Lesson Transcript

When learning a new language, many people are scared of making mistakes and feeling embarrassed. But mistakes can be your biggest asset when learning a new language.
Mistakes are not something to be afraid of! They're to be learned from and remembered.
In this video, we'll look at how mistakes can help you learn faster.
Part 1: How Mistakes Make you Remember
Think back to when you were in grade school. Think of a mistake you made in front of everyone in the class. This is probably easy to remember for most people; you were likely very embarrassed.
When we make mistakes, we often immediately look around to see other people’s reactions. Some people are compassionate. Other people are not so compassionate. And we tend to notice the negative reactions a little more; we remember the people who might be laughing at us or smiling. We remember these embarrassed feelings -- sometimes for a very long time. Sometimes these experiences affect us for years.
The same thing is true with language mistakes. If you make a language mistake in public, you're not likely to forget it.
It could be a simple vocabulary word mix-up. Or a silly grammar mistake that changes the entire meaning of what you want to say.
In moments where you make mistakes like these, though, you'll find that most people won't be bothered by your mistake; some people might even help you correct it! But the feeling of embarrassment might remain. Use your mistakes as moments to remember and look back on; use them to make sure you don't make the same mistake again.
Mistakes can happen in a classroom setting between a teacher and group of students, at a public place between a customer and business, or even between friends. Regardless of where the mistake happens, it's common to feel a bit embarrassed. The key is to use memories of mistakes as reminders.
Of course, no one likes feeling embarrassed. Think about what you learned from the experience, and make sure to correct your mistake for the future.
Making mistakes (and seeing that it is OK to make mistakes) is essential for continued language learning. It's normal to fail at first! After that, continue to practice and repeat the correct words, grammar structures, and pronunciations. Practice and repetition are what will really help you learn the language in the end.
So, accept that you'll make mistakes, and keep practicing your language skills. Soon you'll be speaking with greater confidence.
Part Two: How You Can Apply this to Your Language Learning.
Conversational skill, whether in your target language or in your native language, is something that needs to be practiced. It’s like with martial arts or a sport; you can imagine yourself doing a kick or trying to score a goal, but actually taking action is a lot different than reading about it, and you're probably not going to be able to do it without practice. With conversations, you can go up to someone and say a phrase, but that might not lead to a conversation.
Without practice, it's difficult to continue conversations. As you practice, you'll make mistakes, yes. But through those mistakes, you'll grow.
Here are 3 tips to help you work through your mistakes.
One: You have to speak, and accept that you'll make mistakes.
Two: Create opportunities to speak.
And three: Build on your experiences. Remember the mistakes you've made and actively work to correct them.
Keep these tips in mind so you can embrace your mistakes, practice your speaking skills, and continue moving forward in your studies.
Don't be afraid of mistakes! They can be a huge help!
And for even more ways to improve your language skills, check out our complete language learning program. Sign up for your free lifetime account by clicking on the link in the description. Get tons of resources to have you speaking in your target language. And if you enjoyed these tips, hit the "like" button, share the video with anyone who's trying to learn a new language, and subscribe to our channel. We release new videos every week! I'll see you next time.
Bye!

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