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As a way to discover how quickly YOU can learn a language as a beginner, look at the options below and give yourself a score between 1 and 10. 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest. If you're unsure or your option is not listed, try and choose the option that is the closest match or choose 6 to be able to continue the calculation. It is easier if you print this out and take it with you as you may wish to think deeply about some of the questions. If you want to use a version of this form that features a javascript calculator, please visit Language Learning Calculator |
The Language Learning Calculator
By James Hogan
1. What is your Purpose for learning
another language? What is your Focus?
PF=________ |
2. How much Passion would you say you
have for learning the language?
Bored=2 Interested=4 Enthusiastic=6 Love it=8 Can't think of anything else=10 P=________ |
3. How much Time do you plan to spend
on learning the language?
This includes studying by yourself.
T=________ |
4. How much Previous Experience have
you had with the language?
PE=________ |
5. Proficiency in Mother Tongue. 
What level did you reach in your own language at school? Barely passed my language class=2 Not interested in learning my own language but passed it at school=4 Can speak ok but have a few grammar problems=6 Very proficient. Came top in my language class and enjoyed it=8 Expert. Studied my mother tongue at uni/college=10 PMT=________ |
6. Retention.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how well would you rate your memory? Sorry, what was the question again?=1 I can remember every conversation I've had since I was 3 years old=10 R=________ |
7. Learning Style.
You may be able to already guess your style. If you're not sure, choose 4 which is the most common. This question is not considering your actual learning style, rather it is considering your learning style in relation to the most common way language is taught in a classroom - verbal and written repetition. I like to learn by looking at pictures
and feeling objects=2
LS=________ |
8. Technological Capability.
This question relates to your ability to use 21st century technology to facilitate your language learning. Do you have a mobile phone with internet access, a netbook, a pc at home, instant messaging services along with a head set, broadband/cable with voip, a collection of usb drives, a portable back up hard drive, various software programs, and are happy to watch videos online via youtube, download podcasts to your ipod, chat to your friends via Facebook and use Google for just about everything? Choose a number between 1 and 10 where 1="What's a flash drive?" and 10="Got all that and I order my groceries online" TC=________ |
9. Confidence and self-esteem.
Self esteem is also important to language learning. If you hate yourself you're not going to believe in yourself and you're going to be more likely to give up on learning a language. If you like yourself you're more likely to learn the language faster as you won't be thinking about what other people think of you. How quickly do you think you'll learn something if you're not embarrassed to practice new word sounds in front of other students or your teacher? Choose a number between 1 and 10 where 1= Introverted - low self-estem and lacking in confidence and 10=Extroverted - high self-esteem and extremely confident C=________ |
 10.
Rate your mother tongue skills in the 4 main areas of communication. Give
them a mark out of 10 and divide the total by 4 to get your score.
(L+R+W+S)/4 = MTS= ________ |
11. Language Environment
I never hear the language I want to learn. I use my own language all the time, even in a foreign country= 2 I have a friend who speaks the language=4 My partner speaks the language=6 I live in a house full of people who speak it=8 I live in the home country of the language and in a house where it is spoken all the time=10 LE=________ |
12. Social Pressure
How much are you affected by family and friends? How much do they support and encourage or dissuade and discourage you? My family and friends think it is a waste of time = 2 Just my partner thinks it is a waste of time = 4 My family and partner are happy for me to do anything I like = 6 My family, friends and work colleagues are supportive and offer assistance=8 All my friends, family and work colleagues are learning the language too=10 SP=________ |
13. Responsibility and Distractions
How much is your learning plan likely to be interrupted? I work 80 hours a week in an exhausting job=1 I'm a full time mum with 3-5 kids=2 I have an active social life. Friends drop in unannounced all the time=3 I study full time and work full time but have some time off on Sundays=4 I study and work part time and am in a relationship=5 I study and work part time and I'm single=6 I just work/study part time and have lots of time on my hands not wasted=7 I don't work or study and live with my parents=8 I don't work or study and live with my partner who works long hours, with no kids=9 I don't work or study, I live by myself, have minor social engagements and have plenty of spare time=10 RD=________ |
14. Level of Commitment
My friends and family are more important than learning the language=2 My social engagements and job are more important than learning the language=4 I can make time for learning the language in my busy lifestyle=6 Learning the language is more important than meeting friends and family=8 Learning the language is more important than absolutely anything else in the whole universe=10 LC= ________ |
