There are a number of reasons why it is good for an English teacher to have as much language learning experience as possible.
One reason is that the more experience English teachers have learning languages, the more they will know about how to learn languages. They will learn what study methods are most effective - and which ones are not very effective. They will also learn how to plan and use their time for language study. And they will learn how to discipline themselves for the long and sometimes difficult task of language learning. One of the most precious gifts a language teacher can give students is a good understanding of how to successfully study and learn a foreign language, and the best way to gain this is by studying language themselves.
English teachers who have lots of experience as language learners can also better understand the difficulties students face as students try to learn a foreign language. Teachers who have struggled to learn a language themselves remember how it feels to struggle to learn the language, and they know what is most difficult for students.
Thirdly, language teachers who learn a foreign language well are good role models for their students. In other words, language teachers who have done a good job of learning a foreign language encourage students by showing them that it is possible to learn a foreign language well.
But perhaps the most important reason that language teachers should be language learners has to do with self-respect. English teachers who have learned English well will have more confidence as they teach. They will also have more pride in their skills, and this will encourage them and make them feel better about their teaching.
Word and phrase list:
to discipline yourself (to do something): to make yourself do something you don't want to do, but that is good for you. Ex: If you want to be a good runner, you need to discipline yourself to run every morning.precious: valuable
a role model: someone students should try to be like. Ex: Prof. Wang is an excellent role model. She not only tells her students to study hard; she also studies hard herself.
to have to do with: to have a relationship to. Ex: Practice has a lot to do with how quickly students improve their English.
Source: "Learning English: A Textbook for English Teachers", Don Snow
31.12.10
Learning To Speak The English Language – A Beginner Guide
The English language has undoubtedly conquered the world. Its use has become a vital tool to bridge gaps and conflicts throughout the globe. It is also important to attain self-growth and promote confidence.
Literally the language has dominated the world. English became a second language to most foreigners. Its function has become highly important to promote self- growth and confidence. Those who fluently speak the language ends up having a better career and a finer social life thus they are able to face any situation without hesitation or inhibitions.
When you speak the language, try to listen to yourself. If you feel that it does not sound right, consult a friend or your learning tools to justify the sentence. True enough all sentences have a subject, a predicate probably a direct object or a complimentary object. You might be conscious of the tenses or just simply not sure if the sentence is right but this should not stop you from using it just the same.
Practice does not make anyone perfect. It actually helps them adapt a lifestyle. Using English constantly can be a good way of applying the theories. It does not matter how much we read without applying it is useless. Have fun while you use it and be amazed on how much you could learn in a short time. Also, languages courses are a great way to gain fluency.
It would also helpful to read materials that are written in English constantly. This will help broaden your word bank and understand the use of each word. A dictionary can be helpful in achieving such goal. Take note of its meaning and the pronunciation and apply it to what you read. If unsure, consult the internet. Most online dictionaries have an audio tool that can help you pronounce that new word properly.
The internet is your best friend. See videos from experts on how one can pronounce a word. Although some videos are being sold there are a few website that can help you get started. Also one can take advantage of the free tests and practices to gage your skills. This will allow you to see whether you have improved or would need a tutor for the job.
Surely you have made efforts but to no avail. Until now you find yourself being mocked and ridicule. Do not be frustrated. It simply means that you have to seek help. What is a few dollars compare to its benefits? Having a teacher can help you focus in the methods of learning it. Make sure to find one that does not only stick to the books. Keep in mind experience is still the best teacher.
The path to speak english online can be frustrating. We would all want to learn it in the least possible time. However be reminded that the Grand Canyon was not built overnight, so does mastering English. Be patient and open-minded. Listen to criticism. Treat it as a learning block. Do not be discouraged when ridiculed. If they laugh, ignore. Continue your studies. No one can really say you fail unless you try.
Read more at: http://choose4me.com/learning-to-speak-the-english-language-a-beginner-guide/
Literally the language has dominated the world. English became a second language to most foreigners. Its function has become highly important to promote self- growth and confidence. Those who fluently speak the language ends up having a better career and a finer social life thus they are able to face any situation without hesitation or inhibitions.
When you speak the language, try to listen to yourself. If you feel that it does not sound right, consult a friend or your learning tools to justify the sentence. True enough all sentences have a subject, a predicate probably a direct object or a complimentary object. You might be conscious of the tenses or just simply not sure if the sentence is right but this should not stop you from using it just the same.
Practice does not make anyone perfect. It actually helps them adapt a lifestyle. Using English constantly can be a good way of applying the theories. It does not matter how much we read without applying it is useless. Have fun while you use it and be amazed on how much you could learn in a short time. Also, languages courses are a great way to gain fluency.
It would also helpful to read materials that are written in English constantly. This will help broaden your word bank and understand the use of each word. A dictionary can be helpful in achieving such goal. Take note of its meaning and the pronunciation and apply it to what you read. If unsure, consult the internet. Most online dictionaries have an audio tool that can help you pronounce that new word properly.
The internet is your best friend. See videos from experts on how one can pronounce a word. Although some videos are being sold there are a few website that can help you get started. Also one can take advantage of the free tests and practices to gage your skills. This will allow you to see whether you have improved or would need a tutor for the job.
Surely you have made efforts but to no avail. Until now you find yourself being mocked and ridicule. Do not be frustrated. It simply means that you have to seek help. What is a few dollars compare to its benefits? Having a teacher can help you focus in the methods of learning it. Make sure to find one that does not only stick to the books. Keep in mind experience is still the best teacher.
The path to speak english online can be frustrating. We would all want to learn it in the least possible time. However be reminded that the Grand Canyon was not built overnight, so does mastering English. Be patient and open-minded. Listen to criticism. Treat it as a learning block. Do not be discouraged when ridiculed. If they laugh, ignore. Continue your studies. No one can really say you fail unless you try.
Read more at: http://choose4me.com/learning-to-speak-the-english-language-a-beginner-guide/
30.12.10
Why do Certain European Countries Speak English Better than Others? A Close Look at the Spanish
Spain is a country renowned for its weather, beautiful beaches, friendly people and laid-back attitude. It is also one of the top destinations for Britons going on holiday thanks to its proximity to the UK and lower cost of living. But one of the difficulties for Britons, or in fact any other visitor – be it for holidays or for living and working in Spain – is the apparent difficulty Spaniards seem to have when speaking English. Compared to other Western European countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands, or Germany, Spain seems to lag behind them in terms of English language proficiency. This is particularly interesting as its neighbour, Portugal, with a shared common history, similar culture and language, seems to exhibit greater prowess when it comes to speaking the language of Shakespeare.
The problem lies, of course, not with the Spaniards themselves but with a number of reasons that impact their ability to learn and speak the English language with the ease of, say, the Dutch. To start with, Spanish is a language with only five vowel sounds, and the stress and intonation differ widely from those of English. This appears to restrict native Spanish speakers’ ability to easily adopt English sounds. Also, Spaniards’ access to English language material is very limited. Spain is one of only a handful of ‘dubbing’ countries in Western Europe, the others being France, Italy and Germany. This means that almost all of their movies and TV shows are dubbed into Spanish as opposed to having subtitles with the original soundtrack. The dubbing industry is so developed in Spain that some dubbing actors have achieved personal fame, being assigned to dub the same Hollywood actors exclusively throughout their careers.
While there is nothing wrong with this tradition, the problem that this represents for Spaniards willing to learn English is significant. They often struggle as they only ever get to hear English if they go out of their way by visiting cinemas showing original version, acquiring pay TV, or taking Business English courses, but these are all very limited environments. On the other hand, the Dutch receive lots of foreign content, even on national TV. Dutch children watch German and American TV programmes and, without realising it, they entertain themselves while simultaneously familiarising themselves with foreign languages from a very early age.
It is well known that the best way to learn or improve a foreign language is by being immersed in the culture of the desired language, being able to practice it and hear it constantly and on a daily basis. The lessons learned in the classroom can thus be put into practice straight away, making learning the language a necessity, vital to interacting successfully with others, as well as relevant to daily situations. Tailored English courses such as Business English courses can help you to develop your language skills, regardless of your level or linguistic background and offer you the relevant tools to use English proficiently.
Read more at:
http://freelancewritingworkshop.com/blog/?p=743
The problem lies, of course, not with the Spaniards themselves but with a number of reasons that impact their ability to learn and speak the English language with the ease of, say, the Dutch. To start with, Spanish is a language with only five vowel sounds, and the stress and intonation differ widely from those of English. This appears to restrict native Spanish speakers’ ability to easily adopt English sounds. Also, Spaniards’ access to English language material is very limited. Spain is one of only a handful of ‘dubbing’ countries in Western Europe, the others being France, Italy and Germany. This means that almost all of their movies and TV shows are dubbed into Spanish as opposed to having subtitles with the original soundtrack. The dubbing industry is so developed in Spain that some dubbing actors have achieved personal fame, being assigned to dub the same Hollywood actors exclusively throughout their careers.
