Long-Term Learner of English
Lola Vallés: Being a Long-Term Learner of English
Many people try to sell us the idea that you can learn a language in a very short time. Don’t believe it. Learning a language is not a quick activity it’s a lifelong process. We all know how humans learn to speak at the beginning of our lives: by listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In my case, learning English has become a way of life, and I’d like to share how that journey has been for me.
It all began when I became a mum and started thinking about what I could do to help my children grow and learn. I decided to “tune” not only my television but also my radio so that everything worked only in English. That’s how I began practising listening from the most basic level. I did it without any big expectations, and it took me years to get used to it. At first, I could only catch a few words, then full expressions. The excitement motivated me to imitate the pronunciation of the words I recognised or the expressions I liked the most. Soon, I began giving my sons little instructions in English, things like “brush your teeth,” “pick up the toys,” and “wash your hands.”
Later, I started reading fairy tales to my kids, and that encouraged me to read books I already knew in Spanish but this time in English. That helped me feel confident because I already knew the stories. Little by little, I added new books and discovered that it wasn’t so difficult to understand what was happening, thanks to the context.
As my confidence grew, I wondered if I could teach my subject history, in English. I’m a secondary school history teacher in Valencia, so I decided to take the challenge. That’s when I contacted Denzle, who helped me develop my communication and teaching skills in English. I’ve now been teaching my subject in English for six years.
For me, English is alive it’s not just words and expressions. That’s why English has become a way of life for me: it’s culture, its history, it’s connection. I love how Denzle teaches me about the origins of words and expressions; in fact, I’ve become addicted to idioms because of that!
In conclusion, being a long-term English learner takes time, but the rewards are immense. It’s not about getting a certificate, it’s about letting the language get under your skin, making it part of your everyday life, and of course, enjoying the process and all the benefits that come with it.
Lola Vallés: Being a Long-Term Learner of English. Silly Conversations The Podcast, learning just got sexier. 😎