Master

Learn English language equals open doors to success.

Are you one of those people who have received high scores in an English language course or on English exams like IELTS or TOEFL, but you still have not seen any results?  Maybe, you are overwhelmed with anxiety during a presentation or your mind becomes blank while you are drafting an e-mail at work.  You have done everything right, but you cannot reach a fluent level no matter what approach you take.  As easy as it is to give up, some techniques will propel you to native fluency in record time – we use them in language immersion every day.

Although educators define native fluency differently, it is nothing more than a person’s ability to harness all language skills – listening, reading, speaking, and writing – to engage in a natural free-flow of ideas that follow English grammar and that build context.

The grammar, which is governed by the English syntax, refers to rules, principles, and order required to construct proper sentences.  The context, which is governed by pragmatics, on the other hand, focuses on the meaning of words based on the tone of voice, body language, and word selection. So, why is this important?  Why am I telling you this?  The answer is simple!  If you want to master English in a short amount of time, then you must adopt techniques that maximize your understanding of English grammar and English context.

HOW TO LEARN ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN LESS THAN 3 MONTHS

Learn English Language Tip #1: TAKE ENGLISH COURSES WITH REAL-WORLD VALUE

Research has shown that students internalize grammatical points and contextual word usage when there is practicality associated with the language content.  Such practicality creates a medium that simulates English communication in the working environment and that attests to the relevance of the course.

If you are an engineer, for instance, then you want to learn English by using engineering drawings, complex calculations, and work instructions.  Any deviations from engineering or technology would lower your engagement level for obvious reasons.  In order to avoid these deviations, students must enforce contextual learning, must check course syllabi for authentic concepts, and must ensure that the curriculum is up-to-date.  The Rick Butler English Institute caters to these students in the English for Specific Purposes segment using a textbook called English: The Native Way.  This textbook is an invaluable resource for technical settings.

Learn English Language Tip #2: DEVELOP A HOLISTIC SYSTEM

Many teachers oftentimes encourage students to learn English online or face-to-face based on a desired learning style – visual, analytical, kinesthetic, and auditory.  Although this advice is sensible, it will mislead you for two reasons: most students rely on a mixture of learning styles rather than one learning style and language frameworks are usually designed for analytical students.  You know what this means, right? Right-brained thinkers, who are imaginative and who are responsive to visual cues or games, are at a disadvantage.

Even worse, some schools do not allow teachers, who are implicitly biased to their own learning styles, to mitigate this disadvantage by adding audiovisual content and hands-on activities to lesson plans.  This will eventually hinder grammar and context from being absorbed.  So, how do you combat this as a student?  You create a simple system, which covers all learning styles, using trial and error.  As a student, you automatically sense a weakness in learning whenever you experience low confidence, discomfort, or adversity.  You should work on your weaknesses in different ways with your teacher and you should refine your system as you learn.  This system will be highly effective in the real world where communication surfaces in many forms.

Learn English Language Tip #3: HOLD YOUR TEACHERS ACCOUNTABLE

When students resort to shortcuts, test hacks, and passive learning, they miss out on the opportunity to control the language learning process by asking teachers the right questions.  These questions, which normally begin with How…?, Why…?, and Can you prove…?, pressure teachers to provide details about grammar and context.  These details are essential to differentiating between high-quality English and low-quality English, especially in writing with well-defined rubrics.

For instance, schools, which adopt the process approach to writing, not only want students to express their ideas but also to use the proper form within 2-3 revisions.  Every revision is an opportunity for students to take risks, to learn from mistakes, and to compare the teacher’s criticism against the rubric.  If the teacher provides any contradictory suggestions, then students will easily know because a revision serves as a historical record.

Learn English Language Tip #4: BUILD CONFIDENCE TO BECOME AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT

Never forget that the ultimate goal of the language learning process is to give students the confidence to journey through the English language without a teacher.  Students can only fulfill this goal if the ratio of instruction to practice is at least 2 to 3.  The best instruction contains student teach-back; the best practice contains exercises without multiple choice and closed-form questions. Lastly, you should mentally think “learn English language effectively”, so try not to learn English online unless it is the only option.  Traditional classrooms will boost your ability to learn English speaking and to learn English writing, unlike online English classes.

Learn English Language Tip #5: FOCUS ON THE NEUTRAL ACCENT

Students should stop wasting their time trying to learn the American dialect and the UK dialect, unless they want to be voice actors.  There is no standard dialect in any English-speaking country and no one follows a strict pronunciation key.  In the US, for instance, the pronunciation differs among New York, Texas, and Louisiana.  Similarly, in the UK, the pronunciation differs among Belfast, Yorkshire, and Ireland.  Instead, students should learn the neutral accent using the phonology from dictionaries.  The neutral accent will help you to recognize accent deviations and to spell words correctly.

Learn English Language Tip #6: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Students have vital resources at their disposal that can ease the language learning process.

  • There are E-readers with text-to-speech like the Amazon Kindle or the Kobo Libra that can help you read properly. Some E-readers also have built-in dictionary functions that provide definitions to foreign words in one click.
  • Streaming applications provide access to documentaries, podcasts, news, and TV series that improve listening comprehension. Students, however, should be aware that the news is written at a fifth-grade level in western countries and that podcasts might be informal.

Learn English Language Tip #7: KEEP A STUDENT RECORD

Students must always maintain a record of their progress from the beginning of an English course to the end of an English course.  Most students believe that this only includes test scores and graded assignments.  Do you remember how we discussed holding teachers accountable above?  At any time, students reserve the right to ask teachers for observational videos, needs assessment notes, proficiency targets, and growth metrics.  This includes spoken English online.  Students must ensure that teachers are not only identifying their weaknesses but also finding ways to fix your weaknesses. If teachers do not have such resources, then they can purchase my Hybrid Calculator from my main site: trbei.com.

Once you find a training institute that understands all seven techniques, you will master English in no time.

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