If you’re anything like me, you’re following a few English teachers and language coaches on social media. If you do, then the algorithm must be constantly recommending content that makes the wildest promises; we’re talking mastering English in 30 days, or speaking “like a native” in three easy payments.
These myths are detrimental to the learners like you, the ones who are already trying really hard and seeing no tangible improvement in their abilities. Let’s bust three of those myths and find some healthier strategies and targets for you.
MYTH 1: IMMERSION IS THE KEY TO LEARN A LANGUAGE
Immersion and being surrounded by native speakers won’t magically help you become more fluent—but having the right attitude definitely will.
One of my friends’ dad is French. He’s lived in the United States for over 40 years now. He’s married to an English native speaker, and uses English every single day. If immersion was the key, you would think he’d be speaking perfect English by now, right? Well, you’d be surprised at the number of mistakes he makes every day, both in terms of grammar and pronunciation.
Just being around native speakers isn´t the answer, you need to adjust the way you interact with the native speaker world around you. How are you trying to learn? Just using vocabulary as an example, have you tried any of the following:
- Actively working to commit to memory some of the new words you’re heard
- Transcribing the new words in order to make sure you are pronouncing them appropriately
- Using those new words in context, both in speaking and writing
While a committed and organized learner will thrive in immersion, they won’t succeed because of the magical energy of native speakers alone. They’ll do so because they can actively leverage the learning opportunities offered by native speakers, asking questions, listening actively, and reusing recently acquired vocabulary.
Conclusion: you don’t need to be surrounded by native speakers to get better. But you can definitely make the most of being around them like building a strong vocabulary acquisition strategy and practicing using those words with them.
MYTH 2: YOU CAN “MASTER” A LANGUAGE IN A FEW WEEKS
Short answer: you can’t.
Long answer: it all depends on what you want. Actually, let me help you with that: you probably want to be able to talk about your daily life, your personal problems, and some work-related topics in English. I know it, because that’s what most of my clients want.
The bold claim made by those 30-day courses is misleading: what do we mean when we say “speaking English” or “mastering a language?” Are we talking about the ability to speak it confidently in every single context possible, while being able to understand the technical vocabulary of every single field of knowledge?
Even native speakers can’t do that. I mean, how would a British architect manage a technical conversation about American football with a Boston native? And what if the Boston native needs to discuss the specificities of ranch management with a Texan cowboy? No one can truly master a language and learn every single dictionary by heart: we all have the capacity to be more or less comfortable in a series of situations.
Conclusion: reconsider empty words like “mastering” or even “speaking” a language. Define clear objectives for yourself. For instance talking in detail about what you did last weekend, explaining what your job entails, or feeling confident before an interview. Then decide on a course of action. Can’t decide? Get the support of a language coach.
MYTH 3: YOU CAN ONLY LEARN A LANGUAGE WITH A NATIVE ENGLISH TEACHER
Here’s the catch: native speakers are not better or worse than non-native speakers when it comes to teaching.
You are led to believe it’s the case because so many schools advertise having native speakers as the solution to all your problems. And schools are led to believe they should only hire native speakers because that’s what students want.
Unfortunately, it has probably more to do with the teacher’s ability to teach and their language awareness, i.e. how much they actually understand when it comes to the technicalities of the language itself. Speaking and writing a language is one thing; explaining stress rules and grammar requires more than that.
I have been myself rejected for multiple teaching positions because I wasn’t a native. I remember that recruiting manager being ecstatic after meeting me. After all, it’s not every day that you get to hire a PhD! I was asked for a copy of my passport. Suddenly, my degrees and years of experience in and outside the classroom didn’t matter. They only saw I was a non-native speaker and wouldn’t hire me.
I’ve hired, trained, and managed many language teachers, both native and non-native. I wouldn’t be able to tell you which group did the best job when it comes to teaching students and truly helping them get better and feel better about themselves. The most important part is who can best help you achieve your goals. Don’t fall for the marketing gimmicks.
Conclusion: it’s not about your teacher’s status as a native speaker or not. It’s about their language awareness and ability to actively support you as a learner. Pick the person who truly understands you and can share their experience of the language with you.
Language acquisition myths damage you, your learning, and your self-confidence as a learner. Don’t fall for them!