second reason is that at the beginning there are many different
respects in which progress can be made. For example, the beginner in
German must learn nouns, case endings, declension of adjectives, days
of the week; in short, a vast number of new things all at once. At a
later period however, the number of new things to be learned is much
smaller and improvement cannot be so rapid. A third reason why learning
proceeds more rapidly at first is that the interest is greater at this
time. You have doubtless many times experienced this fact, and you know
that when a thing has the interest of novelty you work harder upon it.

If you will examine the learning curve closely, you will note that
after the initial spurt, there is a slowing up. The curve at this point
resembles a plateau and indicates cessation of progress if not
retrogression. This period of no progress is regarded as a
characteristic of the learning curve and is a time of great
discouragement to the conscientious student, so distressing that we may
designate it "the plateau of despond." Most people describe it as a
time when they feel unable to learn more about a subject; the mind
seems to be sated; new ideas cannot be assimilated, and old ones seem
to be forgotten. The plateau may extend for a long or a short time,
depending upon the nature of the subject-matter and the length of time
over which the learning extends. In the case of professional training,
it may extend over a year or more. In the case of growing children in
school, it sometimes happens that an entire year elapses during which
the learning of an apparently bright student is retarded. In a course
of study in high school or college, it may come on about the third week
and extend a month or more. Something akin to the plateau may come in
the course of a day, when we realize that our efficiency is greatly
diminished and we seem, for an hour or more, to make no progress.