HOW TO STUDY ENGLISH EFFECTIVELY : five habits that have helped TO ENFLUENT STUDYING ENGLISH
Learning English, or any language, can be a challenging
but rewarding experience. To make progress, you need to put in a
lot of dedication and effort, but you also need to develop the right
habits. Here are five habits that have helped my
students achieve their aims.
1. Plan your learning and set realistic goals
The decision to study English, or return to the English
language classroom after a long break, can be quite overwhelming. Try to plan
your studies with a weekly timetable and dedicate one day
for self-study, including time to review your lessons. Planning your learning
day by day or week by week can be rewarding, and will make it easier to
measure your progress. This is especially true if you set realistic goals. For
example, you might aim to learn five new
linking
expressions next week (realistic) rather than
master academic writing (extremely unrealistic).
Tip: A wonderful app that I have used for studying
is
My Study Life. It
helps with organising your routine for study; you can even use it to plan
other things in your day.
2. Record new vocabulary in a way that's easy to
review
When studying a language, it's essential to keep
vocabulary notes from lessons. As language lessons are often
based on a particular theme (e.g., shopping, music, family), it's a
good idea to organise vocabulary by topic. Experiment with different ways
of recording vocabulary, including
word
cards,
mind
maps, and
tables,
and see what works best for you. You should also make a note of the different
forms, uses and pronunciation of particular words (make sure you have
a
ip: Try
using
your mobile phone to record vocabulary from your lessons. Or
why not create an online poster using
Glogster to upload new
language, videos or images from the class (such as the teacher's whiteboard
notes). Try it out.
3. Review your lessons and self-study notes regularly
To successfully learn new vocabulary and grammar, you need
to review your lesson or self-study notes regularly. Go through
the notes you took in a particular lesson and try memorising some or
all of the important language or grammar points (remember, set yourself
realistic goals). Then, writing on a blank piece of paper, see how much
you can recall. Repeat the process until you've memorised all the
things you set yourself at the beginning of the task.
Tip: Some learners benefit from creating
flashcards that you can store on a smart phone.
Quizlet is one such app. There is
also
GoConqr, which
can help you bring all your lessons together in one place. You can even
create vocabulary mind maps from your lessons! With so many
tools
to help you online, find out which ones work for you.
4. Be active and take control of your own learning
When in class, try to participate as much as possible. Be
determined to use the language and grammar your teacher has
presented. Making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process, so
don't let that stop you.
Be active rather than passive: find out from your
teacher what your strengths and weaknesses are; ask your classmates
what they think of your pronunciation; set up an English-speaking club
with other students, so you can practise speaking after class. By being active
and taking control of your own learning, you will soon start
to see results.
Tip: There are many language apps available to
help you connect with speakers of English, but the best one by far, in my
opinion, is
HelloTalk. This
app will help you use your language skills outside the classroom.
5. Find interesting things in English to watch,
read and listen to
To succeed in your English learning, you need to read and
listen to as much English language as possible. However, it's crucial to
make sure the topics are ones that interest you. Get into the habit of
watching
TV shows or movies, listening to
songs and
radio shows, and
reading books
and magazines in English. The English language is truly global and the
opportunities to read or listen to it are endless.
What habits help you learn
English effectively? Share your ideas in the comments below.