Se former en anglais ou une autre langue est un travail de longue haleine qui nécessite une certaine ténacité. C’est pour cela, qu’à cette époque de l’année, on est nombreux à prendre des résolutions censées nous aider à progresser. Malheureusement, ces bonnes résolutions ne seront pas tenues longtemps car, trop souvent, les buts que nous nous fixons ne sont pas assez précis. Apprenons à formuler de vraies bonnes résolutions avec des buts clairs et précis qui nous aideront à poursuivre notre formation en anglais ou d’autres langues tout au long de l’année !

L2 LEARNERS : CRAFTING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS WE CAN KEEP

Traditionally, the New Year is a time for reflection and making resolutions, resolutions that are often broken by Spring. That is why it’s important to craft resolutions we can stick with over time, especially when it comes to L2 learning which requires long-term effort in a variety of areas. In order for our resolutions to be effective and motivating, we need to make sure the goals we set are specific, realistic and achievable. Let’s apply the following pointers and craft resolutions we can keep and set ourselves up for second language-learning success in 2025 !

BE SPECIFIC : SET CLEAR GOALS

One of the first mistakes we make in crafting our language learning resolutions is that we are vague. A goal such as « study Spanish more » is too broad and will only cause frustration and failure further down the road. We need to set clear, specific goals that take into consideration the variety of skills required for language learning :

•         « I will learn 5 new vocabulary words every morning. »
•         « I will do 2 grammar exercises during my commute. »
•         « I will read one blog article every night. »

By narrowing our focus down to tasks that are concrete and measureable, it is easier to track our progress. Because these goals are achievable, we will regularly experience a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment which in turn helps feed motivation.

BE REALISTIC : MANAGING OUR TIME

Indeed, we are busy people and our ability to carve out time from our day to self-improve is really challenging and often the main reason why resolutions are quickly broken. So, we need to be realistic about the amount of time we can spend on L2 learning.

•         « I will spend 10 minutes every morning doing vocabulary exercises »
•         « I will take 10 minutes every night to listen to a podcast in Portuguese »
•         « I will use the 30 minutes of my daily commute to work on grammar »

If we set specific, clear learning goals that are achievable in the amount of time we can make for language learning, we have a much better chance of keeping our resolutions and making real progress.

BE REALISTIC : MANAGING OUR EXPECTATIONS AND IMPATIENCE

While we would all like to be fluent quickly, we know that mastering a second language takes time and dedication. That is why it’s vital we are realistic about the amount of progress we can make in a given time frame. Managing our expectations and impatience will enable us to overcome setbacks and obstacles. We need to set goals that take into account our current level as well as the amount of time we can spend on activities to improve :

•         Beginners : Set a goal such as working through the Beginner’s Manual in 6 months.
•         Intermediate : Aim to expand vocabulary and knowledge of tenses over the Summer.
•         Advanced : Participate regularly in conversations with fluent or native speakers.

Setting realistic goals means that the amount of time we intend on spending on learning is truly within our reach. It also means being patient with ourselves by managing our expectations for tangible results.

MAKE IT A HABIT

Part of crafting resolutions we can keep means we need to address the issue of regularity.  If we set regular, same time same place kind of micro learning dates with ourselves, we won’t need to « steal » or « find » time :

•         « I will read a blog article in Spanish every morning in bed before work. »
•         « I will do exercises in my manual on the bus from 5PM to 6PM.
•         « I will listen to a podcast in French at 4PM in the car while waiting for the kids. »   

By dedicating specific times and places to L2 learning throughout our working week, we are far more likely to turn these behaviours into habits that will last. However, if for some reason we have to cancel our date, let’s be kind to ourselves, and set another.

MAKE IT FUN

At the same time, for some odd reason, « good » habits are harder to form than « bad » ones. If we are to keep these resolutions over time, it’s up to us to find ways to make the learning experience fun and enjoyable. For example, we can :

•         Watch episodes of our favorite series in the target language.
•         Enlist the help of friends who have a good level in our target language and invite them over for conversation and pizza.
•         Listen to podcasts on topics we are passionate about.

CONCLUSION

Carefully crafted L2 learning resolutions will enable us to stick to them and thereby make the measurable progress we desire. However, we must keep in mind that language acquisition is a journey. We will need to be patient with ourselves, forgiving, flexible and look for ways to keep it light and fun. Happy language learning !