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HOLA, language lovers ❤.
I am pleased to announce that a few minutes ago, we published a new interview in the OLS Blog section, in which we talk to the professional teacher and polyglot Elisa Polese.
Elisa is originally from Naples, but she has been living abroad for years, specifically in Germany. Throughout her life, she has studied ②⑥ languages, of which she teaches ①③: French, Spanish, Italian, English, German, Russian, Catalan, Dutch, Greek, Portuguese, Hindi, Arabic, and Esperanto.
Talking to Elisa has been fascinating, as there are few people in the world who know more about language learning than she does. The interview, which combines text with video, is mostly in English, although I also asked her a few questions in Spanish to put her to the test ✅.
Below, I share with you a couple of answers that I found relevant ⏬:
Why do people give up, and how can we overcome demotivation?
❝ I believe many people give up because they don't see immediate results. In this regard, it's critical to understand why you want to learn the language and choose good resources accordingly. If your goal is speaking, engage in conversations. If it's writing, dedicate time to writing. Another thing is that people often forget to have fun with language. Many are accustomed to traditional school-style learning, where yes, you learn, but it often lacks room for enjoyment. And when there is no space for fun, at a certain point, we give up. Also, in today's age of instant gratification from social media, we're accustomed to immediate results and having things quickly. Learning a language, like other important things in life, doesn't happen overnight. Just as you can't learn to play the piano or earn a degree in one day, you can't learn a language in 24 hours. It takes time, patience, and perseverance. ❞
¿Algún consejo que puedas dar a alguien que vaya a hacer un Erasmus+ en España o América Latina y esté nervioso/a por no saber si va a aprender español?
❝ Personalmente le diría: si tu objetivo es aprender español, olvídate del inglés. Tú eres la persona que está pagando e invirtiendo tiempo para ir a América Latina o España. Entonces, si quieres hacerte un favor y divertirte un montón, deja de lado el inglés. El primer mes va a ser un poco incómodo, pero después te lo vas a pasar bien. Muchas veces pensamos que si intentamos hablar un idioma que no dominamos mucho, vamos a sufrir durante los seis o los nueve meses del Erasmus, pero no es así. Afortunadamente, la cosa más bonita de aprender español en cualquier parte es que la gente es muy abierta y quiere hablar contigo. Además, los locales estarán contentos de que lo intentes. Por eso, vale la pena, porque tienes la oportunidad de practicar. Seguro que será una experiencia muy bonita. Respecto a cómo aprender, depende de tus preferencias y de tu objetivo. Yo lo haría con buenos recursos, escuchando mucho e intentando utilizar la lengua lo más posible. Cuando hice mi Erasmus en Inglaterra, cuando la gente me daba papelitos de publicidad en la calle, los leía todos y me los estudiaba, porque cualquier cosa que los nativos lean, yo también lo quiero entender. También me inscribí en el club de senderismo, de squash, de fútbol, etc. Aprovechad cualquier oportunidad. ❞
Do you want to read the full conversation? Click HERE.
This is not the first interview that we have conducted with a polyglot, as we have previously spoken with Stefani Kostadinova and Olly Richards. Feel free to check them out as well.
That’s all, people. ¡Hasta luego! :-)
Bernat, OLS Community Manager – Spanish