Language Minutes: Learning a language starts with the courage to try and fail

Making mistakes is a natural and essential part of language learning, according to Pille Pipar-Aksin, head of language learning development at the Estonian Language Institute. Errors should be seen as stepping stones rather than obstacles in the learning process.

Learning a new language is as much about courage as it is about grammar rules and vocabulary — that is the core message from Pille Pipar-Aksin, head of the language learning development department at the Estonian Language Institute (EKI) and an Estonian language teacher.

In her latest contribution to the EKI's regular "Language Minutes" column, Pipar-Aksin emphasizes that mistakes play a crucial role not only in language learning but in learning in general. According to her, how learners respond to their own errors can make or break their progress.

The key insight she shares is that errors should never become a barrier to continued learning. Instead, they should be embraced as a perfectly normal part of the process. A learner who fears making mistakes is likely to speak less, try less, and ultimately progress more slowly than one who accepts imperfection as a companion on the journey.

This perspective aligns with broader research in language acquisition, which consistently shows that learners who are willing to take risks — speaking up even when unsure, attempting new structures, and accepting correction gracefully — tend to develop fluency faster than those who hold back out of fear of embarrassment.

For anyone currently navigating the challenges of learning Estonian or any other language, the message is clear: the first step is not perfection, but the willingness to step forward and make mistakes along the way.