15. Level of Energy and Health
I am suffering various ailments, get no exercise and can barely keep my eyes open when I try to concentrate on learning something=2 I'm a bit sickly but I'm working on improving that=4 I'm normal weight but need about 12 hours sleep a day to survive=6 I go to the gym once a week and have a fair amount of energy. Probably need just 8 hours sleep=8 I only need 6 hours sleep. I go to the gym 3 times a week and get more done in a day then most people can do in a lifetime!=10 LEH=________ |
16. Emotional Connection
It's just a language=2 My partner speaks it=4 I have a strong feeling for the culture=6 Listening to someone speak the language gives me a buzz and I feel happy hearing it=8 Time passes quickly when I am immersed in the language. It's like I'm in love and I can't get enough=10 EC=________ |
17. Goal setting and feelings of Success
When I get to the next step, it's just a step=2 When I get to the next step I'm interested in continuing. When I don't get to the next step easily I feel frustrated and want to give up=4 When I get to the next step I'm happy I made it this far and want to try more=6 When I get to the next step I'm ecstatic and excited. I'm really happy I've got this far and go out and buy myself a reward=8 There are steps? Just learning is a complete joy for me and I get so excited about learning each new word and sentence that I can't wait for the next exercise. Learning is a blur=10 GS=________ |
18. Financial Commitment
Only when I've got the money=2 I've got a bit put aside for learning the language but I'll need to take a break half way and to save so that I can learn some more later=4 I've got enough put aside to continue learning for a year if needed=6 I'm wealthy enough to buy all the products and learn the language in my own time and take the occasional course and hire the occasional private tutor=8 I'll buy a course in the country of the language and live there for a few years to learn it=10 FC=________ |
 19.
Complexity of the language being learnt and the relationship between that
and the language you have as your mother tongue.
Very different. Eg English and Chinese=2 Somewhat different. Eg Portuguese and Japanese=4 Basic similarities. Eg Vietnamese and French=6 Somewhat similar. Eg Russian and Czech=8 Very similar. Eg Spanish and Italian=10 CLRMT=________ |
20. Dexterity and Motor Skills. 
Capability of being able to hear a particular sound and recreate it with your own mouth. Rate yourself 1-10 where 1 means you can't repeat any sound made by anyone and 10 means you're a fantastic imitator and can cycle through about 20 different accents. DMS=________ |
21. Access to materials, types of materials
used, chosen learning methods
Add 1 point for each of the items you have below that helps you learn your chosen language. The score is not about how valuable the method is, rather, it is about how many methods you are using. Textbooks + 1 Online audio/video + 1 Software for your PC or mobile, and an electronic dictionary + 1 Online personal tutor and language exchange friends + 1 A variety of products released on learning that language + 1 Lectures + 1 Casual classroom courses + 1 Full time classroom courses + 1 Private tuition in person part time + 1 Learning listening, reading, writing and speaking in private full time lessons + 1 ATM=________ |
22. Age
Please note that this is an average based on thousands of people who are busy. It may not apply to you personally. 65+=2 35-64=4 18-34=6 10-17=8 0-9=10 A=________ |
23. Level of your acceptance or stubborness.
If you won't follow the teacher or won't do your homework, or you argue in class all the time, then it'll be harder for you to acquire the language. Also, it is common for language teachers to be younger than, have different lifestyles and beliefs to their students. How will you deal with this? I'm always right and the teacher is always wrong. I hate teachers anyway. Give me that book, which probably needs being rewritten=2 I'll study and do homework when I want, not when the teacher says. He/She's just a kid anyway!=4 I want to do the course but I sometimes don't feel like practicing at home and I forget to bring my homework=6 I always follow the teacher and respect everything they say regarding learning the language=8 The teacher is God!=10 LAS=________ |
24. Length of Time spent with the Teacher
or Tutor.
LTT=________ |
25. Experience and Capability of the
Teacher/Tutor.
This is the last question because learning a language is all about your ability to learn. Teachers are facilitators. They will give you the opportunity to acquire the language through lessons. They will give you the information you need to reach your goals but it is completely up to you how you remember and reuse that information. There are many ways teachers can teach you. Like finding a doctor you should have a few lessons with a teacher to find out whether she or he meets your learning style or not. Most teachers in private lessons will adjust to your learning style. In a classroom situation or group learning situation it would be harder for the teacher to adjust to each individual's learning styles from around the world. So, how well the teacher matches your learning style won't be known until you actually start studying. If you haven't started a course yet when calculating this, choose 6. Doesn't match my learning style. Don't
like the teacher=2
ECT=________ |
| Each result you arrived at should be
out of 10. Add these results together and you'll come up with a score out
of 250.
