With school starting up again and fall heading our way, you might be wondering:
What do you I want to learn before 2019 comes to a close?
If taking another Finnish course comes to mind, but you’re hesitating for whatever reason, read this first.
Many people equate taking a Finnish course with learning Finnish. But there are many ways to learn Finnish; a course is just the most traditional way. It may or may not be what you need right now.
How do I know when a Finnish course is what I need?
Here are 5 questions you can ask yourself before signing up:
- Is the timing right?
Deciding to focus on your Finnish is a commitment of resources: time, energy, etc. Consider that the choice of WHEN to commit your resources is just as important as WHAT you put in.
- What else is going on in your life right now?
- Does now feel like a good time or are there too many competing priorities?
If now’s not the time:
- What do you need to do to make space for Finnish at a later date?
- What am I expecting from this course – specifically?
Do you need:
- More grammar, what specifically?
- more vocabulary,
- more conversation practice,
- more writing practice,
- accountability, encouragement, friends to speak Finnish with,
- fantastic explanations and making Finnish fun?
List out your main and secondary intentions and compare with course descriptions.
Consider also what you need ‘less of’. It’s incredible how sometimes when we shed rigidity, perfectionism, criticism, self-consciousness, unrealistic expectations, etc. we see huge improvements.
We don’t always need to add more, sometimes less will do. (If you’re not sure how to let go of these, I share my suggestion at the end of this post.)
- How does this course fit into the bigger picture of my learning?
You don’t learn to ride a bike by reading about it. Just like you don’t learn to speak Finnish only by studying it!
- How would another course get you closer to speaking Finnish?
- What will it enable you to do that you eagerly want to do?
- How will you use what you learn to enrich your daily life?
- Is classroom learning how I like to learn? Or is there another way?
- Have you always enjoyed learning in a classroom?
- Does the set-up suit you and your current needs?
- Is there another way that would be more fun and efficient for you?
There are an infinity of ways to learn a language, and classroom learning is only one of them.
- What’s my level?
Beginner – Intermediate – Advanced?
Instead try asking: what can you do with your Finnish?
If you have levels 1, 2, 3 under your belt but didn’t really understand what you covered in level 3, are you going to sign up for level 4? Look past these labels and see if you can find a course that’s more about what you need instead of what should know by now.
So is it time for another Finnish course…or something else?
If you’re still hesitating or feeling some resistance, join my community and get access to my free course Demystifying the Finnish Struggle.
I created this course to offer perspective on why so many people struggle to learn Finnish, what’s missing from the traditional classroom and how you can see beyond the struggle.
