The Internet - THE Best Place to Learn English

The Internet - THE Best Place to Learn English

Table of Contents

1. The Primacy of Input
2. Vocabulary over Grammar
3. Learning in Chunks
4. Better Tutors on the Internet
5. Meaningful Communication
6. Motivation and Enjoyment
7. Efficiency

English is the dominant language of the Internet. The Internet will in turn become the dominant place to learn English. The way languages are learned is changing, and these changes are accelerating.

The Internet is constantly evolving. It has created a dynamic environment for the communication and the management of information. The Internet has brought with it new forms of social interaction without boundaries. Technologies like MP3, iPod, Skype and PDAs, as well as blogs and podcasts, are making an immense variety of communication, information, literature, news and other language content available anywhere and anytime. A cascade of developments is causing interactive communities to spring up based on common interests, without regard to geography. This is going to stand traditional language learning on its head. English dominates on the Internet in areas ranging from entertainment to science. If you want to learn English, this represents an unprecedented opportunity.

You can access English language content on any subject and learn from it. You can connect with English speaking people who share your interests. You can do this via e-mail, through blogs, podcasts and forums. You can link up with friends or even language tutors using free Internet telephony. The World Wide Web is the ultimate dynamic classroom and learning community.

Over the next few years the Internet will take over from the classroom as the place of choice to learn English: Here are some of the reasons.

The Primacy of Input

If you want to learn English or any other language, you need input, meaningful, interesting and at your level. Today language learning experts emphasize input over output, listening and reading over grammar study. Before you can use the language, you must get used to the language. You don't need to be in a hurry to speak English, and you don't need to speak it all the time to improve.

"Real language acquisition develops slowly, and speaking skills emerge significantly later than listening skills, even when conditions are perfect. The best methods are therefore those that supply 'comprehensible input' in low anxiety situations, containing messages that students really want to hear. These methods do not force early production in the second language, but allow students to produce when they are 'ready', recognizing that improvement comes from supplying communicative and comprehensible input, and not from forcing and correcting production." Stephen Krashen.

When you learned your own language as a child, you didn't begin by speaking. You began by listening. New language learners can benefit from a "silent period". During the "silent period" you can absorb the language. You need not force yourself to speak it until you are confident. Even if you are an intermediate learner, extensive reading and listening will increase your familiarity with the language, enrich your vocabulary, and develop confidence. This is more beneficial than studying grammar.

While listening and reading often and regularly are vital, the content must be meaningful. Learning content should be interesting and comprehensible to you. This means that you, not the teacher, should choose what to learn from. The Internet allows unlimited choice of fascinating authentic content. The traditional textbook cannot compete.

Motivated learners used to spend their time in book stores looking for graded content that would help them in their language studies. Yet, inevitably a lot of this material could only be found in uninteresting textbooks and readers. But today authentic content on a variety of subjects is only a click away. This is especially the case for the person who wants to learn English.

This range of material is made accessible to learners, since new systems can grade it for difficulty in a way that is customized to your specific vocabulary. You can learn English by listening to and reading on subjects that interest you and you won't find it too difficult.

Vocabulary over Grammar

In order to achieve fluency in English you need to be comfortable using at least 10,000 words. On the Internet, you can choose appropriate content to listen to and read. The content can be graded to your level. But what about learning and remembering all those new words. We know how quickly we forget words when we look them up in a dictionary. And there are so many words to learn. Fortunately, the Internet makes it a lot easier to learn vocabulary.

On the Internet you can use online dictionaries to look up words instantly (i.e., Babylon). There are learning software programs which create customized word lists for you as you learn words. This software can help you accumulate example sentences for these words from the familiar contexts you are listening to and reading. You can set vocabulary goals and follow your progress towards these goals.

The Internet helps you to efficiently accumulate vocabulary based on lively and interesting language content, customized to your needs. This combination of vocabulary learning efficiency and limitless content is only part of why the Internet will become the place of choice to learn English.

Learning in Chunks

Vocabulary does not only mean words. It also means phrases, or chunks of words. Phrases are groups of words that come together in a way that is natural to the native speaker but not always to the learner. Michael Lewis has been one of the pioneers in pointing out that you learn language in chunks, or lexical phrases. The Internet and the computer make this easier.

On the computer, you can grab language chunks as you are listening and reading and collect them in an easy to use database. Phrases and chunks of the language can be linked to larger contexts, which are already familiar to you. You don't need to rely on dictionary definitions and rote memory. You can review these chunks of language in short fragment form, in sentence form and as part of a larger context that you can listen to and read many times.