While there is nothing wrong with this tradition, the problem that this represents for Spaniards willing to learn English is significant. They often struggle as they only ever get to hear English if they go out of their way by visiting cinemas showing original version, acquiring pay TV, or taking Business English courses, but these are all very limited environments. On the other hand, the Dutch receive lots of foreign content, even on national TV. Dutch children watch German and American TV programmes and, without realising it, they entertain themselves while simultaneously familiarising themselves with foreign languages from a very early age.
It is well known that the best way to learn or improve a foreign language is by being immersed in the culture of the desired language, being able to practice it and hear it constantly and on a daily basis. The lessons learned in the classroom can thus be put into practice straight away, making learning the language a necessity, vital to interacting successfully with others, as well as relevant to daily situations. Tailored English courses such as Business English courses can help you to develop your language skills, regardless of your level or linguistic background and offer you the relevant tools to use English proficiently.
Read more at:
http://freelancewritingworkshop.com/blog/?p=743
Language is a weapon
If you are a mother or a father then you will know the feeling of wanting to give your children all you can give to help them become happy and successful later on.
And if you live outside of English speaking countries, you will probably want them to learn English–the modern lingua franca. I think it is beyond doubt that fluent English is a key to a successful career these days, regardless of where one lives. At the age of three to four, kids are able to learn foreign languages at ease that is difficult at best in their adult lives.
I believe that the above statements are trivial truisms. I also do believe that most people, especially leaders and elites, also know it. If this is the case, then every kid should visit an English kindergarten starting at the age of three. Politicians (elected by parents) should provide native speaking personnel to those kindergartens. Similar should apply to primary schools, as well as to other schooling forms applicable later.
But they don’t. Over here in Germany, only private kindergartens (that cost at least 1000 EUR/month) offer native English speaking child care. WHY?
If such an obvious need is neglected, then there must be a political obstacle on the way that should be clearly recognized and pronounced. I guess on reason is that language is traditionally being used as a weapon. Humans have developed different languages to know friends from foes, because looks often do not tell the whole story. We instinctively believe that “our” language is the most important distinguishing mark. For example, especially in Europe, if a person speaks with a “wrong” accent, she or he is instantly perceived as a bit dim. This is not due to the lack of a civilized manners–it is a natural, instinctive reaction.
Read more at:
http://dailysanitycheck.blogspot.com/2010/12/language-is-weapon.html
And if you live outside of English speaking countries, you will probably want them to learn English–the modern lingua franca. I think it is beyond doubt that fluent English is a key to a successful career these days, regardless of where one lives. At the age of three to four, kids are able to learn foreign languages at ease that is difficult at best in their adult lives.
I believe that the above statements are trivial truisms. I also do believe that most people, especially leaders and elites, also know it. If this is the case, then every kid should visit an English kindergarten starting at the age of three. Politicians (elected by parents) should provide native speaking personnel to those kindergartens. Similar should apply to primary schools, as well as to other schooling forms applicable later.
But they don’t. Over here in Germany, only private kindergartens (that cost at least 1000 EUR/month) offer native English speaking child care. WHY?
If such an obvious need is neglected, then there must be a political obstacle on the way that should be clearly recognized and pronounced. I guess on reason is that language is traditionally being used as a weapon. Humans have developed different languages to know friends from foes, because looks often do not tell the whole story. We instinctively believe that “our” language is the most important distinguishing mark. For example, especially in Europe, if a person speaks with a “wrong” accent, she or he is instantly perceived as a bit dim. This is not due to the lack of a civilized manners–it is a natural, instinctive reaction.
Read more at:
http://dailysanitycheck.blogspot.com/2010/12/language-is-weapon.html
29.12.10
Best Way To Learn English- Research Studies Say....
In this post, I will talk again about research . I know this doesn't sound like a very exciting topic ;)
However, it is a VERY important topic . Why? Because independent research is the only way we can judge different English learning methods.
Everyone has an opinion . Some people will tell you, "You must study grammar". Some will tell you, "You must practice speaking all the time".
Everybody has an idea about the best way to learn English. How do we know who is right ?
We only know by looking at independent, test research. We must look at a lot of studies to find the answer.
When we do that, we find the following :
1. Listening to understandable and interesting English is the best way to improve speaking.
2. The Listen & Answer Stories Method is the most powerful teaching method to improve English speaking (and listening).
3. Grammar study and translation are not successful. Memorizing word lists is not successful.
4. Free, easy, fun reading is the best way to build vocabulary and advanced grammar ("academic English").
That is what the research tells us. How does the research work? Usually they divide a big group of students.
One group is put in a normal English class (grammar study, vocabulary study, etc.). The other group is put in a Listen &Answer Story class (also called "TPRS").
After 4-24 months, they test both groups of students. The students in the Listen &Answer group do better on Vocabulary tests,Speaking tests, Listening tests, Reading tests, and even Grammar tests. The longer the time, the bigger the difference between the groups.
That is why I am so strong about the Effortless English method. My methods are not based on my opinion only. I developed my methods based on the research.
Good luck with your English learning!
- A.J. Hoge, Director of Effortless English
However, it is a VERY important topic . Why? Because independent research is the only way we can judge different English learning methods.
Everyone has an opinion . Some people will tell you, "You must study grammar". Some will tell you, "You must practice speaking all the time".
Everybody has an idea about the best way to learn English. How do we know who is right ?
We only know by looking at independent, test research. We must look at a lot of studies to find the answer.
When we do that, we find the following :
1. Listening to understandable and interesting English is the best way to improve speaking.
2. The Listen & Answer Stories Method is the most powerful teaching method to improve English speaking (and listening).
3. Grammar study and translation are not successful. Memorizing word lists is not successful.
4. Free, easy, fun reading is the best way to build vocabulary and advanced grammar ("academic English").
That is what the research tells us. How does the research work? Usually they divide a big group of students.
One group is put in a normal English class (grammar study, vocabulary study, etc.). The other group is put in a Listen &Answer Story class (also called "TPRS").
After 4-24 months, they test both groups of students. The students in the Listen &Answer group do better on Vocabulary tests,Speaking tests, Listening tests, Reading tests, and even Grammar tests. The longer the time, the bigger the difference between the groups.
That is why I am so strong about the Effortless English method. My methods are not based on my opinion only. I developed my methods based on the research.
Good luck with your English learning!
- A.J. Hoge, Director of Effortless English
27.12.10
3 Ways to Learn to Speak American English Fluently
Are you looking for some ways to learn to speak American English fluently? If so, continue reading, because I'm going to help you. In this article I'm going to show you three things that you can do to learn to speak fluent American English quickly. Here they are!
1. Sign up on SharedTalk
SharedTalk is a community of language learners who want to improve their language skills on chats. You can look for some native American speakers who want to practice your native language and chat with them there. Writing in real time is a great way to improve your writing skills. It helps you immerse yourself in English - you need to think in English (instead of thinking in your mother tongue) if you want to chat!
2. Read Wikipedia
Read English Wikipedia to improve your vocabulary, your grammar and your knowledge. The best idea is to read about something that interests you, for example about an interesting country or an artist. If it's too difficult for you, you can also read Simple English Wikipedia which is intended for people whose first language isn't English.
3. Use Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a community of travelers. You can use it to search for some native American English speakers in your city and meet with them in person. Offer them a language exchange - you will help them with your mother tongue, they will help you with American English.
Here you go - three ways to learn to speak American English fluently. There are many more things that you can do to improve your language skills quickly, but if you put only these three tips to use, you'll quickly notice a great improvement. Good luck and have fun while speaking American English fluently!
1. Sign up on SharedTalk
SharedTalk is a community of language learners who want to improve their language skills on chats. You can look for some native American speakers who want to practice your native language and chat with them there. Writing in real time is a great way to improve your writing skills. It helps you immerse yourself in English - you need to think in English (instead of thinking in your mother tongue) if you want to chat!
2. Read Wikipedia
Read English Wikipedia to improve your vocabulary, your grammar and your knowledge. The best idea is to read about something that interests you, for example about an interesting country or an artist. If it's too difficult for you, you can also read Simple English Wikipedia which is intended for people whose first language isn't English.
3. Use Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is a community of travelers. You can use it to search for some native American English speakers in your city and meet with them in person. Offer them a language exchange - you will help them with your mother tongue, they will help you with American English.
Here you go - three ways to learn to speak American English fluently. There are many more things that you can do to improve your language skills quickly, but if you put only these three tips to use, you'll quickly notice a great improvement. Good luck and have fun while speaking American English fluently!
Bonus: 4. Get free lessons on how to learn an American accent
Click on this English course and sign up right now to get your FREE lessons on how to learn English with an American accent!
