Learning when the teaching language is not yours

If the teaching language is not your strongest, plan two kinds of work: understanding the subject, and building the language to talk and write about it. Give each its own time, and you will feel less behind in both.

Needing extra time does not mean you are not clever. You are doing two jobs at once.

Why does learning feel slower in a second language?

Because each sentence takes extra effort to decode before you can think about the idea. By evening, you may be tired in a way classmates are not.

This is a normal cost of working in a language you are still growing into. Planning for it is practical, not weak.

Try this: a subject block and a language block

Use this for each learning session, at home, in the library or on the train. It works for a short or a long session.

1. Subject block. Pick one topic and aim to understand it. Read, watch or discuss it in whichever language helps most.
2. Say it back. Explain the topic in your own words, out loud or in a note, in your stronger language if you need to.
3. Language block (about twenty minutes). Choose five to eight key terms for this topic. Write each with a short sentence in the teaching language.
4. Write one short answer. Use those terms to answer a question as you would in class or an exam.
5. Check. Compare with a model answer or the lecture slides.

Keep the language block short and tied to the topic. You are learning terms you will use this week, not the whole dictionary.

Can I use my stronger language to understand?

Yes, and you should. Reading a summary in Malay, Chinese or Tamil, or discussing a topic with a friend in your shared language, can help the idea land.

Then bring it back. The exam will ask for the teaching language, so rehearse the key terms and a few sentence patterns you can reuse.

What can I do in class and with lecturers?

Before class, skim the slides for new terms and write them on a card. In class, note terms and look them up afterwards.

If you did not follow something, prepare one short question, as in preparing a short clarification question before class. Our guide on separating new vocabulary from the subject task shows how to keep a word list from taking over.

How do I plan my week?

Put the subject blocks where your mind is freshest. Put language blocks in lighter moments, such as the LRT ride or while waiting for dinner.

A weekly plan with space for both works best. For an example of a weekly layout, see a weekly plan for adult learners.

What if I feel embarrassed or tired?

Feeling embarrassed about language is common and says nothing about your ability. Lecturers are used to questions.

If language stress becomes heavy, affects your sleep or makes you avoid classes, it is fine to speak to a counsellor, your university’s language support or a doctor. Our support page lists where to start.

A short rest for the ears

After a day of listening hard, sit in quiet for a few minutes. Let sounds come and go without following them, and breathe slowly.

If you would like a voice to guide this, Sadhguru’s free seven-minute meditation in the Miracle of Mind app is an optional way to rest. You can also simply sit for a minute with tea, and that works too.

Find more guides on our revision and learning guides.