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In today’s post, we will answer these questions: Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Does this affect how you learn English? Who’s better at learning a second language: introverts or extroverts? Are you an introvert or an extrovert? The dictionary defines an introvert as shy, quiet person who prefers to spend time alone, and an extrovert as somebody who likes being with other people. I think this is what most people mean when they use these words but it’s not exactly what a psychologist would say. Psychology websites explain these words by talking about where a person gets their energy from. If you feel tired after spending time with other people and you get your energy back by spending time alone, you’re an introvert. But if spending time with other people gives you energy, you’re an extrovert. This isn’t the same as saying somebody is shy or confident. Whether we’re talking about speaking English or just life in general, an introvert can be quietly confident and an extrovert can lack confidence in some areas. Here are some more differences between introverts and extroverts. Introverts are happy spending time alone. They prefer one-to-one conversations and small group activities to being in a large group. Extroverts are comfortable in a bigger group and don’t mind being the centre of attention. Introverts think about their own internal world, in other words, their ideas and feelings. They are more likely to keep their feelings private. Extroverts are more outward looking and are most comfortable when they are engaging with other people. They are more likely to share their feelings. It’s also important to know that there aren’t just two types of people. Instead, it’s a spectrum. People can be very introverted, very extroverted or anywhere in between the two extremes. Does your personality affect the way you learn English? The good news is that scientific studies have shown that both types of people can learn English equally well. There are other factors for success which are more important than personality. These include:
But introverts and extroverts do have different strengths and weaknesses and they might approach language learning differently. That’s what we’re going to look at in the rest of this post. Introverts I’m very much an introvert! If you’re like me, you might find that practising speaking in real-life situations is difficult. I’m not always comfortable talking with people I don’t know even in my first language! It’s even more scary in another language! Introverts are more likely to worry about making mistakes. But introverts have their strengths too. We are comfortable studying on our own and can concentrate for long periods of time. Introverts are persistent, even when studying becomes challenging. We’re also good at listening and noticing the details of the language. This helps us to improve our accuracy when we speak. Advice for introverts Continue to read and study on your own. This is one of your strengths and it helps you learn and remember more vocabulary, which you can then use when you want to speak or write in English. Don’t avoid speaking practice just because it’s scary. Instead, find somebody who you’re comfortable talking to. This might be a friend, family member, practice partner or teacher. You can even practise by talking to yourself. You might enjoy writing some kind of journal in Englsh. This could be describing your day or talking about your learning experiences. Writing is a bit like speaking in slow motion so this will help you indirectly with your speaking skills. Practise greetings, questions and conversation openers. This will help you to start a conversation and keep it going. Extroverts Extroverts are good at communicating with other people and they worry less about making a mistake when they speak. They may be more willing to take risks with the language. Extroverts may enjoy learning in a group setting, like a language class. Although extroverts may achieve fluency more quickly because they focus on communicating in social settings without worrying too much about mistakes, they might be less accurate as a result. Advice for extroverts Your strengths are in communicating with other people so find other people to talk to and practise your English with. You will learn a lot by interacting with other people. Don’t ignore the other skills. Find some solo activities to build and reinforce grammar and vocabulary knowledge. This could be reading or watching videos. If this is something enjoyable, it will be easier to concentrate on it for longer. Practise your listening skills. In conversations, give the introverts a chance to speak and practise really listening carefully to what the other person is saying. Don’t give up when learning becomes challenging. Make a list of things you’ve learnt recently or think about a successful conversation you had recently. Remind yourself of the benefits of learning English to motivate yourself again. Advice for everyone Remember that we are not all the same. Knowing that other people are different can help us to understand each other better. This helps us work together and communicate with each other better, in any language. Work out what your strengths are and what study or practice methods work best for you. Don’t compare yourself to other people and don’t feel you have to learn in the same way as they do. On the other hand, know your weaknesses and make sure you don’t avoid doing the things that are more difficult for you. A good mixture of speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary is important for everyone. Free mini-course: Your 5 Steps to Confident English Communication at Work If you're a professional woman who wants to use English more confidently so you can feel more relaxed at work and make progress in your career, my email mini-course is for you. Click the button to learn more:  Comments are closed.
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