Thursday, 31 October 2013

The best ways to study English!


We all want to study new languages but no one think about how to learn it easier. Now you have opportunity to learn English easier and faster.
 
Now you have to be concentrate to new ways of studying!
Of course, the reasons to learn English are numerous. There are practical considerations— ease of communication with people all over the world, improved business and career opportunities, and better educational opportunities, learning English can be a lot of fun and it opens up doors to vast number of different cultures from the United States to Australia to Great Britain. Learning English provides you with access to the innumerable works of literature, film, and music produced in the English language.
So! How will you start it?
1.    Take a course. Studying on your own can only get you so far– if you are serious about learning English, it is definitely a wise idea to take an English course. There is probably an English language center somewhere in your local area and you can also always take classes at your local college or university. Online courses can also be an excellent option. If you are just getting started you might want to consider taking this elementary English course. Or, if you are a more advanced student and already have a basic knowledge check out this intermediate level English course.
2.    Learn English grammar. There is no getting around it—English grammar can be pretty complex, full of irregular verbs, bizarre spellings, and unusual conjugations.  Complicating matters, English isn’t entirely phonetic, so how a word looks is not necessarily how it sounds.
However, the bottom line is that learning grammar is an essential part of learning any language. In spite of the difficulty of the task, thoroughly understanding English grammar is essential to mastering English. Grammar mistakes undoubtedly weaken your verbal and written production of English. The less grammar mistakes you make, the more fluid and natural you will sound.
3.    Learn a new English word every day. The more English words you know, the better you will be able to express yourself. The only way to improve and expand your vocabulary is to learn more words. Aim to learn a new English word everyday. Flashcards can really come in handy here.
4.    Make an English-speaking friend. When it comes to learning practice is crucial. Ideally, you want to be speaking the language on a regular basis to master your pronunciation, oral comprehension, and overall speaking skills. Obviously, it is best to practice with a native speaker. If you don’t know any English speakers, see if there are any language exchange programs in your area. These language exchange programs allow you to learn English from an English speaker in exchange for teaching him or her your native language.
5.    Read a book written in English. From Shakespeare to Whitman to Hemingway, the world of English Literature is vast, varied, and incredibly rich. Reading the classics is also an excellent way to pick up on the more finer, nuanced points of English language expression. If you are a literature aficionado, you might even take a course in English Literature, like this classics of American Literature course on the works of famous poet T.S. Eliot or this great literature course about Shakespeare’s famous Macbeth.
And if you’re just getting started with English and can’t handle a classic just yet, don’t hesitate to pick a children’s book. They can really help you to master the basics of grammar and sentence structure.
6.    Watch an English movie. There are an abundance of English movies out there, from romances to horror films to comedies, so there is something to suit everybody’s interests. To give your English language skills a boost pick one and start watching. If you’re afraid you won’t understand everything, you can always put subtitles on in your native language. Even with subtitles, English movies can help you to boost your vocabulary and oral comprehension.
7.    Purchase a computer program. Though a bit pricey, programs like Rosetta Stone can be a great way to learn English. They can be especially ideal if you are serious about learning English but simply don’t have time to make it to an English course on a regular basis.
8.    Work on perfecting your accent. When it comes to mastering any language, pronunciation is key. Remember, there are many different dialects of English. English in New Zealand is not the same as the English spoken in Scotland and the English spoken in the United States is not the same as the English spoken in Jamaica.  Think about where you will be using your English and what specific dialect you want to learn. For example, if you have always dreamed of studying abroad for a year in Australia, perfect the Australian accent by learning how Australians specifically pronounce things. Conversely, if you are planning on working in the United States, you will probably want to focus on the American English dialect. To master an American accent check out this this sound American course to learn American English for success in business or this great accent reduction course.
The second part!
Why Do I Need To Develop Good Habits?
Very simply speaking, developing habits is a great way of getting stuff done, of reaching your goals. Being extremely motivated for a short period of time can drain your batteries, after which you’ll have to take a break and relax. We’re all super excited when we start learning a new language. We feel like buying every single book we can get our hands on, endlessly reading about the language on the net, and dreaming about traveling the country that speaks the target language. Most of us have this initial motivation boost. The problem is that when this flow of motivation comes to a stop, and the tide reverses, we’re in for some disappointment.
How do we stave off this disappointment? Develop good, sustainable habits.
How Can I Develop Good Language Learning Habits?
  1. Physically assign a place for studying: It may help you to associate a certain room or place with your language. Benny Lewis, from Fluent In 3 Months, keeps a room in his home as an Arabic-only room, saying “It’s a small step, but very helpful to physically assign a place to help us compartmentalize the language mentally.” Don’t limit yourself to a room (not all of us might have the luxury of having an extra room only for study purposes). It can be the subway/bus, the library, the park, or when going to a cafĂ© (my personal favorite). However, make sure to choose a place that will allow you to focus and avoid major distractions.
  2. Make use of dead time: There may be days when you just don’t have 30 minutes to study. To continue your habit, look for periods of “dead time” in your day and take advantage of them. Last year, while living in Korea, I spent about 25 minutes commuting to and from work. Instead of staring into the air, I got into the habit of listening to Korean podcasts. Throughout my time in Korea, there were periods of a few weeks or months when I just did not feel like studying. Fortunately, by that time my habit of listening to podcasts on the subway was ingrained and required no effort, so I still managed to engage with the language daily, which helped me retain and improve my language skills.
  3. Take on a 30-day challenge: Commit to building a small positive habit when learning a language and do it every day for 30 days. After, either stick with it or change to another habit. Examples could include simple changes like reading the news in your target language instead of your native language or listening to podcasts while commuting/walking/shopping. nEED some motivation? Watch Matt Cutts’ short and funny TED Talk about his 30-day challenges.
  4. Form goals: Knowing what you want to achieve is crucial to developing successful, good habits. A common practice in business development is to set “S.M.A.R.T.” goals. A SMART goal is: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Achieving “fluency” is vague and hardly measurable. Instead, a better goal would be “Study basic greetings and vocabulary every morning, at 10am, for 30 minutes, until I can have an everyday conversation with native speakers.” Once you have such a specific goal, developing habits and getting into a routine will be much easier and might even come naturally.
I really like this ways of studying