Why on earth isn't my second language improving? Who amongst us is learning a second language? Maybe you are an expatriate in China learning Mandarin, or a Chinese local learning English. It has been said that learning your second language is the hardest, and that the third and fourth are easier. Give us strength – let us get the second to a standard we feel proud of! Fluency in a tonal language such as Mandarin (with a required knowledge of 2000-6000 characters to understand the written scripture) seems to be a challenge for every non-native Chinese speaker. And many Chinese value any opportunity to practice their English. That said, haven't we all expected a little more of ourselves, a bit more progress and a higher level of second language than daily courtesies, getting around the city and restaurant menus? One key to efficient foreign language learning, (no matter which foreign language one learns) is clear goal setting. A language course (or self-study program) which includes goal setting, will contribute to both the learners' control over their own language learning process and to developing their foreign language proficiency. Looking at 'Goal Setting Theory', this proposes that performance is closely related to an individual's goals. If you intend to keep developing your second language (whatever it may be), read on... Street wisdom suggests the best way to learn Chinese or English is to have a native speaking boyfriend or girlfriend. Sure, this is one way, but here are some others: • Structured lessons: face to face with a teacher, or over the internet • Total immersion: take the challenge and spend 2-3 weeks without your native tongue, learning directly through experience of the world itself, not through your first language • Podcasting and self-study • Accent reduction: when moving beyond the language itself, getting pronunciation close to perfect It is easy to say that a combination of the above is best, so how do you set goals for language acquisition, and how do they relate to the method of learning? After reviewing 15 years of goal-setting research and how it affects task performance (Locke EA, Saari LM, Shaw KN & Latham GP, Psychology Bulletin (1981), some of the conclusions reached included (amongst others): (1) Goal-setting and performance are related; (2) Goals affect task performance by focusing attention and action, mobilizing energy, prolonging persistence, and motivating the development of relevant strategies for goal attainment; (3) Difficult, specific goals produce higher performance levels than no goals, easy goals or vague "do your best" goals. Think about your own approach to learning a foreign language. What is your approach towards goal setting?  What impact is your current goal-setting strategy having on your progress? Firstly, why are you learning a foreign language? Perhaps you live or work in a foreign country, maybe you work with a multinational company or you have foreign clients, possibly you would like to know more about a culture so learning the language of the culture helps you, and the list goes on. Goal setting gives a focus to your learning (sub-goals), encourages you when you achieve them (a sense of progress), which in turn motivates you to keep going, and confidence to try these out in real life. When defining your goals, consider: • What exactly are your goals, and how manageable/achievable are they? For example, "I want to be fluent in English / Chinese in 3 days" is impossible and therefore unachievable. • Why do you want to reach these goals? • How are you going to reach these goals? • How can you measure your progress? • And importantly, what is the timeframe in which you will reach these goals? This table can used when defining your goals, and can have a positive affect on your performance. Why not develop your own set of goals, using this table structure as an example… What do you want to do? (Your GOAL)   Examples: Why do you want to do it? Eg.   Examples: How will you do it?   How will you measure your progress?   By when will you have reached this goal? 1.     Increase my day-to-day business vocabulary To know an effective ice-breaker when doing business with my foreign business partners       2.     Improve listening skills Participate more actively in meetings and discussions         3.     Improve accuracy when writing emails So my clients appreciate my professionalism and efforts       4.     Improve confidence when speaking Improve my intercultural communication and deliver better presentations       5.     Increase finance vocabulary Have more effective and clear communication in meetings and negotiations       When you are setting your goals, you can also embrace a widely-used approach to goal setting: the SMART model (developed and popularized by Stephen Covey). The SMART model below includes adaptations for adult learners. S = Specific - Make the goal very specific, both in terms of time and tasks M = Measurable - Monitor progress, and recognize when the goals have been achieved A = Achievable - You believe the methods you have selected will work. An impossible goal mostly means the method will fail. These are very demotivating R = Resourced - Adult learners should always invest in resources needed T = Time-based - Realistic time frames, with short-term and long-term goals Knowing that your performance is closely related to your own individual goals, get onto setting some goals today. Make a copy of the table above, spend some time thinking carefully about what your goals are and how you will achieve these goals, and complete the table. Check on your progress, monitor yourself and ask for feedback. Finally, remember to reward yourself when you do reach your goals. You will deserve it. Go to overview ->