I have autism and one of the things I struggle with the most is talking to people. As an Anglophone in Montreal, I have to master the French language but my speaking ability holds me back. Even though I can read books and summarize them in French at a respectable level, my speaking ability leaves something to be desired.
I am often frustrated with myself when I’m stumbling over my words in French and I ask myself “how stupid am I if I can’t even speak this language fluently, which is among the easiest for native English speakers to learn?” I particularly struggle with spontaneous conversations in French. I’m usually caught off guard and hesitate as I try to find the right words.
Will speaking always be difficult for me because of autism? I feel a great deal of pressure to speak French at an advanced level and it makes French such a stressful language for me. How’d you go about setting realistic expectations?