Introduction

One of the biggest shortcomings in my education was the neglect of studying a second language. Not necessarily English; it could have been any of the internationally prominent languages, like German, which I have great admiration for. My understanding is that a second language improves not only communication but cognition as a whole.

Due to daily, academic, professional, and even entertainment needs, the most appropriate initial choice is undoubtedly English. I had classes during school that "scratched" the surface of the language very timidly. I never had the opportunity to take a course focused solely on English, although I always desired it. The years went by, and my learning of the language occurred solely out of my own volition—reading books in English, watching movies and series. However, learning this way, without method and without deliberate practice, does not improve performance in the language. It expands vocabulary but does not internalize the structures necessary for real advancement. Thus, my knowledge of the English language translates to about 60% comprehension in reading and 15 to 25% comprehension in listening. In speaking, I don’t even achieve 10% performance. These self-assessments naturally depend on the context: in academic content, I perform better than in trivial everyday situations (notably because I read extensively about my academic fields).

This year, I decided to focus on reversing this situation. I know it may be late from the perspective of neuroplasticity; however, the need and desire to learn speak louder. I outlined a study plan that I will share the structure of here.

Learning Method

The first step is to establish the learning method. The most effective method I know, and one I have always practiced even when I didn’t know the definitions, is that of deliberate practice. Deliberate practice consists of an intentional learning method focused on achieving the highest performance possible. It consists of the following steps:

1. Set clear objectives;
2. Focus on weaknesses;
3. Obtain immediate feedback;
4. Push beyond limits;
5. Intelligent repetition.

What differentiates deliberate practice from ordinary practice is intentionality, discomfort, and immediate feedback acquisition. This structure is powerful and capable of achieving rapid advancements in any area.

But how do we insert this into the context of language learning? Well, each step is relatively simple. Our goal is to improve in English by focusing on a real target, such as taking a proficiency exam like the TOEFL and achieving an acceptable score. Our weaknesses are quickly identifiable: Is my listening poor? Can’t I watch a movie without subtitles? Do I not understand passages from a book? Obtaining immediate feedback is the hardest part of the process, as it requires a teacher or a tool that aids in immediate corrections; I believe that today, this role can be partially replaced by AI tools. Pushing beyond limits means always striving to overcome plateaus; that is, once a certain level is reached, immediately expose oneself to a more advanced and difficult level. Finally, intelligent repetition involves retracing the journey taken, seeking fixation by focusing on the main elements of the activity performed.

Tools

Materials to apply deliberate practice are plentiful when it comes to learning English. I am particularly concentrating on a few:

1. English books - these are the way I enjoy learning the most. I chose technical, literary, and popular current books to read them to exhaustion (reading and re-reading chapters, solidifying the more difficult passages and consulting unfamiliar words in a dictionary or on the internet).
2. English podcasts - the first batch of podcasts I’ve been listening to focuses solely on English learning (for beginner and intermediate levels). After a few weeks focusing exclusively on them, I want to start practicing with podcasts on specific subjects.
3. Movies and series - the supply is virtually unlimited. Initially, you use subtitles, and once a relatively good level of comprehension is achieved, you watch without them. The practice is the same as with reading: repeat excerpts, seek understanding of the more difficult passages.

Immediate Feedback

I do not have a personal teacher nor do I aspire to hire one. However, a strategy I have adopted is using AI to my advantage by communicating with it in English, asking for immediate correction. It is perfectly suitable for writing, but for speaking, it has not proven very effective. This is the biggest difficulty of my plan at the moment, which I intend to overcome by seeking support from friends who already speak English or looking for help in academic groups focused on speaking practice.

Patience

Throughout the learning process, one of the most fundamental tasks is to maintain calm and serenity. Progress is slow, yet not linear as we advance through plateaus. Maintaining patience and focus is something that needs to be part of the method. Managing emotions, relieving anxiety, and understanding one’s own limits is a challenge of self-knowledge, especially when dealing with a restless mind like mine, with cycles of hyperfocus. The way I found to deal with this is to set goals in a range from a minimum acceptable performance to a maximum desirable one: the minimum is an acceptable score on the TOEFL exam within 12 months, while the maximum is full proficiency with an active search for professional and academic opportunities abroad in up to six months. This range is quite broad but with clear goals, considering the level of energy I intend to invest in the endeavor, it is factual and achievable.

I intend to share my progress in learning English here. If anyone is interested in discussing the topic, feel free to contact me, and I will be happy to chat about it.

Until next time.