10 Tips For Learning English: 2015

Sep 29, 2015

Use a dictionary.

First of all you need to familiarize with basic words when you are starting to learn, don't get crazy and always carry a dictionary with you, could be a pocket dictionary, an app in your cell phone (it's very useful an easier to use it) or an online dictionary in which you access online and it's similar with the app.

Look the word up in the dictionary and try to understand how it fix with the context you have. I recommend you to do a list in which you could put all the new words in order to review it, in the case that you forget it. I prefer online dictionaries because sometimes it's easy to understand if you have an example, such as a phrase and in this case dictionaries apps have it, also with the pronunciation.

There are multiple choices if you want to use a dictionary to learn English base on what you want to learn. For kids a nice tool is the picture dictionary, the oxford junior dictionary which are illustrated to have a better idea on what the thing is. There are dictionaries also base on verbs patterns, idioms, only for pronunciation or abbreviations, etc.

Here is a explanation about How to use a dictionary, so click on it a start to learn.

Then some links for online dictionaries:

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
http://www.wordreference.com/definition/
http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Adorn your room with flashcards.

Once you have a list of the dictionary, make notice which words or phrases are difficult for you to identify/memorized write it in a piece of paper a put them in some place in your house, the one you spend more time, to have the opportunity to see them all time.

Actually you can make drawings on them to have a better idea of what the word is, even all the family learn with this technique. Another thing that you can do is use different colors depend on what part of the speech is, for example if it is a verb use a green paper if it's a noun use blue and continue doing the same with the other words.

Make flashcards help you to memorize the words at the same time that you draw or write the word. The idea is that you have a fun decoration that draw your attention on a daily basis.

Here is an explanation with a video of different methods about How to make flashcards, click on it.

Set goals

When you are looking forward in your studies or work you'll always be learning and improving your skills. You need to study a lot when your are learning a new language and it means be in contact day by day, but if you already haven't defined your targets the goal every time will be longer.

Try to see on what skill you have been failing and start with it, just turn it into a goal. For example if you make notice the vocabulary is your main deficiency, put yourself a goal such as look for 30 words per week on the dictionary a write it down in the place you want, or read a page of a book either two, three... per day from Monday to Friday, if you available to do it more frequently it will be flawless, but at least more than four days per week.

Here are some recommendations that will help you.

Steps to reach a goal

The value of setting goals

Then 2 videos, the first one is about The power of setting goals for your English learning, the second is How to set smart goals, this video is more about business areas, nevertheless is a suggestion for how to set such goals to maintain your progress and keep your English language target in focus.

Sep 28, 2015

Record yourself

Recording yourself at home is a tool that you should use to improve your English. Sometimes when we are speaking don't be conscious on how we deliver the speech, how we pronounce the words, if the order grammatically speaking is the correct and most important if the people understand what we say.

Use a recording device to record yourself about a free topic, just star to talk when you finish listen to you and write it down the words or phrases that you mispronounce if you want to make better you can write the word and also with the correct pronunciation and repeat the word a few times until you feel comfortable with that word, once you got it do the same with the other word and try to record yourself once again repeating the same process until you can do it perfectly.

Whether you are disagree doing it in this way, you can try recording someone face to face or on a TV and behave towards say the same. Another technique is just read something following the same process.

Talk with english speakers

Always is their someone to talk, make an effort a try to speak in English with your friends or co-workers. If you surround yourself with English speaker you will be forced into speak. If you're talking with closer friends let us know how you feel about and get more relax in the moment to speak. Tell your friends that correct you if you make a mistake giving you feedback about it and repeat the word or phrase over and over again until you do it well.

Also when you're speaking try to remember the words that you don't understand and look up on the dictionary, if you try and practice this more, quickly you will be prepared to speak fluently. Also when you get the opportunity talk with native speakers it's even the best way to learn more about the language. Some websites or apps offer up the opportunity to speak with another people around the world, at the same time that you are learning English the other person might be learning Spanish, German or any language.

Here some links:

If you feel that you are having troubles understanding native speakers, here there are 2 videos that will help you to improve.

How to understand native speakers

Phrasal Verbs in Daily English Conversations

Listening...

Have you ever wondered, how do you start to speak your native language?

Well your parents made sounds and repeated again and gain words for you to listen you, so you need the same in English, concentrate and put attention on what the speaker is saying. What do you need? listen! not hearing and here is an important different that you should know.

