I Was Supposed to Learn My Times Tables. Instead, I Got Chatting

In primary school, we had to learn our times tables (Einmaleins) with a partner. We were told to repeat them over and over again—5 × 5 is 25, 7 × 8 is… oh, what was it again?

Instead of practising, my friend and I started chatting and laughing about everything but numbers. At that time, it felt as if I wasn’t learning anything. Looking back, I realise that memorising never worked well for me. I learned best through conversations when I was focused on learning—not just during fun, off-topic chats.

This is just like learning English. Many people think they must memorise words, study grammar and speak perfectly. But language is not like maths. It isn’t just about memorising—it’s about real conversation.

The best way to become confident in English is to use it. Speak it. Make mistakes. Learn naturally by having focused, real conversations.

That’s how I help my clients—through simple, practical conversations. Confidence in English comes not from knowing every rule, but from trusting yourself to communicate.

What is something you learned by doing instead of memorising?