Did you ever say this to yourself before taking an English test?
“I hate tests! I’ll never get the score I want!”
We all struggle with thinking we can’t get the English score or reach our goals. It is frustrating for students when they work so hard, but don’t get the results they were hoping for.
The Voice Inside
I decided to ask some students what goes through their minds right before the test or during the test. They shared that the internal voice says things like:
- “I’m not ready!”
- “My spelling is not good, so I won’t do well on this test.”
- “If I can just pass, that’s good enough.”
Some students even had thoughts like,
- “There will be trick questions on the test that I can’t get.”
These internal voices were sabotaging their success and preventing them from reaching their potential. They were having a problem with a fixed mindset.
What is a fixed mindset?
A fixed mindset is when you believe you cannot change. A fixed mindset can break your confidence because you believe your skills and talents are what you have been given. A fixed mindset stops you from learning to speak English better.
What is a growth mindset?
A growth mindset is when you believe you have the ability to develop and change. You believe that when you work hard, listen and learn from good feedback, and use good strategies, you can improve and become better.
We talked about how to change our mindset, how to be objective about our abilities rather than negatively emotional, and what a growth mindset is like. This helped them take one step forward and closer to their goals of becoming good English speakers.
Take a look at the #growthmindset mindset graphic below. It has some great suggestions for changing our minds.
What Are You Going to Say to Yourself?
Our brains are powerful and can set us on the path of success. Make a habit of saying to yourself everyday that you can get better at speaking English. Study hard and learn from your mistakes. Believe that each step will get you closer to speaking English like a native.
What would you say to a friend who told you they are not good at English? You would probably tell them:
- Learn some new English vocabulary words every day.
- Practice speaking English a little every day.
- Hey, let’s practice together!
- Find some new ways to fix your (grammar, pronunciation, etc.) mistakes.
- Don’t give up! You can do it if you keep trying!
- I believe you can do it!
If you can say this encouragement to a friend, then you can say it to yourself, too! Say kind words of encouragement to yourself like you would speak to a good friend.
If you struggle with negative self-talk, you can overcome it. Take some time and ask yourself questions like this:
- “Is this a fixed mindset or a growth mindset?”
- “What can I do today to take a small step forward?”
- “What would my friends say to me if they heard my fixed mindset?”
- “What would Mr. Jerry say to me that would help me learn English?”
If you want to know what “Mr. Jerry 😁” would say, just send me a message. I’ll be happy to encourage you with a growth mindset! If you prefer contacting me using a DM on Instagram, that is great, too!
More Resources
If you want to learn more about a growth mindset, you should read the research of Stanford Professor, Carol Dweck. You can also get an overview of the differences between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset in this video on my YouTube Channel.
I am on my way to preparing for the IELTS but feel worried.
It’s nice to see this motivating article. Thanks for this encouragement.
Thanks for your comment! If you want to talk more about what you are worried about, just let me know. I wish you the best of results as you prepare.