In this way you gradually develop an instinctive sense for how words are used. This is the natural way to learn correct usage. It is more effective than trying to remember and apply grammar rules.

As you build up your confidence in English through regular input and word and phrase learning, you will no doubt want to talk to native speakers. Once again the Internet is the ideal environment, offering more opportunities than the classroom.

Better Tutors on the Internet

The Internet connects people who are looking for each other. A quick search on a few professional web sites will locate native English speaker writers, editors, or professionals from all over the world, who are interested in acting as language tutors and coaches. If you want to learn English, you can interact with this outstanding pool of qualified people with a wide range of experience and knowledge.

You do not need teachers with specialized linguistics degrees if you want to learn English on the Internet. The new learning paradigm does not require teachers who are trained in the details of grammar and language teaching. Instead the important qualifications for a tutor on the Internet are; an interest in people, an ability to use one's native language well, and rich experience to share with learners in English.

On the Internet you can choose the tutor whose accent and interests match your own.

Meaningful Communication

Technologies like Skype make conversations via computer easy to organize and the communication is free of charge. You can get your friends together for a chat or make an appointment with a tutor.

It is like having lessons on demand. You can schedule one-on-one or four-on-one discussions via Skype with the tutor of your choice. You can invite your friends to join, or make new friends from different countries and cultures. Tutors need only provide advice and encouragement as well as feedback, at your convenience. There is no need for grammar instruction or quizzes, since you are learning the language naturally through your input activities.

In the relaxing atmosphere of Internet online discussion, learners and tutors become friends and form a community of people helping and encouraging each other. These are not stressful lessons. They are pleasant opportunities to communicate. You can record these conversations or produce your own oral essays and file them or share them. In this way you can keep track of your progress as you learn English on the Internet.

To really improve your accuracy of expression it is important to write. The correction of written texts can be efficiently organized on the Internet and integrated with your input and speaking activities. Systems can keep a permanent record of both your original texts and the corrected texts. These records can include details on the nature of your mistakes and the tutor's notes. Tutors can make audio recordings of your corrected writing for you to listen to, in order to reinforce the learning of the corrected phrases. The writing can range from casual writing for a blog to serious academic essays.

Motivation and Enjoyment

Learning on the Internet is effective because it is fun. The Internet avoids the tension and boredom of the classroom and increases your motivation. You choose the content, vocabulary is easy to learn, progress is constantly measured, and you become part of a community.

There are already blogging communities with learners and tutors sharing their experiences. People come together from all over the world to help each other. Bloggers may post in their own language, or in English. English becomes the medium of communication among people of different cultural backgrounds. Blogging isn't an assignment, but a genuine, enjoyable, and meaningful activity. A contagious enthusiasm will keep you learning. It is not like studying. It's more like making new friends and discovering new cultures through language.

Efficiency

The Internet introduces a higher level of efficiency in language learning. Efficiency is essential because it creates intensity. It takes a high degree of intensity to transform yourself into a fluent speaker of another language.

There is also another reason why efficiency is important. You have a right to a decent return on your investment of time and money in language learning. If you want to learn English, efficiency is important, yet it is often ignored in traditional language teaching.

"I spent over 14 months studying English in a school. It was a waste of money for Canadian government and a waste of time for me." Humberto Soto, a recent immigrant to Canada.

Traditional classroom methods are not as efficient as the Internet. It is difficult to cater to learners of different levels and interests. Stress and boredom are often the results. Many people are discouraged by their school experience, and end up convinced that they cannot learn to be fluent in a new language. They lose interest and give up.

For people who want to learn English, the Internet opens up a new world of efficient and satisfying language learning. The Internet makes possible a quality and variety of input that far exceeds the resources of a traditional classroom. Learning methodologies and communication opportunities are available to you on the Internet that the classroom cannot match. Goals can be set and achievements measured. The result is a highly integrated and enjoyable learning environment.

This new method of learning appeals to all ages. While youngsters and students are the most avid users of the Internet, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation 70% of Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 use the Internet! Similar trends are being seen in Europe and Asia.

Note: A printable version (PDF) and a podcast (MP3) are available on our website.

Steve Kaufmann

Steve Kaufmann, CEO and Founder of The Linguist, grew up in Montreal. He obtained a Diplome from l'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris in 1966 and then entered the Canadian Foreign Service, as a Trade Commissioner.

