All of us are aware that countries around the world have imposed forced closures for an extended period during the Coronavirus pandemic. Due to which the world has never witnessed so many learners stay confined to their homes, upset and confused. Are you one among them? Have your English learning come to a halt due to the Covid-19 upsurge?
Then it’s time to bid goodbye to your worries as you can do your English lessons from the comfort of your home!
But does this sound challenging? Well, pushing yourself to practice is a bit tricky, but I’m here to share some of the tips with which you can fine-tune your English language. Come, let’s take a look!
Here, we'll be exploring...
1. Label up your room
For your English language to be free-flowing, you need to fill it with a host of new vocabulary. Learning and memorising new words can also be annoying at the same time. So, how do you get over this task?
Most of you might retain more information when it is presented visually.
- Buy some sticky notes and highlighter pens to write down new words and phrases you want to remember.
- Stick them on the wall of your room/bathroom where you are most likely to look at. You naturally tend to grasp all the rules and words because these notes will keep reminding you of it every time you pass by that wall.
Visual learning can support you to become a proficient English speaker in no time.
2. Read A Lot!
Reading can get you a long way ahead in your English speaking journey. It can also sharpen your writing skills. Now that you have much time to sit and read, make the most of it.
- Take care, not to pick-up books that tend to get you bored easily.
- Simple novels and magazines are a great source of everyday English.
- Use a highlighter pen to underline new and unfamiliar words and later check for them in a dictionary.
Why confine only on to offline sources?
Good reading can happen online on a variety of topics with the help of your smartphones, tablets or PCs.
- Choose topics that excite you, be it ebooks, current affairs or lifestyle.
- Most importantly, practice by reading aloud as this will help you to figure out where you pronounce wrong. You may download Sound Pronunciation apps to sound right with English words.
In the meantime, it is also wise to enroll in an expert Spoken English Training Course to assist you.
3. Make a habit of Listening
Of all the fun ways to learn English, listening is the most convenient one. There is a lot you can do to your language by merely listening to it frequently, and there are numerous ways to do it creatively.
- First of which is listening to podcasts. Several podcasts available online are made specifically for English learners. They may offer transcripts to help you read while listening. You can listen to them over and over again or pause and replay to pick new words.
- Second in line are audiobooks, some of which are narrated by voice artists giving you quality sounding language.
- Next is something that you cannot say NO to if you love music. Tune in to some good English Albums and follow their lyrics to get exposed to a variety of slangs.
- A traditional or an online radio can also spark the habit of listening in you.
4. Watch Movies and TV
What’s more rewarding if a source of entertainment can turn into a source of learning? Yes, I’m talking of all those films and videos you watch for the sake of passing time.
- English movies will teach you words/usages by putting them into context.
- You learn how things are said- the tone, expressions, body language and so on.
- Here’s how you can make your movie English learning a success:
- Pick movies that expose you to natural language and real English culture. For instance, films like
Toy Story, Titanic, Lord of the Rings, Finding Nemo or Harry Potter.
Even while you do this, choose movies that match your level of English only.
- Turn on the subtitles if you are watching the movie for the first time to follow the talk on the screen quickly. But I recommend you to turn it off in case you are viewing it a second time to see how much of the film you understand.
- Download movie scripts if you need a detailed idea of what is being spoken.
Resorting to Television series, live streaming programmes or shows on TV also give great exposure to both American and British English. Here’s another one for you! Browse for trusted Youtube vlogs, short films and TED Talks to enhance this English exposure.
5. Keep a Note or Start a Blog
Now that you’ve derived knowledge from various sources like books, audio and video, it’s time to test yourself. One of the ways to do this is by writing and practising. Try writing about anything that interests you
- Short descriptions about objects you see around you
- A letter to a close friend
- A note on a favourite memory or a person
- Summary of anything you came across during your preparation.
Once, you grow comfortable with different sentence structures, starting an online blog will increase your confidence. Write weekly entries starting with little paragraphs and then move on to daily entries as you expand.
6. Talk to Yourself
Studying by yourself is the time you get to be your own teacher. You can talk to yourself and find out where you can work on your English language learning. The topic could be about anything you heard or watched. There are two ways to do this:
- Talk, copy movie dialogues or sing songs aloud by standing in front of a mirror to get a feeling of having a conversation. Your reflection will also tell you a lot about your mannerisms and body language.
- Use the TF (To Fluency) Method. Listen to a sentence and record yourself saying it. Compare your version and the original to know where you need to improve.
Let’s sum it up!
Having a strong command over your English is hugely a need of this age. Do not be let down by the current state of the pandemic that has pushed you to remain indoors. You can create a learning environment no matter where you are. If you feel that your English preparation is all over the place, then bring it together. Implement these smart tips and kickstart your English lessons today!