Click on this English course and sign up right now to get your FREE lessons on how to learn English with an American accent!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Doey
20.12.10
How you can Speak English Fluently
If you want to learn how to speak English fluently, it is important to know precisely what you mean by "speaking English fluently". It's basically impossible to sound the same as a local speaker, but that is not essential anyway. Speaking fluently basically means to be able to talk about any topic without much hesitation. Speed and rhythm are more important that grammar and vocabulary. Personally , I believe that being able to understand native speakers talking at their very own natural speed can also be part of English fluency. It is much easier for them to communicate with you if you're able to understand their usual methods for speaking.
If you want to improve your English fluency you need to spend considerable time listening. Try hearing native speakers. For many ESL students, american movies and TV really are a bit too difficult. Even if they can understand the main ideas, it is still a little too hard to learn English at a maximum speed. These movies and programs are equipped for native speakers. They're not going to take the time to explain the slang and idioms they will use.
Instead you should listen to native English dialogs on your pc or music player. These dialogs ought to be at a speed that's comfortable for you but still challenging. They should also be made especially for English learners. It is important to pay attention to slang, phrasal verbs, and idioms. Vocabulary and grammar are less important. By listening a lot to native English, your vocabulary and grammar will improve naturally anyway.
Make use of a notebook while learning spoken English. Write down any phrase that you simply notice native speakers using. You will often observe that they will express a few of their ideas in different ways than you would. Copy them. Write down exactly what they say in your notebook and say this exact phrase to yourself several times until it feels natural to you.
You should also practice referring to different topics. Some English learners are fluent in a single area, however their English stops working when they are talking about a new topic. The hot button is to rehearse a little bit each day and keep challenging yourself. Try these suggestions for a couple of months and you will love your results. Trust me, this really is a lot more useful and much more fun than spending money on a costly English school. Even if you have paid for an English school, it is not too late to use this process. The majority of the students who attend those English schools don't speak English well anyway. There are no results in the same mistakes they do.
Article by Justine Blake
If you want to improve your English fluency you need to spend considerable time listening. Try hearing native speakers. For many ESL students, american movies and TV really are a bit too difficult. Even if they can understand the main ideas, it is still a little too hard to learn English at a maximum speed. These movies and programs are equipped for native speakers. They're not going to take the time to explain the slang and idioms they will use.
Instead you should listen to native English dialogs on your pc or music player. These dialogs ought to be at a speed that's comfortable for you but still challenging. They should also be made especially for English learners. It is important to pay attention to slang, phrasal verbs, and idioms. Vocabulary and grammar are less important. By listening a lot to native English, your vocabulary and grammar will improve naturally anyway.
Make use of a notebook while learning spoken English. Write down any phrase that you simply notice native speakers using. You will often observe that they will express a few of their ideas in different ways than you would. Copy them. Write down exactly what they say in your notebook and say this exact phrase to yourself several times until it feels natural to you.
You should also practice referring to different topics. Some English learners are fluent in a single area, however their English stops working when they are talking about a new topic. The hot button is to rehearse a little bit each day and keep challenging yourself. Try these suggestions for a couple of months and you will love your results. Trust me, this really is a lot more useful and much more fun than spending money on a costly English school. Even if you have paid for an English school, it is not too late to use this process. The majority of the students who attend those English schools don't speak English well anyway. There are no results in the same mistakes they do.
Article by Justine Blake
15.12.10
How to Use Your Notebook When Learning English
When learning new words, grammar or pronunciation it is important not to forget what you have learned. New words and phrases can be picked up from anywhere: in your classroom, while taking online English courses, on the street speaking to native English speakers, with your language exchange partner, while watching TV or reading the newspaper and while studying at home just to name a few.
Writing these new words and phrases is very important to help you remember what you have learned when speaking English.
Firstly it is important to get at least two types of notebooks. One must be small enough to carry around with you. This is very important as you want to have your notebook handy to write things down straight away. When you get home you should then transfer what you have noted down into your larger notebook.
The other notebook is your main reference book. You can divide it into different categories like vocabulary, phrases, grammar etc. This part is important and should be done according to how you learn. The next stage is vital for improving your English and especially your spoken English.
You now need to put what you have written down into practice. There are two stages to this. The first stage is to create different sentences using the phrases that you have learned, writing these down using different tenses and situations.
The second stage is to use what you have learned in conversation. You should make sure that you use these newly learned phrases with your English tutor or language exchange partner, during your online English course or in any situation where you are in contact with English speakers. This is a great way to improve your spoken English.
The use of notebooks is highly recommended when learning English. How you use them is vital to remembering what you have learned.
Writing these new words and phrases is very important to help you remember what you have learned when speaking English.
Firstly it is important to get at least two types of notebooks. One must be small enough to carry around with you. This is very important as you want to have your notebook handy to write things down straight away. When you get home you should then transfer what you have noted down into your larger notebook.
The other notebook is your main reference book. You can divide it into different categories like vocabulary, phrases, grammar etc. This part is important and should be done according to how you learn. The next stage is vital for improving your English and especially your spoken English.
You now need to put what you have written down into practice. There are two stages to this. The first stage is to create different sentences using the phrases that you have learned, writing these down using different tenses and situations.
The second stage is to use what you have learned in conversation. You should make sure that you use these newly learned phrases with your English tutor or language exchange partner, during your online English course or in any situation where you are in contact with English speakers. This is a great way to improve your spoken English.
The use of notebooks is highly recommended when learning English. How you use them is vital to remembering what you have learned.
7.12.10
There is No Failure, Only Learning Experience
“There is No Failure, Only Learning Experience.” This is one of my core beliefs, one of my central beliefs. It’s a very powerful belief and I recommend that you decide to have this belief also, because this belief will give you so much power and strength in your life.
By having this belief you will learn faster. You will succeed more and more. You will get everything you want in your life, just by believing this simple thing.
So if you had trouble with English in the past you didn’t fail and you’re not a failure. You learned something. What did you learn? Maybe you learned that grammar and translation are not effective learning methods. That’s an important lesson to learn. A lot of people never understand that. So, that’s a powerful thing that you learned.
Maybe you have learned, since then, that you can improve your English if you use the correct methods. That’s an important lesson to learn. Maybe you learned that schools are not effective and so maybe you can try something different like learning independently.
The point is you don’t label yourself as a failure. You don’t say “I failed.” You didn’t fail. You learned something from those experiences. Or you can learn something if you will think differently.
Most people learn the most when times are tough. It’s a great opportunity, but only if you see it as a learning experience, only if you have this belief. If you decide “I’m a failure, I failed” you learn nothing. You just get
sad and depressed and weak. You must remeber that there is no failure, there’s only learning.
Any time you have a tough situation ask the same question, “What have I learned? What can I learn? What can I learn from this?" You will never fail at English, you will just learn. You will learn which methods are best and which methods don’t work. You will learn what you like and what you don’t like. You will never fail.
I hope you will think very deeply and seriously about this topic. It’s a very important topic. It’s so simple, but this small change can totally change your life. Never again use the word failure or fail, especially for yourself. Speak only about learning. Speak only about results. Speak only about feedback. When you adapt this attitude you will succeed in English and in your life.
By having this belief you will learn faster. You will succeed more and more. You will get everything you want in your life, just by believing this simple thing.
So if you had trouble with English in the past you didn’t fail and you’re not a failure. You learned something. What did you learn? Maybe you learned that grammar and translation are not effective learning methods. That’s an important lesson to learn. A lot of people never understand that. So, that’s a powerful thing that you learned.
Maybe you have learned, since then, that you can improve your English if you use the correct methods. That’s an important lesson to learn. Maybe you learned that schools are not effective and so maybe you can try something different like learning independently.
The point is you don’t label yourself as a failure. You don’t say “I failed.” You didn’t fail. You learned something from those experiences. Or you can learn something if you will think differently.
Most people learn the most when times are tough. It’s a great opportunity, but only if you see it as a learning experience, only if you have this belief. If you decide “I’m a failure, I failed” you learn nothing. You just get
sad and depressed and weak. You must remeber that there is no failure, there’s only learning.
Any time you have a tough situation ask the same question, “What have I learned? What can I learn? What can I learn from this?" You will never fail at English, you will just learn. You will learn which methods are best and which methods don’t work. You will learn what you like and what you don’t like. You will never fail.
I hope you will think very deeply and seriously about this topic. It’s a very important topic. It’s so simple, but this small change can totally change your life. Never again use the word failure or fail, especially for yourself. Speak only about learning. Speak only about results. Speak only about feedback. When you adapt this attitude you will succeed in English and in your life.
25.11.10
Break rules and learn English fast
I like to break rules. In the Effortless English Club we don’t like to follow the rules. We don’t like to do things the normal way. We don’t continue doing stupid things again and again. We don’t follow the old, boring, traditional methods of learning. We follow a new method, a new way. We succeed because we are rebels and now it’s your turn to join us.