Steve was posted to Hong Kong in 1968 and then served in Japan from 1971 to 1974. In 1974 he left the diplomatic service and served in senior executive positions in the Canadian forest industry until 1987. In 1987 he founded his own company, KP Wood Ltd which today has offices in Japan, Sweden and Canada.

Steve speaks fluent Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese as well as six European languages. He wrote: The Way of the Linguist: A Language Learning Odyssey. In 2002 he established The Linguist Institute Ltd.

http://www.thelinguist.com

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Learn English: For TOEFL or TOEIC

Are you looking to learn English grammar for a test for your future employment? Are you a student who will be studying in an English-speaking university or college? Are you looking for TOEIC or TOEFL samples to help you review? If you answered yes to at least one of those questions, then this article is perfect for you. This article is not intended to give you a sample of these said tests, this is just meant to give you some recommendations on what you should review.

Before anything else, TOEIC and TOEFL are different. TOEIC means "Test Of English for International Communication", it is a test primarily used for people who will be working in an English-speaking environment. TOEFL means "Test Of English as a Foreign Language", it is a test to measure someone's English skills and proficiency to be used in an academic setting. Both are very important as they are used as a basis for licensure, scholarship programs and even used in some government bodies. TOEFL scores are usually valid for two years, the reason behind it is that the English proficiency of an individual changes in time.

TOEIC has two types of tests, the Speaking/Writing test or the Listening/Reading test. The speaking test takes about 20 minutes assessing an individual's grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and fluency. It is applied in personal conversations, telephone communication, business presentation and the likes. Basic and everyday practical dialogues are usually important in this part too. The writing test usually takes an hour to finish. In a listening test, they usually show you an English video of something/someone or a group of people. Sometimes there is no video and only an audio recording is given. After making you listen to it or watch it, they will ask you a question about what you just watched. In reading, you are tested on filling out incomplete sentences, error recognition and reading comprehension. This is usually done in 2 hours or so.

TOEFL is also divided into reading, writing, listening and speaking. The reading part gives you short articles, essays or passages in English and will ask questions related to what you read. Individuals will mainly answer questions about main ideas, essential information, sentence insertion, vocabulary, grammar and the likes. The listening part usually consists of listening to a passage or listening to a conversation. All questions are also based on what you just listened. The Writing test requires the student to summarize important points on what he or she listened to. Another part of the test is that they give you a topic or an issue and they make you write an essay about it. The speaking test consists of 6 tasks. Two tasks will require for you to speak spontaneously about your chosen topic, as for the four other tasks, somebody else will give you a topic to talk about. There will be listening and reading materials where a student will also be allowed to take their down notes for their future reference.

Learn English seriously and be globally competitive and marketable. More and more institutions require and take these tests to heart. These are used to determine if an individual is suitable for a particular task or can pass an academic institution.

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By Melanie Ochoa 

Learning English From Home

Learning a new language can be difficult and overwhelming, even when the language is a popular one. Many people hope to learn English through different ways of learning as a way to increase opportunities and job related skills, while others simply want to improve upon their personal knowledge. Different people learn best in different methods. Some people learn quickly by reading books themselves because they have better ability to process the information and remember it. Others might do it better when they go in a group. They can share and discuss more knowledge and gain new ideas with the teacher and friends. Some people even do better when they are alone because they don't need somebody every time to practice. You can speak English on your own. Out of all the above options, learning English from home is the best option because it gives flexibility to learn at any convenient time.

So if you do not have adequate time to go out somewhere, but still you want to learn it anyhow, then learning English at home is the best option. Whether you are a complete beginner of the language or you already have a little knowledge of the English language, its possible to learn English at home no matter where you live. This type of English language learning will maximize your progress in English, in the shortest period of time, & that too in a relaxed and hospitable environment.

There are many advantages for choosing to learn English at home:

• It will give you the options of different learning methods like online English learning websites, English learning kits, Podcasts etc.
• You get flexible and hassle free learning sessions with it. Here you don't need to plan your schedule or spend your time in going to a coaching class. You have complete convenience of choosing your own time and place for learning.
• You are not dependent on anyone for your learning. You learn independently, which not only makes you independent but also increases your self confidence.
• It allows the whole family as well as friends to learn using the same material. This is cost effective & furthermore it also provides flexible learning to everyone.
• You can use these learning from home material anytime throughout your life. You can revise your learning even after a couple of months or years of your learning.

