Playing the long game of language learning

Some of my coaching clients need to succeed by a deadline.

They’re professionals and students with a short-term goal related to their work or study – a job interview, an opportunity for promotion, an exam.

Others have travel plans and an upcoming departure date.

But several of my clients are learning for fun ‑ at their own pace and without pressure.

They live in non-English speaking countries and want to keep in touch with English.

So we catch up every week via video call to talk and work together.

For our session, Phueng will have written the next part in her ongoing time travel mystery for us to go over.

Carole often prepares for our meeting by translating an interesting article into English. We compare her translation with the original French version and discuss the main ideas, be it politics, fashion, travel, culture.

And Wednesday is “English evening” for Veronika. We get together online for conversation, then she watches an episode of a British murder mystery and before bed reads the next chapter in a family saga novel to tell me about next time.

We’ve been meeting for over five years on a “semester” basis with breaks for holidays, trips and busy periods.

We’re committed to continuing these slow and steady journeys because they’re focused, fun and flexible.

Could slow and steady suit you too?

Need a hand to set up and stick to your DIY language project? I can help.

© Christina Wielgolawski