I could really do something with these students if I had fewer of them, but even so I manage to say a few things of use to one or two now and then. I think my specialty is diagnosing undiagnosed intelligence.
Student: I am having so much trouble with Spanish. There’s something about classes, and books … but I picked up colloquial Arabic pretty well in Iraq, didn’t have to, was interested, started listening to people, listened to the radio, started to understand …
Professor Zero: What about ignoring the book for this class, then, getting a little grammar outline and starting to listen to Internet radio?
Student: Really?
Professor Zero: Yes. That’s what I do when I take language classes, the textbooks seem like impediments to me, I look at them to see what it is I am supposed to know how to do and then look for other examples, listen to people talk, make up my own sentences.
Student: Really? I could do that?
Professor Zero: It seems like it. I am guessing you might be language talented and just not be secure in it yet.
Student: Language talented? Me?
Professor Zero: Well, people who go to Iraq and do not have to learn Arabic, but choose to out of interest, and do it by listening to people and the radio, are doing what language talented people do.
Student: It is true! I might be talented! What a switch! I will be able to pass this course if I study the way I want to! Thank you, Professor Zero!
Do you see? Someone less brilliant than me would not have discovered such an effective thing to say to this student. They would say yes, it’s hard, we’ll try to get you through, or something well meaning like that; however I can say downright empowering things, because I am extremely smart and not stingy or jealous. So there, sourpusses of the world: it is just not always practical or effective to say things are so hard, so hard.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Tu solus Sanctus,
Tu solus Dominus,
Tu solus Altisimus
🙂 I don’t really mean just me, of course. I’m just tired of the whole apologetic mode.
This is how I learned to speak Spanish: got rid of the textbooks and just spoke to people and watched Spanish-language TV. And read books.
The method works for many people. So you are right, suffering is not necessary. In terms of language learning, it is actually counterproductive. People never learn to speak really well if they keep associating the language with unpleasantness, pain, and suffering.
Yes – this is part of why I so dislike teaching foreign languages – I can’t support the textbook – workbook – website – etc. thing, language lab, etc.; can’t assign that stuff with a straight face, yet have to.