Methods for Mastering English Conversation and Vocabulary

[Kennen]

I have developed my own unique suggestions on mastering English conversation and vocabulary. They are based on my experience and knowledge, and my tips and advice may be valuable for all students of English. I hope that they will become a short but indispensable guide for many learners of English. I am a former English as a foreign language teacher. I have thoroughly read on the issue of effective methods and aids for learning English. Those aids include audios, videos, websites, study books, etc. I want to share with you that information for English language learners.
Of course, everyday talking in English to native English speakers on a variety of topics helps best in order to be able to speak English fluently. But relatively few learners of English have such long-term opportunity. To eventually be able to speak English fluently, first of all learners of English must have materials with important content on all everyday topics (audios, videos, printed texts/study books, etc.) for beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of study. The materials must include dialogues, monologues (thematic texts), questions - answers with important content, thematic lists of difficult word meanings and phrases (expressions) with usage sentences, and comprehensive vocabulary on all everyday topics. I believe that learners can master English conversation and vocabulary with the following methods:

1. Learners of English must listen to each sentence in conversations (thematic dialogues) in audio materials several times and see their transcripts at the same time, and understand everything in those sentences clearly.

2. It is necessary that learners of English read (pronounce) each sentence aloud and compare their pronunciation to the announcer's pronunciation.

3. Speaking activity with self-control. It is essential for learners to check if they can orally convey the content of those dialogues closely to the original dialogues as much as possible. That means they must try to be an actor for both speakers in the dialogues. The most important thing for them is to speak English, and to check in the transcript of conversations (dialogues) whether they have made any mistakes in speaking.
Learners can also make their own written questions on the dialogues that require long answers contained in the dialogues to facilitate (make easier) imitation of the dialogues. Alternatively, learners can write key words and phrases, or main ideas as a plan to make easier for them to imitate those dialogues.

4. It is important that learners prepare potential questions and answers with important content on all everyday topics, and practise speaking. To show different ways of expressing a particular thought they can make several potential questions and answers on one point in this speaking activity. There are two websites that contain a lot of ready-made questions in English on a wide variety of topics.

5. Learners of English must have lists of difficult word meanings and of phrases (expressions) on every topic with usage sentences. They must read those ready-made vocabulary usage sentences many times if needed. Longman Language Activator Dictionary (unique English Idea Production Dictionary) covers this issue thoroughly. It is essential that learners also make their own sentences with that vocabulary, taking into consideration real life situations.

6. Students of English can learn a lot of vocabulary on every topic from thematic English dictionaries. Good thematic English dictionaries provide clear word usage explanations and also a few usage sentences for each word meaning, which is especially important. It is essential that students of English also make their own sentences with difficult vocabulary. They should think about the real life situations where and when that vocabulary can be used.

7. Learners can also master new English vocabulary by reading thematic texts (materials), first of all on everyday topics with important content, for example: Practical Tips and Advice to Make Everyday Life Easier and Better (practical solutions for everyday problems). Such self-help books on settling everyday matters are available at book stores.
Learners must write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences. It is essential that they practise telling the content of the texts that they have read. As people say, practice makes perfect.

8. Constant review of material ensures solid knowledge and success in learning.

9. It is very important that learners also make use of other important aids on a variety of topics to improve their English conversation and vocabulary skills: audios, videos (English learning videos, travel videos, etc.), Internet resources, English learning magazines, newspapers, newsletters, radio programmes (especially the BBC English learning programmes/materials), TV programmes (educational programmes, documentary films, movies, news), books and e-books on a variety of subjects, online communication with native English speakers (chat, email, Skype).
Good libraries have a wide selection of English learning aids.

I request that you publish this information on your website as my contribution if you find it important (with my name). We could also discuss the issue of effective methods and aids for learning English. Information exchange could be mutually beneficial to us. I am open to your suggestions to improve my Effective Methods for Mastering English Conversation and Vocabulary.
All the best.

[Sally Olsen]

There are many sites in this forum discussing this topic with good suggestions. Just go to the search button above. There are even archived materials.

It would be great to have a student who would follow your suggestions. I imagine there are a few who are that keen.

As I said in the other thread, I find the tone a bit too dictatorial - too many "musts", "essentials" and so on. I have found that people learn in many different ways.

Welcome to these threads. It is good to have someone with experience.

[Kennen]

Hello Sally,

I have discovered too many tips and advice on learning and improving English. I have difficulty to find substantive, productive, practical, effective suggestions that are encompassing, inclusive, cover essential issues thoroughly and are not superficial. It is very time consuming and quite useless to go through a multitude of unprofessional suggestions of authors with insufficient English experience. Understand me properly. I critically assess my views and I never praise myself or boast of my knowledge. So I don't claim to be the most knowledgeable on any issue relating to English in this case. Learning and improving are a never-ending process. Perhaps you could suggest to me the titles of the best professional articles and the websites on English tips and methods, in particular on mastering English conversation and vocabulary. I know some helpful useful information on this issue and on aids for mastering various aspects of English. Exchange of information and knowledge, especially among professionals can be mutually beneficial.

[Sally Olsen]

Just go to Google Scholar and type in ESL or EFL and vocabulary or learning tips or

http://forums.eslcafe.com/teacher/viewt ... highlight=

The people who post here are professional and are working in the field and so their tips are valid.

In addition to the students having many methods to learn, the teachers have many methods to teach and some work for many, but not all. I don't believe in a universal way of teaching or learning.

I know one student who just went to bars for the whole school year and spent his tuition on drinks for English speaking friends. He was really fluent at the end of year and had created a network for his father's business that was extremely useful.