5 things that are keeping you from improving in Chinese

Feeling like you’re not making any progress in Chinese anymore? That you’re staying stuck? You know what? There’s a reason why. 5 actually! Let’s see the top 5 reasons that make us think we’re not improving much in our Chinese learning and why we feel we’re staying at the same level of Chinese, despite our best efforts.

This article is part of the Learning Chinese Motivation Playbook
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You are now several sessions in your motivation program, meowsome! I thought I’d check in to see how it’s going for you so far since you started to follow the motivation tips from the Chinese learning motivation playbook. I believe that the last lessons have already given you the basics to succeed.

Today, we’re going to talk about feeling good about our progress in Chinese, and what’s keeping us from that.

As oppose to you that follow the Motivation guide with us, you won’t be like the eternal Chinese student. And most of the time, after years of Chinese learning, why do they feel they’re still at a beginner level? Below, you’ll find 5 root causes that are generally the main answer to this question, and of course, what to do to change that. With these tips, you should be able to get rid of the top 5 reasons you’re not improving in Chinese and don’t become an eternal Chinese learner.

Reason 1: We learn by intermittence looking for the best method

You want to learn Chinese and you’re on the lookout for the perfect Chinese learning solution for you. That’s good, find the one that works for you. But does this situation sound familiar? You started to look around for books and podcasts. Then, you tried a lesson there, watched a video here, downloaded an app to learn Chinese to get a taste of it… only to move on to the next thing you see before having really tried their method to learn Chinese.

It’s time to start and to stick with the one or two you prefer for a while and verify the effectiveness of the method. over time. First of all, reading about the best way to learn Chinese is not the same as actively learning new things. Secondly, most of the methods to learn Chinese available nowadays are progressive and grow with you as you go along. So, doing them only from to time to time and for a short while will decrease the effectiveness of your Chinese learning overall. Start with Ninchanese to learn Chinese and stick with it for a while, you’ll soon be seeing results that’ll make you want to stick around.

Reason 2: We don’t dedicate time each day to learn Chinese

Learning a language involves having a phenomenal quantity of things to learn to use. Your “Chinese memory” needs to be refreshed constantly to keep making progress and to not regress. We all have responsibilities and tons of thing to do during the day and we know it can seem hard sometimes to find time to study the Chinese language. That is why it’s a good idea to pick a time for you to do your learning, make up a schedule during the day and to try to make it a rule to stick to it, even with your day to day job. That’s when the momentum will come and your learning efforts will pay off the most! It’s through regular practice that you’ll learn Chinese for good.

Reason 3: We lose track of what we’ve already learned

When we start learning Chinese, we are empowered by all the new things we learn in the beginning. The sensation of unlocking the language and of progressing really fast feels oh so good. After a while, this gratifying feeling will somewhat fade.
Fear not, however, that’s how you know you’ve entered a whole new level in your Chinese learning journey. That level is different and so it’s normal that you have a different feeling about the language. That instant satisfaction from the beginning may have disappeared, but if you show yourself what you can now do, it helps tremendously to stay motivated. Measure how much you’ve grown since and improved by putting to practice what you’ve learned and by seeing all the situations you can now talk about. That’s why at Ninchanese, you learn the language by speaking to the computer in real life situations that help you give meaning to what you’re learning. It’s a great way to feel good about the progress you’re making!

Also, after practicing day after day, it’s normal to lose track of your first objectives. Remind yourself of why you started in the first place and what your main goal is. It’s a great time to go back to your roots and channel that energy again. Try using a visual board to keep your mind and motivation strong or to pin your main goal close to your dedicated place to learn Chinese to be reminded daily of what inspired you to start learning.

Reason 4: We “forget” Chinese vocabulary we learn by not giving ourselves enough time to memorize the language

Your memory is your trusty friend, but don’t put too much pressure on it. It’s here to help but it also has its own way of working and you need to understand it. Working hard during two hours, and doing an intense session of Chinese memorization is extremely demanding for your memory. There’s quite a lot thing to remember, the Chinese characters, the pinyin, the pronunciation, the tones, the grammar rules and an overall meaning to dialogues and sentences. Chances are, you’ll feel exhausted after your session, and you will certainly have a difficult time redoing a session again the next day.

Take your time, let your memory take the time it needs to memorize Chinese in the long term. Doing a 20-minute practice session a day on Ninchanese, thanks to the cognitive algorithm will have a better effect on your Chinese level in 3 months than anything else you could do. The plasticity of the brain is extraordinary when you know how to use it well. So, take your time to learn the Chinese language, and you’ll memorize and progress a lot better.

Reason 5: Don’t want to speak Chinese by fear of shame

You won’t feel that you progress if you don’t use your Chinese to speak with other learners or native Chinese speakers. Remember the instant gratification process? It’s amazing to feel that you understand what your interlocutor is saying and to be able to answer them back. The more you do it, the more you’ll be confident starting a new conversation. You’ll see the direct benefits of learning Chinese every day and will feel pumped to learn even more!

So what do you think? Are you ready to give these tips a try and to fight against the reasons that are keeping you stalled! Ninchanese and your Chinese motivation guide are here to help you do that. Are you ready to continue this adventure? Have you found the perfect time to learn Chinese? The perfect place to learn Chinese? Is learning Chinese a habit now? Did that improve how you learn Chinese? Please comment below to let me know!

Next, you’ll discover how to create an efficient learning routine by not breaking the Chain. Let’s make sure you get the most out of your learning, to make your Chinese learning journey a success! Are you ready to continue this adventure?

The Nincha Team

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