In the Effortless English Club we break every traditional English learning rule. We don’t do anything normally. Traditional schools are concentrated on grammar. You must memorize grammar, terms, the past progressive, possessives... We break that rule. We don’t do that, absolutely never.
In traditional schools with the traditional rules they always use textbooks. You must have a textbook and you have to have tests and grades and scores. Well, we break those rules, too. We never give you a test and we never use textbooks. We use only real English, the real spontaneous English, real English books that were written for native speakers, they weren’t written for English students.
We never memorize and study hard with a lot of effort, not vocabulary, not grammar. Instead we listen easily and relax. We listen repeatedly again and again and we learn intuitively, subconsciously, effortlessly. We don’t do boring drills and exercises. You never get in a pair with another student and you practice saying some speech or some dialogue. We never do that. No, we listen and listen and then we get on the Forums and we write to each other and communicate – real communication – and then you get on Skype and you talk to each other. That is real communication focused on meaning.
In regular schools they always follow the rules. They tell you your mistakes all the time. They’re very worried about mistakes. We never worry about mistakes, never! We worry about communication. We want to be understood. We want to communicate clearly. We worry about meaning, but never do we worry about mistakes. We know mistakes are necessary. We love mistakes. That’s how we learn. So I never correct your mistakes.
We are always breaking the rules. I, as a teacher, always break these rules. You, as an English learner - and especially as a new member of the Effortless English Club you must break the rules. With us you will become an Effortless English Club rebel. Accept it! Celebrate it! Be happy about it! Because you’re going to speak excellent English.
All the people following the rules and going to the normal schools, memorizing grammar, taking tests, they are never going to do it. Or maybe they will, but it’s going to take them years, much longer than you. And they’re going to suffer and they’re going to hate it. They’re going to be bored, tired and frustrated.
When you learn with us you’re going to be smiling and moving. You will be laughing while you learn English. You’re going to speak better than they do, your vocabulary is going to be better, your fluency will be better, your pronunciation will be better, because you break the rules. I hope I have convinced you and I hope you will join us at the Effortless English Club and proudly be a rebel in your English learning.
A.J. Hoge, Director of Effortless English, LLC
In the Effortless English Club we break every traditional English learning rule. We don’t do anything normally. Traditional schools are concentrated on grammar. You must memorize grammar, terms, the past progressive, possessives... We break that rule. We don’t do that, absolutely never.
In traditional schools with the traditional rules they always use textbooks. You must have a textbook and you have to have tests and grades and scores. Well, we break those rules, too. We never give you a test and we never use textbooks. We use only real English, the real spontaneous English, real English books that were written for native speakers, they weren’t written for English students.
We never memorize and study hard with a lot of effort, not vocabulary, not grammar. Instead we listen easily and relax. We listen repeatedly again and again and we learn intuitively, subconsciously, effortlessly. We don’t do boring drills and exercises. You never get in a pair with another student and you practice saying some speech or some dialogue. We never do that. No, we listen and listen and then we get on the Forums and we write to each other and communicate – real communication – and then you get on Skype and you talk to each other. That is real communication focused on meaning.
In regular schools they always follow the rules. They tell you your mistakes all the time. They’re very worried about mistakes. We never worry about mistakes, never! We worry about communication. We want to be understood. We want to communicate clearly. We worry about meaning, but never do we worry about mistakes. We know mistakes are necessary. We love mistakes. That’s how we learn. So I never correct your mistakes.
We are always breaking the rules. I, as a teacher, always break these rules. You, as an English learner - and especially as a new member of the Effortless English Club you must break the rules. With us you will become an Effortless English Club rebel. Accept it! Celebrate it! Be happy about it! Because you’re going to speak excellent English.
All the people following the rules and going to the normal schools, memorizing grammar, taking tests, they are never going to do it. Or maybe they will, but it’s going to take them years, much longer than you. And they’re going to suffer and they’re going to hate it. They’re going to be bored, tired and frustrated.
When you learn with us you’re going to be smiling and moving. You will be laughing while you learn English. You’re going to speak better than they do, your vocabulary is going to be better, your fluency will be better, your pronunciation will be better, because you break the rules. I hope I have convinced you and I hope you will join us at the Effortless English Club and proudly be a rebel in your English learning.
A.J. Hoge, Director of Effortless English, LLC
19.11.10
How To Improve English Vocabulary and Reading
Today we are going to talk about learning vocabulary, and how to use reading to do it. How will you improve your English READING fast and easily? How will you learn difficult English vocabulary? Is it possible to improve reading and vocabulary very quickly?
**3-5 Times Faster
Research shows that reading easy books will improve your reading, and vocabulary and grammar 3-5 times faster than reading difficult material. 3-5 times faster!
**What Should You Read?
What kind of novels should you read? Any that you like: childrens', mystery, science fiction, romance, comic books, etc.. All are fine.
**9 Months To Reading Power
When you do this 1 hour every day - you are amazed. You improve super-fast. I guarantee you will improve much faster than students who read difficult textbooks. So relax, find some easy and interesting books - and read.
A.J. Hoge, Director of Effortless English, LLC
**Yes, You Can Improve Very Fast
You are lucky. There is a lot of research about this topic. The research tells us what methods are successful - and what methods are failures. The research is very clear and very strong. If you use the correct methods, you will learn very fast.
**What You Must NOT Do
**What You Must NOT Do
Do NOT read difficult articles and textbooks. Do not. If you read difficult articles and textbooks, your reading ability will improve very very slowly.
Many students try to improve by reading very difficult English articles & textbooks. They use their dictionary and take notes and study them. They may need one or more hours to read just one article. They think they will learn faster by studying very difficult textbooks... but they are wrong. Totally and completely wrong.
**Fun, Easy Reading Is The Best Way
There is no doubt - to improve reading very fast, you must read easy and interesting books (not textbooks) . Yes, you must read a lot (one hour a day or more), but you should read EASY books.
My rule for reading is simple - you should NOT need a dictionary to read and understand the book. If you need a dictionary, its too difficult and you should find something easier. You should understand 98% (or more) of the words on every page. When you understand 98-99% of the words - its very easy to guess the meaning of the few words you don't know. You won't need a dictionary.
Many students try to improve by reading very difficult English articles & textbooks. They use their dictionary and take notes and study them. They may need one or more hours to read just one article. They think they will learn faster by studying very difficult textbooks... but they are wrong. Totally and completely wrong.
**Fun, Easy Reading Is The Best Way
There is no doubt - to improve reading very fast, you must read easy and interesting books (not textbooks) . Yes, you must read a lot (one hour a day or more), but you should read EASY books.
My rule for reading is simple - you should NOT need a dictionary to read and understand the book. If you need a dictionary, its too difficult and you should find something easier. You should understand 98% (or more) of the words on every page. When you understand 98-99% of the words - its very easy to guess the meaning of the few words you don't know. You won't need a dictionary.
**3-5 Times Faster
Research shows that reading easy books will improve your reading, and vocabulary and grammar 3-5 times faster than reading difficult material. 3-5 times faster!
**What Should You Read?
What kind of novels should you read? Any that you like: childrens', mystery, science fiction, romance, comic books, etc.. All are fine.
**9 Months To Reading Power
When you do this 1 hour every day - you are amazed. You improve super-fast. I guarantee you will improve much faster than students who read difficult textbooks. So relax, find some easy and interesting books - and read.
A.J. Hoge, Director of Effortless English, LLC
14.11.10
Why Learn English and Take an Online Course to Do it
Why Learn English and Take an Online Course to Do it:
In this article, you will find out why speaking English can be a powerful tool for you to succeed.
If you don’t already speak English, you may wonder why you should learn to speak it. You might also wonder if you should learn to read and write English as well, especially if you are going to stay in the area where you already live that may not have English as a main language. The answers to those questions can include the quality of life and prosperity that you may aspire to. Basically, English is the language used across the world for most commerce transactions. If you want to become successful in business, learning English and learning it well can help you succeed.
The internet has made learning much more accessible and easier for so many people. Now, instead of going to a classroom or library, people can search for the information they need from their computer at home or where ever they have internet access. A lot of instruction can now occur through the internet with programs like Skype. With a program like Skype, you can both see your instructor and talk through your lessons right through your computer. You will need to practice your English lessons on your own as well, but the fact that it is so easy to now get access to English instruction is a great reason to start learning English.
If you learn English, you will be able to participate and understand more about what is going on the world socially, politically, economically, and culturally. Knowing English will make things much easier for you to function in predominately English-speaking countries. Taking on English coursework will also challenge you and engage you in a new activity which is good for your brain. You may have a lot of questions at first and that is okay. You may also feel discouraged that you aren’t learning fast enough too but you shouldn’t worry too much if you are just starting your classes. Talk to your teachers about your concerns and practice as much as you can with other students online as well as informally with English speaking friends.
