me to be. Native of a culture that I speak with my mother, As we grieve the loss of our country, But we keep and hold a part of our nation to our hand, as we say, “Woh you go’in, come here oh” And I answer in my sweet americanized accent of girl, “I am going to a place unknown” E-nun-ci-a-ted ev-er-y syll-a-ble on my own Cause that’s the way that I’ve learned, that i’ve been shown in the schools, The tools to alleviate my voice into what they call correct, Of what they call proper.

But what you need to know is, my voice is a prosperity Showing the inbetweens of my identity, Speaking informally, as I please, with my friends Speaking culturally, as a treat, with my fam And Speaking formal, as a need, in advance “Hello mam” “Yes sir” “Pardon…?”

This is a letter to my many voices, A pen pal to my many choices.

When we meet, I hope that you don’t just see the surface, But realize the many regions of my words, Coerced into a never ending loop of a modifying record, The reality of who I am, My voice is not only known by me, but a creation known by man.

What lines of Wilsee Kollie’s “My Many Voices” did you personally connect with?
Wilsee Kollie says that she writes this poem as “a letter to my many voices.” What are Kollie’s many voices? What voices do you have? Do you feel like you have a different personality or way of expressing yourself, depending on which voice you’re using?
Wilsee Kollie refers to “what they call correct” when she talks about the language she was taught in school. Who is the they she is referring to? How do you think these people determine what is considered “correct” or “proper” language?

“Mother Tongue” is an essay by American author Amy Tan, who is the daughter of immigrants from China. Tan’s most famous novel is The Joy Luck Club, a story of the relationships between mothers and daughters in the Chinese American community. In “Mother Tongue,” Tan illustrates how her immigrant mother’s so-called “broken English” affected how her mother was judged and treated by others in the U.S.

Read Amy Tan’s essay, “Mother Tongue” below, and listen to the audio of the essay as you read, if you like. As you read and listen, think about whether your experience with the English language is more similar to Amy Tan’s experience or her mother’s experience.

“Mother Tongue by Amy Tan (full audiobook)'” by Jordan Barclay, YouTube.com

I am not a scholar of English or literature. I cannot give you much more than personal opinions on the English language and its variations in this country or others.

I am a writer. And by that definition, I am someone who has always loved language. I am fascinated by language in daily life. I spend a great deal of my time thinking about the power of language — the way it can evoke an emotion, a visual image, a complex idea, or a simple truth. Language is the tool of my trade. And I use them all — all the Englishes I grew up with.

Recently, I was made keenly aware of the different Englishes I do use. I was giving a talk to a large group of people, the same talk I had already given to half a dozen other groups. The nature of the talk was about my writing, my life, and my book, The Joy Luck Club . The talk was going along well enough, until I remembered one major difference that made the whole talk sound wrong. My mother was in the room. And it was perhaps the first time she had heard me give a lengthy speech, using the kind of English I have never used with her. I was saying things like, “The intersection of memory upon imagination” and “There is an aspect of my fiction that relates to thus-and-thus’–a speech filled with carefully wrought grammatical phrases, burdened, it suddenly seemed to me, with nominalized forms, past perfect tenses, conditional phrases, all the forms of standard English that I had learned in school and through books, the forms of English I did not use at home with my mother.

Just last week, I was walking down the street with my mother, and I again found myself conscious of the English I was using, the English I do use with her. We were talking about the price of new and used furniture, and I heard myself saying this: “Not waste money that way.” My husband was with us as well, and he didn’t notice any switch in my English. And then I realized why. It’s because over the twenty years we’ve been together I’ve often used that same kind of English with him, and sometimes he even uses it with me. It has become our language of intimacy, a different sort of English that relates to family talk, the language I grew up with.

So you’ll have some idea of what this family talk I heard sounds like, I’11 quote what my mother said during a recent conversation which I videotaped and then transcribed. During this conversation, my mother was talking about a political gangster in Shanghai who had the same last name as her family’s, Du, and how the gangster in his early years wanted to be adopted by her family, which was rich by comparison. Later, the gangster became more powerful, far richer than my mother’s family, and one day showed up at my mother’s wedding to pay his respects. Here’s what she said in part: “Du Yusong having business like fruit stand. Like off the street kind. He is Du like Du Zong — but not Tsung-ming Island people. The local people call putong, the river east side, he belong to that side local people. That man want to ask Du Zong father take him in like become own family. Du Zong father wasn’t look down on him, but didn’t take seriously, until that man big like become a mafia. Now important person, very hard to inviting him. Chinese way, came only to show respect, don’t stay for dinner. Respect for making big celebration, he shows up. Mean gives lots of respect. Chinese custom. Chinese social life that way. If too important won’t have to stay too long. He come to my wedding. I didn’t see, I heard it. I gone to boy’s side, they have YMCA dinner. Chinese age I was nineteen.”

You should know that my mother’s expressive command of English belies how much she actually understands. She reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week, converses daily with her stockbroker, reads all of Shirley MacLaine’s books with ease–all kinds of things I can’t begin to understand. Yet some of my friends tell me they understand 50 percent of what my mother says. Some say they understand 80 to 90 percent. Some say they understand none of it, as if she were speaking pure Chinese. But to me, my mother’s English is perfectly clear, perfectly natural. It’s my mother tongue. Her language, as I hear it, is vivid, direct, full of observation and imagery. That was the language that helped shape the way I saw things, expressed things, made sense of the world.

Lately, I’ve been giving more thought to the kind of English my mother speaks. Like others, I have described it to people as ‘broken” or “fractured” English. But I wince when I say that. It has always bothered me that I can think of no way to describe it other than “broken,” as if it were damaged and needed to be fixed, as if it lacked a certain wholeness and soundness. I’ve heard other terms used, “limited English,” for example. But they seem just as bad, as if everything is limited, including people’s perceptions of the limited English speaker. I know this for a fact, because when I was growing up, my mother’s “limited” English limited my perception of her. I was ashamed of her English. I believed that her English reflected the quality of what she had to say. That is, because she expressed them imperfectly her thoughts were imperfect. And I had plenty of empirical evidence to support me: the fact that people in department stores, at banks, and at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.

My mother has long realized the limitations of her English as well. When I was fifteen, she used to have me call people on the phone to pretend I was she. In this guise, I was forced to ask for information or even to complain and yell at people who had been rude to her. One time it was a call to her stockbroker in New York. She had cashed out her small portfolio and it just so happened we were going to go to New York the next week, our very first trip outside California. I had to get on the phone and say in an adolescent voice that was not very convincing, “This is Mrs. Tan.”

And my mother was standing in the back whispering loudly, “Why he don’t send me check, already two weeks late. So mad he lie to me, losing me money. And then I said in perfect English, “Yes, I’m getting rather concerned. You had agreed to send the check two weeks ago, but it hasn’t arrived.” Then she began to talk more loudly. “What he want, I come to New York tell him front of his boss, you cheating me?” And I was trying to calm her down, make her be quiet, while telling the stockbroker, “I can’t tolerate any more excuses. If I don’t receive the check immediately, I am going to have to speak to your manager when I’m in New York next week.” And sure enough, the following week there we were in front of this astonished stockbroker, and I was sitting there red-faced and quiet, and my mother, the real Mrs. Tan, was shouting at his boss in her impeccable broken English.

We used a similar routine just five days ago, for a situation that was far less humorous. My mother had gone to the hospital for an appointment, to find out about a benign brain tumor a CAT scan had revealed a month ago. She said she had spoken very good English, her best English, no mistakes. Still, she said, the hospital did not apologize when they said they had lost the CAT scan and she had come for nothing. She said they did not seem to have any sympathy when she told them she was anxious to know the exact diagnosis, since her husband and son had both died of brain tumors. She said they would not give her any more information until the next time and she would have to make another appointment for that. So she said she would not leave until the doctor called her daughter. She wouldn’t budge. And when the doctor finally called her daughter, me, who spoke in perfect English — lo and behold — we had assurances the CAT scan would be found, promises that a conference call on Monday would be held, and apologies for any suffering my mother had gone through for a most regrettable mistake.

I think my mother’s English almost had an effect on limiting my possibilities in life as well. Sociologists and linguists probably will tell you that a person’s developing language skills are more influenced by peers. But I do think that the language spoken in the family, especially in immigrant families which are more insular, plays a large role in shaping the language of the child. And I believe that it affected my results on achievement tests, I.Q. tests, and the SAT. While my English skills were never judged as poor, compared to math, English could not be considered my strong suit. In grade school I did moderately well, getting perhaps B’s, sometimes B-pluses, in English and scoring perhaps in the sixtieth or seventieth percentile on achievement tests. But those scores were not good enough to override the opinion that my true abilities lay in math and science, because in those areas I achieved A’s and scored in the ninetieth percentile or higher.

