A couple of weeks ago, we asked you four simple questions in a survey. They were all related to your perception of linguistic talent. A person emailed saying “But they’re all the same question!”, which was not the case. Let’s dig deeper.
The Results
There were 76 people who responded. The questions were sneakily structured.
You see, two of the questions asked if you agree with the “fixed mindset“, and two of the questions asked if you agree with the “growth mindset“.
This terminology comes from the book Mindset by Dweck, as recommended by Bill Gates.
Fixed Mindset Results
Do you see that big red part of the two pies above? That’s the majority of participants not agreeing with the fixed mindset. That’s fantastic!
We agree that you’re not stuck with “I’m not a languages person”. It’s your approach that will swing you towards success, and that approach can be learned.
Growth Mindset Results
Big blue slices of pie, delicious! Participants agreed that you can change your linguistic challenge substantially. Dweck in her book agrees with this view. You’re not stuck with who you are, you are rather stuck in ways to approach problems, and you can change those ways.
What does this mean?
Are you holding back from trying Bitesize Irish Gaelic because you’re “not a languages person”?
It doesn’t actually matter if you’re a “languages person”. You can change your ability over time.
The most successful learners of the Irish learners I have come across are people who:
- Make the Irish language part of their daily life (listen to Raidió na Gaeltachta)
- Appreciate what they have already learned, rather than beating themselves up for what’s still left to learn
- Reach out to others (like on recommended Facebook groups, just for example)
Are you a “non-languages person” who feels they did get somewhere with learning a language? Let us know in your comment below.
8 thoughts on “Results for Your Linguistic Talent Survey”
Dia Daoibh
I’m so not a language person but I do a little Irish everyday either on Duo-lingo (Irish), Facebook, Bitesize Irish Gaelic or reading a kindle book… usually at two formats a day actually because Duo-lingo makes you do it everyday or you’ll lose your points
Tá Gaeilge agam gach lá… I don’t know if this is right but I’m trying to construct my own sentences!!! (I have Irish every day????)
Ceart go leor, slán go fóill
Neasa 🙂
Good for you 🙂
Hi,
I don’t think I’m particularly a languages person, but I did manage to build on my school French to become moderately comfortable in conversation and very secure in reading. Now I’m doing the same with my school Irish (which from the age of 4 to 18 didn’t make me particularly fluent) to approach, I hope, something like the same result. Without intensive practice and immersion, it does take years, but it does work. I’m fortunate that here in Glasgow there’s a Conradh na Gaeilge, concentrating on Ulster Irish (I’m from Donegal), which for me is ideal. Without that great facility I’d certainly be using Bitesize, despite its Munster bias!
Beannachtaí!
Derek
You’re in a good position, so keep at it, Derek. (And nothing wrong with Munster 😉 )
I’m learning munster here and there but would love to find an Ulster outlet.the quickness of it seems to fit me more
Hi Brandon,
Thank you for commenting 🙂
You might find this blog post interesting: http://bitesize.irish/blog/irish-dialects/
Le meas,
Ana.
Very interesting.This may show that many more could learn Irish or any other language if they truly desired to learn, or maybe they want an excuse for not learning.
Hi Gordon,
Thank you for commenting.
Yes, the results are quite interesting 🙂
Le meas,
Ana.