How to Overcome Language Anxiety When Learning a New Language

What is Language Anxiety?

Language learning is fun until it’s not. You get to learn new phrases, a different method of thinking, and different cultures around the world. However, it could be challenging to talk to other people in your new language. Sometimes, we feel like we might say something wrong, make a stupid mistake, or pronounce a word wrong, and we forget that all of those mistakes are normal. 

The feeling we are talking about is called language anxiety, and it could be a serious problem because it keeps you from reaching your language learning goals and keeps you from progressing. Language anxiety is the tension or fear you experience when you try to speak or write in a foreign language. This fear could take many forms, for example:

• Feeling paralyzed or nervous when you try to speak in a new language
• You get panicked when someone tries to speak to you in the language you are learning. 
• Feeling overwhelmed and like your mind is “blocked” and you can’t understand anything you read or listen to.

If you have ever experienced those things, you are not alone. Almost the majority of language learners face those same issues, but now we will help you overcome language anxiety when learning a new language. 

How to Overcome Language Anxiety When Learning a New Language

There are many ways to overcome language anxiety when learning a new language; don’t worry. If you follow these steps, you will start to feel more relaxed, and you will speak the new language like an expert!

• Stay focused

When we start learning new words and studying grammar, we often forget about the excitement we used to get at the beginning of our language learning experience. 

Always think about these moments and reflect on the reasons you wanted to learn this language and your goals. Keeping your goals and objectives in mind will help you stay motivated and encourage you to practice more.

• Give yourself time

Don’t try to learn a language as quickly as possible; when you feel that way, you unconsciously start to stress about the language because you have put a deadline on it. You feel like you have to reach a certain level in a certain amount of time, which might pose an external stress element.

If you feel like you are struggling with something specific, like a grammar lesson or understanding feminine and masculine in many languages, give yourself time to study it slowly. Don’t rush things. 

Don’t confuse this with setting goals in general! Setting timely goals is important as it can keep us organized, but while planning, don’t try to learn the language as soon as possible. Listen to your mind and body. Some days we learn faster than others, and some days we feel more stressed about work, university, school, family, or something entirely else. 

• Avoid comparison

People learn at different paces, and you should never, under any circumstances, compare yourself to others. I know we have all seen the YouTube and TikTok videos of polyglots who speak five languages and more. Just because they say they learned a language in three months doesn’t mean you have to do the same. 

It’s not a competition; it’s a journey. Enjoy it. 

• Practice, practice, practice

Language learning is a skill to be acquired, not a subject to be taught. That’s our mantra at Mango Gate. We believe learning a language is a skill, like learning how to play the piano, swim, or draw. It’s something that you need to practice to get better at. 

Practice can come in many forms, and it could be different from one person to another. You can practice speaking by speaking to natives through language learning applications, by talking to your friends if they speak your desired language, or by simply speaking to yourself! 

You can practice listening by listening to podcasts, watching movies, documentaries, TV shows, and YouTube videos. 

There are hundreds of ways you can practice a language; try different methods and see what works for you. But no matter what, never stop practicing! 

• Accept your mistakes

A language is a way of communicating, sharing ideas, and connecting with people from outside your culture. If you can do that, then you've achieved your goal! 

You don’t have to learn a language perfectly and make no mistakes to communicate with others. Everyone, even in their native language, can make mistakes here and there; that’s normal. 

Don’t avoid communication in your new language because you think you will make mistakes or because you are waiting to reach a certain level. You can’t learn it all in theory and then start practicing it. Make mistakes, learn from them, and correct them, and you will progress better. 

• Speak in an encouraging environment

If you feel stressed in the environment you are in, you won’t progress. If you feel like you are among people who would criticize you and point out your mistakes, you will always feel discouraged to speak, and that will affect your language learning process. 

Here in Mango Gate, an encouraging environment is our number one priority. All teachers will help you practice in a safe space where mistakes are encouraged and errors are welcomed! Language learning is so much easier with us, so take a look at the languages we offer. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, language anxiety is a common hurdle that many language learners face, but it shouldn't stop you from achieving your language learning goals. It's crucial to recognize that the fear and tension associated with language anxiety are normal experiences. By following some simple steps, you can effectively overcome language anxiety and enhance your language learning journey.

Mango Gate is your reliable partner in the journey to becoming fluent in your target language. We are dedicated to meeting your language and cultural needs. With our flexible online language-learning platform, you can embark on your language-learning adventure anytime, anywhere, making the process both effective and enjoyable.

At Mango Gate, we prioritize experiential and effective learning through fun, engaging, and well-rounded group courses. Our conversational approach ensures you're always ready to strike up a conversation, even in real-world situations.

Join us to learn with passionate instructors who believe that language acquisition is most successful when it's enjoyable. Choose Mango Gate to transition from learning a language to living it.