Not books alone: ​​8 non-banal ways to learn English

Original ways to improve English collected edition Happy Monday.

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It is difficult to disagree with the arguments in favor of learning English. This language can really help you earn more, travel more comfortably, and so on. But, imagining yourself with textbooks, you find a thousand and one reasons why you don't really need English. What are the interesting ways of learning, says Ivanka Klimenko, teacher and founder of the online school of spoken English Speak.

Before compiling a list of non-standard ways to learn English, Ivanka asked the opinions of her students and subscribers on social networks. The leader in the category “The most banal and least interesting way” was cramming textbooks. On her own behalf, she added that this is not only ineffective, but also has a side effect - it slowly but surely “kills” the love of the language.

Learning English exclusively from textbooks is a pattern imposed on us at school or university by teachers who were not ready to put in the effort and come up with interesting problems. Therefore, often as adults we unconsciously protest against continuing to learn a language.

In fact, there are dozens of ways to learn and practice English today. And if one of them is ineffective for you (for example, learning with applications that actually work only on short-term memory), then this does not mean that you are hopeless or incapable of languages. This is just a sign that you need a different way.

So what are some interesting ways to improve your English.

1. Write in english

Try keeping a diary or planner, making lists in English. This trains long-term memory and helps to reproduce previously written phrases and words in live communication.

2... Read out loud in English

If you consume content in English, this is already a reason to be proud! If not yet, then read your favorite English-language media or buy an interesting novel in the original. The next step is to try reading news, articles or books out loud. This is how we simultaneously turn on our visual, auditory, and if we hold a book in our hands, then also our kinetic memory.

3. Listen to radio or podcasts in English

As you listen, concentrate on constructing sentences and pronouncing words you already know. Learn to feel spoken language, distinguish between accents in sentences and stress. Repeat words, expressions and sentences behind the speakers. This will help you learn the correct pronunciation, advises Ivanka.

4... Work with your instructor to achieve a specific goal

Find a teacher who will prepare you for interviews, vacations abroad, moving to a new language level, and the like. During individual lessons, the chances of leaving any gaps in knowledge are close to zero, because a competent teacher knows the strengths and weaknesses of his student well and knows how to work with them. Therefore, a teacher + a specific goal that is important to you at this stage is a strong combination. If there is no goal, come up with one and be sure to promise yourself a reward for achieving it.

5. Arrange your English days

This can be done at home: try talking to yourself in front of the mirror, for example, practicing expressions learned in class. And if you have pets, speak English with them. Ivanka has two cats, and they often hear the following: “What again? More food? Come on, man, I just fed you an hour ago! »

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Or get out of your comfort zone and speak English to people on the street (especially when you hear someone next to you speaking the same language). Ivanka recommends regular conversational classes in real conditions for her students: they buy a gift, look for the right address, or choose something while communicating with people exclusively in English. You can warn that you have a lesson - this will make both participants in the dialogue more comfortable. If you're scared to talk to strangers, talk to your significant other, friends or parents.

6... Join a community or conversation club to learn English

Speaking club is a now popular format that takes place in every major city offline or online. Ivanka’s recent experience was running the Try something new community, whose participants tried new activities for a week, shared their emotions in a chat (in English, of course), and also communicated weekly with a teacher in the format of a conversation club. A cool experience, it not only develops English, but also diversifies the daily routine.

7. Learn English with song

When you listen to a track, open the lyrics on the screen. Or search for a video on YouTube by adding the word “lyrics” to the title. It’s hard to even call this method training—it’s almost relaxation.

8... Translate everything around

For example, when you go shopping, imagine what these books would be called in English, or translate phrases on advertising boards, labels in supermarkets, or messages from brands. If you practice this method with friends, a lot of laughter and fun is guaranteed.

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Finally, Ivanka shared a rule that helps her students progress in learning the language. “This is a short mantra: you should have an everyday portion of English. Surround yourself with English, let your brain get used to the language. If you devote at least 15 minutes every day to one of the methods above, you will speed up the achievement of your goal,” the teacher concluded.

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