Our learning behaviours can be traced back to a few common profiles.
That’s what the recent studies in educational psychology indicate.
Likewise, our language learning behaviours can be attributed to a few common profiles.
That’s what the studies in communication reveal.
Proper language learning just takes the right approach.
It shouldn’t be too painful or too difficult.
Yet, innovative methods often seem to be left outside the usual practices for very long.
This is probably one of the reasons why learning a foreign language is still considered to be intrinsically hard and unrewarding by a large number of people, including, teachers themselves.
I’ve met a lot of language learners who have shaped their own mindset for learning.
They don’t necessarily know what type of profile they are.
What they know is that the learning they are offered often falls short of their expectations.
They believe that any piece of the newly acquired knowledge should be integrated into what they already know.
They often feel the need to build at least a few important links between what they have learned in the past and what they have got to know recently.
This type of leaner has a name.
It is a Knowledge Builder.
At least some of them may also perceive a foreign language in a very special way.
To them, it is a part of their identity.
A recent Finnish study calls them
Pidättäytyvä perfektionisti
(~ 'a reticent perfectionist'), although this name might not be entirely fitting.
What these individuals need throughout their learning path is a fail-safe environment.
They don’t usually improvise. They carefully plan first and check how it works out later.
Do not assume they are shy.
Do not encourage them to ‘take it easy’. A foreign language is their identity. They mean to keep it authentic,
however recently they may have started their studies.
What they also need is a predictable learning setup.
If it sounds like someone you know of (yourself included 😊), our services would benefit you most.
We share a learner-centered point of view and a ‘theatrical’ perspective on communication:
my premise is that the learner seeks to produce a specific effect on their listener/reader.
This is what the identity means for reticent perfectionists.
It also offers a specific vision of the Finnish language:
Five components.
Each component has its own effect on listeners/readers.
If you are a reticent perfectionist, I’m sure you will be happy to explore the Five components.
If you seek to offer help to a reticent perfectionist, you will find out what they likely need most.
And if either of you wants to keep track of the progress, I believe the Five components is the way to go.
Finally, I validated this model for interpreter training and tested it on myself when I learned Finnish.
This could give you some ideas about its practical usage.
Kuva: Maarit Pasanen (@valokuvaajatar)