LLE Total=________/250 Remember, this score is a very rough idea only and doesn't take into account hundreds of other minor factors that could have a major impact on how long it would take you to get to an intermediate level in your chosen language. If you have an eidetic memory, for example, there probably wouldn't be that many things on this page that will matter to you! |
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| Is the score too low? Add some more
variables.
Add an additional 10 points for each additional language you know. If you know 3 other languages besides your mother tongue, add 30 points. + 10 Add an additional 5 points if you plan to learn the language just to prove a point! Egoism can be a strong factor in learning a language and if you're the sort of person that likes to impress people with your skills and knowledge then you'll learn a language a bit faster than someone who isn't. +5 Self motivation. If you have taken a course in the hope that the course will teach you everything and all you need to do is sit there and listen, then you're not motivated enough. If you're motivated enough to learn the contents of the course before the course starts so that you're always a little ahead of the teacher and your classmates, add 5 points. +5 Can you accept it when the teacher tells you that something is how it is because it is? Sometimes the rules of a language make no sense so no point in getting frustrated over it. Accept it, learn it and move on. If you can do that, add 5 points. +5 Are you good at sticking with something and never giving up? All the questions above relate to how you would act when things are going well. What if things aren't going well? If learning the language is frustrating, annoying, difficult or you're just not getting it, will you give up or will you keep going? If your answer is to never give up, add 5 points. +5 Do you put stock in IQ or Mensa testing? Sometimes higher intelligence actually reduces the capacity to learn a language as languages are usually fluid and illogical which can cause problems for mathematically minded individuals who like structured, sequential reasoning where things fit together logically. In any case add 5 points if you've scored between 130 and 150 on an IQ test. +5 (Anything higher than that and you probably speak 5 languages already!) Are you left brained or right brained? Most people are one side or the other but language requires both to work equally (this is rare but your brain can be trained). It's generally accepted that your left hemisphere controls grammar and vocabulary and your right hemisphere controls how you intone or accentuate your speech. If you know both sides of your brain work well together and adjust to the environment and alternate in dominance then add 5 points. +5 Are you male or female? On average, women learn languages quicker than men. Not enough research has been done to really confirm why this is the case. Is it women's brains are better for language or is it that women tend to enjoy talking more than men and therefore are more likely to practice what they learn? In any case, if you're female, add 5 points. +5 Are you a positive or negative person? If you're always positive, whether that is due to an enjoyment of life or a spiritual strength, you'll succeed at learning a language faster than a negative person. Negative people may not give up but they will struggle as they'll keep saying to themselves 'this is too hard. I can't do this' Positive people would say 'this is challenging but I can do this' If you're a positive person, add 5 points +5 If you've started your course already, how personally encouraging is your teacher? Does he/she praise your progress often, give you friendly tips, take an interest in your learning and help build your confidence and self-esteem? If you're lucky enough to get one of these kinds of language teachers add another 10 points. +10 Your score _________ + variables = __________ Thank you for visiting James Hogan's language learning equation. Developed by
James Hogan. www.AdultEnglishSchool.com www.AdultLanguageSchool.com
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Score too high!?!
Does the weather or public transport bother
you? Did you decide to go to the pub before your next lesson? Do you cancel
lessons if you're only slightly sick? If it is cloudy or misty, or a full
moon and you didn't sleep well, or it's pouring rain or snowing, or it's
too hot to go out, or there's trackwork and the trains have been replaced
by buses or the party was so good you stayed until 4am, or you've had an
argument with your boyfriend/girlfriend so you decide not to attend a lesson...
Obviously, you're not committed enough and you need to change your attitude.
In fact, you're probably losing skills with your own mother tongue too
so:
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The
generally accepted average for an adult to learn a new language to a casual
conversational level is about 6 months. This depends on a number of factors
though and it is rare to actually find someone who has learnt a language
in 6 months! As everyone is different, learns differently, has different
responsibilities and lifestyles, it's impossible to accurately predict
how long a person will learn a language in the future. We can, however
give you a closer estimate than the arbitrary 6 months.