An interview with a non-native speaker: From beginner to expert

Personal Journey & Motivation of a Non-Native Speaker

1. What motivated you to start learning English?

To be honest, I wasn't really motivated to learn English. I was just put in a position where I had no choice but to speak it. In hindsight, it was a blessing because now I can converse with native speakers without much problem. However, there are still times where I still have to search for words to properly express what I mean to native speakers. I know that learning English is a never ending process and that there will always be room for improvement and this site will help me hone my skills even further.

2. When did you first start learning English, and what was it like at the beginning?

I first started learning English in school and I can honestly say that it wasn’t my best subject. I wasn't bad at it but at the same time I wasn't the best at it. Add to the fact that I was a shy person and hated to speak in front of a crowd, it wasn't really something that I looked forward to in school. In addition, there was a lot of bullying in school and that if you were good at speaking English you usually got bullied so I wasn’t really giving it my all to learn it. However, I still did all the homework given in school so I didn’t really lag behind when it came to the subject. I can honestly say that English is not a hard language to learn but that may be because my primary language is also latin based like English.

3. Was there a specific moment when you realized, “I’m fluent now”? How did that feel?

To be honest, I still don't consider myself fluent in the English language. Yes, I can converse properly but I can feel that there are still times where I’m lacking the vocabulary to express myself properly. During those times where I lack the vocabulary, it’s always at the tip of my tongue. I always say to myself that I should start reading more books to expand my knowledge but I just never get to it.

4. What were your biggest struggles during the learning process?

My biggest struggle during my learning process was definitely not being able to understand native speakers with a thick accent. Their pronunciation is just so different to what I was used to hearing so it was very difficult in the beginning. However, being put in a position where I was exposed to it everyday helped a lot. I guess being taken out of the frying pan and thrown into the fire helped expedite my learning process. I can still remember listening to rap and r&b songs, writing the lyrics, and repeating the same line over and over until I get the rhythm and pronunciation properly. I can say that repetition and being exposed to the English language and conversing with native speakers everyday really helped. If there is something that other English learners should do, it is definitely just go for it and speak with native speakers. Don’t be shy in making mistakes because that is where you will learn.

Learning Methods

5. Which learning methods or tools helped you the most? (Apps, books, shows, music, classes?)

Back then, there weren’t really any apps because smart phones didn’t exist yet. There are PCs but the internet was still fairly new and so I had to buy CDs or cassette tapes and record the songs I like and put it on repeat. There were times where I had to repeat the same lines 5, 10, or even 20 times just so I could understand what the artist was saying and I wrote down all the lyrics of the song. TV shows such as FRIENDS, Everybody loves Raymond, Seinfeld were also helpful because I lack the “American humor” and these shows help me understand them slowly.

6. Did you focus more on grammar, vocabulary, or conversation skills in the beginning? Why?

I most definitely focused on both grammar and vocabulary memorization because that was how I was taught in school. Thinking back, I wish I had just focused on my conversational skills because grammar and vocabulary come with this skill. Add to the fact that grammar and vocabulary didn’t matter that much when talking to native speakers unless you’re in a professional setting.

7. How did you practice speaking and listening if you didn’t live in an English-speaking country?

The times I actually practiced speaking and listening to the English language before I moved to an English-speaking country was during leisure time such as listening and singing songs and watching and imitating actors from TV shows.

8. Were there any unusual or creative techniques you used to improve your English?

I'd say that the most unusual technique that I did was writing down the words by how I hear native speakers pronounce them and just kept repeating the words over and over. I'd also add that listening to rap songs helped me to better understand native speakers that speak unusually fast. People usually wouldn't recommend listening to rap as beginner friendly but in my opinion exposing yourself

Cultural Immersion

9. How important was English-language media (TV shows, music, podcasts) to your fluency?

Unfortunately, there were no podcasts back then so I never really experienced listening to that type of media while learning. However, I listened to a lot of music and watched all types of tv shows and I can attest that they helped quite a lot.

10. Did learning English change the way you saw the world or experienced other cultures?

I don’t think English changed the way I saw the world because I was exposed to the language at a very young age. It did help me understand and experience other cultures easier since I was able to understand what they were saying.

11. Have you ever experienced culture shock or funny misunderstandings due to language?

To be honest, I can’t recall any funny misunderstandings but that may be because I had no idea that something like that happened.

Motivation & Mindset

12. What kept you going during times when you felt stuck or discouraged?

Whenever I feel blue, I listen to music so even though I feel discouraged I still actively try to memorize and understand the lyrics to songs I listen to.

13. How did you overcome the fear of making mistakes or speaking in front of others?

I overcame the fear of making mistakes when I accepted the fact that acknowledging mistakes is where you learn the most. On the other hand, I still haven’t gotten over my fear of speaking in front of others. It is something thatI definitely have to work on in the future.

14. Do you think fluency is more about consistency or talent? Why?

Fluency is definitely more about consistency in my experience. In my case, I went back to my home country and the people around me rarely use the English language and I barely have people to talk to that can speak fluently here which is why I feel that my vocabulary has gone down and I stutter more because I have to try to think about words more often now than before when English was second nature to me and words just rolled out my mouth without thinking.

Results & Impact

15. How has being fluent in English changed your personal or professional life?

Let’s talk about my personal life first because English hasn’t really affected that part of my life as much as I would have wanted it. My professional life is a different story, it’s like a night and day difference. While working, I have to use English more often, especially during meetings. There are still times where we use our native language at work but more often than not English is the preferred language because there are others that don’t speak our native language and it isn’t appropriate to speak in a language that our other co-workers don’t understand.

16. Do you now think in English or translate from your first language? How did that shift happen?

There was a time where I could think in English instead of translating from my native tongue. However, I feel that I’ve regressed because there are times where I have to pause and think about words that I should know but have forgotten about because I haven't spoken English as often as I had before.

17. What are some things you can now do thanks to your English skills that you couldn’t before?

Movies. I can watch and understand English movies without subtitles now. Although I rarely use idioms myself, I can understand them easier even if I encounter new ones. I may have to pause and think for a minute but I am not as clueless as I was before about them.

Advice for Learners

18. What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your English journey?

One piece of advice I wish I knew from the beginning is that it is okay to make mistakes as long as you acknowledge your mistakes and learn from them.

19. What are the biggest myths or misconceptions about learning English that you’ve discovered?

Using perfect grammar is not a must. I’ve encountered more English native speakers that use little to no grammar format at all and it can be confusing for someone who studied grammar to the T. As long as you can get your point across and that whoever is talking to you is able to understand what you are trying to say, you’ll be able to survive in a non-professional setting.

20. What would you say to someone who thinks they’re “too old” or “not good at languages”?

“Just do it” is one of the best mottos to use in life.