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What is Second Language Anxiety?
Perhaps you are one of the lucky English learners who never feels anxious about their language abilities.
Maybe you always speak confidently, or have few doubts about your language skills. If so, this is a wonderful achievement for you.
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Most English learners, however, are not this fortunate.
Most learners feel anxious at least some of the time they are speaking. This ranges from feeling nervous in specific situations, such as going to a meeting in English, to feeling constantly afraid during conversations.
So, if you are scared of speaking up at work for fear of being laughed at, terrified of your speaking exam, ashamed of your pronunciation or frustrated by your mistakes, you could be dealing with not only learning a language but also overcoming your inner thought processes that trigger this unpleasant feeling of anxiety.
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Second Language Anxiety is a psychological phenomena that explains why people suffer from anxiety when speaking and using a second language.
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Second Language Anxiety is very common. It often affects higher-level language users more than lower-level learners, possibly because of the expectations people develop that their English needs to be 'perfect'.
However, Second Language Anxiety is also deeply hidden.
Most teachers don't know it exists because it is never mentioned on teacher training courses.
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And because of this, learners don't realise that they are not alone in feeling scared, ashamed and frustrated with themselves.
They keep the shame and frustration inside believing it is all their fault.
I am here to tell you: it is not your fault.
There is a path through these feelings to a place where you can speak and use English confidently without fear of being laughed at or dismissed because of your accent.
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This is not to say that you will speak 'perfect' English, or that you will never make a mistake ever again. These aspirations are impossible. And if you doubt me, ask yourself this:
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Who do I know who is truly perfect?
Who do I know who never makes a mistake?
Imperfections and mistakes are not the problem you need to solve.
The problem to solve is how you feel and what you believe about your imperfections and mistakes.
How I can help
Working with me is far more than language learning
Using a powerful combination of creative teaching methodologies and techniques from coaching, I ensure that you not only expand your linguistic abilities but also experience transformative inner work that helps you reframe your beliefs and upgrade your thinking habits and patterns.
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Whether you are working towards an important exam, need to use English at work or are learning for pure enjoyment, I am here to help you break through your current limitations and achieve the English that you have always dreamt of speaking.
"Sarah has always tailored our sessions so that my objective at each time was satisfied, while also providing a safe environment to grow as an English speaker. She is an invaluable asset in my preparation for CPE."
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Marta, Spain