In La vérité sur ce qui nous motive (the French version of “Drive”), American author Daniel H. Pink writes:
L’autonomie, selon la conception de Deci et Ryan, n’est pas la même chose que l’indépendance. Ce n’est pas l’individualisme abrupt du cow-boy solitaire qui ne compte sur personne d’autre que lui. C’est agir en faisant des choix, dans le sens où nous pouvons cultiver à la fois l’autonomie et l’interdépendance.*
Consider keeping that idea in mind when you’re learning French (or anything for that matter). Rather than being independent in French, be interdependent by exercising your autonomy — the freedom you have to direct your learning.
Do you isolate yourself with books and other materials to learn French?
Remind yourself that you have the freedom to make choices about your learning that lead you to become interdependent with francophones, not indepedent of them.
When you find yourself stuck for long periods just studying your books and other things that isolate you, ask yourself if you could find a way to exchange what you’re doing for a bit of francointerdependence, cowboy!
—
* Daniel H. Pink, La vérité sur ce qui nous motive (Paris : Éditions Leduc.s, 2011), p. 111. [If you want to read this book in its original English version, it’s called “Drive” by Daniel H. Pink.]
This is a great post and a great idea, too. It’s really important that learners of a language actually get out and speak to people.
At the same time, I can’t help but notice that this is very similar to sovereignty-association. Just saying. 🙂
It does sound like that, doesn’t it? 😉
Here’s part of the description off the back of the book, to help give that quote a little more context:
Le secret de la performance (et de la satisfaction) — dans les entreprises, l’enseignement ou dans notre vie personnelle —, c’est le besoin profondément humain de diriger sa propre vie, d’apprendre, de créer de nouvelles choses et de s’améliorer.
This book is fascinating, by the way. If you’re interested in things like mastery and motivation, or if you’re a teacher, I highly recommend it.
Merci beaucoup. I’ll definitely look it up. 🙂