Improve your Learning Skills
Learning is a skill and it can be improved.Your path to learning effectively is through knowing
- yourself
- your capacity to learn
- processes you have successfully used in the past
- your interest, and knowledge of what you wish to learn
Motivate yourself
If you are not motivated to learn English you will become frustrated and give up. Ask yourself the following questions, and be honest:-
- Why do you need to learn/improve English?
- Where will you need to use English?
- What skills do you need to learn/improve? (Reading/Writing/Listening/Speaking)
- How soon do you need to see results?
- How much time can you afford to devote to learning English.
- How much money can you afford to devote to learning English.
- Do you have a plan or learning strategy?
You know how much time you can dedicate to learning English, but a short time each day will produce better, longer-term results than a full day on the weekend and then nothing for two weeks.
Joining a short intensive course could produce better results than joining a course that takes place once a week for six months.
Here are some goals you could set yourself:-
- Join an English course (and attend regularly).
- Do your homework.
- Read a book a month.
- Learn a new word every day.
- Visit an English speaking forum every day.
- Read a news article on the net every day.
- Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
- Watch an English film at least once a month.
- Follow a soap, comedy or radio or TV drama.
Decide on a reward you will give yourself for fulfilling your goals for a month.
- A bottle of your favourite drink
- A meal out / or a nice meal at home
- A new outfit
- A manicure or massage
There are different ways to learn. Find out what kind of learner you are in order to better understand how to learn more effectively..
The visual learner
Do you need to see your teacher during lessons in order to fully understand the content of a lesson?Do you prefer to sit at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads)?
Do you think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs?
During a lecture or classroom discussion, do you prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information?
The auditory learner
Do you learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say?Do you interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances?
Does written information have little meaning until you hear it?
The Tactile/Kinesthetic learner
Do you learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around you?Do you find it hard to sit still for long periods?
Do you become distracted easily?
Other English Learning Tips
Travel to an English speaking country:-- England is only a few hours flight away.
- Specialist holidays are available to improve your English.
- Take an English speaking tour or activity holiday.
Keep something English on you (book, newspaper or magazine, cd or cassette, set of flashcards) all day and every day, you never know when you might have 5 spare minutes.
If you are too tired to actively practice just relax and listen to an English pop song or talk radio station.
article resource
www.englishclub.com