LFF Founder Jessica Bonnard tells how she stays motivated to keep learning a language
Do you ever just feel like giving up? I know I do. I might have designed a whole language teaching programme, but some nights I’d honestly rather flop on the sofa than go to my online Spanish class.
I love my teacher and my classmates, we always have a giggle together. But often I’m so busy with work, I end up joining my weekly lesson from a motorway service station or dialling in from an unforgiving time zone.
We’ve also reached a level where the grammar is becoming more challenging. For a sworn grammarphobe, the Spanish subjunctive is nothing short of triggering. So I must admit, I wasn’t sure whether I’d sign up this year.
In the end though, I decided I owed it to myself.
I knew skipping a term would make it harder to keep up with the classmates I have spent four years getting to know. How else would I hear about their kids, partners and holiday homes?
I reminded myself of the last time I struggled with a tense. I had to keep at it for three whole terms, without much of a clue what was going on, before the penny finally dropped. So I know I’ll get to grips with the subjunctive over time.
I thought about the trip to Spain I’m planning with my daughter this summer.
Last time we went, speaking the language made no end of difference – and not just when I needed to know what was in my paella. We got great tables, better service and smiles from the locals when they saw we were making an effort.
Finally, I let myself be carried along on a wave of New Year’s good intentions. What seemed inhumane in the depths of Christmas self-indulgence – healthy eating, sport and limited wine – suddenly looked like a good idea again. I knew it would help me to keep my brain healthy and challenged.
While our classes can take away the stress of language learning, there’s still a lot of hard work involved. We can’t say it will be easy – or quick. But if you’re hesitating to sign up again, you might need to remind yourself of why you started learning in the first place.