This was understandable. Math is precise; there is only one correct answer. Whereas, for me at least, the answers on English tests were always a judgment call, a matter of opinion and personal experience. Those tests were constructed around items like fill-in-the-blank sentence completion, such as, “Even though Tom was ______, Mary thought he was -______.” And the correct answer always seemed to be the most bland combinations of thoughts, for example, “Even though Tom was shy, Mary thought he was charming,” with the grammatical structure “even though” limiting the correct answer to some sort of semantic opposites, so you wouldn’t get answers like, “Even though Tom was foolish, Mary thought he was ridiculous.” Well, according to my mother, there were very few limitations as to what Tom could have been and what Mary might have thought of him. So I never did well on tests like that.

The same was true with word analogies, pairs of words in which you were supposed to find some sort of logical, semantic relationship — for example, “Sunset is to nightfall as ______ is to ______.” And here you would be presented with a list of four possible pairs, one of which showed the same kind of relationship: red is to stoplight, bus is to arrival, chills is to fever, yawn is to boring: Well, I could never think that way. I knew what the tests were asking, but I could not block out of my mind the images already created by the first pair, “sunset is to nightfall”–and I would see a burst of colors against a darkening sky, the moon rising, the lowering of a curtain of stars. And all the other pairs of words –red, bus, stoplight, boring–just threw up a mass of confusing images, making it impossible for me to sort out something as logical as saying: “A sunset precedes nightfall” is the same as “a chill precedes a fever.” The only way I would have gotten that answer right would have been to imagine an associative situation, for example, my being disobedient and staying out past sunset, catching a chill at night, which turns into feverish pneumonia as punishment, which indeed did happen to me.

I have been thinking about all this lately, about my mother’s English, about achievement tests. Because lately I’ve been asked, as a writer, why there are not more Asian Americans represented in American literature. Why are there few Asian Americans enrolled in creative writing programs? Why do so many Chinese students go into engineering? Well, these are broad sociological questions I can’t begin to answer. But I have noticed in surveys — in fact, just last week — that Asian students, as a whole, always do significantly better on math achievement tests than in English. And this makes me think that there are other Asian-American students whose English spoken in the home might also be described as “broken” or “limited.” And perhaps they also have teachers who are steering them away from writing and into math and science, which is what happened to me.

Fortunately, I happen to be rebellious in nature and enjoy the challenge of disproving assumptions made about me. I became an English major my first year in college, after being enrolled as pre-med. I started writing nonfiction as a freelancer the week after I was told by my former boss that writing was my worst skill and I should hone my talents toward account management.

But it wasn’t until 1985 that I finally began to write fiction. And at first I wrote using what I thought to be wittily crafted sentences, sentences that would finally prove I had mastery over the English language. Here’s an example from the first draft of a story that later made its way into The Joy Luck Club , but without this line: “That was my mental quandary in its nascent state.” A terrible line, which I can barely pronounce.

Fortunately, for reasons I won’t get into today, I later decided I should envision a reader for the stories I would write. And the reader I decided upon was my mother, because these were stories about mothers. So with this reader in mind–and in fact she did read my early drafts–I began to write stories using all the Englishes I grew up with: the English I spoke to my mother, which for lack of a better term might be described as “simple”; the English she used with me, which for lack of a better term might be described as “broken”; my translation of her Chinese, which could certainly be described as “watered down”; and what I imagined to be her translation of her Chinese if she could speak in perfect English, her internal language, and for that I sought to preserve the essence, but neither an English nor a Chinese structure. I wanted to capture what language ability tests can never reveal: her intent, her passion, her imagery, the rhythms of her speech and the nature of her thoughts.

Apart from what any critic had to say about my writing, I knew I had succeeded where it counted when my mother finished reading my book and gave me her verdict: “So easy to read.”

Tan, Amy. “Mother Tongue.” The Threepenny Review, vol. 43, Autumn, 1990, pp. 7-8, www.jstor.org/stable/4383908. (included on the basis of fair use)

After listening to and/or reading “Mother Tongue,” discuss or journal about these questions:

Amy Tan says that due to her mother’s “broken English,” “people at department stores, at banks, at restaurants did not take her seriously, did not give her good service, pretended not to understand her, or even acted as if they did not hear her.” Have you or anyone you are close to ever experienced treatment like this because of the language that you speak?
Why did Amy Tan’s teachers steer her away from writing and into math and science? Do you think this was the right decision for her teachers to make?
Why was Amy Tan satisfied when her mother read her book and said it was, “So easy to read”? When you write, who do you usually envision as your reader? Do you think it is important to make your writing easy to read for other adult English learners?

Reflective Writing: Your Language Learning Experiences

Now that you have watched “3 Ways to Speak English” and read “Mother Tongue,” think about your own experience with speaking different languages and learning English or Englishes. Write a short reflective essay about your experience with language learning.

Here are some questions you may consider in your essay, though you do not have to answer all of them, and you can include any other information that you like, too:

What languages do you know? How did you learn these languages?
What were your experiences with reading and writing as a child? How do those early experiences with language still affect you today?
What languages have you spoken at home, at school, and with friends throughout your life?
How have others judged you for the languages or variety of English you speak or write?
Do you view yourself as an articulate person in any of your languages? How do you view yourself as a speaker and writer in English?
Do you consider yourself a good writer in any of your languages? How do you view yourself as a writer in English?
Would you use the term “broken English” to describe your English speaking or writing? Why or why not?
Why did you decide to learn English? How do you hope knowing English will help you in your life?

Try to write your reflective essay like a story about your language learning. Include details that will interest the reader and help them empathize with your experiences. You should apply what you already know about the rules of academic English writing, but also feel free to get creative with your writing. You can include samples of dialogue from other languages or varieties of English that you speak, like we saw in “3 Ways to Speak English” and “Mother Tongue.” Merging two languages or varieties of language together in a single piece of writing or communicative act is called code-meshing or translanguaging, and it is a valuable skill that multilinguals often use to communicate more effectively. Feel free to practice code-meshing or translanguaging in your essay to help your reader get a better sense of the multiple languages and Englishes that you know.

This essay will not be graded. Rather, it is a way for your teacher to better understand your past and present experiences with learning languages, including English, and to see a sample of your current English writing to get an idea of what you already can do with your writing and what you will need to work on improving in this course.

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Learner's Stories

My English Learning Journey

I have been learning English since I was around 10 years old. Everything I was taught at school were tenses, verb conjugations, plural rules, complex grammar,… Every day my teacher required us to memorize new words by writing them down 10 times. Learning English was always a challenge for me. I got sick of vocabulary, of grammar rules, of English. And then one day, when I was probably in grade 10, my parents decided to buy me a computer. The computer has become my best friend ever since. I was amazed at how wonderful things were. The world has become a smaller place and people has become closer to each other. I could learn whatever I wanted without any help from others.

I began to listen to music, and watch TV shows. The first TV show that I watched was Hannah Montana. The TV show was just hilarious. I had picked up quite a lot of vocabulary from the show and it has become a memorable experience. It was also when I happened to fall in love with the language. I remember back then, I downloaded numerous English songs to my iPOD and listened to them everyday. I discovered many websites where people from all over the world exchanged languages and cultures with each other. I had made a lot of foreign friends there and sometimes we talked long hours about everything in life. In the first place, I thought the only reason why people learned English was to communicate with each other. Not until did I immerse into the language that I realized the very language was the best way to create a strong bond between me and the endless knowledge of the world.

I could see a significant improvement in my English skills. And thanks to English, I have learned much more about the world around me. The journey towards language fluency is not always easy and I still have a long way to go. I don’t, however, give up on it. I enjoy the journey that I’ve been through rather than the destination ahead. If you don’t know where you are, if you’re not sure what to do next, just do whatever you love. If you are struggling with learning English, then let it be! Watch movies and laugh hard, read books and think thoroughly, play games and relax.

“Never let English limits limit your world!”

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A Student’s Struggle to Speak English Leads to a Career as a Communicator

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Fiorella Riccobono first contributed to Knowledge@Wharton High School back in 2015, when she was interviewed for her high school social entrepreneurship project helping coffee bean farmers in Northwest Haiti. She has stayed in touch ever since, sharing insights from her college and social-awareness experiences at Florida State University. You can check out Riccobono’s KWHS contributions in the Related KWHS Stories tab accompanying this article.

As always, we appreciated hearing from Riccobono this week, when she reached out to tell us about her new job (she graduated in December) and share her perspective on a very personal topic: how her journey learning to speak English has influenced her life and career decisions.

In this personal essay, she expresses why she hopes that “more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage and accept that qualities like language “barriers” can in fact be personal strengths.”

I vividly remember the moment when I became a shy girl and developed a profound fear of public speaking. I was in my pre-k classroom sitting in a big circle of 4-year-olds, when our teacher asked us to share what we had eaten for breakfast. My parents had immigrated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. from Venezuela shortly before my brother and I were born, and we only spoke Spanish at home. However, this was my second year enrolled in school in Davie, Florida, so I had picked up enough English to understand the question. But I was still learning. I raised my hand and responded “cereal con leche.” My visibly angry teacher asked me again and again to repeat my answer, and I couldn’t understand why.

Falling Silent

Eighteen years later, I still recall the shame of being scolded for my inability to communicate in the appropriate way – in this case, fully in English. Luckily, my teacher’s aide spoke Spanish and translated that I was saying “cereal with milk.” But at that point, the damage had been done. I was wounded and crying. I remember thinking to myself that I wouldn’t speak in class unless I absolutely had to. It was an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy; something a four-year-old girl should never experience.

