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Persistence is the Key to Easier Language Learning
What I Learned After Studying 5 Different Languages
The Paradox of Language Learning
To date, I have studied five foreign languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish, Thai, and German. Among them, I’m most proficient in Chinese.
However, back in the day, I had to take the TOCFL exam three times just to barely achieve a B2 level (which was the minimum requirement for the university I was applying to). This experience of learning multiple languages has led me to realize one thing:
“Learning a language is simple, but it’s not easy.”
This may sound strange because we often associate simplicity with ease. So, the idea of “something simple yet not easy to achieve” might play tricks on our minds. But why do I say this?
Language Learning is Different from Other Subjects
Learning in general—whether it’s a language or natural sciences like math, physics, and chemistry—essentially involves moving from point A (not knowing, not understanding) to point B (knowing, understanding).
Imagine these two points to be the two banks of a river. In the natural sciences, the…
