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How To Learn English

1. The document provides tips for learning English, recommending immersing oneself in English through activities like listening to radio/podcasts, reading news/articles, making friends with native English speakers, and taking ESL classes. 2. Specific tips include spending 1+ hours daily listening and 3+ hours reading, learning phonetic alphabet, writing pen pals daily, using newly learned words, and thinking in English. 3. Additional recommendations are finding a native English teacher, living in an English-speaking country for a year (through homestays), and practicing dictation exercises.

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Desi Wiwis Sahendrati
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62 views

How To Learn English

1. The document provides tips for learning English, recommending immersing oneself in English through activities like listening to radio/podcasts, reading news/articles, making friends with native English speakers, and taking ESL classes. 2. Specific tips include spending 1+ hours daily listening and 3+ hours reading, learning phonetic alphabet, writing pen pals daily, using newly learned words, and thinking in English. 3. Additional recommendations are finding a native English teacher, living in an English-speaking country for a year (through homestays), and practicing dictation exercises.

Uploaded by

Desi Wiwis Sahendrati
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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How to Learn English

English is the most general language for the international business world. People who are not native
English speakers must immerse themselves in English-speaking environments if they want to speak
English well and be successful.

Steps

1. Learn the basic reading and listening abilities of English.

2. Spend at least one hour everyday listening to news or discussion programs such as NPR (National
Public Radio) news or BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation; the World Service or Radio Four are
best) news. It's hard to understand what they are saying when you first begin to listen to them, but
gradually you'll get used to the speed and tone. Then you can get a brief idea of what they are
talking about, although you can't get the detail. You don't need to listen to the radio for an whole
hour at once. It's best to spend twenty or thirty minutes on listening separately.
3. Spend more than three hours every day on reading English news or articles. Reading builds up
your vocabulary, idioms, phrases, and the concepts of English structures. If you do enough reading,
it will save you a lot of time since you will not need to spend more time on building your vocabulary
or grammar. Read out loud when you do your reading so that you can improve your pronunciation
at the same time.
4. Learn the phonetic alphabet (pronunciation symbols). This can help you pronounce correctly, and
it's necessary to speak with the correct tone if you want to make some friends with native English
speakers. This is a big deal for non-native English speakers.
5. Make some pen pals and write them at least once everyday. The best way to improve your writing
is to practice writing as much as you can. The more you write the more you know how to use what
you've learned from reading and listening.
6. Make friends with native-English speakers. This is the most difficult task because of the difference
in culture, but you can't really master English unless you can communicate with a native English
speaker fluently. You have to know enough things and have good listening skills if you want to have
good conversations with an American or Briton. Remember to ask a lot of questions to keep the
conversation going. When someone asks you a question, give more than just the basic information.
For example, if someone asks you "Do you like living here?" don't just answer "Yes" or "No," but tell
them why, too.
7. Watch some English TV. TV is the best and most inexpensive teacher to learn real English. Not
only you can learn formal English from news or debate TV programs, but you can also learn
everyday English from soap operas and sitcoms. Be careful because too much jargon or too many
idioms make your speech ambiguous.
8. Try listening to the Radio. Radio is also one of the best and inexpensive English teachers. Because
there is no picture, you cannot lip read. You must train your ear to listen.
9. Use an English-English dictionary and bring your dictionary wherever you go. If you find some
words that you don't know, look them up in your dictionary immediately.
10. Use your newly-learned idioms or vocabulary. Once you use the words which you memorized, you
will never forget them again.
11. Think in English. Getting used to using English all the time will make it easier to listen and react
with it.
12. Join web groups or clubs where you can post questions freely and discuss the use of grammar
such as Kela-Bi Group at Google
13. Take an ESL (English as a Second Language) class at your local community college (if you live in
the USA.) Classes are free! Your tax dollar at work!

[edit] Tips

 Make friends with native English speakers.

 Learn about the cultures of English-speaking countries.


 If you have your sights set on the US, look for literacy programs in your area -- they are often
free, learn a trade and do your best to acquire English-speaking friends. Americans like people
with an "I can do it!" attitude. In Britain, a useful skill and some modesty are more the key.
 Find a native individual who not only speaks English, but can teach it. Learn grammar and
vocabulary using visual, auditory and spoken methods. Spiral the cycle and keep it interesting.
 Children might enjoy learning in a kitchen while drinking milk after school.
 As a teenager, live for a year in an English speaking country. This is much less expensive if you
do a barter - accept someone in your house in trade for living in theirs.
 Learn English by reading, listening, studying, and asking questions; practice what you learn by
speaking and writing.
 Dictation is an excellent way to improve your listening and spelling skills. Have a friend read a few
paragraphs from a book or a newspaper. Write down what you think you hear. Compare what you
have written with the actual text.
 If you can dream in English, this means that you have succeeded in becoming a fluent English
speaker, but not that your English is perfect.

[edit] Warnings

 Never stop getting new information in English and keep practicing writing and speaking.

 Many old British sitcoms use strong (and sometimes ambiguous) accents and dialects.
 Reading will increase your understanding of English and add to your vocabulary, but it's talking
that will increase fluency.

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