Get Uncomfortable!
07/15/13 Filed in: how to study
If everything's under control, you're going too slow.
—Mario Andretti
Most of us prefer to stay in our comfort zone.
We feel in control and secure here. It’s known, it’s predictable, it’s…comfortable.
Unfortunately, this can hold you back in your language study. It’s precisely leaving your comfort zone which propels you to the next level.
Beginning students are less able to express themselves in English and generally have lower confidence. But, somehow—however basic their level is—they must get talking. Any topic is okay, as long as they’re working at communicating in English.
And for most people, what is the easiest thing to talk about?
Themselves.
We know ourselves and our immediate world best and it’s usually the first thing we want to talk about…in any language.
“How’s the weather?” “How was your weekend?” “What did you do yesterday?” “What are your plans for this evening?” “Where are you going this summer?”
These are our easiest topics, and they are perfect for beginners who are just learning to express themselves in an unfamiliar language. We feel safer here.
But this is just a starting point. It’s not the goal. As we improve and gain more confidence with English we must raise the bar and broaden our conversation topics. Only in this way will we expand our vocabulary and grammar, and learn to communicate effectively with many different people.
At English Now! we expect our students to graduate to more difficult topics as they progress in their English ability.
Take it easy at first. Expand the topics that you can converse about that concern your own situation and interests. Family, work, favorite TV shows, celebrity gossip: these can be the next step up from “What did I do last weekend.” These may be the topics you casually talk about with your friends and they are a good place to start. You’ll be called upon more to clearly describe situations, and to formulate and explain your own opinion. But since you are still in familiar territory, it’ll be a little easier.
However, this, too, is just another step along the way. “Normal” conversation with your buddies is not like normal conversation in an international social situation. The subjects you can intelligently discuss must go beyond this to become bigger and more worldly. It’s time to leave your favorite self-centered topics behind.
At a conference reception, a dinner party, a banquet, a reception, and even at more informal social gatherings, you won’t be able to talk so much about yourself and your own recent happenings. That would be selfish and, frankly, would be boring to most people.
Push to the next level. Expand your topics to go beyond yourself. Learn about what’s happening all over the world. There is a huge variety of interesting news and no shortage of free resources to learn about it. Everything is fair game. The broader the variety of subjects you can discuss, the better your English will get. Politics, health, science, business, environment, sports, education, culture, entertainment, technology…the list is endless.
Notice the borders of your English comfort zone and make it a point to venture beyond them. Even after years of study, your English will keep improving.
—Mario Andretti
Most of us prefer to stay in our comfort zone.
We feel in control and secure here. It’s known, it’s predictable, it’s…comfortable.
Unfortunately, this can hold you back in your language study. It’s precisely leaving your comfort zone which propels you to the next level.
Beginning students are less able to express themselves in English and generally have lower confidence. But, somehow—however basic their level is—they must get talking. Any topic is okay, as long as they’re working at communicating in English.
And for most people, what is the easiest thing to talk about?
Themselves.
We know ourselves and our immediate world best and it’s usually the first thing we want to talk about…in any language.
“How’s the weather?” “How was your weekend?” “What did you do yesterday?” “What are your plans for this evening?” “Where are you going this summer?”
These are our easiest topics, and they are perfect for beginners who are just learning to express themselves in an unfamiliar language. We feel safer here.
But this is just a starting point. It’s not the goal. As we improve and gain more confidence with English we must raise the bar and broaden our conversation topics. Only in this way will we expand our vocabulary and grammar, and learn to communicate effectively with many different people.
At English Now! we expect our students to graduate to more difficult topics as they progress in their English ability.
Take it easy at first. Expand the topics that you can converse about that concern your own situation and interests. Family, work, favorite TV shows, celebrity gossip: these can be the next step up from “What did I do last weekend.” These may be the topics you casually talk about with your friends and they are a good place to start. You’ll be called upon more to clearly describe situations, and to formulate and explain your own opinion. But since you are still in familiar territory, it’ll be a little easier.
However, this, too, is just another step along the way. “Normal” conversation with your buddies is not like normal conversation in an international social situation. The subjects you can intelligently discuss must go beyond this to become bigger and more worldly. It’s time to leave your favorite self-centered topics behind.
At a conference reception, a dinner party, a banquet, a reception, and even at more informal social gatherings, you won’t be able to talk so much about yourself and your own recent happenings. That would be selfish and, frankly, would be boring to most people.
Push to the next level. Expand your topics to go beyond yourself. Learn about what’s happening all over the world. There is a huge variety of interesting news and no shortage of free resources to learn about it. Everything is fair game. The broader the variety of subjects you can discuss, the better your English will get. Politics, health, science, business, environment, sports, education, culture, entertainment, technology…the list is endless.
Notice the borders of your English comfort zone and make it a point to venture beyond them. Even after years of study, your English will keep improving.