Overcoming the plateau effect in learning French: an essential step in building your confidence in French
- Up your French
- Dec 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Overcoming the plateau effect in learning French: an essential step in building your confidence
When learning a new language, the first few months can seem magical. Every new word, every complete sentence spoken brings a sense of rapid, rewarding progress. But then the pace slows. You feel like you're stagnating. Welcome to the so-called “plateau effect”. If you're living in France with a French-speaking partner and you're feeling this stagnation in your French language learning, you're not alone.
It's a natural and necessary stage. Let's take a look at why this phase is important, how to overcome it, and why you need supporting in this process.
I know it very well, as you know, I am currently learning Italian, and like you, my motivation goes from maximal to desappointment.
In this blog post, I’ll share my personal experience with this challenge and the effective strategies I used to overcome stagnation and regain my motivation in learning a foreign language but also the advises that I give to my students and are the most successful.
What is the plateau effect? (or plateau phenomenom)
To effectively combat the plateau, I first had to understand what was happening. The plateau effect occurs when language learners appear to be making little to no progress despite ongoing efforts.
In Moving beyond the plateau, Richards (2008) identifies five reasons why people learning a new language reach a plateau:
the gap between the ability to understand and the ability to express oneself,
persistent, fossilized linguistic errors,
increasing fluency at the expense of complexity,
a limited range of vocabulary,
adequate expression but lacking the characteristics of natural speech.
A professional teacher should be aware of these facts, but not everyone has the empathy to deal with the psychological effects.
Why does the Language plateau effect occur?
Your brain needs to anchor knowledge.
In the early stages of learning, your brain works at full speed to assimilate the basics. But, like an athlete making rapid progress at the start of training, there comes a point when progress slows down. This “pause” allows your brain to consolidate what you've already learned. For example, if you can now follow a simple conversation with your in-laws, it's thanks to this anchoring phase.
On the emotional side, however, there's a great deal of frustration, a feeling of “I'm getting nowhere”.
You may have the impression that you're making an effort without seeing any visible results. This feeling can be demoralizing, but it's also a sign that you're reaching a level where details and precision become more important.
Why is this phase essential in your learning journey?
The plateau effect is not a failure, but an opportunity.
Here's why:
=> Lasting learning.
The knowledge anchored during this phase will become a solid foundation. For example, the everyday vocabulary you use at the market or in conversations with your children's teachers will become natural.
=> Time to improve.
Instead of learning more and more new words or rules, this stage allows you to concentrate on quality: good pronunciation, nuances in verb tenses or appropriate use of expressions.
=> A step towards confidence.
This is where you build lasting confidence to face more complex situations, such as a conversation with your in-laws or a call to customer service. Even if you feel you're doing less and less well, doubting more and more, it's during this period that you synthesize all your learning and make sense of it in your brain.
How to overcome the plateau effect when learning French?
1. Adjust your expectations.
Remember that learning is not a straight line. Measure your progress differently: did you manage to understand an important news item on TV or participate in a group conversation without panicking? These are victories!
2. Change your approach.
It's essential to diversify your learning methods. Use French songs, watch films or keep a diary in French, but also reread your notes and do exercises. One of our students found that listening to a French podcast every morning while making breakfast was a fun and effective way to make progress.
3. Set realistic goals.
Rather than aiming for perfection, focus on small goals: talking to your in-laws, attending the school reunion or managing an administrative task on your own.
4. Seek support.
You're not alone in this journey. Sharing your failures and successes with your partner, so that he or she realizes how difficult it is to learn a new language, or with your trainer, for even more support, can turn this difficult stage into an enriching experience.
Sharing my experiences in my target language helped me improve and motivated me. Hearing other people's success stories strengthened my resolve. Taking part in workshops or conferences related to my interests, such as local cultural events, has also awakened my passion for the language.
Eventually, being surrounded by native speakers daily created an immersive atmosphere that I had initially overlooked. I I decided to take advantage of every opportunity to communicate, whether with shopkeepers, my il-laws or friends. Each interaction became a valuable lesson 💙.
How UpYourFrench helps you get through this phase of consolidating your French?
With me, you're never left on your own to deal with the frustration of the plateau. I know that motivation is one of the keys (but not the only one ;)). Here's why my program is designed to keep you on track:
Personalized daily follow-up.
We stay in touch to monitor your progress, motivate you and adjust the course if necessary.
Variety of methods.
We use a variety of activities, from role-playing to prepare dinner with friends, to studying popular songs to improve your vocabulary, to simulating telephone conversations.
Empathy and expertise.
I know and therefore understand the challenges you face. Together, we transform the plateau effect into an in-depth, positive learning experience.
If you want to talk about, you can book your free chat.
In conclusion
The plateau effect is not an end, but a springboard. It's an essential step in enabling you to speak French with confidence, whether you're talking to your in-laws or simply feeling at ease in your daily life.
With the right approach and support, you can overcome this phase and achieve your goals and become confident in French.
By embracing conversation, diversifying resources, setting achievable goals, seeking inspiration, and reflecting on progress, you'll regain the enthusiasm you had at the start of your learning process.
Ready to regain your confidence and move beyond this plateau? Book your call now to discuss your goals with us!
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