Strategies in learning english

Learning Strategies

Here are some strategies that can help you be successful in studying English.

1.      Set small, achievable goals

Start with small steps to reach  higher targets.

a.       For example, try to learn 5 new English vocabulary items every day.

b.      Set a 30 minutes study session every day.

c.       Learn the lyrics of an English song every now and then.

d.      Read a short English text every day.

Setting small targets is much better that setting huge goals that you cannot achieve, remember that “small drops of water make the mighty ocean”.

2.      Plan your studies

Planning your studies gives meaning to your work. If you know all the steps necessary to achieve a goal and these steps are written down on a piece of paper, it will be easy for you, then, to see the whole picture.

3.      Be motivated

The secret to success is that you should be motivated to learn. Try to avoid boredom by having fun in what you do. Try to find a positive aspect to studying English.

a.       Read about what you are interested in (hobbies, fields of interest...)

b.      Watch your favourite films in English

c.       Listen to your favourite English songs and learn the lyrics.

d.      Write your diary in English.

Remember, we learn better and fast things we really want to learn.

4.      Manage your time

In order to manage your time successfully, having an awareness of what your goals are will assist you in prioritizing your activities. Time management provides you with the opportunity to create a schedule that works for you, not for others. This personal touch gives you the flexibility to include the things that are most important to you.

5.      Set a reward for yourself

Set a reward for yourself that you can look forward to. For example, when you reach a goal, give yourself a reward.

Improving speaking skills

1.      Talk to yourself in English

2.      Repeat what you hear

3.      Have something to talk about

4.      Live with an Australian home-stay family

5.      Make friends with Australians.

6.      Make friends with people who don’t speak your first language.

7.      Get a job in an English-speaking work environment

8.      Talk to your family and your friends in English

9.      Use English in your daily activities

10.  Join a club or group

11.  Keep practicing.

12.  What you should NOT do :

a.       DON’T mix just with people from the same language background as you.

b.      DON’T be afraid of making mistakes; native speakers will usually understand what you are trying to say.

Improving listening skills

1.      Watch movies and television, and listen to English radio and music.

2.      Attend all their lectures to hear English spoken.

3.      Listening to understand an Australian accent.

Improving reading skills

1.      Read more to read better:

2.      Smart reading tips :

a.       Read widely to expand your day-to-day vocabulary.

b.      Familiarise yourself with what you are about to read

c.       Scan the text first and learn where information can be found in the text.

d.      Pay attention to the first sentence in a paragraph, it can give you an idea of what follows.

e.       Avoid looking up every word. Try and guess the meaning from the context.

3.      Critical reading tips :

a.       Overview critique

b.      Was the research/argument strong or robust?

c.       Are the results statistically significant?

d.      What was the final conclusion? Look at the discussion.

Improving writing skills

1.      When you are writing for academic purposes, draft an outline of what you plan to write. List your main points and use these as your topic sentences for each new paragraph.

2.      Get a friend (especially someone who has English as their first language) to read what you have written – tell them to let you know if there is anything that doesn’t make sense or is not expressed in the usual way.

3.      Read your own text aloud.

4.      Have grammar resources readily available.

5.      Many websites have discussion boards. Join one and contribute. Discussion board writing is a particular type of writing, but it does provide practice.

Conclusion :

In learning the English language, there are 4 types of skills that must be mastered. These skills are reading, listening, writing, and speaking. These skills can be sharpened to make it better in the English language.

There are many strategies in learning the English language, such as:

1.      Do small things first to achieve higher targets.

2.      Plan everything carefully

3.      Motivation yourself

4.      Time management