Keep the flame alive, in love as in learning a language!

Oh, February 14th! The day of love. And that’s what we’re going to do today: talk about love. However, we are going to talk about love in the context of learning. Because did you know that when we like something or when we make our brain believe that we like something, we learn better?

To optimize your learning, it is essential to create a positive emotional bond with the language of learning.

Indeed, negative emotions such as fear, anger or apprehension make learning impossible. When we are stressed, the brain releases certain hormones (adrenaline, cortisol). These hormones prevent a good assimilation of knowledge. We will therefore give you some tips that work for learning as well as for love!

1. 1. Love your partner for who he is

   Everyone has flaws: grammar rules that seem complex, complicated pronunciation of certain sounds, or words as long as your arm. But let’s stop looking for perfection and accept the few flaws. Because let’s not forget we have them too!

   Adopt a positive attitude when you encounter difficulties or when a grammar rule seems impossible to understand: it may be the small defect of the language, but accept it.

    

   2. Take an interest and support his or her interests

   Taking the time to understand the language you are learning is essential. Don’t reduce it to grammar rules or a list of vocabulary. Take the time to be interested in the culture: listen to songs, visit exhibitions, learn about the history. This will create an emotional connection and a positive attitude towards learning.

    

   3. Make time with your partner

   Making time for your language learning is crucial. Plan fixed times. And don’t cancel those times. The time you invest in learning your language should be “quality” time. It is better to take the time and be really present than to “do for the sake of doing”.

    

   4. Listen and communicate

   Listening and communicating are the two pillars of a relationship. Take the time to listen (podcasts, movies, music, people who speak the language) and above all communicate! It is true that communicating is complex: what words to use? How to get across what I want to say? Don’t think too much, communicate as much as possible! Any opportunity is worth taking and don’t forget that practice makes perfect: the more you communicate, the more you will progress.

    

   5. Say I love you

   Say “I love you” to the language. When you have a class scheduled for 1:00 p.m., wake up and say, “What a pleasure to have this class at 1:00 p.m.! I’m so looking forward to it!” Your brain will take this statement as truth and you will feel a positive emotion at 1:00. And it is this positive emotion that will promote learning.

    

   Remember, building and maintaining a relationship takes work. It takes effort to keep the flame alive. Because what–other than love–could be more beautiful than learning a language in an optimal way?

    

   Have a great Valentine’s Day and see you soon!

    

   The SWISS LINGUA team