In other words, how to transition from Input to Input-Output
Having the radio on in the background can certainly help enrich your passive vocabulary acquisition, but taking a more active role is what will truly make the difference- active rather than passive listening. And as a result, your speaking will get better.
In this post, I will outline three practical methods to help you achieve this:
Continue reading “A proactive approach to listening to the news”
Small talk can be awkward and often feels pointless, and yet it’s a part of our everyday lives, no matter what language we speak. At first glance, it seems logical to assume that if you’ve mastered the art of small talk in your native language, transferring those skills to English conversations would be straightforward. However, that’s not always the case.
This could be a significant concern for business English learners, whose ability to engage in small talk is often key to making the right connections when networking. For travellers, small talk can lead to more enriching experiences, opening doors to new friendships and unexpected opportunities during their trips.
Continue reading “Like it or not, small talk is on the menu”
One of the joys of learning a language is that there’s always room for improvement, no matter your level. For instance, learning collocations can greatly enhance how you come across as an English speaker.”
“The harder the climb the sweeter the view.”
For some students, listening is unquestionably one of the hardest skills. Let’s analyse how to change that and have a better experience.
Becoming overwhelmed because your understanding is poor might take you down a road of negativity and make you shut down which will, in turn, prevent you from grasping at least general ideas.
Instead of being put off by it, make it one of your main battles to fight.
Continue reading “Approach listening with a positive attitude”
Procrastination goes hand in hand with demotivation. Not sure which one comes first, it may be one of those “Chicken-and-egg”* situations where it is not clear what triggers what. Does putting things off create demotivation? Or, is it the other way around? Continue reading “Shut the door on procrastination”
Translation, like writing, creates less pressure than speaking. Since no one is watching, there’s room to hesitate or pause as you search for the perfect word to convey your exact meaning, even if it doesn’t immediately spring to mind. For all of these reasons and more, translation can be an effective way to learn in a stress-free environment.
Naturally, you may be wondering who will revise your text. The good news is that there is a simple “DIY” technique.
Overall, I feel fortunate to be surrounded by students who are passionate about English and show genuine interest and appreciation for the language.”
That said, learning a language is more like running a marathon than a sprint. Over the years, I’ve heard various complaints from students, such as I feel stuck,’ ‘I’ve been studying English my whole life. Yet, my level is still intermediate,’ ‘I keep making the same mistakes,’ ‘Despite all my efforts, when I visit English-speaking countries, I struggle to understand people,’ or ‘Phrasal verbs are impossible to learn.’ And the list goes on.”
CREATE VISUALS AND LEARN IN THE PROCESS.
There are multiple ways of recording vocabulary, but the tendency to create “English word + translation” lists prevails. Finding an alternative makes vocabulary recording more entertaining and helps you learn since you are more involved in the process.
Going back to the idea of “collecting words”, you are more likely to remember a new item for your collection when you have devoted some attention to it. Where does it belong? How should I record it? To what extent is this useful for me?
Let’s consider recording vocabulary as a two-way procedure.
What I mean is, you can first record your words in a list, while you are studying or in class, as a sort of draft. Secondly, you could rewrite those words into a more definite, elaborate system. It may take more time but it will eventually pay off.
If you don’t use it, you lose it.
But, how to speak English regularly if you don’t live in an English-speaking country?
Decidedly, that constitutes a major obstacle to overcome but not an impossible one. Although a long stay in an English-speaking country is the most effective way to become fluent in a language, there are strategies to adopt when that is not an option.
I would make a distinction here between students who have already been fluent but whose English is getting rusty as time goes by (due to lack of use), and those who are still learning the ropes. For the latter, I would recommend attending a course to receive some guidance. You can also follow some of these tips to reinforce the learning process. For the former, I would say: take the reins!
Let’s dive in and get more specific. Continue reading “Increase your output: oral production”