Since English is a dominate language of global commerce, you may be more successful and be promoted or make more money when you are able to communicate more effectively with English speakers you are trying to do business with. Knowing English is especially important if you have a sensitive job or are working through serious or complicated negotiations. It’s important that you understand completely what the situation is and that you can explain on behalf of your company where you stand and what you are willing to offer or not compromise on.
By Grace Rimando
In this article, you will find out why speaking English can be a powerful tool for you to succeed.
If you don’t already speak English, you may wonder why you should learn to speak it. You might also wonder if you should learn to read and write English as well, especially if you are going to stay in the area where you already live that may not have English as a main language. The answers to those questions can include the quality of life and prosperity that you may aspire to. Basically, English is the language used across the world for most commerce transactions. If you want to become successful in business, learning English and learning it well can help you succeed.
The internet has made learning much more accessible and easier for so many people. Now, instead of going to a classroom or library, people can search for the information they need from their computer at home or where ever they have internet access. A lot of instruction can now occur through the internet with programs like Skype. With a program like Skype, you can both see your instructor and talk through your lessons right through your computer. You will need to practice your English lessons on your own as well, but the fact that it is so easy to now get access to English instruction is a great reason to start learning English.
If you learn English, you will be able to participate and understand more about what is going on the world socially, politically, economically, and culturally. Knowing English will make things much easier for you to function in predominately English-speaking countries. Taking on English coursework will also challenge you and engage you in a new activity which is good for your brain. You may have a lot of questions at first and that is okay. You may also feel discouraged that you aren’t learning fast enough too but you shouldn’t worry too much if you are just starting your classes. Talk to your teachers about your concerns and practice as much as you can with other students online as well as informally with English speaking friends.
Since English is a dominate language of global commerce, you may be more successful and be promoted or make more money when you are able to communicate more effectively with English speakers you are trying to do business with. Knowing English is especially important if you have a sensitive job or are working through serious or complicated negotiations. It’s important that you understand completely what the situation is and that you can explain on behalf of your company where you stand and what you are willing to offer or not compromise on.
By Grace Rimando
10.11.10
Tips to Speak English Fluently
If you are looking for some tips to speak English fluently, you are in the right place. This article is for you! I'm going to show you three ways to work on your English speaking skills. Here they are!
1. Don't rely on passive methods
Many people say that if you want to learn to speak English fluently, you should listen a lot. Okay, it's very helpful, but you can't rely only on these passive methods. If you want to learn how to speak, you need to speak. Speak a lot. You don't need to speak with native speakers, you can also speak with other learners (for example your friends) or even talk to yourself.
2. Think in English
Don't think in your mother tongue while speaking English. It slows you down and you can't speak fluently if you constantly translate from your native language to English. Every time you find out that you think in your mother tongue while speaking English, stop doing it!
3. Be confident
Learning foreign languages isn't only about languages. It's also about your approach and your communication skills. So, don't only concentrate on the language itself, but also on your confidence, because if you aren't confident, you can't speak fluently.
You are probably afraid that you make mistakes, that you won't understand other people and so on. It's true, there will be problems - they are inevitable. However, only by making mistakes and fighting with your shyness you can learn how to speak English fluently.
If you really want to speak English fluently, you can do it. It's all just a matter of regular practice. So, what are you waiting for? Go and practice instead of looking for a magic pill (it doesn't exist!).
1. Don't rely on passive methods
Many people say that if you want to learn to speak English fluently, you should listen a lot. Okay, it's very helpful, but you can't rely only on these passive methods. If you want to learn how to speak, you need to speak. Speak a lot. You don't need to speak with native speakers, you can also speak with other learners (for example your friends) or even talk to yourself.
2. Think in English
Don't think in your mother tongue while speaking English. It slows you down and you can't speak fluently if you constantly translate from your native language to English. Every time you find out that you think in your mother tongue while speaking English, stop doing it!
3. Be confident
Learning foreign languages isn't only about languages. It's also about your approach and your communication skills. So, don't only concentrate on the language itself, but also on your confidence, because if you aren't confident, you can't speak fluently.
You are probably afraid that you make mistakes, that you won't understand other people and so on. It's true, there will be problems - they are inevitable. However, only by making mistakes and fighting with your shyness you can learn how to speak English fluently.
If you really want to speak English fluently, you can do it. It's all just a matter of regular practice. So, what are you waiting for? Go and practice instead of looking for a magic pill (it doesn't exist!).
Bonus tip #4: You can accelerate your English learning by getting step by step learning instruction from the best teachers. Check this English course and sign up right now to get your FREE lessons on how to learn English fast! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Doey |
8.11.10
Follow These to Learn to Speak English Well
The acquisition of a language is not simple, whether it's your first language or a second one. Regardless of what a lot of non-native English speakers the world over like to think, learning English is not easy, either. Those who wrongly think that to learn to speak English isn't difficult will find out quickly how wrong they are.
First, learning English at a basic, communicative level is admittedly not as difficult as learning some languages is. So many people around the world speak English that many different accents and pronunciations are found even amongst native speakers. Because it's often easy to pick up conversational English, people make the mistake of thinking learning English is easy.
Second, there are many rules in English. Both grammar and sentence must adhere to strict rules. But nearly every rule has exceptions. And these exceptions often have no discernible logic to them. So, English has lots of flexibility, as well. This leads to many inconsistencies in when and how the rules are enforced. And it makes rote memorization impossible as a method to learn English.
Next, the pronunciation is also inconsistently followed. Because of its fluidity, pronunciation can differ greatly within even nearby regions of native-speaking countries. But mastering English pronunciation is essential to successfully mastering the language. Because of the fluidity, however, mastering the pronunciation is hard. It takes practice and diligence. And then more of each.
A fourth difficulty is recognizing the correct structure, grammar, and vocabulary usage, even when what is correct doesn't necessarily sound right. An example is split infinitives. It is taught in English class not use split infinitives, yet split infinitives are common in spoken English. This is because they're often used for emphasis or because it's thought to sound better.
A fifth issue is knowing when to use colloquial English and when to use proper English. Because celebrities often use proper English wrongly, this isn't easy. Many who are learning pick this up and then try to imitate. On the other hand, many professionals or academics don't know how to use slang or speak colloquially.
A sixth problem when studying English is the language "masters" out there claiming that theirs is the best method for learning English fast. This is false, regardless of what scientific facts they present showing how effective their curriculum is. Don't listen to these charlatans. Learning English, as with learning any language, is not easy and learning it properly takes time, patience, practice, and good teaching.
Finally, English is a fun language. Listening to non-native speakers is not difficult for native speakers. We're used to hearing a variety of accents from our fellow native speakers. Therefore, if you intend on learning to speak English, even the barest of efforts will allow you even basic communicative abilities.
On the other hand, if you want your skills to progress, it will require what all things require in order to master them. A stable base of the rudimentary, daily pronunciation practice, acquisition of new vocabulary every day, and not being afraid of making mistakes. Remember, though, learning to speak English is not simple. However, it can seem easy if you work hard.
First, learning English at a basic, communicative level is admittedly not as difficult as learning some languages is. So many people around the world speak English that many different accents and pronunciations are found even amongst native speakers. Because it's often easy to pick up conversational English, people make the mistake of thinking learning English is easy.
Second, there are many rules in English. Both grammar and sentence must adhere to strict rules. But nearly every rule has exceptions. And these exceptions often have no discernible logic to them. So, English has lots of flexibility, as well. This leads to many inconsistencies in when and how the rules are enforced. And it makes rote memorization impossible as a method to learn English.
Next, the pronunciation is also inconsistently followed. Because of its fluidity, pronunciation can differ greatly within even nearby regions of native-speaking countries. But mastering English pronunciation is essential to successfully mastering the language. Because of the fluidity, however, mastering the pronunciation is hard. It takes practice and diligence. And then more of each.
A fourth difficulty is recognizing the correct structure, grammar, and vocabulary usage, even when what is correct doesn't necessarily sound right. An example is split infinitives. It is taught in English class not use split infinitives, yet split infinitives are common in spoken English. This is because they're often used for emphasis or because it's thought to sound better.
A fifth issue is knowing when to use colloquial English and when to use proper English. Because celebrities often use proper English wrongly, this isn't easy. Many who are learning pick this up and then try to imitate. On the other hand, many professionals or academics don't know how to use slang or speak colloquially.
A sixth problem when studying English is the language "masters" out there claiming that theirs is the best method for learning English fast. This is false, regardless of what scientific facts they present showing how effective their curriculum is. Don't listen to these charlatans. Learning English, as with learning any language, is not easy and learning it properly takes time, patience, practice, and good teaching.
