When you learn a new language, the goal is to be able to use the language. The way to use a language fluently, you must start to think in that language. Many language courses teach you to translate between your native language and your target language, which causes extra work for your brain.
If we consider how children learn their first language it will help us become more fluent, even with very different languages. Children first hear their native language all around them in context as they are babies. By the time they have about a year of exposure, they begin testing one word at a time. They can give simple present-tense commands and point to single objects and know the names of the objects. The language is survival at best, but it is known.
Next, as toddlers, children begin to put several words together to form basic simple sentences. The sentences may not be grammatically correct, but they are understood. By the time the child is about kindergarten age they can confidently speak in full sentences and participate in conversations at a basic level. Only after the child is fluent in speaking are they truly introduced to reading and writing the language in earnest.
There is a benefit to learning to speak a language before learning to read and write the language. Besides its natural progression in our native language learning journey, it ensures fluency and prevents translation. Once you know how to speak a language, learning to read and write the characters become much easier. The meaning of the symbols come to life and it is easier to guess the meaning based on what you already know about the language. You can begin to gain sight-word knowledge rather than forcing yourself to sound out each word phonetically. Once you learn to speak the language confidently, learning to read and write in the language will catapult you to further advance your language skills. It will help you recognize pronunciation nuances through the spelling and expose you to knew vocabulary in context through reading. You will also have more opportunities to use your language by writing.
However, if you try to obtain these gains before really being fluent you risk ingraining incorrect language, incorrect pronunciation, and the habit of translation.
Let me give you an example. If you see the French phrase, “Où habitez-vous ?” as an English speaker you may read it phonetically and you may learn that the word Où means “where” and you may learn that “vous” means the formal version of “you” and “habitez” means “live” conjugated for the vous form. Knowing this information, you read this phrase in your head, and you say to yourself, “where live you?” or “where do you live?” Your eyes continue to scan over the French words, feeling proud that you understand the language. All the while you are actually reading in English (while looking at French words). When you try to remember how to spell the word, you sound it out phonetically based on the English pronunciation (which is nothing like the French pronunciation). These habits become ingrained. These are tools for memorizing and translating, not for fluently using the language.
If you are fluent in French, you will be thinking in French while reading the French and will hear the words similar to “Oo abitay vue?” But this is nearly impossible to do while reading without first having experience speaking and listening to the words, being intimate with their meaning in context and pronunciation.
When you are accustomed to translating into your target language, it can cause you to forget or freeze up while trying to communicate with others fluent in the language. While you are thinking in English what you want to say, your brain has to search for the equivalent in the target language, then convince your mouth to pronounce the words. If you are already thinking in the target language you will naturally retrieve the words in the language; it is fluid. Thus, fluency is thinking in the language rather than translating into it.
With the way most language courses are taught, they do not allow for fluency. Many often focuses on the writing systems or written vocabulary early on. Not only is it introducing words you do not understand, but often in a script you do not recognize. Other methods introduce an English phonetic guide to the spoken words, but this also hinders the listening and speaking of the new language (as in the French example above).
Listening to language in context and beginning with one or two words used correctly should be the goal. These words can then be considered “fluent.” Afterwards, gradually you will find you know a basic survival level of the language, not unlike a toddler. This may feel demoralizing, but if you can use these words instinctively you are better off than the one who must fumble through their brain to search for the translation.
The more you use your vocabulary fluently, you will build grammatical structures naturally. At this stage you will be ready to start learning basic reading and writing. You will already be fluent with many words and phrases, and the written form will not be a distraction, but a welcome tool. Besides, being able to read a word and know its meaning is far more fulfilling and useful than being able to sound out a word with no clue as to its meaning or how to recall it for real use.
Unlike with a child learning their first language, however, as adults we have extra tools to help us along and learn more efficiently. Children do not simply absorb their languages as some like to think, but their parents and family are constantly and actively teaching them explicitly. It is their nature. They point at objects and enunciate the words; they correct them when they are incorrect. the only downside to being an adult is the lack of active and interested free teachers at our disposal day and night. Unless you live in the land of your target language, or with a host family, you will likely have to search out intentional teachers and speakers. However, as an adult you know and understand which questions to ask. You have more background knowledge to attach to your learning, and you have tools to create memory attachments.
If you want to truly become fluent in a new language, focus on learning how to think in that language. Focus on learning to hear the language and slowly begin correctly using the words you recognize in context. While your communication skills may not be perfect at first, you will more confidently and quickly be able to make yourself understood than those who focus so much on translating.