That feeling stayed with me. In high school, I would choose to be absent on days when I knew I had to present projects to the class. My eyes would water when I had to speak in front of my classmates, my voice would shake, and so would my legs.

This story marks the start of my improbable triumph.

My favorite author, Malcom Gladwell, poses an interesting question: “Why do we automatically assume that someone who is smaller or poorer or less skilled is necessarily at a disadvantage?” I believe that we have a very limited definition of what constitutes an advantage.

Now, at the age of 22, a recent graduate of Florida State University and a new employee of the Florida Senate, I am very clear on my own advantages. Being the daughter of two Venezuelan immigrants made me the professional woman I am today, and that identity has been a driving factor in my success.

Much of the credit goes to my so-called language “barrier” and struggle with “broken” English. During my years of learning English, my mom and I would sit down together to do my homework. When I was tired of studying, and I didn’t want to practice spelling out any more words, my mom would softly and persuasively say, “Dale Fiore, otro treinta minutos, porque cuando tu aprendes, yo aprendo tambien,” which translates to: “Let’s study another half hour, Fiore, because when you learn, I learn too.”

That phrase kept me going. We would sit there at the table laughing hysterically as we butchered the words we were spelling aloud to each other. When test day came, I would remember the mistakes we made, because they were so funny to me, and that helped me memorize the correct spelling. The way we had to study turned spelling and vocabulary tests into a fun game. I began to appreciate a certain joy and fulfillment of studying for the sake of knowledge, not to overcome an inadequacy, and I also had the deep satisfaction of watching my mom learn English.

Conventional thought suggests that if you live in the U.S. you should learn English, and we eventually did. But the truth of the matter is that not knowing English made me a better student. It meant that I had to work harder and couldn’t lose focus in class. I paid close attention to how people spoke and pronounced words. When I was tired and wanted to stop, I had to keep studying. Many would argue that my inability to fluently speak English in my childhood was a weakness, when in fact it turned out to be one of my greatest strengths.

While I still hold onto some of the feelings I had all those years ago in my pre-k classroom, I have grown to embrace my Venezuelan heritage and language as motivations for my achievements in the U.S. The fact that I am not a native English speaker has made me more empathetic. It has helped me truly understand why diversity of thought is such a strength in the workplace, and, ironically, has made me a far more effective communicator.

I majored in finance, economics , and social entrepreneurship at Florida State, and graduated a semester early in December 2018. I am now the reading clerk for the 2019 session of the Florida Senate. Our state constitution requires senators to read bills three times before voting on them. I stand at the podium and read these documents aloud for the 60 days that the Senate is in session, navigating the language that could ultimately become Florida law. That one-time shy, silent little girl actually pursued and landed a job that now requires me to regularly stand in front of 40 state senators and read proposed legislation – in English.

I also speak Spanish every day, with family and friends. My college roommate and best friend is from Mexico, so we speak to each other in Spanish. I am bilingual in my professional life, as well. Just this week, the Florida Senate phones were blowing up with citizens supporting or condoning a controversial bill that entered committee. This specific bill prompted lots of calls from Spanish speakers and I was the only person on staff who could speak Spanish. So I answered the phones and spoke with the Spanish citizens, communicating about their opinions on this piece of legislation. I helped the voices of non-English-speaking citizens be heard.

Shifting Perceptions

I see how speaking English as a second language actually adds to the richness of this country. As a Venezuelan immigrant, I grew up forcing myself into situations where I had no choice but to confront my fears, and I would do it again and again until that specific situation no longer made me uncomfortable. I have contributed deeply to my school and now my work communities because my “otherness” sparked my intellectual curiosity and my desire to work that much harder to achieve my personal goals.

My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage and accept that qualities like language “barriers” can in fact be personal strengths that open up entire worlds of opportunity and accomplishment.

To the students who relate to my experiences and who may be struggling with their inability or even lack of desire to learn English, I ask you to shift your perception and embrace the opportunity in your challenge. I ask you to consider how you can spin this perceived weakness and draw energy from it to become a stronger student, friend, and contributing member to society. Don’t accept the notion that you are disadvantaged. Learning English and being able to effectively communicate with your peers is rewarding. More importantly, how you speak, complete with your thick, beautiful accent, is an advantage and an asset, not an inadequacy you must overcome.

Conversation Starters

Fiorella Riccobono says, “My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage.” What does she mean by this?

How would you describe Fiorella’s “improbable triumph?”

Does Fiorella’s story resonate with you? Can you relate to some of her struggles learning the English language and how that has helped to define her course? Why or why not?

9 comments on “ A Student’s Struggle to Speak English Leads to a Career as a Communicator ”

While scrolling through the articles listed on the webpage, this unique one caught my eye immediately. What it described is a complete mirror of my experience, my pain and my struggle. More importantly, when looking through it, I realized the way I should face myself, both strengths and weaknesses. Fiorella’s “improbable triumph” is truly “improbable”, at least that’s what I believed before finishing this article. She did undergo many challenging situations, difficulties that her first language Spanish but not English. And for me, a second language learner becomes a Florida Senate sounds totally incredible. Since my first language is also not English, I know how much struggles and courage it needs to be able to speak out in front of people, let alone standing in front of 40 state senators and read proposed legislation. But I believe that’s one of the main reason why she made to her position, it is because she already has a strong heart, enough self-confidence and a constant thirst for knowledge. These were all honed from her school years. I was always the top students back in my home country and English was one of my strongest subject. However, it was opposite when I came to Canada. The “barrier” of language discourages me from participating in school activities, being actively during class. During my first year, Every time I was in class, I was worried whether the teacher would ask me to answer questions or not. I always remember my first speech. I practiced it over and over again, but some students still didn’t understand what I was talking about and I couldn’t answer their questions. Same as Fiorella, my mom also played an important role. She practice my presentation’s script with me and she told me that there is no way to be ashamed by my accent or the fact that I am a second language learner. She told me that’s exactly the point I should be proud of myself because I am able to speak both two languages. I have always been grateful for my parents, without them I couldn’t be where I am today. I enrolled my school’s principle list every semester and honor roll on the Waterloo Math Contest. Now, I am preparing for my debate club as a leader with my friends. I always believe man grows in adversity, I don’t regret any of the attempts I’ve made, even if I fail and fall. Isn’t the realization of my shortcomings also a progress? Tribulation is accompanied by harvest. Just as Fiorella Riccobono says to “analyze perceptions of disadvantage.” I was contradict to communicate because my accent, lack of vocabulary, different culture, when I read the last paragraph of this article, I just found that all my worries and evasions were ridiculous and untenable. This article once again strengthens my heart and guides my future efforts, to become a stronger student, friend, and contributing member to society. Everything I have and experienced has made me who I am now, and it takes that to make me whole.

Hi Jasmine,

Thank you for your fantastic comment!

Also as an immigrant to Canada at an older age (14), I find your experience much more relatable than Fiorella’s. I believe that one of the reasons why I agreed to my parents’ idea of immigrating, is that I was confident in my “English” language, and that was partly because I was performing well during English class in my home country. However, it was really different being in an environment where you are forced to speak the language. My problem wasn’t during class and academics but in my social life. What a teenage girl needs the most perhaps is a social life, friends. At least for me. But it was extremely hard to make friends if I wasn’t willing to make a step out, to talk to people. Fortunately, with my mother’s little push, I was able to do so. Even though I stumbled through the beginning, attending lots of social events and making awkward conversations, I eventually made a couple of great friends and got to know many other people. Joining the debate club and filing applications to other councils was difficult because I wasn’t confident in my speaking and was afraid that I would make fun of myself. Which I did, modelling the motion “THW lift patents” supporting patents. But I gained a lot of valuable experience in the process, found my passion in debating, and ultimately improved my English speaking and confidence. However, I do believe that this struggle is just a part of the journey of fitting in the new language environment.

This unique title also did catch my eyes, but I wasn’t feeling related while reading the article. I thought that at the age of four, it would be really easy to learn English and be amalgamated into the American society. It was hard to believe that a four-year-old memory could be carved so deeply in her mind, also how does over ten years of living in an English environment she is still not confident of her language? With doubt and suspicion, I finished the article.

I agree with you and Fiorella that by analyzing and reconsidering our “perception of disadvantages”, we could learn how to embrace and turn our so-called disadvantages into motivation and strength. However, I do not believe that her “triumph” is “improbable”. In my opinion, her “triumph” is being confident of speaking English and eventually becoming an employee of the Florida state senate. Admittedly, she is quite successful in her confidence and career. But again, as a person living in the states, speaking English for so many years since childhood, her English will come as she grows. I believe that her “solving all the obstacles” is just a process of fitting into the new environment, what actually brought out her “triumph”, is her action of acknowledging and recognizing her former disadvantages, then turning it into her interest and continued pursuing it.  The society is biased, being a good English speaker is important for our success in the future or just to be more like a part of the society, but the process of learning is crucial as well, it teaches us life-long skills — persistence and motivation for learning.

