日曜日10月28日 ~ Useful suggestions 7 ...

Robin

 
So, you've decided that you want to improve your English. The question is where do you begin? Learning English can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially if you don't have any specific learning goals in mind. Here are some tips to help get you off to the right start and make sure that you stay on track as you go...

Why am I learning English?
Everyone has their own reasons why they want to learn English - what are yours? Think about the English skills you already have and the ones that you want. Do you work as an accountant? Then learn English accounting terms. Are you a doctor? Then learn English medical terms. Are you planning on traveling to London? Include some London slang in your plan.Be specific. Determining your motivation will help you focus your studies more effectively on the areas you want to improve the most.

Define the skills you find difficult
If the only reason you are studying is "to improve my English", then it is time to get specific! Identify which of the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) is the most important one for you to learn or the one you find most difficult. Concentrating on different skills helps you to stay focused. For example, if you want to speak to native English speakers with confidence, focus on your speaking skills. This is an example of a long-term goal - a specific skill that you would like to master over time.

One day at a time
You also need to have short-term goals – specific goals you want to accomplish by the end of the day or the week. For example, if you learned a new English idiom, then your goal for the day would be to use that idiom in a conversation. Or, if you are interested in a certain topic, learning 10 related vocabulary words would be a suitable goal.

Keep a record
You should keep a journal to record your goals. Write down your short-term goal at the beginning of each day. At the end of the day, record any difficulties you came across when trying to achieve that goal. Meeting goals that you have set for yourself will increase your confidence and help you see your progress!

How do you learn best?
Knowing how you learn best - what styles and what times of the day - and using those methods to study is a great step towards achieving your goals. If English was boring, nobody would want to speak it! Make sure you study in a way that is fun and effective for you ~ GOOD LUCK...!

This column was published by the author in their personal capacity.
The opinions expressed in this column are the author's own and do not reflect the view of Cafetalk.

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