How language learning is like volleyball

Language learning is a lot like playing volleyball. In both activities, the goal is to keep the interaction going—whether it’s keeping the ball in play or keeping the conversation flowing. In volleyball, it doesn’t matter how fancy your serve is if it doesn’t make it over the net. Similarly, in language learning, the key is to communicate effectively. You don’t need to have perfect grammar or flawless pronunciation to have a successful conversation; the main thing is to get your message across. If you keep trying to get every word perfect and never speak, the conversation won’t go anywhere.

Just as in volleyball, where players improve their skills by constantly practicing and returning the ball, language learners improve by keeping the conversation going. Each exchange is like a volley—you send your message over, and your conversation partner responds. Even if your response isn’t perfect, you learn by actively participating in the interaction. The back-and-forth nature of conversation builds confidence and fluency over time, much like the repetition in volleyball builds stronger skills and reflexes.

The more you play volleyball, the better you become at controlling the ball and anticipating the next move. The same is true for language learning. The more you engage in conversations, the better you become at choosing the right words, adjusting your tone, and understanding your conversation partner. In both cases, the focus should be on maintaining the flow of the game or conversation—perfection can come later, but keeping the ball or conversation in play is what really matters.