#now that i'm n2 i feel fairly confident that i'm understanding about 50% of most conversations lol

[languagelvlup]

When I first started teaching English, I totally bought into the idea that my students just needed more speaking practice. After all, they had been studying English since elementary school, so surely the knowledge was already inside of them and they just needed practice to bring it out

This came partially from the way the lessons at my school were set up (a "eikaiwa" in Japan aimed at "teaching" English "conversation"). It also came partially from my own beliefs. I had studied Spanish for years and gotten a 5 on the AP exam and minored in it at university, but I still couldn't speak and surely that was because I didn't have enough opportunities to practice.

But now after becoming fairly proficient in Japanese, I've realized that the reason I couldn't speak Spanish well is...I just never got that good at Spanish. Tests =/= fluency.

Finally admitting that to myself has helped me be a lot more realistic about language learning and grow so much as a teacher.