MSI Press Blog

  In earlier posts, we’ve talked about hares and tortoises in language learning—those classic learner types who approach fluency either in a burst of brilliance or with deliberate, measured steps. Today, let’s revisit the hares, particularly those who have found a comfortable resting place at Level 3, or “Professional Proficiency,” and seem quite happy to stay there. Hares, often synoptic, right-brain dominant learners , shoot ahead in language acquisition. They become impressively fluent very quickly. They can talk around vocabulary gaps with creative circumlocutions. They can paraphrase on the fly, improvise idioms, and charm listeners with their expressive energy. But what happens when the hare, having outpaced the tortoise in reaching Level 3, falls asleep just shy of the finish line ? This, as Ehrman points out in Developing Professional-Level Foreign Language Proficiency (Leaver & Shekhtman), is the phenomenon of level  fossilization . (There are other forms o...

  Language learners often hit a plateau—Level 3. At this stage, they can communicate competently, even fluently, but something’s missing. They sound “off.” Their jokes fall flat. Their compliments raise eyebrows. Their emails are grammatically correct but socially awkward. They’re not stuck because they lack vocabulary or grammar—they’re stuck because they lack cultural fluency. And here’s the paradox: while becoming overly dependent on a teacher can keep you stuck at Level 3, getting to Level 4 almost always requires a guide. 🚧 The Limits of Textbooks and Classrooms Textbooks teach you how to conjugate verbs and decline nouns. Classrooms teach you how to order coffee and ask for directions. But they rarely teach you: Why a joke lands in one culture and bombs in another What assumptions underlie everyday expressions How gestures, tone, and timing shape meaning What behaviors are considered polite, rude, or downright bizarre How to interpret silence, sarcasm, or indirectne...

  In the journey of language learning, reaching Level 3—often labeled “Professional Working Proficiency”—feels like crossing a major threshold. You can spleak (speak + explain) with ease, navigate meetings, write reports, and even joke around a bit. You’re accepted. You’re functioning. You’re doing professional work in the target language. And that’s exactly where the danger lies. 🚧 The Illusion of Arrival Level 3 is seductive. It offers comfort, validation, and a sense of linguistic arrival. But it’s not the summit—it’s base camp. The real climb to Level 4, where nuance, precision, and cultural depth reside, demands a different kind of effort. And overconfidence is the silent saboteur that keeps learners stuck. Overconfidence at Level 3 manifests in subtle but powerful ways: You assume you're being understood. You spleak, and people nod. But are they truly grasping your intent, or just interpreting your words through generous context clues? You assume you're right. Yo...

  Continuing the topic of the barrier that some (many) language learners experience between ILR Levels 3 and 4, I would point to linguistic fossilization as a critical one. There are several reasons/explanations for linguistic fossilization. One of those is when learners develop high levels of communicative competence at low levels of proficiency (particularly at the lower reaches of ILR 3/Professional Proficiency).  Achieving Advanced Professions Proficiency/ILR, what is commonly called near-native foreign language proficiency, requires sophistication of expression, i.e. le mot just, precision, and lack of the need to circumlocute. Circumlocution and other compensatory strategies are great at Level 3 and below. They allow the language learner to communicate easily with a native speaker. They often brag that they are complimented on their proficiency (an overt sign that they are only at Level 3 since near-native speakers do not get so complimented--they are not recognized as f...