Start the New Year By Setting Reasonable Learning Goals
Learning a new language is a long, difficult process.
This process can become easier if you set goals. Goals help guide language learners and give them reasons to continue studying a language.
However, if you set unreasonable goals, such as "My goal is to sound like a native speaker," then you will probably become discouraged.
When English learners begin studying English after a certain age, they are not able to sound exactly like a native English speaker, according to Eli Hinkel, a professor at Seattle Pacific University.
After puberty, the brain loses some of its ability to change the way it controls the muscles of the mouth. This is what results in an accent.
In other words, having an accent is a natural part of the aging process of the brain.
However, just because you might not sound like a native speaker does not mean that you should give up trying to improve your pronunciation.
Marla Yoshida, an English teacher at the University of California, suggests working on specific areas of pronunciation that you can improve, instead of trying to sound like a native speaker.
Start by setting a reasonable goal. Choose one or two sounds that are difficult for you to pronounce. Then, work to improve those sounds. When you have improved, study other sounds. Progress might be slow, but don't give up!
