MAY 2, 2024

Eira (Irina) Naidenova

“Concentrate on what’s important” – the quote that left me pondering for a long time. If you ask me why this seemingly inoffensive phrase triggered me so, I’ll have to tell you a story…

On my way to a shop today, I chose to listen to a random podcast in Brazilian Portuguese, the language I have recently taken up again after a long break.

All the grammar topics on offer sounded familiar, so I picked a motivational episode titled “Why have I been learning for a long time and I am still not fluent?” (Por que eu estudo há muito tempo e ainda não sou fluente?)

… it started getting so interesting that I completely forgot to buy cheese…

The beginning of the episode was a generic description of different levels and what learners need to do to get there. However, after ten minutes, it started getting so interesting that I completely forgot to buy cheese. But never mind the cheese! Let’s finally get to the interesting part!

The podcast host – a teacher of Portuguese as a foreign language from Brasília – shared her opinion on what learners do wrong, which hinders their progress and prevents them from getting to the level they want to be at. She shared her belief that the main reason behind it is that learners fail to learn the basics.

And on the surface, this makes perfect sense. However, what impressed me most was what she said next.

“Concentrate on what’s important,” she said.

But then you know it already. The real question was “What’s important?”

My Brazilian colleague began advocating against going beyond your current level.

Basically, if you are a beginner, you should follow the program religiously to build the foundation.

<aside> 🤔 If you are an intermediate learner, why would you need to know an idiomatic expression you heard in a movie? This is a task for an advanced student! Your task is to make sure you use Imperfeito (roughly equivalent to Past Continuous in English) and Preterito Perfeito (basically, Past Simple in meaning) correctly.

Then the podcaster gave a lot of similar examples reinforcing her thoughts with “Concentrate on what’s important,” i.e., follow the requirements of the level you are currently at to get to the next one.

</aside>

This very logical idea disheartened me so badly that I immediately started talking to my Imposter-Within-Me Friend. And the question I kept asking was “But WHAT is important?”

Every level has a list of grammar and vocabulary items as well as functional language we are expected to know. Thus, in English, you wouldn’t expect an Elementary learner to use Conditional 3, but you would expect this knowledge from an Upper-Intermediate learner though. And this is how the language is “decomposed” for us as learners to make it more digestible.

But what is important?

Also, this helps language professionals assess learners’ knowledge using a relatively objective scale by providing tests, exams, and similar means of assessment.

I guess I haven't explained myself well still, but I am going to right now. I promise.

Why is it important for a learner to know that they are B1, B2 (B3, B4…)? Unless they prepare for an exam, of course?

Why is it more important to learn the names of vegetables in your target language, especially if you don’t even like them?

Why is it more important to learn the names of vegetables in your target language, especially if you don’t even like them? Why is it wrong to learn an idiom from a movie, which you found interesting (and it is almost guaranteed that you will memorise it) when you are just starting your language journey?

I definitely agree with the lady that we need to concentrate on what’s important. The only real question here is “What is important for YOU?” Not for your tutor, not for the podcaster, not even according to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference - an international standard for describing language ability).

Whatever drives your interest, makes you motivated, ignites your desire to learn more - that’s what’s important! And you are the only judge of that.

And that is the essence of my conversation with my friend the Impostor.

And what do you think? Is there a right and wrong time to learn things you want to learn? Do “wrong things” to learn even exist? How do you define your “important”?

Please share your thoughts in the comments. Let’s talk about what’s important!