Jasmine, your story of progress and growth in language learning is truly inspiring. Your journey, from feeling apprehensive about participating in class due to language barriers to becoming a leader in the debate club in your second language, showcases a remarkable testament to your determination and perseverance. Reading about your experiences motivates me to push myself further in my own language studies. In a few years, I’ll be taking my AP Spanish exam, and your story constantly reminds me that with determination and continuous effort, I can overcome the challenges I currently face in learning Spanish and achieve my goals. Your narrative has given me valuable insights into the complexities of language acquisition, which directly resonates with the struggles my parents faced when learning English as a second language. I used to find humor in their pronunciation struggles, not fully comprehending the difficulties they were encountering. However, my own language-learning experiences have humbled me, and now I hold a profound respect for their determination in learning a second language. My language teacher once said, “Once you dream in a language, you know you’re fluent,” and this notion fascinates me as I strive to achieve a similar level of language mastery in Spanish. Your narrative also got me thinking about the remarkable ability of some individuals, including yourself, to learn languages quickly. This phenomenon is not limited to children but also extends to certain adults. I decided to conduct some of my own research on the topic to gain a better understanding. In my investigation, I found that certain cognitive factors and personality traits can contribute to accelerated language learning. For example, individuals with strong working memory and high levels of empathy tend to grasp language nuances more quickly. Moreover, the motivation to learn a new language, much like your own drive, can significantly impact the speed of acquisition. Additionally, exposure to immersive language environments and consistent practice plays a crucial role in fostering rapid language development. This would also explain why children have a unique advantage in language learning, primarily due to their lack of prior knowledge in the target language. Their immersion in an environment where the target language is consistently spoken enables them to develop an intuitive grasp of grammar, pronunciation, and cultural nuances. Imagine a child stepping into a world where everything they hear and see is in a new language. They don’t have preconceived notions or linguistic habits to overcome. It’s a blank canvas waiting to be filled with the colors of this unfamiliar language. As they interact with native speakers and engage in daily activities, they naturally absorb the language without conscious effort. This lack of pre-existing linguistic baggage allows them to embrace the new language wholeheartedly, much like effortlessly stepping into a racecar and taking the wheel without any previous experience in driving. Your efforts to learn a language is truly commendable, Jasmine, and it serves as an inspiration for others to follow. Your dedication and enthusiasm for language learning are evident throughout your essay, and I want to express my appreciation for sharing your journey with us. Your story has not only motivated me personally but also broadened my understanding of the multifaceted aspects of language acquisition. Keep up the incredible work!🚀

I think that perspective is one of the greatest traits that a person can have. It has the ability to bridge almost any gap of all sorts of disparity; economic, cultural, political, the list goes on and on. It’s this trait that is not found often enough in society that is key to understanding why others around you say what they say, do what they do, and believe what they believe. In the instance of Fiorella Riccobono, this was in regards to the perspective of a four year-old girl who had immigrated to the United States with her parents in search of a better life. Now 22, Fiorella boldly states “My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage”. Her saying is meant to imply that those of us who are at what we perceive as an adversity to our aspirations ought to gain more perspective to realize that it is often the greatest challenges that create the best people.

My view on Fiorella’s “improbable triumph” revolves around the idea that her success was reliant on her individual positive mindset. She disregarded society’s notion that her not knowing English was an inherent disadvantage that she would be restrained by, and rather turns it into an opportunity to show growth and determination. She says herself that “Many would argue that my inability to fluently speak English in my childhood was a weakness, when in fact it turned out to be one of my greatest strengths”. This ideal mindset is exactly what in my opinion needs to be emphasized in society; the concept that people’s ability to move up the ladder is mostly in their own hands, and even if there are inevitable obstacles, it is the individual’s responsibility to face them head on. This is why stories such as Fiorella’s must be celebrated and showcased more often, to teach communities and especially youth to not accept that they are disadvantaged and that there is nothing that they can do about it. Mindsets that accept there is nothing left to change the status quo are the most dangerous; they not only remove any potential to make change, but pass down ideology to younger generations, creating a cycle of lost opportunity. That’s why Fiorella’s “improbable triumph” and stories like it must be highlighted in communities all across the world.

In regards to Fiorella’s story, it resonates quite deep personally with my family and I. As the son of immigrants, it was easy to relate to the struggles she describes of getting past the initial language/cultural barrier that occurs when getting used to living in a new country. My parents came to the United States 17 years ago, knowing a few sentences they had learned from a Hindi-to-English pocketbook dictionary, a couple hundred dollars, and a 3 year old son, my older brother. I was born a year later, and then we eventually moved to Tampa, Florida as my dad had received a job offer. As I was born in the US and naturally learned the language, culture, and customs, I became more and more observant of the divide between what I saw as “normal” at school and what my parents did. They had been in the country for a number of years, but still were speaking that “broken English” that Fiorella references. Naturally as a kid, I met and hung out with my friends outside of school, often encountering their parents who had often either lived their whole life in America or had been living here for decades. They spoke perfect English, much better than that of a eight-year-old, and certainly better than that of a husband and wife that had only been in the country for a few years. As I came home from playing with my friends, I became frustrated at communicating in English with my parents as they were not as good as the moms and dads I met at my friends’ houses. Being naive, I did not understand why they were unable to speak that fluent English that I always listened to outside my home. I actually became embarrassed when friends came over to my home to hang out, only to be confused by how my parents tried to greet them using English that was often grammatically wrong and covered with a thick accent. I was ashamed of it for a long time, and looking back I even admit it made me angry that my family was different than others. I just wanted to be the acclaimed “normal” that every kid always desired. However, as I began to grow up, I had an experience that completely changed the lense that I was looking at my parents through. That year I had begun staying up later at night to complete homework and other commitments that started as high school began becoming more demanding. On a particular night that year, when I had finally finished my homework and whatever else I had to do that late night, I decided to get some water downstairs before I went to bed. When I came down, I saw that my father had left his computer on; so naturally, I went over to turn it off. When I was about to press the power button, the screen caught my eye: “Online Tutoring for English”. It had never occurred to me that my dad was taking lessons to improve his English – to say I was surprised would be quite the understatement. The realization had dawned upon me that specific moment how difficult life truly was for an immigrant – and in this case – my parents. Any notions to myself thinking that I had a lot of work and stress to deal with in high school quickly evaporated, as I really took a moment to reflect on my father’s journey all these years later. To leave his family and friends behind in India, travel thousands of miles to a foreign country, not knowing the language or anybody to help him, and having no other option than making it knowing he had a wife and young son counting on him finally hit me. I was humbled. I was washed over with a sense of regret and shame for always being mad all those years at my parents for not being fluent English speakers. That night was years ago. Today, as I write this, I have the upmost pride in knowing that those two immigrants who came to this country not knowing the language, are MY parents. I feel that this story is not exclusively mine, but rather one that millions of other immigrants who have come to this country have experienced as well, and it’s comforting know that all of us have made it against all odds. Just like Fiorella, I want to take this moment that showed a disadvantage that my family had gotten past and transform it into a showcase of how rewarding resilience can truly be. While I was privileged to learn the language as I grew up, I appreciate the perspective of someone who only had a pocketbook dictionary and a strong will to make it in a foreign country for their family, and that is something I will cherish for a lifetime.

The ability to turn a disadvantage into an advantage is what paves the way for “improbable triumph”.

In the words of Fiorella: “I believe that we have a very limited definition of what constitutes an advantage.” She could not be more correct.

As the son of immigrants, this is an article that resonated with me. Like Fiorella, English was not the primary language spoken within our house. Like Fiorella, I struggled with feelings of inadequacy for not being able to speak English as well as my peers. Like Fiorella, these feelings created shyness and timidity that affected my participation in class. But most importantly, like Fiorella, this ‘disadvantage’ of mine turned out to be the driving cause of one of my greatest accomplishments.

Fiorella says that not knowing English made her a better student. She cites the extra effort she had to put in to understand concepts as the root of her strong work ethic. My own childhood was characterized less by a struggle to learn English, but more by a persistent feeling of insecurity about cultural norms. In other words, while I was able to overcome the language barrier, the cultural barrier that existed created a constant pressure of inadequacy; it felt like everyone was part of an inside joke that I wasn’t allowed to know. But in the same way Fiorella responded to adversity by bouncing back with fervor, I responded to my perceived disadvantage by turning it into an advantage. I developed a passion for public speaking in middle school, determined to change my impression of “the quiet kid” into someone who was outspoken and confident. When I think back to what ignited that sudden change, I honestly think it was simply to spite those who underestimated me. It was a way for me to put myself out there and feel included despite the nagging feeling of cultural difference that made me feel separated.

This passion for public speaking developed into a passion for argumentation. I joined the debate team in high school and won many awards. More importantly, I made friends and broadened my perspective. Last year I was even fortunate enough to be selected for the USA development debate team, representing the nation while competing against international teams across the globe. The experiences I had as a part of this team are what makes Fiorella’s statement ring so true for me. Meeting debaters from all over the world changed my perspective – what society considers an advantage is extremely limited in its scope.