According to that it's a skills and the skills are improved practicing, developing a habit. My recommendation is practice online, first practice watching TV, the news might be a good place to start, particularly if you already know the story, as you’ll be able to make sense of what the words mean more easily. Moreover having the radio on in the background is a good way of tuning in to the sounds of the English language and you may be surprised at how much you can pick up without even make notice of it. Then do some exercise online to realize how you are growing with it.

There are some pages in which you can listen a song and at the same time you complete some spaces that they have in order to catch what word is missing on the song lyrics. Place on a quiet room or listen with headphones an interview, a podcast, a song, also you can record your English class and then listen it in your house in a more tranquil way. Finally a like to recommend you an useful page that I use to listen about different topics, they have powerful talks, lectures with people spreading their ideas, so take a look of TED.

Get concentrate and be a good listener...

Here 2 videos related wit listening skills: 5 secrets to improve your english listening skills and 3 big mistakes in your english listening.

Let's do some practice:

Read in English.

As you started learning another language you need to try to improve your own skills always in the same way. You need to recognize some words and begin reading. Always you should know what level of English do you have (it does't mean that you have to have a certification, monitor and give yourself an idea about the level you have) and according with it look for a text that you can learn in a way that you understand some phrases and by context you can be conscious of what it try to show you or to inform.

We have a lot of options on we can read, first in the library you have a selection of books ordered by topic, in the case that your prefer printed books, make notes on their, scribbling in the margins, underlining interesting sentences, for example. In the same way on newspapers, magazines or comics. If you prefer reading online, there are a lot of books on iTunes, or for instance, free English reading comprehension tests websites, their have a lot on context.

Importance of reading...increase your vocabulary

I will share some links to practice this skill:

Here the name of some easy books you must read:

Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White
The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton
The House On Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros
Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher
Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie

Stop trasnlating into another language

Don't translate into English from your own language. That just put you off, sometimes we are agree that is necessary but not all the time, and never it will be the same make a translation online with the real context and the meaning of the phrase. That is the principal reason why some people can't deal to a new language principally when people are listening to native speakers.

You are completely changing your mind having 2 languages at the same time, in this process you are creating a problem for your fluency, blocking your brain, and making it almost impossible. Your will be constantly busy with translating, so they don't have enough time and mental energy to comprehend what is actually being said at the time.

You need to split the learning process into several parts just as you did when you were a child. It is important to understand that fluency is being able to speak clearly, easily, and smoothly.

Here a video about How can avoid translating.

Sep 26, 2015

Watch certain TV channels: movies, talk shows, cartoons, news...

One way to know about English is watching TV. When you are in front of the TV conscious or unconsciously you're hearing phrases that make you notice what is being spoken. This is a complete tool to improve your skills on general understanding and also speaking and pronunciation.

Don't be afraid, it will only block your brain’s ability to absorb anything. If you don't understand some terms or phrases, it's OK, just try to catch some words and by the context make out what the phrase means. Let your brain relax and let the words flow naturally into your ears.

There is always something to everybody on TV, in my case for example I like to cook so I see culinary videos on Home&Health or YouTube in which they have step by step the instructions of the recipe, they are usually very detailed and there are food preparations for beginners to experts, which use some technical terms.

You can star watching kids' cartoons, find one that you like most. Always this kind of programs have simple words that are easy to understand along with characters that speak slowly, where physical gestures and movement complement the language. Once you are familiarize with those cartoons you'll be able to see a movie and then a talk show, news, therefore making a constantly progress in order to improve your skills through the time.

Here is a video about Using movies and TV to learn english. Then you're going to find an interesting video in which some people recommend the Best TV shows for learners of engish.

Sep 25, 2015

Practice every day

You've be able to find related tips listening and speaking on the blog but in fact you should be practicing the four core skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Make yourself a schedule of your study plan and stick to it. It will be important that becomes on a routine and don't interrupt it.

On this tip you should combine the previous tips that you've already learned, listen to music, use a dictionary, set goals on your learning, make flashcards, etc. Then when you are speaking with other people or recording a podcast for example is very important for you to monitor in order to realize which your mistakes are. If you have problems remembering words try to use a sentence using that word instead of the word on its own. Always make notes about new words, phrasal verbs, phrases and also tips that could help you develop new skills. You need to be focus 100% so look for a peaceful place for quiet study.

Here are some links for you to practice: