Getting Out of the Intermediate Plateau: Tips and Tricks

🌟 Episode Highlights

• Progress isn't linear
• Be your own benchmark
• Teaching others teaches you

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Episode Transcript

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Transcript

Hello, hello! Welcome to English Extras! I’m Jean, your guide to making your English sound natural and authentic.

This podcast is all about helping intermediate and advanced learners move beyond textbook phrases so you can express yourself with confidence.

If you want to follow along with today’s episode, I put a link to the transcript in the description for you. It’s full of key vocabulary, definitions, example sentences, as well as additional resources to help you take your learning to the next level. And the best part? It’s absolutely free!

Ready? Let’s learn some English.

Today, let’s discuss the dreaded, the feared, the abhorred intermediate plateau. If you’re not really into language learning–maybe you’re only learning English as a foreign language, for example, and you’re not a freak like me who learns everything I can about language learning–then maybe you haven’t heard about the intermediate plateau. So what is it, anyway?

The intermediate plateau is the period of learning that typically comes after the beginner stage. So you mastered the basics–got those down–but you might enter this new stage where your progress feels super slow and maybe it feels like nothing you do is helping you progress.

I hear my students talk about this a lot, so I’m going to give you my perspective as a teacher.

First, let’s talk about mindset.

Mindset is everything. Mindset can make or break your progress. This is probably not new information to you and maybe the concepts I’m going to share aren’t going to be new to you either, but I am here to be honest with you. I am not here to waste your time.

There are four concepts I want you to think about as they relate to the intermediate plateau and my hope is that, when you think about these concepts, you will be able to make any necessary changes that will help you.

So the first concept is: progress isn’t linear.

“Linear” means “straight.” So when I say “linear progress,” I mean we can think about progress as a straight line. The thing is: progress is not linear; it’s not a straight line at all. Have you heard of the learning curve? The learning curve shows us that beginners learn a lot very quickly but when you reach the intermediate stage, the amount you’re learning slows. This makes sense because there’s less for you to learn; you already learned all the beginner stuff that’s the most common parts of the language.

When you reach the intermediate stage, you have the tools to really dig into the language. Do you understand everything? No, but that’s fine because you’re not supposed to yet. After the beginner stage, where you know nothing, you enter the intermediate stage where you know some things but not everything. You are where you are supposed to be in your journey, and you have to go through this stage before you can enter the next.

Which brings us to the second concept: shifting from quantity to quality.

You have your tools now: that’s what the beginner stage is for. Now, you take those tools, and you start digging. You are an archeologist, right? An archeologist digs in the dirt, the ground, to discover new things. You are like an archeologist of language: you made your tools, you understand your tools, and now is the moment to spend quality time with the language. 

This period of time is perfect for developing as many connections as you can. That’s the goal, right? The more connections you have, the better and longer you will remember something and the faster you will be able to recall it and use it. The intermediate level is the time to develop those connections, and there are no shortcuts: you have to go through this process to arrive at the level where you can use the language effortlessly.

This brings us to our third concept: feelings are not reality.

We think that because using the language requires effort then we must not be progressing. Well, just because something feels true doesn’t mean it is true.

We call it the intermediate plateau because it feels like we aren’t moving. However, that’s not true–I believe it can’t be true. If it feels like you aren’t making progress, I think you’re not paying attention to your learning.

This is why I think mindset is so important because our thoughts and feelings can have a big impact on how we see the world. 

This can be good, because when we realize this, we can start to take control of our mental habits. We can make space for frustration, for sadness, for fear, but we don’t have to let those feelings control us or the path we’re taking. Our feelings are okay, but our responsibility starts when we act. What feelings are we going to choose to act on?

I hope you choose curiosity. I hope you choose adventure. I hope you choose hope.

Our fourth and final concept is: be your own boss.

I think it’s easier to see improvement in the beginner stage because you make so much progress so quickly: you’re learning all the concrete nouns and verbs and adjectives. You can quickly learn to say “This is a blue house” and “He is a tall man.” 

As you go through the intermediate stage, the metrics change. The standards of progress become more and more abstract and open to interpretation. That means you have more freedom to decide your own standards.

For me, I like to use benchmarks. A benchmark is a point of reference that can be used to measure or judge something. For example, I use DreamingSpanish a lot as a resource. When I first started learning, I watched their beginner and super beginner videos. Now, when I rewatch those same videos, I am able to understand everything and it’s actually a little bit… boring.

So those videos are benchmarks of my learning. And I know that the videos I’m watching now–at the intermediate level–are my current benchmarks. One day in the future, maybe when I’m watching advanced videos, I will rewatch some intermediate videos and realize… I understand everything. It’s not even a challenge!

I don’t like to use tests to judge my own learning. I judge myself. I think about my confidence. I think about my comfort level. I think about how much I already know.

Maybe you will use different metrics to judge your progress. That’s the amazing thing: you can decide for yourself. You don’t have to use my metrics. Language learning is very personal.

But I understand you’re probably looking for inspiration, so let me share a few practical tips you can try.

My first tip is: balance intensive and extensive study.

Intensive studying is deliberate focus in one specific area. For example, practicing a grammar structure by writing ten sentences using that structure. In comparison, extensive study is a broad and unfocused time. For example, watching an episode of Friends because you like Friends, even though you don’t understand everything.

It’s good to find the balance that works for you. I do think you should have a mix of both. Watch things, read things for fun, but also find some time to deliberately study.

My second tip is: find beginners to teach or tutor.

Bear with me here. You might have just immediately said “no,” but I want you to humor me. Maybe you think you aren’t advanced enough or qualified enough or whatever enough to help anyone.

But did you know that one of the most effective ways of learning something is to teach it? To teach it, you don’t have to become a teacher on a platform anywhere. You don’t have to start giving classes. You don’t have to make a YouTube video.

But think about it: how would you explain this to a beginner? What advice would you give to someone starting to learn English?

Really, think about it. By thinking about how to teach something, you will be able to identify gaps in your understanding, synthesize the information you already know, and realize how much you do know!

And if you have the opportunity to actually help a beginner, please take that opportunity. You can help someone and yourself at the same time.

My third and final tip is one that none of my students want to do: record yourself.

Nobody wants to do this, and yet it is a great tool for measuring your progress! Also, I’m not just saying it. I practice what I preach. I have and do record videos of myself speaking Spanish, so I’m not just telling you something: I do this myself.

Recording yourself gives you another benchmark, specifically of your speaking ability. Record yourself speaking about anything for a few minutes, then forget about it. Continue studying. Continue learning. Then, in a month or two months or six months, record another video, then rewatch your old video. Did you notice a difference?

If you try any of these tips, please let me know how it goes for you. You can find all of my social media accounts at my website missjeanteaches dot com. 

Good luck with your learning. You got this. I believe in you.

As always, thanks for being here!

Until next time!

Bye!