Job Discussion Forums

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

After being asked this question yet again, I thought it might be good to brainstorm some ideas. Here's what we came up with at my office. I think I'm going to carry this list around with me in case a student tries to catch me off guard Smile

How Can I Improve My English?
Do extra practice activities or homework outside of class.
Only speak English during class activities.
Try to think in English.
Read English books, magazines, journals, and websites.
Listen to English music, radio, and podcasts.
Watch English movies with English subtitles.
Watch CNN in English.
Meet a native English speaker and speak English.
Meet a non-native English speaker and speak English.
Get a keypal and email them in English.
Chat online in English.
Keep a diary in English
Use new English words outside of class.
Give long answers in class.
Use English outside of class. Try to help foreigners.
Volunteer at the Migrant Center.
Join a conversation class.
Read aloud.
Join Toast Masters and give presentations in English.
Practice, practice, practice.
Read graded readers.
Learn 10 new English words a day.
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desertdawg · Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Posts: 206

Get an English speaking boy/girl friend who doesn't speak your native language.

Learning can be fun!

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

desertdawg · Joined: 14 Jun 2010 Posts: 206

Best way if you can spend "quality time" with a native speaker of the language you're learning. Also I always tell people lucky enough to be going to study abroad that staying with a native speaking family is the best option if available.

Good thread and thanks for the ideas naturegirl.

I'm sad and like my soaps. There's one on the below link aimed at intermediate (?) teenagers/young adults. Audio & comic strip with work sheets etc suitable for self study. Maybe podcasts and the like have been bad in one way as they stop the necessity of routine and setting aside a fixed time to watch/listen. People seem to say that that is important.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/index.shtml

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

GMark · Joined: 02 Apr 2010 Posts: 46 Location: China

I'll add...

Record yourself on a tape recorder and play it back.

GMark · Joined: 02 Apr 2010 Posts: 46 Location: China

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Put as many things on one side of a card as you can.

Put this on the reverse side:

Shortcut to learning any language: study a lot any way you can!

fluffyhamster · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject:

1) Make sure you've actually completed a decent self-study course. Don't rely on "native speakers" or group class texts to teach you that much, especially if you are a relative beginner.

2) Have a good learner dictionary always by your side, to browse and "mine" every spare minute.

3) Start constucting your own course or phrasebook, by organizing all the useful examples that you come across. Rephrase them so that they involve you and people and places that you know.

4) Become and remain aware of the general differences between speech and writing, get resources and materials appropriate for learning both (i.e. that point out the differences), and try not to neglect either too much.

sheikh radlinrol · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 1222 Location: Spain

MotherF · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 11:25 pm Post subject:

I tell my students (who in truth don't actually ask this a lot), increase the amount of time you are putting in. Do something you enjoy with that time (music, movies, verb charts, making flash cards--what ever rocks your boat). But what ever it is, increase the amount of time you put into it.

http://drsaraheaton.wordpress.com/2011/02/20/how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-a-new-language/

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

LongShiKong · Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 1082 Location: China