WHY CAN’T I IMPROVE?

“Why, in all those years, I can’t see an improvement?” WHY?

That’s the question most English learners asked, including me when in the last few years. So, what can be the reason for a learner’s English proficiency won’t increase regardless of his time spent learning…

First….

Let’s define what is proficiency.
Proficiency is a skill and experience that a person has achieved throughout years he spent learning. We can measure it with five levels:
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advance
- Proficient
- Expert

So, is proficiency the same as LITERACY?

They’re related but not the same.

Literary is having the skills to be able to read, write, and speak to understand and create meaning, while proficiency focuses more on how much the learner mastered a language.

The problem with most learners is that they focus more on quantity, not on quality. They want to learn everything, without actually practicing it. It was my mistake before. I thought I’m fluent enough in Spanish because I know the grammar, lots of vocabulary words, and pronunciation…but when I encountered an actual native Spanish-speaking Mexican, I froze in confusion.

To be proficient in English takes daily learning. Make time for a casual English conversation, like what I do when learning different languages. Talk to fluent friends and book English teachers, like me, to practice your skills?training mind and mouth to work in synchronism.