Finally, English is a fun language. Listening to non-native speakers is not difficult for native speakers. We're used to hearing a variety of accents from our fellow native speakers. Therefore, if you intend on learning to speak English, even the barest of efforts will allow you even basic communicative abilities.
On the other hand, if you want your skills to progress, it will require what all things require in order to master them. A stable base of the rudimentary, daily pronunciation practice, acquisition of new vocabulary every day, and not being afraid of making mistakes. Remember, though, learning to speak English is not simple. However, it can seem easy if you work hard.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adriana_N.
29.10.10
Top 5 Mistakes English Learners Make
What are the most common mistakes that English learners make? Which mistakes do most English learners need to correct, in order to learn English much faster?
Here are the top 5 English Learning Mistakes:
1. Focusing On Grammar
This is the biggest, most common, and worst mistake. Research shows that grammar study, in fact, actually hurts English speaking ability. Why? Because English grammar is simply too complex to memorize and use logically.... and real conversation is much too fast.
You don't have enough time to think, remember hundreds or thousands of grammar rules, choose the correct one, then use it.
Your logical left-brain cannot do it. You must learn grammar intuitively and unconsciously, like a child. You do this by hearing a lot of correct English grammar- and your brain gradually and automatically learns to use English grammar correctly.
2. Forcing Speech
Both English students and teachers try to force speech before the learner is ready. The result is that most students speak English very slowly- with no confidence and no fluency. Forcing speech is a huge mistake. Don't force speech. Focus on listening and be patient. Speak only when you are ready to speak- when it happens easily and naturally. Until then, never force it.
3. Learning Only Formal Textbook English
Unfortunately, most English students learn only the formal English found in textbooks and schools. The problem is- native speakers don't use that kind of English in most situations.
When speaking to friends, family, or co-workers, native speakers use casual English that is full of idioms, phrasal verbs, and slang. To communicate with native speakers, you must not rely only on textbooks.. you must learn casual English.
4. Trying To Be Perfect
Students and teachers often focus on mistakes. They worry about mistakes. They correct mistakes. They feel nervous about mistakes. They try to speak perfectly. No one, however, is perfect. Native speakers make mistakes all the time. You will too. Instead of focusing on the negative- focus on communication.
Your goal is not to speak "perfectly", your goal is to communicate ideas, information, and feelings in a clear and understandable way. Focus on communication, focus on the positive. You will automatically improve your mistakes in time.
5. Relying On English Schools
Most English learners rely totally on schools. They think the teacher and the school are responsible for their success. This is never true. You, the English learner, are always responsible. A good teacher can help, but ultimately you must be responsible for your own learning.
You must find lessons and material that are effective. You must listen and read every day. You must manage your emotions and remain motivated and energetic. You must be positive and optimistic. No teacher can make you learn. Only you can do it!
While these mistakes are very common, the good news is that you can correct them. When you stop making these mistakes, you change the way you learn English. You learn faster. Your speaking improves. You enjoy learning English.
Good luck... you can do it!
Article by AJ Hoge the creator of Effortless English
Here are the top 5 English Learning Mistakes:
1. Focusing On Grammar
This is the biggest, most common, and worst mistake. Research shows that grammar study, in fact, actually hurts English speaking ability. Why? Because English grammar is simply too complex to memorize and use logically.... and real conversation is much too fast.
You don't have enough time to think, remember hundreds or thousands of grammar rules, choose the correct one, then use it.
Your logical left-brain cannot do it. You must learn grammar intuitively and unconsciously, like a child. You do this by hearing a lot of correct English grammar- and your brain gradually and automatically learns to use English grammar correctly.
2. Forcing Speech
Both English students and teachers try to force speech before the learner is ready. The result is that most students speak English very slowly- with no confidence and no fluency. Forcing speech is a huge mistake. Don't force speech. Focus on listening and be patient. Speak only when you are ready to speak- when it happens easily and naturally. Until then, never force it.
3. Learning Only Formal Textbook English
Unfortunately, most English students learn only the formal English found in textbooks and schools. The problem is- native speakers don't use that kind of English in most situations.
When speaking to friends, family, or co-workers, native speakers use casual English that is full of idioms, phrasal verbs, and slang. To communicate with native speakers, you must not rely only on textbooks.. you must learn casual English.
4. Trying To Be Perfect
Students and teachers often focus on mistakes. They worry about mistakes. They correct mistakes. They feel nervous about mistakes. They try to speak perfectly. No one, however, is perfect. Native speakers make mistakes all the time. You will too. Instead of focusing on the negative- focus on communication.
Your goal is not to speak "perfectly", your goal is to communicate ideas, information, and feelings in a clear and understandable way. Focus on communication, focus on the positive. You will automatically improve your mistakes in time.
5. Relying On English Schools
Most English learners rely totally on schools. They think the teacher and the school are responsible for their success. This is never true. You, the English learner, are always responsible. A good teacher can help, but ultimately you must be responsible for your own learning.
You must find lessons and material that are effective. You must listen and read every day. You must manage your emotions and remain motivated and energetic. You must be positive and optimistic. No teacher can make you learn. Only you can do it!
While these mistakes are very common, the good news is that you can correct them. When you stop making these mistakes, you change the way you learn English. You learn faster. Your speaking improves. You enjoy learning English.
Good luck... you can do it!
Article by AJ Hoge the creator of Effortless English
27.10.10
Secrets to Learning English Fast
I don't understand why people think it takes so long to learn a language. They honestly believe it needs to take years to learn it well. The truth is that it really doesn't. It's all about the approach. Some people, many people, learn a language in half a year or less. The problem is that most people learn slowly. What's the difference?
1. People who learn English quickly are the ones who study pretty much every day. They don't get excited for a while and then quit. They keep going, and then soon enough, their English is a lot better than it was.
2. The fast learners decide what is important and what is not. Probably 90% of words are not worth studying. Most native speakers don't even know most of the words if you read a dictionary. Even if we know them, we rarely use them. If you listen to native speakers talk in any language, you will find that they use the same words over and over. They sometimes use other words, but most of the time they use under 1000 words. That's 6 words a day for 6 months. The trick is knowing which words to choose.
3. Make sure you can actually use these words in sentences and real life situations. A word you know but don't or can't use is essentially a waste of time.
If you believe what I just said, most students are probably wasting over 80% of their study time by paying attention to the wrong stuff. No wonder they are frustrated and give up easily. Learn a few new useful things everyday and you will absolutely Learn English Fast.
Author: andylu2
http://www.englishbaby.com/lessons/5416/member_submitted/secrets_to_learning_english_fast
1. People who learn English quickly are the ones who study pretty much every day. They don't get excited for a while and then quit. They keep going, and then soon enough, their English is a lot better than it was.
2. The fast learners decide what is important and what is not. Probably 90% of words are not worth studying. Most native speakers don't even know most of the words if you read a dictionary. Even if we know them, we rarely use them. If you listen to native speakers talk in any language, you will find that they use the same words over and over. They sometimes use other words, but most of the time they use under 1000 words. That's 6 words a day for 6 months. The trick is knowing which words to choose.
3. Make sure you can actually use these words in sentences and real life situations. A word you know but don't or can't use is essentially a waste of time.
If you believe what I just said, most students are probably wasting over 80% of their study time by paying attention to the wrong stuff. No wonder they are frustrated and give up easily. Learn a few new useful things everyday and you will absolutely Learn English Fast.
Author: andylu2
http://www.englishbaby.com/lessons/5416/member_submitted/secrets_to_learning_english_fast
25.10.10
The Best Method To Master Fluent English Fast
English is probably the only language spoken in every part of the world by hundreds of millions of people. So important is it that some professions such as medical and computer related studies require one to have a good knowledge of it. It is also almost a necessity for those whose careers expose them internationally. For those who wish to take it up as a second language, the best method to learn English has techniques such as:
Listening to Others: Children are extremely good at mastering new languages. Doing it their way is one of the best ways of learning. They listen keenly to others talking and as they hear certain phrases many times, they pick words and begin to actually say them. They usually do not sound very good at first but are able to communicate coherently within a short time. Being around people who use the language as a means of communication is a good way to master it quickly.
Books and Magazines: Written material can teach you a lot about correct use of grammar and how to punctuate sentences. You also widen your knowledge of different words and how to use them. This you do by checking their meaning as you come across them for the first time.
Listening to music: People usually memorize songs and easily remember the lines used to compose them. This is very helpful as one can often translate words as used in a song into conversation that actually makes a lot of sense.
Actually speaking: As a learner, one should never feel ashamed of talking even before mastering the language. One sure way to become an expert is by making several attempts at engaging in conversation.Trying to answer the telephone is one way of practicing.
Watching Television: This is another great way of learning. You see and hear how people communicate. You are able to listen to the flow of words and even know the way those with the same spelling are pronounced differently.
