Ways of Learning
Everybody learns things in a different way.
Some people learn things best through listening, some through reading, some through visualising and some through kinaesthetic methods.
If you find out what kind of learner you are, it will help you to decide the best way of learning English.Think about theses things:
- Do you remember the music from scenes in your favourite film?
- Do you remember things that you read in a novel or do you have to read the same page more than once?
- Do you find it easy to learn the words of an English song ?
- Do you remember the dance moves from your favourite video clip?
What You Learn
If you need to pass an academic English exam, it is not so important to know how to ask where the nearest toilet is or how to book a room in a five star hotel!
If you want to go on holiday, it would be useful to know how to ask for directions or order food in a restaurant. It is not as important to learn how to make a conditional sentence....
Remember it is important to focus on what is relevant for your English language learning needs.
How much you learn.
Well, the average human brain can only remember so much! It is said that only 100 words make up 50 per cent of all conversations! So, do not try and learn lists of vocabulary "by heart". If you learn ten key words a day, in two weeks you will have a good grasp of the basics!
Don't Get Tongue Tied!
Many people are afraid to use the English that they have learnt in case they make mistakes - it can be a real confidence killer...BUT remember the only way we really learn is by making mistakes and learning from those mistakes. To boost you confidence in speaking English, you should learn a few key phrases to help you such as:
"Could you repeat that, please?"
"I'm sorry. I don't understand."
"Could you speak more slowly, please."
" How do you say ....... in English?"
So, remember:
- Think about how you like to learn things
- Think about why you want to speak English
- Think about mastering your memory techniques!
- Think about SPEAKING IN ENGLISH!
Making an effort to speak in English is the first step in the right direction!
