Tuesday's Tip for Language Learning #10: Take Time Off to Marinate

 


From Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star


Time Off: Marinating the Mind

 

Acquisition of a language does not occur in one setting, one course, or one year. It goes without saying, then, that language study will not be continuous, at least in the sense of every day without break. Of course, there will be breaks. Though many students, especially those in intensive courses, worry that they will lose some of what they have gained while they are away from their studies, that is usually not the case.

You see, language proficiency progress comes from both conscious learning and unconscious learning—and something I call the marination factor, which is related to the unconscious factor. As with cooking, “marination” requires taking some time out and walking away from active work. Just as meat does not remain the same while marinating, neither does your brain. It is busy sorting and categorizing the information you have been stuffing into it during you active conscious learning days. Now, the brain has time to stop receiving new information but does not rest because it is busy making better sense and organization of what it has already received. This time is essential for good learning.

So, what can and should you do while you are physically away from your studies? Here are suggestions that I have found to work for my students.

 

Account for the marination factor: give your conscious mind a rest and let your subconscious organize the grammar and vocabulary you have learned. 

Conduct an individualized review: Self-assess. Do you have identifiable gaps? Go for it. Fill them in. If you feel like it, spend some time regularly reviewing, but not every day and not copious amounts of time.  

Do some leisure listening and reading 

Try out your language skills with native speakers


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