Tips on Language Learning

How to Make the Most of Your English Course

In 10 Steps

By Malcolm Pemberton

1. Make a Commitment

Do something in English for half an hour each day.
This is much more effective than three hours just before the next class!
It doesn’t have to be “serious”.
Watch something on TV, read an English magazine dedicated to your hobby.
Keep a diary of daily events, use English at work.

2. Set Your Goals

Set concrete, realizable and measurable goals.

Check back on the goals from time to time, are you on track - or sidetracked?

Ask for as much help as you want - it gives your trainer a purpose in life!

3. Suggested Goals – Speaking

To improve spoken fluency.

To expand general and/or work-related vocabulary.

To be able to give more effective presentations.

To be able to handle phone calls with more confidence.

To improve small-talk abilities.

4. Improve your spoken skills - step by step

Don’t try to improve everything at once.

Make good use of class-time to practice.

Choose an area that most needs attention (e.g. verb tenses, prepositions, articles, pronunciation)

Study that area and try to get it right.

Talk a lot - it’s the only way.

5. Improve your listening skills with 'active listening'.

Don’t just “switch off” when the going gets tough.

Analyze what you heard, both the structure and the vocabulary, which bit did you not understand?

Get tough yourself, stop the speaker and ask for clarification.

6. Suggested Goals – Writing

To be able to write:

More effective and professional e-mails

Effective instructions

Impressive reports

Clear informational texts

To be able to select the right level of formality, and the appropriate style.

7. Improving Your Writing Skills

Remember your audience (How well do they understand English?)‏

Choose the right level of formality.

Keep sentences short and simple.

Check your grammar and spelling.

Build up a stock of useful phrases and keep them handy.

8. Improving Your Reading Skills

Here you have more time.

Alternate between long and short texts.

For long texts go for overall understanding, checking only occasional words.

For short texts check every difficult word.

Enter new words in your vocabulary notebook.

9. A Balanced Approach

Develop all four skills (speaking, listening, writing and reading) together.

Don't leave any of them out.

What you learn in one will help the others.

The four skills work hand in hand and help each other.

10. Vocabulary Notebook

This is a great tool!

For me, an A5 notebook works best.

Use it only for your language course.

Enter new words, their synonyms, opposites, related prepositions etc.

Note special features (irregular verbs, always plural etc.)‏

Write several sentences putting the new words into context.

Read the notebook often!

Enjoy your course and have fun!

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