When students return home after one of our intensive English language courses in England, they often ask us the same question:
‘How can I continue to learn English in my own country?’
Well, there are lots of ways - and in this series of blog posts we are going to explore them...
Tip 1: Enjoy yourself (while using English)
When students ask me which types of book/tv series/music are the best for learning English, I always give the same answer - the ones which you enjoy.
The Theory
Imagine you find a book which is the right English level for you and has a lot of useful vocabulary which you can learn. However, the topic of the book is building regulations in the 1970s (boring). Would you read it?
When you read something you are not interested in, two things happen:
If you read something on a topic you are interested in:
So, don’t worry about finding a book/movie/magazine which is perfect for your level of English and has great vocabulary - just find something you enjoy.
The Practice
Think of your current hobbies and interests, and the things you do in your own language which you enjoy. Now change them so that you are using English, for example:
If you like documentaries - watch documentaries made in English; if you like gardening - subscribe to an English gardening magazine; if you like football - start supporting an English football team (I recommend Newcastle United), find a supporters group near you to watch the matches with other supporters (check out www.meetup.com for this), and listen to an English football podcast each week.
The possibilities are endless - ask us if you need any help!
‘How can I continue to learn English in my own country?’
Well, there are lots of ways - and in this series of blog posts we are going to explore them...
Tip 1: Enjoy yourself (while using English)
When students ask me which types of book/tv series/music are the best for learning English, I always give the same answer - the ones which you enjoy.
The Theory
Imagine you find a book which is the right English level for you and has a lot of useful vocabulary which you can learn. However, the topic of the book is building regulations in the 1970s (boring). Would you read it?
When you read something you are not interested in, two things happen:
- It takes you longer to finish reading it (you fall asleep!)
- You continue the idea that English is boring, or something that you do not like to do
If you read something on a topic you are interested in:
- You will read more, and for longer
- You start to connect ‘learning English’ with enjoyment - and so do more of it!
So, don’t worry about finding a book/movie/magazine which is perfect for your level of English and has great vocabulary - just find something you enjoy.
The Practice
Think of your current hobbies and interests, and the things you do in your own language which you enjoy. Now change them so that you are using English, for example:
If you like documentaries - watch documentaries made in English; if you like gardening - subscribe to an English gardening magazine; if you like football - start supporting an English football team (I recommend Newcastle United), find a supporters group near you to watch the matches with other supporters (check out www.meetup.com for this), and listen to an English football podcast each week.
The possibilities are endless - ask us if you need any help!