SEVEN STEPS TO BETTER ENGLISH LEARNING
Louise's
LEXICONOLOGY.com
Welcome to Seven Steps to Better English Learning. You're here because you have read all the books, watched a million videos, listened to even more podcasts, but somehow your English just doesn't seem to be progressing to where you want it to be. In this guide I will give you seven ways to start getting your English moving in the direction you want it to go. I've worked with many many students from around the world and each of the steps I am sharing with you today are the exact things I advise my students to do. Some of the steps are from my own personal experiences of learning languages from school, to university and beyond. So let's get started!
Louise LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY | 2
#one
KNOW WHY YOU ARE LEARNING This may seem like an odd question, but do you really know WHY you are learning English? If you are unsure about the reasons you are learning, your motivation to improve and develop your language skills is going to dwindle. You may start out very enthusiastically: reading, listening, watching as much as you can and speaking to anyone who will listen. But soon life gets in the way, your attention is drawn elsewhere, your motivation to learn starts to fall. English learning gets pushed to one side, even put away completely onto that dusty top shelf to be looked at when things are less hectic. So ask yourself these questions: What is my motivation for wanting to learn or improve my English? What is it that will make me COMMIT to learning and stick with it, even when life gets in the way? What will learning English help me achieve? Once you know the answer to these questions, you must make a commitment to learning. * I WANT to learn English. * I am GOING TO learn English. * I am going to do ALL that I can with English.
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#two
SMART GOALS
Now that you have a clear reason for learning English and are fully committed to it, it's time to move onto step two - GOALS. SMART goals. Learn English by this time next year, is not a good goal. What does this mean exactly? Learn just enough to order a coffee? Book a hotel room? Talk to native speakers? If you don't have a clear goal from the start, then like step one, your motivation and enthusiasm for learning will drop very quickly. So instead make your goals SMART: Specific Know exactly what you are wanting to accomplish. The more detailed your goal the better so ask yourself: Who, What, Where and Why Measurable How can you measure your goal so you know you're making progress, that you're succeeding? Attainable Are your goals realistic? Your goals should challenge you, but not are not too extreme. Relevant Link your goals to something that is important to you or inspires you. You are more likely to make them happen if they do! Time-Bound Set yourself a target date for each goal, this establishes a sense of urgency. Include 'by when' you want to achieve each goal. Blank SMART goal worksheets are on the next two pages for you to create your own learning goals. LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY | 4
MY SMART GOALS Specific_________________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Measurable______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Attainable______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Relevant________________________________ _____________________________________ _____________________________________ Timebound______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________
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MY SMART GOAL DECLARATION
I want to _____________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ by ___________________________________________ ______________________________________________ so I will ______________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ ______________________________ to meet my goal. LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY | 6
#three
360° LEARNING If you really want to learn a language, you MUST interact with it daily. A one or two hour lesson every week will not get you to where you want to be. You need to think in it, plan in it, speak in it, listen to it, watch it, read it, see it EVERY single day.
"But I'm busy: I work, I have kids, I have other commitments............"
Hey I get it, I really do. Our lives are jam packed, rushing here, running there no time to stop and drink a coffee or eat lunch. Oh hang on.....you have time to drink coffee and eat lunch? Then you have time for a little English too! Here's how: THINK IN IT - We do many things automatically everyday, so why not think it in English while you are doing it? - I'm getting up, I'm having a shower, I need to go shopping, follow a recipe but say the instructions in English: chop the onion, stir the sauce. Turn everyday things into an opportunity to think in English. What else can you think about? WRITE IT - Most of us are on some form of Social Media site, so find a community (like The Lexiconology Cafe on Facebook, G+ or VK) that offers practice in English, get chatting to people. Write your weekly shopping list in English, reminders for your notice board, phone messages, to do lists anything you write, try it in English. SEE IT - Nowadays we are surrounded by words, shops signs, internet pages, news papers, magazines. Read as much as you can, find topics that interest you online, go to a local museum do they have tourist leaflets in English? HEAR IT - Do you get the train, bus or even drive to work? Then download podcasts or find an English radio station and listen on your journey. Listen to English music, follow the lyrics, watch TV or films or YouTube videos. Do tourist attractions have audio in English - listen in English. SPEAK IT - There are many English communities that offer group conversations - join one and get talking. If you don't have time to join a group, speak out loud to yourself. Practice what you have heard or seen during the day.