In the world of international debate, English is the lingua franca. You would think that the Western countries would then be at an advantage, being more comfortable with English and thus being better speakers. Yet, some of the best communicators I’ve met speak English as a second language. When we versed the national Bangladesh team, we were amazed by how skillfully they debated. Yes, they had an accent, and yes their grammar and word choice were awkward at times, but the meaning they conveyed was poignant. If the round felt difficult, the conversation I had with them in Bengali afterwards felt like they were running circles around me. I realized that they focused on meaning of the words not how they sound. They may not have been familiar with English, but their ideas were strong and they conveyed them directly and powerfully. Their articulation wasted no time, unlike them teams from Western countries, who used extravagant vocabulary and complicated metaphors. Team Bangladesh went on to do extremely well in the tournament despite their unfamiliarity with English, truly encapsulating the essence of “improbable triumph”.

From the shy, timid student, to the debater representing the USA, I had an improbable triumph of my own. As I found my voice and people listened, I realized that the cultural barrier I thought was inhibiting me was empowering me. At first it was simply by giving myself an obstacle to overcome, but then I realized how my own cultural experiences gave me a diverse worldview that enhanced everything I did. It propelled me to my position on the national debate team which served to further my diverse worldview. Aaditya mentioned his personal story about his parents in an earlier comment, Jasmine and Eileen discussed their hardships in immigrating to Canada, and Fiorella mentions her own struggles in the article above. However, in the end, the disadvantages we all faced made us stronger and gave us character. In a way, I am grateful for the disadvantages I had to deal with.

Throughout the article, and above in my own comment, the term improbable triumph has been used to describe success in the face of disadvantages. Yet, it seems that triumph becomes more probable in the face of disadvantages that must be overcome and learned from. We really should change our conception of advantage then, because disadvantages can be advantages in disguise and make improbable triumphs less improbable.

Diana wrote about her story as an immigrant who was having a hard time breaking the language barriers in the United States. I felt camaraderie with her story as a foreigner who has gone through a similar experience in adapting to a culture and language that I have never been exposed to ever since I was born. She said she was having a hard time breaking the implicit barrier between her and people in the States, and so did I. It took me so long to get used to just speaking and writing my thoughts in English to share with my friends, and many people are struggling with that too. I was admitted to my current school in the first year of the Pandemic, and trying to make friends when everyone had to stay inside their homes was a horrible experience. I took all of my classes virtually, without a single experience of speaking English. My school initially did not even provide an ESL program to help foreign students like me. Also, I was not able to socialize with other kids in the school because there were no chances. I finished my first year with a lot of struggles, and I moved into the school for the second year. I tried to make lots of friends because I realized that if I didn’t get used to this environment, I thought I would never be able to get friends in school. So, I decided to play some sports, join clubs, and be active in class.

During those times, I’ve seen many students who are also having a hard time like me. I’ve seen a lot of smart Asian students talented in many different fields, but are unable to express their creative ideas as they were not able to speak English fluently. I remember the time when, I was in my math class, and we were solving a hard calculus problem that required us to see it with a creative perspective that people normally cannot even imagine. However, Chan, my Chinese friend, raised his hand and tried to explain his thoughts on the problem in front of the whole class. It took a while for many students in my class to understand his words because of his accent and his fluency in English. Later, he had to just write down equations and variables on the board to enable others to understand what he was trying to understand. Though some people might think that it is Chan’s fault for not being able to fluently speak English while going to a public school in the United States. However, for those people, I want to ask, ‘since when did English become the Nation’s official language?’ I, knowing how talented Chan is in transforming hard math problems into simple solutions during when we worked on a math project together, felt sorry for his embarrassment. At that moment, I realized that the existing educational system does not support many talented students to overcome their language barrier to reach their full potential. As a person who also went through a similar experience of having a hard time, I wanted to make a change in the current form of education for future generations of students in the overlooked population. I did not want any more students to not reach their 100% potential just because of the language barrier. From my experience, I learned that the school’s ESL classes do not practically help foreign students to learn English in a short period of time. Even more, I realize that there is no support system in our education that could help foreign students who are struggling with their school work just because they cannot speak English fluently. Realizing that there has to be an end to this continuing educational disparity, I decided to run a student club “Near2Perfection” that can help talented students who are suffering because of language or cultural barriers. Currently, in the United States, the majority of people expect immigrants to speak English fluently, even when 14.4% of its total population consists of immigrants whose mother tongue is not English. Empathizing with these often overlooked populations in our society, I and Near2Perfection aim to support them to socialize with other students and break the language barrier to spread their innovative dreams that could change the world. For instance, one of my friends from Taiwan, Tiger Ding, was struggling in his language & literature class, and especially with speaking and writing an essay in English. Like me, he never left his home country before coming to Salisbury school, and it was the first time he came to an English-only learning environment. Our club helped him to get familiar with the different cultures and languages by introducing our club members and giving him a tour of our school. Throughout the semester, we helped him with writing essays, providing him notes on how to write a persuasive essay, while doing daily assignments together, and having lunch with other classmates to make them feel inclusive in the school community.

After reading this article and reading through the comment section, I’m so glad that there are others who also recognize that all people, regardless of race, gender, age, and fluency in speaking English, have remarkable talents, energy, knowledge, and creativity to innovate the world. Being motivated, In the near future, I want to build a non-profit organization that promotes collaborations among lots of companies in the private industry in different countries. The goal of this organization is to play a significant role in “breaking the barrier” to help companies in different nations to introduce their innovative business ideas more easily. With my unending passion to promote equity, I am eager to collaborate with many other innovative peers in different nations to put our heads together and make the world a better place.

“I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.” is a monumental quote stated by Kurt Cobain. This quote not only illustrates the social concern of insecurities but also reflected an image of my life in general. The article, “A Student’s Struggle to Speak English Leads to a Career as a Communicator”, was especially intriguing to me because it shows how one’s aversion towards a certain area may also make them emotionally stronger by forcing them to step outside of their comfort zone. As Fiorella Riccobono stated, “My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage.” This suggests that rather than viewing stereotypically bad behavior as something we should avoid, we should also consider the delight it has brought to us and the positive adjustments it has made to our lives as a whole. For example, Fiorella Riccobono’s inability to communicate in English when she was younger forced her to go through an ordeal that has damaged her internally, but ultimately acknowledged the idea that having communication problems is not necessarily a drawback. The student underwent the hardship of learning a foreign language and overcame her insecurities on self-consciousness which is ultimately, her “improbable triumph”. As a ten-year-old little boy stepped into a foreign country where the environment was completely new to him, it was inevitable for him to face issues like language barriers, culture shock and discrimination. When I immigrated to Singapore from my homeland China, where I had spent the previous ten years, I attended an international school and did not speak a single word of English. I used to be in the English as a Second Language(EAL) course for three years hoping that one day I could be moved to English as a First Language(EFL) class. Throughout these years, I have seen many of my fellow classmates get transferred to EFL after only a few months of learning English, but I still had not yet met the requirements for EFL. I often asked myself, “Am I dumb?”, “Why am I always different from others?” and “Why can’t I just be like them?” Every time I speak in front of the class, I feel that I am stuttering and making simple grammar mistakes in my speech. I used to always be afraid to look others in the eye because I knew they might be making fun of my accent and giving me judgemental looks. Later in life, I was inspired by an artist that promotes the concept of ‘self-love’. The artist has numerous songs implying that we should not try to pretend to be someone that we are not in order to fit into a specific type of community and we should always love ourselves and embrace who we are individually. That was the moment when I realized that my insecurities are confining my individuality and it is perfectly fine to be different. I joined a local service called “Her Journey” that advocates Migrant Domestic Workers’ Rights and some people questioned why I am involved in a ‘Her’ related activity. I simply replied, “I am just doing what I love”, that is empowering the women in my society and beyond. The younger me tried really hard to be a ‘normal’ student but soon acknowledged that there is no category of ‘normal’ in our modern society. I started not caring about my accent and whether I can speak ‘perfect’ English or not because as Fiorella Riccobono stated, “This story marks the start of my improbable triumph.”

Fiorella’s story as the child of Venezuelan immigrants inversely mirrors my own experience as the child of two Korean immigrants. Her story starts with the shame and insecurity of not knowing English in her pre-K classroom, leading her to the realization that this “barrier” bolstered her work ethic and beliefs on diversity. My own story is similar: my struggle to resonate with my Korean identity as a Korean-American made me curious and led me to building my own community.

“Conventional thought suggests that if you live in the U.S. you should learn English,” Fiorella writes, and while this is true, I present another version of this line in a way applicable to my life: Conventional thought suggests that if you have family from outside of the U.S., you should be able to speak their language. When I was in first grade, I traded my once-fluent Korean for perfect English. This sacrifice gave way to the insecurity and shame that Fiorella alludes to in her article. Whenever I went back to Korea to visit family, I felt a sense of isolation as the only one who wasn’t fluent in Korean. I felt like a particularly grotesque piece of artwork, while my family looked at me as if they couldn’t quite figure me out. “Can you try to speak Korean around us?” they would ask, but the moment I spoke, they would chastise my poor grammar and even poorer pronunciation. They would comment on my colored hair and clothes, blaming it on the “American influence.” Language was not the only barrier that separated me from my Korean family. Korean mannerisms and culture that my family had practiced all their lives were unfamiliar to me, only feeding my insecurity. As the shame grew, I marginalized myself from my Korean identity and pushed myself to become more American. I stopped speaking Korean altogether, because every time I did, I was reminded that I didn’t quite belong.

