Language-Learning Anxiety and How to Get Over It
So you’re a native English speaker who’s wanting to learn a new language. Maybe you took a class in high school or college, but forgot everything you’ve learned. Maybe you’re starting off completely from scratch. Either way, the task is daunting.
English sometimes seems like the only language you’ll ever need to know. In the United States, only about a quarter of the American population speaks a different language. Only 1.2% of UK students and 3% of American students choose to study abroad, and most of these trips are to Anglophone countries.
You probably already know there are huge benefits to learning a new language: from cognitive benefits, like improving memory and combating dementia, to societal benefits, like being able to deeply and authentically learn about another culture. There’s even evidence to suggest that learning a new language subtly changes the way you think about the world.
For whatever reason, here you are. You want to learn a new language. But it isn’t easy. Trust me, I know.
Bordeaux, France (my own photo)
I come from a monolingual family. My first exposure to a foreign language was taking basic French in high school. I hated the classroom atmosphere and would hardly study — I just barely scraped through the class. When I decided to save up for a trip to Bordeaux, France in early 2020, I had the naive expectation of naturally picking up the language from locals.
But even with the intent to learn a second language, travelers like me are likely to experience English embedded in the local culture as a lingua franca, and the immediacy of English internet and social media makes complete immersion a thing of the past.
A few times I tried to interact with strangers in cafés and bars. But surrounded by native speakers, I would get so self-conscious about my broken French that I just retreated back into my English bubble. What followed were several painful months of mumbed café orders, anxiety attacks, and frantic Google searches. Surely I couldn’t be the only one feeling this… right?
In his book, Stephen Krashen notes that there are two interconnected factors that explain second language achievement: aptitude and attitude.
Aptitude describes the rate at which you learn the language, such as phonetics, grammar, and using inductive reasoning to discover patterns.
Attitude, on the other hand, describes how motivated you are to learn. Personality factors, such as one’s self-image, confidence, and ability to empathize with others, are intrinsically connected to motivation.
Basically, Krashen argues that language-learning anxiety is a very real thing and has a significant impact on second language acquisition.
So how can you get over language anxiety?
The most important step to overcoming language anxiety is destroying your ego. This seems harsh, but to learn a new language means to accept that you’ll make mistakes. A lot of them. In fact, when starting out, pretty much everything you say will be wrong. And that’s okay.
A toddler has it easy when it comes to destroying his ego - he simply doesn't have one. He’s able to listen and repeat words without fear of judgment.
For adults, it’s more difficult, because we typically perceive ourselves as reasonably intelligent, socially adept individuals. These assumptions are rarely challenged when talking in our native language. However, speaking a new language means taking risks. Any performance in language learning is going to challenge your concept of yourself as a good communicator (especially if you’ve been raised in a culture that values high achievement). Something simple, such as accidentally ordering the wrong dish at a restaurant, can lead to self-consciousness, fear, or even panic.
So let me make something clear: Making mistakes does not mean you’re incapable or incompetent. You’re just new to the language. It is completely normal to be bad, and you will get better over time if you keep practicing. It’s all about having the intent to get better, and then following through with it.
Once I realized that no one cared that my French was terrible, I felt this huge weight lift off my shoulders. I found it was easier to try and speak with people, and when I said something embarrassing, I was able to laugh it off. Even the French, often known for their hostility towards non-native speakers, recognized that I was making an effort and graciously helped me through conversations. In short, language learning can be fun and rewarding if you can learn to accept your mistakes.
Here are 6 helpful tips for learning a new language:
Imagine yourself as bilingual. Really picture what you’ll be able to do once you master your target language— having a conversation with a stranger, being able to communicate with someone you love, easily reading books, etc. What does that future look like to you? It’s important to keep that big goal in mind when practicing so that you feel you’re working towards something concrete.
Consistency is key. Practicing ten minutes every day is way better than studying two hours on a Saturday. Make it into a habit if you can — personally, I love the productivity app Timecap.
Find things that are interesting to you. Have fun! Don’t limit yourself to pen-and-paper lessons or Duolingo. Listen to music in the language you want to learn, play video games, watch movies, or even read comic books — having pictures and sounds associated with concepts does wonders for memorization.
Find a native speaker who you trust. This can be someone you know personally or an online tutor. A native speaker will be able to correct your accent and grammar while speaking. If you don’t know anyone, you can meet interesting people through language-swapping events (such as through Couchsurfing). If you’re like me and are worried about messing up, just remember: this person genuinely wants you to succeed, and is there to help you.
Set dedicated periods of speaking only in the language (no matter how bad you think you are). This will force you to think of creative ways to describe things: if you forget the word for ‘milk,’ don’t just say it in English: say something like ‘liquid from cows.’ It will be difficult and embarrassing at first, but again, the more you do it the better you’ll become. For intermediate and advanced learners, try switching your phone’s settings from English to your target language — this keeps you interacting with the language throughout the day without even realizing it.
Above all, don’t give up! There’s a nice chart I found that explains the stages of learning a new skill. One day you’ll reach the point where you can say 'I did it!’ and it will be the best feeling in the world.
References
Glasglow Memory Clinic. (2019, May 21). Can learning language help prevent dementia? Glasgow Memory Clinic Ltd. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://glasgowmemoryclinic.com/news/learning-language-prevent-dementia/
Hardacre, B. & Guvendir, E. (2020). Second Language Learning Anxiety. In J. Liontas (Ed.), The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (pp. 1-7). Wiley. DOI:10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0988
Horwitz, E. K., Horwitz, M. B., & Cope, J. A. (1986). Foreign language classroom anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 70(2), 125-132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1986.tb05256.x
Krashen, S. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning. University of Southern California. Retrieved from http://196.189.45.87/bitstream/123456789/58723/1/26pdf.pdf
MacIntyre, P., Noels, K., & Clément, R. (1997). Biases in Self-Ratings of Second Language Proficiency: The Role of Language Anxiety. Language Learning, 47(2), 265–287. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ccl.idm.oclc.org/doi/epdf/10.1111/0023-8333.81997008
Mitchell, R., Tracy-Ventura, N., & McManus, K. (2017). Anglophone Students Abroad: Identity, Social Relationships, and Language Learning. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved from Google Books.
Sumerset, L. (n.d.) How To Overcome Second-Language Speaking Anxiety. LanguageSoftware.net. Retrieved April 11, 2021, from https://www.languagesoftware.net/blog/how-to-overcome-second-language-speaking-anxiety/
[tkoar]. (2021, February 5). Can’t get over paralyzing language fear? [Online forum post]. Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/French/comments/ld7p5x/cant_get_over_paralyzing_language_fear/gm4sqbf/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3.