There are different ways of learning English at home. But the most important aspect is to stay motivated and practice regularly, so that you can improve your language skills. Different ways to learn English at home are:-

Books/Websites/English learning kits

To speak fluent English, you need to understand the rules of grammar. You can learn these through a book or a website or an English learning kit that specializes in teaching English. If possible, choose a resource that includes explanations in your native language. English learning kits are a huge success these days. With these, learning English has become absolute fun! These interactive English learning kits allow you to practise vocabulary as per your own time & convenience.

Flash Cards

Create flash cards that are relevant to the type of English that you wish to learn. For example, if you're studying English for business, you'll need to know English words that relate to business. Review the cards on a daily basis. This is a good way to build your vocabulary words.

Watching English movies

If you are a fan of English movies, then learning English can be more than fun. Learning English by watching movies is learning by input, which is both enjoyable & motivational. You learn a lot of things from watching English movies such as - pronunciation, vocabulary, style, intonation even western culture, habit etc.

Podcasts

Listening to others speak English is an essential skill. You can improve listening skills through Podcasts, which you can listen to on your Mp3 player. Start with Podcasts created for non- English speakers, which will include slow, clear language. As your skills improve, you can start listening to Podcasts on topics that interest you

Out of the several options available, it's up to to the learner which learning method he/she wants to adopt to learn the language but one thing you should always keep in mind that whatever learning method you choose, you should be self motivated.

So learn English by staying at home & boost your confidence in your work & social life.

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Problems in Learning English and How to Improve Them

Are you having difficulty learning English? Are you saying to yourself "If only I could learn English better, I could do so much more."? If you are answering yes to these questions, I'm sure you're wondering how you can do that. In this article, I would like to explain some problems many English learners face, and ways to improve your English that are simple and can be fun at the same time.

Problems in Learning English

- Poor English Vocabulary

Vocabulary is important when learning a language. Any language, of course including English, has thousands and thousands of words. In many cases, even those native speakers of the language do not know all the words of that language. there are just too many to learn. In fact, according to many sources I have come across, there are only 800 words that you must know to converse in English. That list is too long to display here, but a good start is to read through that list and see how many words you know. You may surprise yourself in the amount of words you are familiar with. I have posted the list on World English club, and you can go over it there. Another problem people face in learning English vocabulary is that they learn new words, but they tend to forget what they have learned quite soon after the just learned them. So what can you do?

- How to Improve your English Vocabulary

There are games to play and methods to learn to improve your English vocabulary. The best simple method I want to suggest is this; just make a list. Now there is more to it than just making a list, so keep reading. Once a week, make a list of twenty five words using the World English Club Vocab lists, or choose words from other popular websites. As you are compiling (or making) your list, make sure to write down the definitions if you are unsure of them at the time. Do your best to study and learn these new words. Now break the list down into five words a day. On your first day, study your first five words. On your second day, study your next five words. Now here's the trick; after your second day of your five vocab words, try to write down yesterday's words. On your third day, study day three's words, and then try to remember and write down day two's vocab words. Are you seeing a pattern yet? I hope so. Do this for five days, and on your sixth day of vocabulary learning, try to write all your vocab words for the last week. Take your time, and do your best. When you are done, review those words and see what you remember. If you use the method above, I guarantee you will improve your English vocabulary and not forget the words you have learned.

- Poor English Speaking Skills

One of the biggest complaints I hear about when one is learning a new language, is their inability to communicate successfully. Whether it is an issue with reducing their accent, or not knowing the vocabulary or grammar to create a decent conversation, many people struggle with poor speaking skills. People assume that learning grammar in a classroom or studying vocabulary words will help them speak a English as a language. But those factors only gain you knowledge of the English language and cannot translate into real conversational English skills. Are you having problems with English speaking skills? Here are ways to improve your English speaking skills.

- How to improve your English Speaking Skills

Have you tried to watch a movie in English? I'm sure you have. It is one of the easiest things to do while studying and learning English. But what is it about watching movies that is a good idea? I'll tell you; it's hearing the words spoken out loud. So there is one thing that I'm sure you haven't thought of to mirror this learning effect, but it will make a bigger and better improvement on learning English speaking skills. Read a book. Well, it doesn't have to be a book, but it needs to be in English. Now here's the trick; As you are reading this book, read it OUT LOUD. Yes, it is as simple as that. Reading out loud will let you hear your English and at the same time, help you gain more confidence in speaking English. It does not have to be for a very long time. But you should read out loud for at least five minutes a day. Do not give up on this. I think this is an important method to practice and not enough people practice in this manner. Make sure you are pronouncing your words, and if you have to read slowly, that's OK as well. The point is that you are speaking out loud and practicing speaking English. Since many English learners do not have the opportunity to interact with native English speakers, this is one of the best methods to help improve your English speaking skills. Which brings me to my final learning English problem.

