by Keisha Centa Putri
Do you feel like you’ve spent so much time studying English, but it’s still not going anywhere? You’ve memorized a lot of vocabulary, you understand the basic grammar, and can even watch content in English often. Yet, when it comes to applying it in everyday interactions, you feel hesitant, confused, and lacking in confidence. Unconsciously, it may not be because of your abilities or way of thinking, but rather small habits that are quietly slowing down your progress.
Translating Everything in Your Head
The first habit that you may still often do is consciously translating all sentences in your head first. At first, this process can help you understand word continuity, sentence structure, and basic thinking patterns in English. However, when your level becomes more advanced, this habit eventually becomes a drawback. You want to say something in English, but your brain is used to translating Indonesian to English and not thinking in English. Unfortunately, this is what makes your response tend to be slow and awkward.
Imagine this, when you take that extra pause to translate Indonesian to English without saying anything it might make the moment awkward for your speaking partner.
To improve, try to begin thinking in English as well. Try small with counting in English, then saying small dialogues to narrate your day in English. When you discuss things in your head, try translating your thoughts to English. This can help you get used to thinking in English and shorten your translation time in your brain!
Additionally, expose yourself to English conversation as much as possible. Instead of only doing a passive phase of learning, try to use English actively by switching to English subtitles, speaking English in real-life, and thinking in simple sentences during daily activities to train your brain to link situations directly to English. One of the most recommended ways to learn English actively is by practicing digital hygiene, such as switching your phone language settings to English. These small yet active learning opportunities train your brain to link materials that you learned from the passive phase to real-life situations. If you want to understand this method clearly and apply it, you can continue reading in “More Exposure, Less Rules: A Better Way to Improve English.”
Too Focused on Grammar Accuracy
The second habit is focusing too much on grammar accuracy. You want every sentence to be perfect before it comes out of your mouth. As a result, you overthink and lose the right momentum to respond to your conversation partner. Proper grammar is good, but communication, meaning, and continuity are far more important because confidence and communicativeness are key. Fluency grows from the courage to try, not from the fear of making grammatical mistakes.
Avoiding Speaking Opportunities
The third habit is simple yet dangerous: avoiding speaking opportunities. In fact, this habit is an effect from the first habit, which is consciously translating everything in your head. Because you’re still doing that, speaking feels like a massive burden to you and creates fear, leading you to avoid opportunities to speak English. You may feel unprepared, afraid of making mistakes, or uncomfortable with your speaking style. However, speaking is a skill that cannot be developed simply by reading or listening. Speaking must be practiced by training your communication reflexes, social cues, and listening comprehension. The more you speak and interact, the more you understand how you respond in real-life situations. You start noticing your reactions and speaking style. And little by little, you will be more confident.
If you want to improve your English language skills, you must realize that progress is not just about studying harder, but studying in the right way and building it into a habit or routine. Stop these silent habits that are holding you back from developing your skills. Dare to think directly in English, prioritize communication, and look for opportunities to speak.
Source:
- Liu, N. (2023, August 3). How to stop translating everything in your head and break the habit. FluentU. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/learn/stop-translating-in-your-head/
- British Council Foundation. (n.d.). Fluency vs. accuracy. British Council Foundation. https://www.britishcouncilfoundation.id/en/english/articles/fluency-vs-accuracy
- DTS Language Services. (n.d.) 5 big obstacles to learning a new language. DTS Language Services. https://www.dtstranslates.com/language/5-obstacles-learning-new-language/
