The British English Podcast Extra Ep: Why Your English Suddenly Feels WORSE (The Truth No One Tells You)
Dec 15, 2025
Ever feel like your English skills suddenly took a nosedive? You're not alone! The podcast dives into why these temporary drops in fluency happen, reassuring listeners that it's a normal part of the learning journey. It explores the impact of cognitive load, revealing how stress and tiredness can hinder your speech. Plus, it tackles the 'observer effect,' showing how self-monitoring can create pressure. Emotions also play a role, with anxiety affecting performance. Ultimately, it's about trusting the process and embracing those off days as signs of growth!
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Progress Is Non-Linear
- Progress in language learning is non-linear and includes dips before breakthroughs.
- Charlie Baxter compares brain reorganization to renovation where temporary disorder precedes improvement.
Cognitive Load Lowers Fluency
- Cognitive load reduces your available bandwidth for language retrieval and fluency.
- Charlie Baxter explains tiredness, stress, and screen fatigue can make language access slower temporarily.
Stop Monitoring Yourself Mid-Speech
- Avoid judging your performance while speaking because monitoring reduces fluency.
- Charlie Baxter warns that real-time self-criticism creates internal pressure and makes speech mechanical.