I once spoke to a Spanish instructor who taught high school classes as well as adult classes.
I asked him, “It must be easier to teach adults than a class of 30 teenagers right?”
He told me, “No way! Adults are so hard to teach. Kids are the best.”
He then explained to me that adults tend to be worried about making mistakes and as a result are more afraid to answer questions, speak the language, and make attempts at using the language in general. High school students on the other hand, just want to have fun and don’t take Spanish class too seriously. As a result, this allows them to make mistakes, laugh it off, and learn from them.
I myself have also experienced feeling like I need to perfect everything that I have encountered. I’ve since learned that it is not important to get it right every time. What is more important is to not be afraid of making mistakes and to feel relaxed when learning and practicing. I’ve made mistakes from speaking to others and sometimes have gotten stuck and ended the conversation, but if I had not made those attempts, I would’ve never learned anything from it.
Learning languages should be fun and a break from all of life’s activities. Don’t be disappointed when making mistakes. Whether it be on Duolingo, when speaking, or when doing flashcards, mistakes are part of the journey to learning.
Happy Learning.