Useful Tips to Learn English Online

Rules that are outweighed by exceptions and a stubborn language that fails to change.

Through learning we teach, through teaching we learn.

Learning through teaching can be a rewarding experience for everyone involved. By teaching each other a language, students must excel in mastering a topic to package knowledge into easily-digestible explanations. Language learners can pick a friend to be a learning-buddy, or use platforms like Tandem and Meetup Group to employ these same principles.

Learning partners create agency and accountability as well as humanise the learning process, making our natural affinity communication within our species into a practical learning opportunity.  How do we learn? The answer lies in the science of human behaviour. Interactivity, positive reinforcement, and social structures appeal to our humanity in ways that can be leveraged to essentially “hack” our brains. Whether you are introverted or extroverted, technologically savvy or prefer traditional methods, learning in an environment that reacts back to you will always help you stay engaged.

Section 1: Learning through teaching

What I learned while teaching: Moving from passive to active learners a person can only absorb so much information in one sitting. So when I was studying and I didn’t understand something, I decided to teach myself a new language. This helped me from becoming frustrated, because now I understand it through experiments.

“If you don’t understand something, learn it through the process of teaching it to somebody else.”  – Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784  Step 1: Define your goals  Explaining the process for the first time is difficult. It can also be intimidating. I made the decision to keep it simple: I would begin by reading the complete classical English dictionary, and then go back to writing notes with the help of a small chart on the board I created to keep me in order.

Tips for improving memory

Whether you’re feeling insecure or confident in your vocabulary, here are some helpful tips to improve your memory.  Do  use recording devices to capture language structures, vocabulary, syntax, and more on your phone or a dedicated recorder.  Use a notebook and pen to take notes that you can refer to when you need to.

Take in language from podcasts and classes as well as personal conversations.  Find what works for you and pursue it. Trying out different methods will help you achieve the best learning results.  Memory challenge with your roommate  Though we all have friends who are smarter than us, there are certain things we know in our hearts to be facts.

Use spaced repetition to focus on what you need to remember

Spaced repetition will often categorise what you need to remember into one of these 3 clusters: Quick, Fair, and Rapid. Our brains are capable of retaining just one piece of information at a time, but spaced repetition will help you memorise multi-tabbed spaced information so that it never gets overwhelming.

When deciding which clusters to work on, it is beneficial to break down the information into even smaller chunks to try and work out where you are missing it in your process. Once you’ve identified where you may need help or motivation, then you can go straight to setting up timed spaced repetition sessions. Think about why you want to learn, what is in it for you and then work out where you need to stop.

Related: 10 tips to succeed in job interview in English

Recite out loud

A good place to start is reciting key phrases or words. This is an excellent way to practise pronunciation as well as speaking fluently.  Tell stories  Stories act as an anchor in our brains, turning attention from the tedious specifics of a topic to the intriguing phenomenon or situation we are discovering.

Stories also prompt a more open and visual processing of language, allowing the unconscious to direct learning and memory. This technique is called “metamemory” and has been replicated time and time again.  Send text messages  Text messages can be easily accessible and a good way to practice comprehension and spoken language.

Reduce distractions

It’s impossible to know whether you’re doing something right or not, so it’s best not to let the idea of an 80-point curve for your assignment slip your mind. Use screen less devices, on headphones or music with minimal background noise, to minimize distractions. Pick your subject matter wisely, so that you can find a method to help you study.

Aim for 20 minutes If you are serious about improving your learning techniques, commit to a 20 minute study session every day. Before you reach for your laptop, get up and get the most important tools you need from the kitchen, so you can concentrate and not waste time looking for your devices.

Improving Language Skills

Global language learners spend a tremendous amount of time trying to learn a new language, but this new year is the perfect time to challenge yourself to develop a new skill. In the following post, we will look at the importance of communication in the language learning process.  “Language is nothing more than communication.” – Albert Einstein  Communication is a crucial part of every language learning process. Here are a few techniques you can try in your next language learning journey:  Learn to read gestures. It is vital that we are able to understand each other through gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

Create a system of note-taking

Because memory has been shown to be lower when the participants were distracted, ensure that your notes are a system of record that allows you to trace your course from the start to the finish of a task. You will likely develop this system by first trying to remember or “write” something down. Once you have a system in place, store it digitally and revisit it whenever you want to pick up where you left off.

Every day you save one or two useful chunks of information, you will likely recall them the next day, providing you with a constant reminder. Your notes should also make it easy for you to see your progress. Some great note-taking software can create colourful graphs to track your progress and be easy to share.

Use vocabulary flashcards

Words with low frequency in a language give learners an immediate roadmap of the true structure of words and how they can be used with the structure of the language. Memorizing words by quickly copying out letters and seeing the words in your head helps to be able to understand and remember them later.

We all know how important it is to have an expansive vocabulary, but a study found that vocabulary, alone, wasn’t sufficient enough to improve language outcomes. Vocabulary should also be used to describe how to use a word so that there is a cognitive connection between the word and the meaning.  Never stop and start reading  Reading is an absolute must to move forward in our learning process.

Conclusion

Research has proven that cross-cultural training enhances cognition, focusing cognitive functions on subjects and events from a different culture. Learning together helps us assimilate and learn from each other’s cultures and builds mutual respect for cultural difference and for ourselves.

Through an academic-based lens of cultural diversity, science proves the value of cultural diversity.  Quotes to remember from successful study abroad programs and destinations:  Learning English through an intensive English programme is a top priority.

Not my quote, but I would like to share this with you both of them

Through learning we teach, Through teaching we learn.

Graciela Landi, Princeton University:  “Anyone that knows the power of language, and that in a rich and diverse society we live in, should embrace a culturally diverse learning environment.

Written By Bryce Purnell and from my experience as not a teacher and how I developed as a teacher into a teacher