Self-acceptance took a lot of work over the years, and admittedly, I still harbor some of those feelings from when I was younger. But like Fiorella’s connection to her identity, mine blossomed into a unique strength. Being Korean-American caused me to ask questions about who I really was, leading me to discover a community where my hyphenated identity has evolved into something entirely its own. Discovering the Korean-American community in my town let me uphold a blend of what both cultures have to offer; for example, many Korean-Americans bond over our experiences in Korea, the struggle of learning a language, and aspects of Korean culture that we can only confide in each other in America, such as Korean music and fashion. The Korean diaspora in the United States is comprised of nearly 2 million individuals, and after connecting with those like myself, I realized that I had spent my entire life trying to conform to one group or another when really, all I had to do was recognize that I had been part of one all along.

At the end of her article, Fiorella writes, “To the students who relate to my experiences and who may be struggling with their inability or even lack of desire to learn English, I ask you to shift your perception and embrace the opportunity in your challenge. I ask you to consider how you can spin this perceived weakness and draw energy from it to become a stronger student, friend, and contributing member to society.” This is exactly what I aspire to do. Already, I have contributed to my school and community through the thing that made me different and made me doubt myself all my life – in this case, my Korean-American identity – because it ultimately sparked my intellectual curiosity and allowed me to cross barriers to reach people like myself. Our identities are not deficits, barriers, or obstacles, as Fiorella has found out for herself. No matter our challenges, our ethnic origins, beliefs, gender, religion, and nationalities make us who we are, and being Korean-American has allowed me to find a community between lands, oceans, and cultures that feels like home.

I deeply resonate with your experiences as an Asian-American navigating the waters of having many different cultural identities. As an immigrant who has lived in four countries, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, and the US, I can empathize with the challenges you faced in connecting with your Korean roots while adapting to American culture.

Although I have not experienced living in India and spent most of my formative years in Japan, my Indian heritage has always been an essential part of who I am. I always found it difficult to answer the seemingly simple question, “where are you from?” Whenever it comes up, I am faced with a dilemma: Should I say that I am Indian, even though I never lived in India, but my parents were born and raised there? Should I say that I am American, despite the fact that I have lived here for only 3 years? Or should I say I am Japanese, since I have spent many years immersed in their culture, but was always seen as a foreigner? These moments make me feel isolated from those around me, like I don’t entirely fit into one particular mold.

However, I have learned to make light out of my situation. Akin to Fiorella’s realization of the “barrier” being a catalyst for growth, my journey has allowed me to experience the world through differing and often contrasting perspectives, providing a greater sense of depth in my life. As you put it, “Our identities are not deficits, barriers, or obstacles… our ethnic origins, beliefs, gender, religion, and nationalities make us who we are.”

Reflecting on your story, I’m reminded of a quote from an Indian hero, Mahatma Gandhi: “No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.” Similar to how you’ve discovered a unique strength in your assorted identity, I have learned to embrace my diversity, allowing me to better understand myself and those around me.

Just like you, I agree that our identities are not limited to the place we currently live in, where we were born, or where we grew up; they are a culmination of our experiences and family heritage and are a part of what makes us unique. Learning about Indian values and traditions is a beautiful journey of self-discovery, and I find comfort in knowing that there are others, like you and Fiorella, who share similar experiences.

Today, when asked the question “Where are you from?” Instead of attempting to provide a simple one-word answer, I take the opportunity to share my journey through different cultures and the countries that have been an integral part of my life. I proudly acknowledge my Indian heritage while also showing gratitude for the Japanese customs and American values that have shaped my present day self. I have come to realize that my story cannot be explained by a single place; rather, it is a beautiful mosaic of influences from the various cultures that have touched my life.

Thank you for sharing your story and reminding us that our identities are all unique, and our ability to embrace diversity can lead to a richer, more connected world.

Essays About Language: Top 5 Examples and 7 Prompts

Language is the key to expressive communication; let our essay examples and writing prompts inspire you if you are writing essays about language.

When we communicate with one another, we use a system called language. It mainly consists of words, which, when combined, form phrases and sentences we use to talk to one another. However, some forms of language do not require written or verbal communication, such as sign language.

Language can also refer to how we write or say things. For example, we can speak to friends using colloquial expressions and slang, while academic writing demands precise, formal language. Language is a complex concept with many meanings; discover the secrets of language in our informative guide.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. a global language: english language by dallas ryan , 2. language and its importance to society by shelly shah, 3. language: the essence of culture by kelsey holmes.

4. Foreign Language Speech by Sophie Carson
5. Attitudes to Language by Kurt Medina

1. My Native Language

2. the advantages of bilingualism, 3. language and technology, 4. why language matters, 5. slang and communication, 6. english is the official language of the u.s..

“Furthermore, using English, people can have more friends, widen peer relationships with foreigners and can not get lost. Overall, English becomes a global language; people may have more chances in communication. Another crucial advantage is improving business. If English was spoken widespread and everyone could use it, they would likely have more opportunities in business. Foreign investments from rich countries might be supported to the poorer countries.”

In this essay, Ryan enumerates both the advantages and disadvantages of using English; it seems that Ryan proposes uniting the world under the English language. English, a well-known and commonly-spoken language can help people to communicate better, which can foster better connections with one another. However, people would lose their native language and promote a specific culture rather than diversity. Ultimately, Ryan believes that English is a “global language,” and the advantages outweigh the disadvantages

“Language is a constituent element of civilization. It raised man from a savage state to the plane which he was capable of reaching. Man could not become man except by language. An essential point in which man differs from animals is that man alone is the sole possessor of language. No doubt animals also exhibit certain degree of power of communication but that is not only inferior in degree to human language, but also radically diverse in kind from it.”

Shah writes about the meaning of language, its role in society, and its place as an institution serving the purposes of the people using it. Most importantly, she writes about why it is necessary; the way we communicate through language separates us as humans from all other living things. It also carries individual culture and allows one to convey their thoughts. You might find our list of TOEFL writing topics helpful.

“Cultural identity is heavily dependent on a number of factors including ethnicity, gender, geographic location, religion, language, and so much more. Culture is defined as a “historically transmitted system of symbols, meanings, and norms.” Knowing a language automatically enables someone to identify with others who speak the same language. This connection is such an important part of cultural exchange”

In this short essay, Homes discusses how language reflects a person’s cultural identity and the importance of communication in a civilized society. Different communities and cultures use specific sounds and understand their meanings to communicate. From this, writing was developed. Knowing a language makes connecting with others of the same culture easier.

4. Foreign Language Speech by Sophie Carson

“Ultimately, learning a foreign language will improve a child’s overall thinking and learning skills in general, making them smarter in many different unrelated areas. Their creativity is highly improved as they are more trained to look at problems from different angles and think outside of the box. This flexible thinking makes them better problem solvers since they can see problems from different perspectives. The better thinking skills developed from learning a foreign language have also been seen through testing scores.”

Carson writes about some of the benefits of learning a foreign language, especially during childhood. During childhood, the brain is more flexible, and it is easier for one to learn a new language in their younger years. Among many other benefits, bilingualism has been shown to improve memory and open up more parts of a child’s brain, helping them hone their critical thinking skills. Teaching children a foreign language makes them more aware of the world around them and can open up opportunities in the future.

5. Attitudes to Language by Kurt Medina

“Increasingly, educators are becoming aware that a person’s native language is an integral part of who that person is and marginalizing the language can have severe damaging effects on that person’s psyche. Many linguists consistently make a case for teaching native languages alongside the target languages so that children can clearly differentiate among the codes”

As its title suggests, Medina’s essay revolves around different attitudes towards types of language, whether it be vernacular language or dialects. He discusses this in the context of Caribbean cultures, where different dialects and languages are widespread, and people switch between languages quickly. Medina mentions how we tend to modify the language we use in different situations, depending on how formal or informal we need to be.

6 Prompts for Essays About Language

Essays About Language: My native language

In your essay, you can write about your native language. For example, explain how it originated and some of its characteristics. Write about why you are proud of it or persuade others to try learning it. To add depth to your essay, include a section with common phrases or idioms from your native language and explain their meaning.

Bilingualism has been said to enhance a whole range of cognitive skills, from a longer attention span to better memory. Look into the different advantages of speaking two or more languages, and use these to promote bilingualism. Cite scientific research papers and reference their findings in your essay for a compelling piece of writing.

In the 21st century, the development of new technology has blurred the lines between communication and isolation; it has undoubtedly changed how we interact and use language. For example, many words have been replaced in day-to-day communication by texting lingo and slang. In addition, technology has made us communicate more virtually and non-verbally. Research and discuss how the 21st century has changed how we interact and “do language” worldwide, whether it has improved or worsened.

