Russian is very difficult! How to stay motivated?
When faced with difficulties, foreign students are sometimes ready to give up learning Russian. A teacher from the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute explains how not to abandon learning the language.
“Russian is indeed a difficult language and, sometimes during the learning process, you may feel like giving it all up,” says Varvara Filippova, Acting Head of the Department for Internships of Foreign Specialists at the Pushkin Institute.
“There are a vast number of grammatical topics that you literally have to struggle through, because many of these phenomena don't exist in the learners' native languages. Sometimes, you first need to understand the very essence of a phenomenon and only then learn how it works. Of course, all of this can be highly demotivating,” adds the teacher.
To maintain motivation, here’s what Varvara Filippova advises:
First, be sure to notice your progress. This is useful in any learning and in language learning especially. For example, if last week you had seven errors in an exercise and this week only three, that's progress and it's important to acknowledge it.
Second, switch between different types of activities. If you spend a lot of time on grammar, complex texts and vocabulary study, try adding something lighter and more playful, like watching funny videos in Russian. And vice versa: if your learning is mostly entertainment-oriented, it's sometimes helpful to switch to something more serious and structured.
Learn Russian through what genuinely interests you. For example, if you love fashion, try reading Russian fashion blogs. On the one hand, you'll be doing something you enjoy and, on the other, you'll continue learning Russian. Moreover, it's quite possible that Russian bloggers talk about fashion trends somewhat differently than bloggers from your country, which can also be interesting.
Love cooking? Try finding recipes in Russian! When the focus shifts from the language itself to information that captivates you, it really helps to keep your interest – and with it, your motivation (By the way, don't forget to give yourself a pat on the back for finding that blog or recipe in Russian)!
Find a supportive community. It doesn't matter whether it is a teacher, classmates or close people, who simply tell you that you're doing great. Such support also helps a lot in maintaining motivation.
