The Spanish learning curve

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In this article we’ll be discussing the Spanish learning curve, so buckle up and get ready.

I like it when I hear English natives referring to ‘steep learning curves’. The expression conveys with astounding mathematical precision that they’re struggling with that skill, or sometimes that you’ll struggle before you start to see the results confirming our efforts are paying off.

I like that we call it a curve and not a line. As you probably know, the line is a manmade creation. It’s an artificial thing that you won’t fin in nature. Calling it a curve we’re acknowledging the processs of learning is non-linear.

Perhaps it makes more sense to call it the learning doodle, as we get lost, stray, and get back on track, only to find ourselves hopeless.

However, I feel there’s a chance that we don’t fully understand the implications and still expect our progress to replicate the all-too-famous straight line from zero to hero.

You probably know false expectations are deadly, and setting off to learn a language expecting your journey to be like that will only leave you disappointed. Instead, you should be ready beforehand for the the stumbles and falls involved in learning a foreign language.

Skills have a learning rhythm

In short, there are four stages of competence:

  • Unconscious incompetence (I don’t know I don’t know)
  • Conscious incompetence (I know I don’t know)
  • Conscious competence (I’m learning and getting better)
  • Unconscious competence (The skill I was learning has become second nature)

How does this fourfold road map help? Well, it provides us with valuable insights into our learning. All starts in the dark, and gradually becomes clearer. It’s unnatural to expect phase 4 when we’ve not taken a single step, as it is to think that being soaked in confidence will make up for all we don’t know.

Bringing this framework to language learning, phase 1 is difficult to imagine, as most people who don’t speak Spanish clearly know they don’t. But don’t forget that on stage 1 they don’t know they don’t know. What we have on phase 1 is people who’ve been learning for a relatively short time but are in the height of their romance with the language.

Then something comes to show they have gaps in their abilities. Perhaps a specific interaction or situation triggers this frustrating experience. It’s time to put some conscious effort into the matter.

This is where they actively work on improving their language skills. While structured study and practice are essential, it’s also a phase where learners discover their individual learning preferences. Some may excel through immersion and real-life practice, while others benefit from more structured methods.

It’s at this stage that learners often discover their own unique approaches to language acquisition. They might explore various learning resources, experiment with different methods, and find what works best for them personally. This phase can involve a degree of trial and error as learners figure out their optimal strategies.

Eventually, phase 4 can be devised in the distance. If they continue to push forward, it’ll become a reality. Most probably, reaching this stage is the ultimate goal for language learners, but it often takes time and consistent practice.

At this stage, learners can use the language fluently and naturally without conscious effort. Conversations flow smoothly, and they can understand and respond without needing to think about grammar rules or vocabulary.

But even at that stage, you need to stay with it, like you would in a beautiful garden of colorful flowers that have just bloomed. (The Barroque got me there)

Embrace the entirety of your language learning journey, from the initial romance with the language to the more challenging phases of conscious effort. Understand that progress is non-linear, and each stage has its unique value. Stay committed, stay curious, and enjoy the process.

There’s another curve I’d like to discuss sometime soon, the forgetting curve.

Until next time,

Thanks for stopping by,

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