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#four
FUN FUN FUN Let's face it, if something isn't fun then we lose interest in it pretty quickly! So do some fun things in English. Here are some suggestions on things you can do to make learning more fun: Write a song and record it. Write a poem, an essay, a letter, a blog post, a film review, a 'how to do' post, start a diary. Talk to anyone who will listen to you. Tell them about something you have learned, read, seen. Put it into your own words. Sing along to your favourite songs, find a lyric website and really 'belt out' those songs. Try to sing the words in time with the singer. Download Dubsmash.com and perfect your lipsyncing skills to your favourite movie clip or song clip - can you convince someone it's you who is singing? Create a video 'how to' of your favourite hobby and share it with your English community friends. Whatever you do have FUN with it, English isn't boring, so get your nose out of those grammar books and ENJOY yourself!
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#five
USING YOUR SENSES We have five senses: Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste and Touch. When learning a language we focus mainly on sight and sound - listening, reading, watching and speaking. We will learn vocabulary for the other senses, but we never really develop these words properly, we don't feel them. Much like step 3, using your senses is about exploring and using your language skills all day every day and learning from other people as well. When you listen, remember to listen to the pronunciation of each word - repeat words that are new. Can you match the speaker? When you watch someone, really focus on HOW they speak, the way they move their mouths. English uses the lips, tongue, teeth, jaws and throat a lot more than many languages so try to copy the way native speakers move words around their mouths. (It's a great workout for your face too!) Practice speaking in front of a mirror, really exaggerate the movements you saw so you can feel every part of your mouth moving around each word and then work to make it natural. Using your other senses are important too, smells, tastes and touch often elicit memories for us, so when you smell or taste something try to communicate in English what it reminds you of, what memory it gives you. Or describe to someone how something feels or tastes. Use all your senses to get more daily practice in English.
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#six
CREATE A NEW COMFORT ZONE I can't do that - we have all said it or thought it at some point in our lives when faced with doing something new. Fear of looking silly or making a mistake is something we develop over time as adults. But then we take a deep breath and hey, you know what, that was nowhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be. Maybe it wasn't perfect, but I did it and I loved it, I'm doing it again! NOW! Look at the way small children learn - not one of them thinks I can't get up on that chair, it's too high. Everyday they try...and try....and try.....I AM going to get up there, I AM and they do! It may take days or even weeks but they are undeterred. Finally, yes! That thing is mine. Look at me and how clever I am getting up here! Children are not self conscious, they aren't afraid to fall down or not get something first time, it's all part of their learning process. So create a new comfort zone for yourself, one that allows you to make mistakes, fall down, not achieve your aim. Instead of thinking I CAN'T do this it's impossible, think
"I haven't mastered that yet, but I'm going to." LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY | 10
#seven
DON'T DO IT ALONE Language is about communicating with other people, either in writing or speaking. So why would you learn a language on your own? How can you assess if you are progressing when you are not communicating with others? So you may not have anyone in your village, town or city that speaks English, that's okay. The world is now at your finger tips. Millions, in fact billions of people speak English so get online and find people to talk to! Social Media sites are a great place to start: Facebook, G+ and VK have hundreds, probably thousands of communities and groups that have been set up by people who want to learn and practice English. If you can't find one you like, set up your own group! Get sharing ideas, challenge each other to do more, talk with each other, give advice, ask for advice, help where you can, learn at the same time. Together we can achieve so much more.
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WHAT NEXT? Now that you have my Seven Steps to Better English Learning, it's time to put them into practice. Steps one and two really go hand in hand and should be the first things you do. Once you have goals, your learning will start to fall into place and you will easily be able to identify lessons, courses, and materials that will help you achieve those goals.
Tell me which steps are most useful to you in the Lexiconology Conversation Cafe Join Here LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY | 12
LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY
Louise's Lexiconology is an online English language website created and owned by me, Louise! I offer 1:1 lessons, group lessons, self study courses as well as hosting live Webinars, podcasts, videos and much more. Why not pop over to louiseslexiconology.com and see how I can help you reach your goals. Or you can find me on Facebook, G+, VK, Twitter, Instagram, Periscope AND Pinterest! Why not join me for a chat, I'd love to hear from you! Wishing you the very best for your English language learning!
Louise LOUISE'S LEXICONOLOGY | 12