- Not enough interaction with English speakers

Not being able to have interaction with native English speakers can be a great hindrance on one who is learning English. But there are many things you can do to help improve your interaction with native English speakers, or at least to simulate this experience. Which, let's face it, is probably the most important part of learning a new language. Interaction. So here are some things you can do.

- As you all are aware, watching movies is a good idea. You can learn slang words and, if you are interested in learning to speak like an American, there are a lot of colloquialisms and Americanisms (as I like to call them) that are difficult to learn about simply by reading. to learn colloquialisms, a person must hear the words and phrases in context. So by watching movies, there can be no way in which you, as a learner, can mistake or misunderstand the meaning of the words or phrases.

- One way (and I think this is the best way) that many English learners do not think of, is finding an native English speaker in a chat room or English learning website and chat with them via Skype or other internet voice service. There are plenty of people who would love to just talk with you over the phone or internet to help you learn. Or maybe you can offer to teach them a little of your language in return. That way everybody gains something from the experience. If you are in a country or city where you do not have the opportunity to find a native English speaking friend, chatting on the phone or internet is the next best thing.

- If you are lucky enough to know an English speaker that you can meet with (and it should be someone you are comfortable with so as you are trying to speak, you will not be shy), try to meet them in a comfortable place that you can hear each other speak and just spend about an hour talking about any topic that comes to mind. You can also plan some topics to talk about so you don't waste your time thinking of things to say. maybe write down questions you have or have them ask YOU questions so you can practice answering them.

There are plenty of other problems in Learning English but I think these are the three main reasons. I guarantee that if you know these pitfalls and know how to avoid them, every aspect of your English learning will be improved. And you will be a native English speaker in no time. Good Luck!

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Learn English Online and Advance Your Business!

If you want to improve your business English and you have no time to go to a classroom, then you should seriously consider enrolling on the web so that you can learn English online. Online learning is a better way of learning business English because it is very flexible, affordable and readily available. Business English will never be a problem for you if decide to learn English online.

But what is business English? Why is it so important nowadays? Business English basically is just the same as the English language but is usually used in international trading or business transactions. It can be classified as a special area of the English language because it is usually used by non-native English speakers. Many of them learn English online in order to enhance their skills in communicating with other companies and increasing their chances of landing a deal in other countries.

*Advantages in business

If you are a businessman or an entrepreneur, if you are a person who regularly transacts with foreigners, or if you have plans to expand your business internationally, then you should learn English online. By online learning, you will be able to speak business English like native speakers do. It doesn't matter what fields of trade you are in, as long as you are trading internationally, you need to learn to speak English properly. This is especially important if you make business presentations, correspondences, negotiations and other communications. Effective written and verbal business communication skills are your keys to a successful closing of a deal. That is why there is a need to learn English online and learn it properly.

We should all remember that in business, the English language has grown exponentially in recent years. Open your browser and your default language would normally be English. Research different types of business correspondences and you will find numerous topics all written in English. English is the global language for most nations. It is not really an official language in many countries but the language is most often being taught in their curriculum as a second language for the students.

Now that more and more companies are entering the global market, many still fail to close a deal not because they have very poor products, but mainly because they fail to communicate and present their products convincingly. Many business establishments are turned off by poor grammar. The basic reason is that if the person is not serious in learning the proper business English, how serious will that person be in dealing with my company?

If your company is the type of business that will engage in many international transactions, then you should enroll in English classes that allow you to learn English online at your own pace and in your own time. Remember that if you cannot communicate your product convincingly, then you will never be able to close a deal and your incompetence in the global market will simply kill your business internationally. This is basically the reason why many companies nowadays require their employees to learn English online in order for them to increase their chances of landing a deal. Learning to speak English in a business manner not only equips you with the ability to communicate professionally, but it will also give you that added confidence boost to express yourself and your company.