Essays About Language: Why language matters

We often change how we speak depending on the situation; we use different words and expressions. Why do we do this? Based on a combination of personal experience and research, reflect on why it is essential to use appropriate language in different scenarios.

Different cultures use different forms of slang. Slang is a type of language consisting of informal words and expressions. Some hold negative views towards slang, saying that it degrades the language system, while others believe it allows people to express their culture. Write about whether you believe slang should be acceptable or not: defend your position by giving evidence either that slang is detrimental to language or that it poses no threat.

English is the most spoken language in the United States and is used in government documents; it is all but the country’s official language. Do you believe the government should finally declare English the country’s official language? Research the viewpoints of both sides and form a conclusion; support your argument with sufficient details and research.

Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .If you’re stuck picking your next essay topic, check out our guide on how to write an essay about diversity .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Becoming Bilingual: An Experience That Changed My Life

John Nobile Carvalho is a Biochemistry major from Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. John’s inspiration for writing this paper was in finding the most significant and impactful moments of language learning. The reason he considers his essay important is “because during the writing process I was able to recall memories and think of the journey I’ve been on, and all the challenges I’ve faced while learning two languages.” He also credits remote learning with providing plenty of time to devote himself to his studies and this project: “I was aware that this factor could help me focus and write something interesting for people who are not bilingual as well as people who are bilingual.” Besides being a student, John is also a musician and a book lover, and counts the blues and science-fiction books among his passions. He states that he “could never live a day without playing my guitar for a few minutes, or not reading a few pages of a book. These are the two ways I have to escape reality and enjoy the moment.”

The process of becoming a bilingual person can be seen as a long journey, which has several challenges, but at the same time several achievements. Learning a new language can be considered a challenge because it goes far beyond just learning to use words, expressions and knowing how to apply correct grammar, and what I mean by that is that you have to make mistakes, live in situations where you feel vulnerable, and go through difficulties. Even though it is not a simple task, I believe that this process allows us to develop persistence, willpower, maturity and a lot of discipline. Given the explanation, I ask myself the following question: what was my process of becoming bilingual, and how did that make me who I am today?

Well, my journey started relatively early in my life. The first memories I have in mind, when I had contact with the English language, was around the age of 7 years old. I mainly remember the moment when my father used to listen to songs that had quite different lyrics than what I was used to listening to in Brazilian music. I remember asking my dad what those words were and what they meant, and I also remember referring to them as ‘‘strange words.’’ I can perfectly remember the way my father had explained to me that it was English; he said it was a type of language that human beings use and that in particular it was used elsewhere in the world. That fascinated me, and with each day that passed by, I would ask my father to show me more and more music by American artists; this led me to develop a passion for Blues, Rock, Jazz, and Soul Music. I loved the rhythm, melody, and harmony of the songs of these musical genres, but there was a big problem. I could not understand practically anything about what the lyrics were saying, and that was quite frustrating.

After a while, it started to bother me, so I realized it was time to take an initiative. I realized it was time to seek to understand the meaning of the lyrics of the songs I loved so much. I remember sitting on the floor of my room, trying to read and pronounce each word in the rhythm in which I heard them in the songs. I also remember feeling quite angry at first because I could not understand anything at all. Over time, this curiosity made me discover that I could use online translators and websites that made music translations available from English to Portuguese. At that moment I realized that there were no more limits for me. I knew that everything would start to flow naturally.

Basically, my relationship with the English language started to develop organically, and after a few months of practicing English, the words that did not make any sense started to make all the sense. I was obsessed with learning new words, phrases, and expressions. When I least expected it, with the help of subtitles, I was able to watch cartoon shows, movies, and documentaries in English. I felt fulfilled when I was able to understand certain simple dialogues, for example in the video games that I used to play, and for me, that was rewarding. Another memory I have was when I joined elementary school, and the public school where I studied used to offer English classes, and I remember having ease in these classes thanks to all the effort and dedication that I had put into studying and practicing English on my own.

As time went by, my relationship with the English language was solidifying and becoming stronger and stronger. I practically did not listen to music in Portuguese anymore; I did not care about watching cartoons and films in Portuguese anymore, which made me more immersed into American culture. I remember in 2009, when I was only 11 years old, my cousins and colleagues who played football with me asked me why I did not like to watch Brazilian and South American football like “A Liberators da America” (South American Tournament). I always said that European football championships like the Premier League (from England) were more interesting, but they did not understand that I thought it was interesting because I was discovering a “new world”. Right after I turned 14, my parents gave me my first skateboard, and it motivated me, even more, to continue learning things related to English and American culture. I used slang in English with my friends and tried to speak in English with my English teachers at school. I used to sing and play songs in English. I found it fascinating the fact that in less than seven years I had already learned so much about English.

During these seven years of studying and learning the English language, I remember listening to a lot of people around me, like my parents, uncles and aunts, cousins and several friends saying that I was doing the right thing. English was a synonym for “success and mystery” in my mind. They used to say “João, you must learn the English language, as this will bring you great opportunities in your future”. Everyone was absolutely right, and I say this because all the incentives and motivations they gave me were essential for my evolution and progress. I am incredibly grateful mainly for my parents, because thanks to them, I was able to have access to a good education. I was able to access the necessary resources to continue making progress. Without them none of this would have happened, and I would never have gotten as far as I did.

Now, after fourteen years of dedicating myself to studying the English language, I realize that my view on it has changed dramatically. At first, I was just a child venturing into a strange and unknown language, and that was incredibly attractive. When I say that my vision has changed drastically, I mean that now this language is not only a source of curiosity. It has practically become the tool that allows me to connect with the world, and in a way even with myself. I can say with all conviction that being bilingual is one of the most important tools I have in my life. I would say that English for me today is like the oxygen that I breathe all the time, and what I mean is that I can no longer live without it.

English is not just another language that exists in the world. For me, English has shaped my identity and the person I am today. What I mean by that is that English is not just a language, in my life it goes much further. A beautiful example that I always carry in mind is how English made me develop a beautiful conception of music. I consider myself a musician, and I consider music as one of the greatest inventions of mankind, and thanks to the English language I was able to venture into the world of music. Nowadays I study music every week in English: I play in concerts; I play with my friends, so through this example, it is evident how English managed to shape one of the main characteristics of my identity. Another example that comes to mind is that since I was a child, my biggest dream of all has been to become a scientist in the future. That dream only started after I watched countless scientific documentaries, read several books by phenomenal scientists like Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and with every day that passes I am sure that my dream will be realized. Thanks to English, I was able to develop the habit of reading, watching documentaries, searching for information and building knowledge, and in my opinion, I think this is incredible. Through the study of this language, I was even able to value my mother tongue even more because like English, Portuguese is an intriguing and spectacular language that I am proud to speak.

To emphasize how crucial the process of becoming bilingual has been in my life, I can tell you how my life has changed completely since I moved to the United States. My first real contact with American society was a wave of feelings and emotions. To clarify what I am trying to say, I could use the experiences of author Orhan Pamuk (2007) as an example, when he describes how frustrating and difficult it is to adjust and adapt to a new culture and a new language. The silence was sometimes my only form of expression, as it was his. However, the best part is that this “wave of feelings and emotions” made me realize that all the years of study and my effort should be valued and put into practice. After a few months, I already felt more comfortable, so I was able to enjoy everything that this new environment had to offer me. I developed not only a love affair with the English language but also with the city of Boston. I had an epiphany and a profound reflection that, like Brazil, the United States is also the place I refer to as home.

This leads me to another interesting and profound reflection that I have been experiencing lately. The fact of moving to the United States is not only a great opportunity to have a beautiful future, and it is not just another phase of my life. It is also an opportunity to be able to connect worlds and cultures. Amin Maalouf (1998) clearly describes how beautiful it is that bilingual people living in other countries can be sources of knowledge, and according to him, these people have a great responsibility in acting as bridges that connect different cultures.

Maalouf is absolutely right, and his reflection resonated with me because I feel this responsibility; I feel responsible to share the American culture with my friends and family who live in Brazil. Likewise, I am responsible for sharing Brazilian culture with American society. I think this is extremely important because if I do that, I can make a difference in the world, I can help the world. I can help the world become a harmonious place, and I feel that I can use the knowledge I have to help people to develop more empathy, respect, and love for people from different places and cultures. Being bilingual and living in another country means having the responsibility to help people and eliminate any kind of prejudice, intolerance, and misunderstanding that they have in mind.

Given all these facts, contexts, and personal experiences, I return to my question: what was my process in becoming bilingual, and how did that make me who I am today? Well, the answer is quite simple, I have had an incredible journey so far. Every second studying English, all my effort, every person involved, every mistake made, every learning experience — all of this was crucial to getting me to where I am today. This journey brought me knowledge and reflections, which helped me to better understand the world and myself. I would never have imagined that English would bring me so many opportunities — all of this was beyond my expectations. I am sure that English will bring me more unique experiences, and I can say with all gratitude that I am ready for all of them.

