掲示板 Forums - Language immersion doesn‘t feel like progress? Language plateau?

This is about the experience of learning French but it might as well also applies to Japanese.

I‘ve been studying French since childhood but only started seriously about two years ago. I progressed quite quickly to the point where I can understand enough to use immersion methods like easy podcasts, Youtube videos, stories. I have basically no discipline to study vocabulary and grammar „manually“ anymore since I‘ve started to feel like I‘ve hit an upper beginner‘s plateau. I was sure immersion is the key to overcoming that. Yet whenever I listen to podcasts etc. despite understanding +90% of it I feel like I‘m making no progress. I wonder if this is normal and I should just trust the process or if I‘m doing something wrong. Maybe it‘s also the lack of output I‘m making or maybe I should really „study manually“ again in order to gain more skills to be able to move onto more difficult immersion material. Has anyone else ever felt like this?

If you are on a plateau learning stage. You are in your comfort zone.

Try to break down all your (listening, writing, speaking and reading) skills you have in this language. Do you recognize any weak points?

If yes try to improve them. Your listening skill seems to be your "highest" skill, but you wrote you lack in output (speaking, writing).

Try to shadow what you hear -> write it down. Next step use your own words to write a summary.

Post it on a language learning platform where a native speaker will correct it for you.

Speak to a native speaker if that's not possible or if you're too shy, speak to yourself.

How about reading? Search for books (grades readers or dual language books) with audio files. Try “reading” out a loud along with the audio file.

Use your listening skill to improve your other skills. Maybe this will help you overcome this plateau.