*Online English service that you can trust

It is fortunate that there are now millions of websites offering English classes to help you learn English online effectively. By choosing to enroll in English classes online, you will be able to eliminate the language barrier be more effective in your presentations and business communications. Learning English online can provide you with lots of resources as well as improve your business English. You will not only learn to speak English as the native speakers do, but you will be learning it in a non-threatening environment with professional teachers and outstanding support.

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Learn English! It is Your Language

Few decades back English was spoken only in England and its former English colonies like India, China, Sri Lanka, Egypt, etc. But now days, people in Japan, Korea, Africa, America are all speaking English as their second language. There are people who speak English even at their home in place of their mother tongue.

These days everyone loves to speak English as it has become a global language. People especially traders, businessmen etc learn English as it has become the language of global corporate world. Now days, if you can't speak English, people might consider you illiterate or a less educated person.

People try to learn English, but they don't succeed. Reason being, they are afraid of speaking correctly or they abandon their plan in the middle or they don't know the proper and systematic way to learn English. If they can follow a systematic plan or follow few but effective tips, then they can surely learn English.

Here are the few tips that can help English learner a lot.
1. Be patient- I am myself learning English and one of the biggest mistakes that I have committed was related to my impatience. I wanted to learn English without spending time on it. But later, I realized that unlike other things it takes time.
2. Read, write and speak- Use English words in your daily life. Like furniture, switch, table etc. Make notes in English if you have any. Speak English if you can. If you can't speak English fluently start from simple sentences like "How are you?" I am fine, How do you do? Etc.
3. Forget your mother tongue- You should not use your mother tongue for the sentences or words which you can use in English
4. Watch Movies, T.V. Channels- there are no of ways to learn English like watching English movies and T.V. channels like CNN, BBC, etc.
5. Internet- Internet is a sea of information. You can find a number of websites on English. You can learn and improve your writing skills from Internet.
6. Don't get confused- There are lots of synonyms of words in English. People use different words to express same things. You don't have to learn every word, although you should know their meaning.
7. Clear your doubts- There is a psychological feeling in people of former English colonies that English is a language of superiors and not every one can learn English. It is a myth and the fact is that English is a language just like your mother tongue. So learn naturally.
8. Join English speaking community- You can't speak English with everyone, so join communities that use English as their second language.
It will take, to be very honest, few years to learn good English. Learn English naturally like your mother tongue. Have no fear, start speaking English.

I am Fahad Ali Khan and have been learning English for few years. I have improved my English a lot and now working as a content writer in a small but progressive organization in Gurgaon, India.

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Learning English in Another Country is Possible

Learning English effectively when living in a foreign country is challenging. While English classes are probably available, native English speakers may not be. Also, students rarely get the chance to practice their skills, making it even more difficult to learn the language. If you are someone who wishes to learn English efficiently while living in a foreign country, keep these tips in mind.

Let Go of Your Fear

One of the problems that most people face when seeking to learn any foreign language, English included, is fear. When we are children and we learn our native language, we rarely fear saying something wrong. After all, everyone praises and rewards a child's attempts to speak. As we age, however, we learn that mistakes in speech can be cause for ridicule. When we attempt to learn another language, we fear practicing our skills because of this natural fear of ridicule. However, practice is essential to learning English, so you must get over this fear and start practicing as much as you can.

Find a Native Speaker

Taking a class taught by someone who learned English as an adult is not going to cut it. You need to find a class taught by a native English speaker if at all possible. If not, take a class taught by someone who has lived in an English-speaking country for a while. This will help you to learn the correct pronunciations as you work to learn the language.

Listen Up!

One of the best ways to learn English is to hear it being spoken. Once you learn some basic vocabulary, surround yourself with people that speak English. Watch English television shows or movies, listen to English radio stations, or go to websites where you can hear English being spoken. Listening to people, especially native speakers, who are speaking in a non-classroom setting, will help you develop a sense of the ambiance of the language. You will be learning what non-standard words are used in every day conversation, how people interact with one another, and what type of sarcasm is used by those who speak English.

When watching English television programs or movies, see if you can set up your television to allow you to see the English subtitles. This will help you as you try to listen to the spoken word. You will also be able to see the written word, helping you to check your comprehension.

Find Someone to Practice With

As you develop comprehension, you need to practice. Find someone you can practice speaking English with, whether it is a native speaker or another person who is learning English as a second language. Have times when you go out to do something fun, but only English is spoken. Just like you had to do when you were a baby learning your native tongue, you must practice speaking English on a regular basis if you are going to learn the language efficiently.

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