How to overcome a learning crisis?

It's perfectly normal to lack motivation from time to time.

To be tired, want to give up, and doubt the sense of learning Italian (or any other language).

Most of the crisis situations in my language journey ended after a couple of days. I just kept learning according to my plan, going to classes, and it passed. But some don't. If the situation persists, you may want to address it. Here are some ideas I used myself or that the adult students of my school AL DENTE. Scuola d'italiano find effective.

If you feel stuck or unmotivated, know you are not alone.

Here are some simple, actionable strategies for you.

1. Take a break  

• Pause for a few days or weeks if you’re feeling overwhelmed.  No Italian at all, no learning, no songs, no pizza!

• Return with short, consistent study sessions (15–20 minutes daily).  

• This method helped numerous students of my school. They actually missed Italian!

2. Recognize the crisis as normal  

• As I said, feeling unmotivated or stuck is part of the process.  

• Stick to your routine—discipline and planning are key. Doubts will pass. Keep going. 

• This is my personal first-aid method every time I feel less motivated.

3. Identify your learning stage  

• Beginners (A1–A2): Focus on practical, communicative goals (e.g., ordering coffee, asking for directions). The beginners are much less likely to experience learning doubts. I'm sorry to say this, but if you feel overwhelmed at the A1 level, maybe Italian is not for you. Or does the way you learn, the book, the teacher, or something else need to be changed?

• Advanced Learners (B2–C2): Progress may feel slower at higher levels, but this is normal.  Set specific, measurable goals (e.g., mastering advanced vocabulary, earning a certification).  My way around it is having a teacher I really like talking to for my advanced languages. Even if I'm not making progress, at least I keep my current level.

4. Leverage community support  

• Join group courses or online communities (e.g., newsletters, Facebook groups). Personally, I love group courses. That's the way I learn best and that's the only offer in my Italian school. It's so much easier and so much more fun to learn with others, at least for me.

• Seeing others struggle and succeed can be motivating. Teachers and peers can provide encouragement and normalize challenges.  When I studied German alone, I felt I was the slowest learner ever. When I started a group course, I had to recognise that there were slower and faster learners than me. I have great days when remembering is a piece of cake and worse days when my memory is not so good. It's normal! A group course teaches us to work on our language both on good and bad days. 

5. Set realistic goals  

• And I mean in! When I first started learning Georgian (which is a fantastic language; just have a look at their alphabet if you don't know it. UNESCO has recognized three Georgian scripts as a significant part of humanity's cultural heritage), my goal was to have a certificate in Georgian. Too bad there are no certificates for Georgian ;-) That's an example of an unrealistic goal. Think about yours.

• Beginners: Aim for practical outcomes (e.g., ordering in a restaurant or checking into a hotel). These are realistic goals. Unrealistic: understanding your Italian mother-in-law every time she speaks to you.

• Advanced learners: Focus on refining skills (like using advanced phrases in conversation). Unrealistic goal: seeing considerable differences in the way you speak every week.  

6. Debunk common misconceptions  

I asked about it in my post last week (some great comments here). To me, the top 3 things to remember are:

• Progress isn’t always fast or linear.  

• Learning isn’t always fun—discipline matters.  

• Adults can learn effectively, especially with structured grammar study.  

Maybe your crisis is caused by forgetting one of these?

7. Ignore non-supportive influences  

- Surround yourself with supportive people.  

- If family or friends aren’t encouraging, seek motivation within your learning community. Like a group course or my project Daily Italian. 

Language learning crisis. What do you think helps?