New Year- Get motivated for your new study plan! Solo, Tutor, or Class?

It's the end of 2016, so you might be thinking about your goals and how to achieve them. If you need (or want) to take TOEFL, you're probably weighing the options of studying on your own, paying for a coach, or taking a group class. It's an important test for you, and I want you to think about the pros and cons of each choice. What may be best for one person may be a waste of time for another!

Here's a nice article about motivations to learn language, which is of course applicable to test prep! One thing a class is great for is keeping you motivated just by being in a group of people who are going through the same thing as you- you form a social bond that is impossible to replace by seeing a tutor. On the other hand, everyone is giving each other advice all the time. It's nice to have so many opinions, but it paralyzes people! How do you know which advice to follow? If it worked for someone else, will it work for me? It adds a layer of guilt on the student, because they constantly worry that what they are doing is not 'right' and regret the choices they are making! That must feel terrible!

I want you to study SMART, not HARD, whatever that might mean for you. The main key element is you, as a person and as a learner. If you've read this blog before, you'll know that I'm studying Arabic and Spanish. There's a nice Arabic proverb that says all the fingers on your hand are different. We all learn best in our own way, and what a wonderful thing!

Some people prefer a class because they are more social by nature. Others do well with a book or online resources. Some like to be challenged by a mentor or tutor.

I can see how frustrating it can be to go to a test prep class where everybody is treated like there is one magic method that will guarantee a high score for all. It makes you feel like there is something wrong with YOU if you don't get an amazing score after paying lots of money for a test prep course.  The truth is, these classes are not designed to teach people to understand and use their strengths and weaknesses. I have, in fact, stood in front of many TOEFL prep classes (and even a few IELTS classes).  So, I can tell you from personal experience that is how these classes o prepare you for a test work, even the best designed classes are for classes, which are masses of people with very little individual attention. This treats everyone like they are the same. Imagine our hands were made up of 5 copies of the same finger! In my opinion, unless you really need the social aspect of being in a class with others, it's a better option to prepare for the exam with private instruction.

Individual instruction on your personal strengths and weaknesses based on your learning preferances and abilities. This is exactly what a (really good) private coach will help you to do. This is the reason a private lesson costs more than a classroom full of bodies staring at a whiteboard completing exercise after exercise in silence. If you know one or two other people preparing for the test who are on the same level as you, you might be able to organize a small group session (and save a little money). These days, there are plenty of teachers who would gladly review with you via Skype, so you don't even have to find someone close to you!

The third option is to do it on your own. If you are highly motivated, this is the way to go. I have seen many people reach their goals on their own, but they were highly focused and determined. If you are organized and willing to put the work in, this is the path for you! It won't cost much at all, except the time it takes you to find online (or printed) materials. That's the catch, though... There's is a lot of material online to help, almost too much. Trust someone who has already gone through the hundreds of websites! You might only pay a tutor for a single 'consultation' session to tell you the best resources that you can use on your own. Time is money, especially in a high stakes test like TOEFL or IELTS!

I'm currently in Guadalajara, Mexico, where I am experiencing a warm holiday and New Year for the first time in my life! I have to say, nice weather motivates you to do many things. However, it reminds me of being in Philadelphia and growing up in New York, where the winters are severely demotivating! No matter where you are, one of the first steps to reaching your goal of getting your TOEFL score is to figure out HOW you want to prepare!

Let me know your thoughts on this below!

StickK to your goals!

For a class I took about teaching, I read this article about different kinds of motivations. It made me think about how I was learning Arabic. I love to say I'm learning Arabic, but the truth is, I'm usually thinking about studying! I'm working on my language skills slowly, but I find so many other things to do instead. Then, I just tell myself I'm too busy. Am I too busy or am I NOT making time to learn?

Does that sound like you studying for TOEFL or IELTS?

One of the main problems studying on your own is accountability! It's too easy to give something up if there's nobody to punish or reward you. It's one reason I think taking a TOEFL class is good. In a group setting, there's a teacher with some authority to make you feel bad for not doing your homework, not keeping up, etc... But, when you study on your own- who's watching? Who's going to make you feel bad? NOBODY. It becomes too easy to break a promise to yourself to study. Soon, you just fill that time with other things and it's really easy to say you don't have time to study.

The simple fact is, we all have the same amount of time every day- 24 hours. What we choose to make important is different for all of is. Some of us need a little help in sticking to our priorities!

Enter StickK! It's a great program designed by Yale University economists that keeps you motivated using something we all care about... Money! When you sign up, YOU decide what your goal and schedule will be. You can even have a 'referee' keep an eye on you, and people to cheer you on. You report your progress. You make a commitment, and must stick to it. So what... you might be thinking... how is this any different than saying I'll study on my own and charting my progress???

Well, the genius of this system is that before you start, you pledge to give money to something you HATE! If you don't stick to your commitment, you loose your money! The idea of having to give money adds a layer of motivation to pursuing my goal that you can't imagine.  We all need help in reaching our goals- It doesn't mean we are weak, just human. I guess the only possible flaw here is that you could cheat yourself by lying on your reports. But the guilt of lying to a website just so you don't have to pay up would be too much guilt for me to handle, personally.

It's perfectly acceptable to set a small weekly/daily commitment. In fact, I would encourage it. That way, you are developing a habit (which is about repeating an action), rather than relying on willpower (a feeling of wanting to do something). You decide the minimum amount of work you want to do. Is it 10 minutes of AWL in the morning. GREAT! You can always change it. I wouldn't suggest setting an unrealistic goal like studying 5 hours a day- that's a goal you'd be likely to fail in achieving consistently. Even if you did, you might 'burn out' quickly.

Set small, realistic goals for you, and StickK to them!