Record your own voice: This enables you to hear the way you speak. You can then rate your progress by comparing the way you are doing it with the way it is done on audio cassettes. You spot mistakes easily and correct them, thus improving your grammar.
The way things are going currently, this language may soon become the global way of communicating given its deep penetration. The best method to learn English exposes one to situations where a person gets a natural feel of how the language is spoken. The Effortless English method gives you a great opportunity to do just that.
Those people who provide an Effortless English review are almost uniformly in favor of the information and presentation style of the lessons. Check out the free materials before deciding to join the Effortless English Club.
Listening to Others: Children are extremely good at mastering new languages. Doing it their way is one of the best ways of learning. They listen keenly to others talking and as they hear certain phrases many times, they pick words and begin to actually say them. They usually do not sound very good at first but are able to communicate coherently within a short time. Being around people who use the language as a means of communication is a good way to master it quickly.
Books and Magazines: Written material can teach you a lot about correct use of grammar and how to punctuate sentences. You also widen your knowledge of different words and how to use them. This you do by checking their meaning as you come across them for the first time.
Listening to music: People usually memorize songs and easily remember the lines used to compose them. This is very helpful as one can often translate words as used in a song into conversation that actually makes a lot of sense.
Actually speaking: As a learner, one should never feel ashamed of talking even before mastering the language. One sure way to become an expert is by making several attempts at engaging in conversation.Trying to answer the telephone is one way of practicing.
Watching Television: This is another great way of learning. You see and hear how people communicate. You are able to listen to the flow of words and even know the way those with the same spelling are pronounced differently.
Record your own voice: This enables you to hear the way you speak. You can then rate your progress by comparing the way you are doing it with the way it is done on audio cassettes. You spot mistakes easily and correct them, thus improving your grammar.
The way things are going currently, this language may soon become the global way of communicating given its deep penetration. The best method to learn English exposes one to situations where a person gets a natural feel of how the language is spoken. The Effortless English method gives you a great opportunity to do just that.
Those people who provide an Effortless English review are almost uniformly in favor of the information and presentation style of the lessons. Check out the free materials before deciding to join the Effortless English Club.
22.10.10
What is the plateau in English learning and how to deal with it
Plateau in learning is the time when you get stuck and feel that you are not improving. It is something that all of you have experienced. Because it’s normal when we learn that we learn a lot suddenly and then we have a plateau, a flat spot. It feels like we’re not learning. We’re studying, but we feel like we’re not improving. And that’s the normal process of learning. We have these times where we seem to be improving very quickly and then we have plateaus where everything feels like nothing’s happening. But if we’re patient, if we keep practicing and we keep studying then, we will have another fast period of growing and improving.
It is one of the difficult things that most English students and most students for any subject encounter. It can be frustrating and can make you feel like you’re not improving. It can hurt your motivation. So you need to be ready for plateaus. You need to know how to solve this problem: How should you feel when you have a plateau in your English learning. Because a lot of people get frustrated and then they quit so they never become masters, and they never speak excellent English.
It’s fun to learn something very quickly, but we must also learn to enjoy the plateaus. It’s good to have goals, but we have to learn to enjoy the times when we’re just studying, just practicing and we feel like we’re not improving. We must be patient because research has shown that during these plateaus, we are actually learning very quickly. Your brain is learning so much new information, but it's not ready to show it yet. Inside your brain many new connections are happening. You’re actually learning very, very quickly, but it’s happening subconsciously. So you can’t really talk about what you’ve learned and maybe you can’t use it yet.
So, for example, with English, during a plateau you feel like you’re not learning, but if you’re listening, you are learning fast. Subconsciously your brain is understanding the grammar and the vocabulary more and more, your brain is learning better and better pronunciation. But there is a delay between understanding and using. So, for example, your listening will be improving very fast, but your speaking not. You feel like nothing’s happening. “I still can’t speak well” and you get frustrated. This happens with a lot of students.
You have to trust the plateaus. If you use the correct methods, if you follow a good spoken English course, subconsciously you will be learning very quickly. You’ll be understanding more and more and more, but there will be a gap. There will be a delay between your subconscious learning and your speaking improvement. It takes about six months for all of this subconscious learning to suddenly create better speech. It will happen automatically and effortlessly. The speaking part happens automatically, you don’t need to worry about it.
You must enjoy the process of learning, not just the final goal. Having very strong, powerful goals, that’s very important. However it’s equally important to enjoy the process of learning. Because if you have a great goal, but you hate the process, if you just hate studying, you’re not going to succeed, you will quit. Every day you have to just love listening to English. You have to enjoy the process every day, every minute. That’s why you should find interesting topics. Not just boring dialogues or boring textbook. Try to find ideas and information that will be useful and interesting to you. Why? So you will enjoy the process of learning English. So you will focus on the content and information, not on learning the language, because learning the language happens automatically.
If you follow good English learning system, you will learn English automatically and you will speak better. The teacher's job is to make the process as interesting and fun and enjoyable as possible for you. Good teacher should pick topics that are meaningful that will help your life, not just your English. Because the more you find the content interesting, more crazy or entertaining the stories are, the more you will enjoy the process of learning. You will want to listen just because it’s fun and interesting.
So that’s what you must do. You must find spoken English course that is fun and interesting or useful to you. You’ve got to enjoy it every day. You must be smiling as you listen to English, as you read English. I hope when you go and you find reading material that you’re finding interesting reading materials, fun, easy novels not boring textbooks. This is so important, be sure to enjoy the process of learning English every day.
It is one of the difficult things that most English students and most students for any subject encounter. It can be frustrating and can make you feel like you’re not improving. It can hurt your motivation. So you need to be ready for plateaus. You need to know how to solve this problem: How should you feel when you have a plateau in your English learning. Because a lot of people get frustrated and then they quit so they never become masters, and they never speak excellent English.
It’s fun to learn something very quickly, but we must also learn to enjoy the plateaus. It’s good to have goals, but we have to learn to enjoy the times when we’re just studying, just practicing and we feel like we’re not improving. We must be patient because research has shown that during these plateaus, we are actually learning very quickly. Your brain is learning so much new information, but it's not ready to show it yet. Inside your brain many new connections are happening. You’re actually learning very, very quickly, but it’s happening subconsciously. So you can’t really talk about what you’ve learned and maybe you can’t use it yet.
So, for example, with English, during a plateau you feel like you’re not learning, but if you’re listening, you are learning fast. Subconsciously your brain is understanding the grammar and the vocabulary more and more, your brain is learning better and better pronunciation. But there is a delay between understanding and using. So, for example, your listening will be improving very fast, but your speaking not. You feel like nothing’s happening. “I still can’t speak well” and you get frustrated. This happens with a lot of students.
You have to trust the plateaus. If you use the correct methods, if you follow a good spoken English course, subconsciously you will be learning very quickly. You’ll be understanding more and more and more, but there will be a gap. There will be a delay between your subconscious learning and your speaking improvement. It takes about six months for all of this subconscious learning to suddenly create better speech. It will happen automatically and effortlessly. The speaking part happens automatically, you don’t need to worry about it.
You must enjoy the process of learning, not just the final goal. Having very strong, powerful goals, that’s very important. However it’s equally important to enjoy the process of learning. Because if you have a great goal, but you hate the process, if you just hate studying, you’re not going to succeed, you will quit. Every day you have to just love listening to English. You have to enjoy the process every day, every minute. That’s why you should find interesting topics. Not just boring dialogues or boring textbook. Try to find ideas and information that will be useful and interesting to you. Why? So you will enjoy the process of learning English. So you will focus on the content and information, not on learning the language, because learning the language happens automatically.
If you follow good English learning system, you will learn English automatically and you will speak better. The teacher's job is to make the process as interesting and fun and enjoyable as possible for you. Good teacher should pick topics that are meaningful that will help your life, not just your English. Because the more you find the content interesting, more crazy or entertaining the stories are, the more you will enjoy the process of learning. You will want to listen just because it’s fun and interesting.
So that’s what you must do. You must find spoken English course that is fun and interesting or useful to you. You’ve got to enjoy it every day. You must be smiling as you listen to English, as you read English. I hope when you go and you find reading material that you’re finding interesting reading materials, fun, easy novels not boring textbooks. This is so important, be sure to enjoy the process of learning English every day.
19.10.10
Write Error Free English Instantly with Proper English Writing Software
While Spanish may be the language that is growing most quickly across the world, English remains the language of the future. There are a number of different reasons for this that encompass travel, business, and worldwide trends. Some of the more prominent reasons that English is considered to be the language of the future include the following.
* The Language of the Sciences: English is currently the language of the sciences. Most prominent research papers are currently written in English, or written in another language and thereafter translated to English. As long as the scientific community continues to embrace the language, there is no reason to think that this trend will be changing course anytime soon.
