May 9, 2023·edited May 12, 2023Liked by Rebecca Ericson-Hua
Hope you feel better and congrats on completing your MA and getting married!
I often shy away from practicing speaking and I'm sure some of it has to do with anxiety of making mistakes. I recently found a new italki teacher who has been great in geting me to speak. It feels like im conversing rather than talking and waiting for my teacher to correct every single mistake I made. I think having an environment where the language learner can move at their own pace helps a lot.
I'm sure your new teacher has been a big help!! It's a great accomplishment as a language teacher to make your student feel relaxed enough so that they can practice without overthinking. & I definitely relate about anxiety over making mistakes (even in languages I'm pretty good at!!). & thank you for your kind words :)
I do think the affective filter theory is valid. When I practice Italian with friends and teachers I communicate more easily be wise I know they will help me with any mistakes I make. Yet, they were once strangers and I remember how we all apologized all the time or trued to let the other person speak longer do we didn't have to .
I think practicing with familiar people can be really helpful but the times I've sought out strangers have often made me feel more confident later on.
Interesting observation!! I definitely feel more comfortable speaking with people I know (who will be understanding of my mistakes), but there is certainly a big confidence boost that you get from successful interactions with total strangers. I suppose you need both!
For one, I'm reminded of how self conscious I was to speak French in Paris, even after 6 years of class. Until I was lost in the metro and needed help! Then the words flew out no probem.
I work with dyslexic students and I have 2 kids with audiological processing disorders. On top of that, their home life is far from ideal (affective filter high). Their reluctance to speak and their struggle to understand instructions is a HUGE barrier to their learning. I can see them trying to process, but they don't know what to do with the info.
Haha, I find for myself that what makes me speak without inhibition is actually a different type of emotion like annoyance or anger! I guess the new situation or emotion overrides the anxiety there. And wow, what a strong example of the affective filter -- hope that your persistence & understanding as a teacher pays off in the long run, and that the affective filter can start to lower!
Hope you feel better and congrats on completing your MA and getting married!
I often shy away from practicing speaking and I'm sure some of it has to do with anxiety of making mistakes. I recently found a new italki teacher who has been great in geting me to speak. It feels like im conversing rather than talking and waiting for my teacher to correct every single mistake I made. I think having an environment where the language learner can move at their own pace helps a lot.
I'm sure your new teacher has been a big help!! It's a great accomplishment as a language teacher to make your student feel relaxed enough so that they can practice without overthinking. & I definitely relate about anxiety over making mistakes (even in languages I'm pretty good at!!). & thank you for your kind words :)
I do think the affective filter theory is valid. When I practice Italian with friends and teachers I communicate more easily be wise I know they will help me with any mistakes I make. Yet, they were once strangers and I remember how we all apologized all the time or trued to let the other person speak longer do we didn't have to .
I think practicing with familiar people can be really helpful but the times I've sought out strangers have often made me feel more confident later on.
Interesting observation!! I definitely feel more comfortable speaking with people I know (who will be understanding of my mistakes), but there is certainly a big confidence boost that you get from successful interactions with total strangers. I suppose you need both!
Congrats on all the big, exciting things! And hope you’re feeling better!
Also: alcohol is my only hope for having any sort of conversation in a foreign language!
Thanks so much, Jillian!! :)
For one, I'm reminded of how self conscious I was to speak French in Paris, even after 6 years of class. Until I was lost in the metro and needed help! Then the words flew out no probem.
I work with dyslexic students and I have 2 kids with audiological processing disorders. On top of that, their home life is far from ideal (affective filter high). Their reluctance to speak and their struggle to understand instructions is a HUGE barrier to their learning. I can see them trying to process, but they don't know what to do with the info.
Haha, I find for myself that what makes me speak without inhibition is actually a different type of emotion like annoyance or anger! I guess the new situation or emotion overrides the anxiety there. And wow, what a strong example of the affective filter -- hope that your persistence & understanding as a teacher pays off in the long run, and that the affective filter can start to lower!