There’s the old saying: “You don’t really know it, until you can explain it.” That is true especially when learning skills. The idea is to use what you have learned and to really understand and get the sense of it through action. In the Chinese language, there’s a word to express that you have knowledge from the experience of application, which makes the distinction from pure academic learning. The direct translation in English literally means body-ability. When we perform or apply in action what we have learned, then we further and deepen what we learned through experience. In doing so, we understand what works and what doesn’t. We become familiar with the thresholds and all the nuances. We create the memory of our experience in our own mind, including muscle memory, which makes a greater impression and makes it easier to reproduce later on.
You can learn about typing on a keyboard for as long as you like. You can memorize the position of every letter and all the extra functions of the keys, but until you have actually had the experience of using a keyboard, you cannot claim that you can type. Even with full knowledge, it takes time and practice to hit all the keys you want in the sequence you want and have any kind of speed when doing it.
The same applies to learning a language. People can study new vocabulary, complex grammar and the specific phonetics of a certain language, but until they put it all together and actually start speaking, they can’t say that they really know how to speak that language. Performing to apply the knowledge is essential. A psychology term to describe this kind of learning is “Experiential Learning.” Psychologist David Kolb defined it as “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combinations of grasping and transforming the experience.” In other words, real learning comes from performing the action, not just reading the theory.
If you are learning a language, use what you have learned right away in real-life situations. If you are learning on your own, prepare a short presentation using your lesson and perform it out loud. Look for ways to get involved in public speaking in the target language. The techniques used in professional public speaking use a wide variety of learning methods that bring out the language skills and the ability needed to speak well and with eloquence! The whole idea is to learn by using it. For the best results, practice with some regularity. Schedule your practice sessions. If possible, take a regular class.
Yes, learning involves putting knowledge into action, so when you are planning to learn something, including a language, make sure that you incorporate practice sessions and real-life applications as part of your strategy. By doing so, you will surely improve the quality of your learning experience!
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