I shared this poster prepared by American English at State on my Facebook Page the other day. The words expressed by Sarah Caldwell apply to everything we do in life, but I'd like to apply them here to learning the English Language.
My husband and I have just returned from a 6-day trip to Budapest. During our trip, we went on a guided walking tour around the Jewish quarter of the city. The tour was in English as, alas we don't speak Hungarian. Our guide, Petra was a delightful Hungarian who made our tour particularly memorable. She was extremely knowledgeable and we came away far more informed about Jewish traditions and the history of Jewry in Hungary over the centuries than when we started.
Despite lacking 100% accuracy, Petra managed to convey her ideas and information with enthusiasm and she was a joy to listen to.
We all congratulated her on her English and when asked where she'd learned the language, her response was astonishing. She learned English through watching TV programmes like Dr Who, Sherlock and Game of Thrones!
And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. Petra enjoys watching TV programmes in English and decided to use that medium to learn English. By doing something she enjoys, she motivated herself to study.
And that is what learning a language should be all about - FUN.
My Tips
I wrote a post about two years ago where I shared 5 Tips On How To Immerse Yourself in English Every Day. In that post I emphasised the need to make your learning fun, practical and convenient.
Other Teachers' Tips
A similar discussion is going on in a Facebook Group to which I belong called English Students. A number of teachers have offered ways on how learners can study effectively. Here are some of their tips:
1. Get comfy
"My advice for studying is to make a fun thing to do. Get comfy, relax, get all your things organized around you and then go to it. If you make studying a happy experience, it will go faster, easier and you will learn and retain more." Ron Howard
2. Set the time aside in your diary
"Setting aside a certain time each day or week for online learning is essential". Stephen Greene
3. Give yourself a daily dose of English
"Make studying a part of your daily habit. Read blogs, watch TV/Movies and listen to podcasts. (Pick topics of your interest or that are important to you) Take advantage of the Internet! Using social media is a fun way to practice your English. You can practice the English words that you've learned by commenting on posts." English Teacher Anne
4. Watch movies or TV programmes in English
"Watch movies in English, with or without subtitles. If you've already seen it and know the story well, try to watch without subtitles. And try to get different pronunciations: American, British, Australian, ghetto, slangs, whatever. Train your ears!" Renata Costa Silva
A Fellow Learner's Tips
And here is a post by a client of mine, Alessandra, who shared her 3 Tips To Practise and Improve Your English.
I hope this post has given you some useful tips that will help you on your journey. Please share any others that have worked for you. My readers and I would love to hear from you.
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Ciao for now
Shanthi
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