I’ve been slowly making my way through a fascinating book titled Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education by Isabelle Hau, the Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning at Stanford University. Although I’ve only just started chapter one, the introduction alone had me highlighting like crazy! My biggest takeaway so far is the powerful role love and connection play in how our brains develop. But what does this have to do with learning English and becoming fluent? A lot! Let me explain.
Research and common sense both tell us that learning isn't just about absorbing information; it's about how that information, paired with our relationships and experiences, makes sense in our world. Over the years, I've had students share that they used to hate English because of a harsh teacher at school. Some even carry trauma from being mocked or made to feel embarrassed when they tried to speak. Those painful experiences led them to develop a deep dislike - or hate - for learning English, and that frustration still holds them back today. Have you ever felt that way?