Maalouf, Amin. (1998). Deadly Identities (Brigitte Caland, Trans.). Al Jadid , 4(25). Retrieved from https://www.aljadid.com/content/deadly-identities .

Pamuk, Orhan. (2007, April 7). My First Passport: What Does it Mean to Belong to a Country? (Maureen Freely, Trans.). The New Yorker . Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/04/16/my-first-passport .

Learning a new Language as an Adult: My Experiences and Suggestions

I was reluctant about writing this article since I’ve never had formal training on learning/teaching languages. However, I have learned Spanish and French as an adult and at the time of writing this article, I’m learning Portuguese. In this article, I’ll share my methods of language-learning along with some tips and suggestions. If this article helps or motivates a few people to learn a language, I’d be glad.

Requirements

First of all, you need patience because it takes months or even years to learn a new language. Next, you need dedication and action . Just thinking that you’ll learn a language won’t get you anywhere. Also, don’t compare your progress with that of others because everyone’s unique.

Some people believe that adults are bad at learning languages! I opine that it is untrue. Adult brains are usually more trained and developed and can learn a language faster than brains of children.

It helps a lot if you have a reason for learning the language. For example, learning Russian so that you can date Russian women, or learning Japanese so that you can watch Naruto without English subtitles. Without a proper reason, the human brain often says, “this learning exercise is useless.”

Lastly, accept that the learning process will, in a way, continue for the rest of your life. That's because languages are huge! Also, I've met people who have forgotten languages over a period of 10-15 years due to lack of practice. So, one needs to keep using languages in order to not forget them.

Step 1 : Inspiration

Once I’ve chosen a language, I usually start by getting a feel of it. In this phase, I try to convince my brain that it’ll indeed be cool to learn the new language.

Listen to some beautiful songs in the language. E.g. for Italian, I listened to the famous song Bella Ciao and Volare . The desire to understand and sing these songs motivates me to learn the language.
Watch nice movies or TV series in the language. E.g. I would love to learn Japanese so that I can watch Ninku and Naruto without subtitles.
Imagine how cool it would be if you met a native speaker someday and surprised them by fluently speaking their language? Or if you’re looking for a life partner from a different culture, learning their language might help impress them 😉.

If you’re not convinced that learning a language will be of benefit, it will be difficult to remember what you learn! Thus, I consider this stage very important. My brain is already quite convinced, so I usually skip this stage.

Step 2 : Planning

If you don’t set measurable, achievable goals , you will not feel satisfied with what you learn. Also, without a practical plan , you’ll simply be preparing yourself for disappointment. Hence, this step is very important.

Set your objectives: Learning 100% of a language might be impossible, so determine what you want to learn. I usually aim for the ability to do 80% of my day-to-day activities in the target language.
Create a routine: Put aside some time for learning the language. For example, I had put aside 90 minutes every day for 4 months for learning French.
Set a deadline: To avoid infinite procrastination, you can set a time limit. For example, I want to learn intermediate Portuguese within the next 12 months. You can sign up for a language test to motivate yourself further.
Choose a flavour: Some languages have multiple variants, say, Brazilian Portuguese or Portuguese from Portugal. In these cases, you need to choose one of the available options.
Find an interlocutor: Learning a language is not fun if you never get to speak it. So, you need to find people with whom you can try out what you learn, preferably, native speakers of the language.

Step 3a : Grammar

Thinking of a language, many people imagine themselves having fluent conversations. If they cannot speak well, they feel demotivated. However, one cannot speak unless one knows what they’re saying.

This part is about understanding the language you want to learn and about converting your thoughts into speech. As you learn, relate them to your language and organize the thoughts in your mind as rules.

Knowing the underlying concepts is very helpful instead of just memorizing words and expressions.

Absolute knowledge is beyond human reach , so ignore things that you’ll probably never use. Maybe you can get back to them later when you’ve already mastered the basics.

Suggestions

Read a brief background/history of the language.
For example, while learning Portuguese, I use Spanish as the base language because the grammar is similar.
The alphabet: consonants and vowels.
The number-system.
Names of days and months, etc.
Reading time.
Nouns and pronouns , i.e. words that refer to someone or something.
Adjectives , i.e. words that describe someone or something.
Verbs and adverbs , i.e. words that describe activities (very important).
Other concepts that don’t fall under the above categories.
For example, to introduce myself in Spanish, I’d literally say, “I call myself Jerry” and not “My name is Jerry”.

Self-evaluation

Can you count from 1 to 1,000?
Given one form of a verb, can you guess what the other forms might be?
For example, in Spanish, a door is feminine.
Given a new word, can you guess its pronunciation?
Can you (mentally) translate basic day-to-day sentences?

Step 3b : Reading

This part greatly depends on whether the language has an alphabet similar to a language you know. For example, Spanish alphabets are similar to English alphabets, however, Chinese and Arabic have very different alphabets which might take a while to understand and memorize.

The reason I put reading before listening/speaking is because you can take your time with reading. You can also read text aloud to improve your pronunciation. Additionally, if you aim to write, you can learn spellings by reading, alongside formal and informal writing-styles.

Read small texts on sign-boards, notices, pamphlets, advertisements, etc.
I usually start with books containing fairy-tales and poetries for kids.
Read aloud to practice pronunciation.
When you’re confident, change your phone’s language.
Read an interesting news article everyday to expand your vocabulary.
Read license plates on cars to practice alphabets and numbers.
Can you understand 90% of what’s written?
Do you need to read more than once to understand things?
Can you guess the pronunciation of what you read?

Step 3c : Listening

If you can listen to a conversation and understand over 80% of what’s being said, you can safely say that you understand the language. If you can’t understand others , they’ll probably switch to some other language that you understand – sad, but true.

Listening improves your vocabulary, and more notably the pronunciation and usage patterns of several words and expressions. This will also help you develop your accent in the long term. Remember, babies learn their initial words by listening to their parents!

If you don’t know a word, you’ll probably not understand it when someone uses it in a conversation.
For example, in Spanish, “join a meeting” is “assist a meeting”.
For example, “friend” is “ péngyǒu ” in Chinese, so you can memorize it as “someone who tries to ping you ” on social media?
The more memories the word generates, the more memorable it is, but memorizing things is a different topic.
Remember what is being talked about.
Notice the speaker’s facial-expression and lip movements.
I understand better when I listen with my eyes closed .
Having closed captions is very helpful.
If the audio is fast, you can use software to slow it down.
Feel free to pause and do research on words and expressions.
Hang out with native speakers and listen to their conversations.
Pay attention to public service announcements, commercials, etc.
Can you understand 80% or more of what you hear?
If you can’t understand something, can you understand it if it is repeated once more, maybe at a slower speed?
Can you understand the target language despite background noise?

Step 3d : Speaking

Personally, I never say a sentence unless I understand what each word means. That said, if you don’t know enough of a language, you cannot say much in it. All you can do is imitate and say sentences that you’ve already mugged up.

Speech is merely a vocal expression of one’s thoughts.

Thus, to be able to speak naturally, one must be able to think in that language ! Try to have a thought and then make a sentence in your mind to express it in the target language. Once the sentence is ready, pronounce all the words. Fairly simple, isn’t it? Initially, the process will be slow, so you will speak slowly, which is completely fine. Do not concentrate on the speed of your speech because it will eventually increase.

For example, the pronunciation of the letter "r" in French and Spanish.
Our tongues are similar, so we should be able to make the same sounds.
Don’t hesitate to ask how words are pronounced.
Don't be ashamed if you mispronounce something.
Don't get into the habit of mispronouncing .
Don‘t assume that you can never be like native speakers. That is not helpful or correct.
Keep your sentences short to make things easy.
If you don’t know a word, look it up.
If a sentence gets complicated, cancel it mid-way and start over!
You have to start somewhere !
Don’t save it all for the day when you’ll speak fluently.
Don’t be ashamed or afraid .
In Chinese, I once said, “I want to buy a girlfriend” instead of “I want to find a girlfriend”.
It is natural to make mistakes while learning. When you learnt your main language as a child, you made several mistakes.
If someone wants to talk, they’ll patiently listen to you.
Avoid speaking with people who might make fun of you.
Stress makes learning difficult.
Don’t volunteer to do public speaking in the language when you can’t even have a regular conversation 😅.
Imagine a scenario and converse as both parties to the conversation.
Give yourself a job interview or an immigration interview.
I do this in front of a mirror, while commuting, and while doing dishes.
Can you introduce yourself in the target language?
Can you make basic sentences used in day-to-day life?
Can you express the present, the future, and the past?
Do people understand what you say?
If you record your speech and play it back, does it sound natural?

As with anything, learning a language takes time and discipline. The amount of time and the difficulty you'll face will greatly depend on the language or languages you already know and the language that you're trying to learn. In many cases, you might not want to learn to read or write in the new language, which is completely fine. Set your priorities, set a routine, and give it a try! Besides, if you don't start, you'll never finish .

Read about how I grew up with 4 languages and became a Polyglot .
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My Experience Of Learning Languages

Category: Science , Education
Topic: Linguistics , Study Skills

Pages: 3 (1218 words)

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My Experience of Learning a New Language

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