* Most Business Is Done In English: English has become the language of business as well. While the dollar may be currently weaker than in recent years, for many years the United States was viewed as the premier nation in which foreign countries desired to do business. This, combined with the fact that England also had a very strong currency and is a financial powerhouse as well, made English the most common language in which to do business. Much as with science, unless business starts to be conducted in Spanish, there is no reason to think that English is not the language of the future.
* Technology: Because some of the world’s largest technology companies are based in the United States, these companies naturally are going to gear most of their new technology towards English speaking individuals. In fact, all of the popular programming languages are coded in English. With technology companies gearing themselves toward English speaking individuals it is hard to foresee us heading in any other direction.
While learning English can seem complicated and difficult, there is no reason that you should not start learning English as soon as possible. Experts estimate that the number of English speakers in the world will double over the next 50 years.
When it comes to speaking a language, once you have picked up certain habits, it can often be difficult to break them, or to re-learn how to speak without using these habits. Many bilingual individuals who speak English translate sentence structures over to the English language, when the language simply does not work in the same way as other commonly spoken languages. Learning it right the first time around can ensure that you speak it correctly throughout your lifetime, and will help you in multiple facets of life including travel, business, and literature. Some of the reasons that learning to speak English correctly the first time will be to your benefit include the following.
* It is Difficult To Re-train Yourself: Re-training or Re-teaching yourself sentence structure, verb usage, and other common mistakes that can be made when learning a new language can be very difficult, and many individuals struggle with this concept. Oftentimes, once you learn something, you may never be able to learn it another way again. This is why it is important to learn how to speak English correctly the first time around.
* It Saves Money: Learning to speak the language correctly the first time around ensures that you never have to shell out any more money to speech experts again. Many individuals who have to learn how to structure their sentences in a foreign language all over again are forced to pay thousands of dollars to re-learn what they have already studied.
* It Saves Time: Re-learning how to structure your sentences in English can be very time-consuming. Ensuring that you learn proper conjugation and sentence structure from the beginning helps to ensure that you never have to spend your valuable time re-learning what you have already learned.
Learning English correctly starts with a teacher. If you do not have the correct resources at hand to learn the language, you will never be able to learn it correctly. Online English software allow you to take all the time that you need to learn proper grammar when learning the English language, and to learn the language from some of the foremost language experts in the world who contributed to the design of the software. If you are interested in learning English through this special software package, please go here.
* The Language of the Sciences: English is currently the language of the sciences. Most prominent research papers are currently written in English, or written in another language and thereafter translated to English. As long as the scientific community continues to embrace the language, there is no reason to think that this trend will be changing course anytime soon.
* Most Business Is Done In English: English has become the language of business as well. While the dollar may be currently weaker than in recent years, for many years the United States was viewed as the premier nation in which foreign countries desired to do business. This, combined with the fact that England also had a very strong currency and is a financial powerhouse as well, made English the most common language in which to do business. Much as with science, unless business starts to be conducted in Spanish, there is no reason to think that English is not the language of the future.
* Technology: Because some of the world’s largest technology companies are based in the United States, these companies naturally are going to gear most of their new technology towards English speaking individuals. In fact, all of the popular programming languages are coded in English. With technology companies gearing themselves toward English speaking individuals it is hard to foresee us heading in any other direction.
While learning English can seem complicated and difficult, there is no reason that you should not start learning English as soon as possible. Experts estimate that the number of English speakers in the world will double over the next 50 years.
When it comes to speaking a language, once you have picked up certain habits, it can often be difficult to break them, or to re-learn how to speak without using these habits. Many bilingual individuals who speak English translate sentence structures over to the English language, when the language simply does not work in the same way as other commonly spoken languages. Learning it right the first time around can ensure that you speak it correctly throughout your lifetime, and will help you in multiple facets of life including travel, business, and literature. Some of the reasons that learning to speak English correctly the first time will be to your benefit include the following.
* It is Difficult To Re-train Yourself: Re-training or Re-teaching yourself sentence structure, verb usage, and other common mistakes that can be made when learning a new language can be very difficult, and many individuals struggle with this concept. Oftentimes, once you learn something, you may never be able to learn it another way again. This is why it is important to learn how to speak English correctly the first time around.
* It Saves Money: Learning to speak the language correctly the first time around ensures that you never have to shell out any more money to speech experts again. Many individuals who have to learn how to structure their sentences in a foreign language all over again are forced to pay thousands of dollars to re-learn what they have already studied.
* It Saves Time: Re-learning how to structure your sentences in English can be very time-consuming. Ensuring that you learn proper conjugation and sentence structure from the beginning helps to ensure that you never have to spend your valuable time re-learning what you have already learned.
Learning English correctly starts with a teacher. If you do not have the correct resources at hand to learn the language, you will never be able to learn it correctly. Online English software allow you to take all the time that you need to learn proper grammar when learning the English language, and to learn the language from some of the foremost language experts in the world who contributed to the design of the software. If you are interested in learning English through this special software package, please go here.
17.10.10
5 Proven Ways to Boost Your Second Language
If you are reading this, there is a good chance you have already tried different language products and have been left feeling disappointed. Perhaps you haven't made a purchase yet but are bewildered and confused by the array of products to choose from. There is a lot to be confused about! There are CDs, talking toys, talking books, text books, audio programs, DVDs, phrase books, vocabulary lists, grammar drills, software, magnetic readers and much, much more.
The education and edutainment markets are colossal multi-billion $ industries - and they have a vested interested in keeping it that way. They have the resources and skills to mount very slick marketing campaigns - all with the single aim of getting you to part with your cash and buy their product. The truth is that all of these language products cannot be equally effective. Most end up on shelves collecting dust. Indeed research shows us that many famous products hardly work at all.
With the right tools your language ability can take off
The good news is that you can learn a language - no doubt about it. Your success will depend on putting aside some time and then using that time effectively. To avoid frustration, therefore, you need to firstly make sure you use tools that actually work! Too many people start learning a language with the first language tool that comes to hand - without thought as to its effectiveness. It might be a foreign language CD lying around the house, or perhaps an old phrasebook. This is the worst way to start. Language is just like any other endeavour - if you have the wrong tools you won't achieve your objectives. You cannot play tennis with a golf club. Don't learn a language with the wrong equipment! On the other hand, clever tools that embed important language principles, will make your learning much easier and a lot more fun.
5 techniques that bring language into your life
Research has shown that the level of language "input" is an important factor in how well you learn your new language. On the other hand, setting aside daily dedicated study time can be difficult. One trick, therefore, is to make your second language a part of everyday life - so that learning becomes automatic and easy.
Here are some simple techniques to get everyday exposure to your new language and power boost your learning.
1. Write foreign words onto pieces of paper and stick them onto common household items - such as mirrors, doors, the fridge, a table, a chair etc. Whenever you see that item, say the word. This is a simple and effective way to build your vocabulary of everyday items. Once you have learned the basic words create new stickers with complete sentences such as "I see the fridge"; "I open the door", "I turn on the light". Say it every time as you complete the action so it all happens in context, every day.
2. Many car navigational systems have language options. Switch it to a foreign language speaker and learn directions and words to do with travelling. From the display you will know what the Sat-Nav is saying and will, therefore, receive information in context. I have my Sat-Nav switched to an Italian woman - it is actually quite fun.
3. At dinnertime, learn the words of all the foods, drinks, crockery and cutlery. Get into the habit of referring to the items in the foreign language. Next learn how to say simple sentences for example "Can I have the peas?" or, "Please pass me the ice cream". Also learn how to offer something to someone with phrases like "Would you like the water." Words spoken during the action puts them in a meaningful context. This is a powerful learning technique and will help you retain your knowledge.
4. Read foreign books and websites. If you have a young child read them their favourite stories in a foreign language. Older children and adults can read foreign books for themselves. Research has shown that this simple past time is actually one of the most effective ways to absorb a language.
5. Play foreign language games. Games are an ideal way to learn a language. They are interactive and fun and can substantially boost your rate of learning. Games which utilise Discovery Learning techniques and then place new words into a sentence work best because this replicates the way we learned our first language.
If you complete these five proven ways to boost your language, you will be surprised at how quickly you pick up language in a natural way.
The education and edutainment markets are colossal multi-billion $ industries - and they have a vested interested in keeping it that way. They have the resources and skills to mount very slick marketing campaigns - all with the single aim of getting you to part with your cash and buy their product. The truth is that all of these language products cannot be equally effective. Most end up on shelves collecting dust. Indeed research shows us that many famous products hardly work at all.
With the right tools your language ability can take off
The good news is that you can learn a language - no doubt about it. Your success will depend on putting aside some time and then using that time effectively. To avoid frustration, therefore, you need to firstly make sure you use tools that actually work! Too many people start learning a language with the first language tool that comes to hand - without thought as to its effectiveness. It might be a foreign language CD lying around the house, or perhaps an old phrasebook. This is the worst way to start. Language is just like any other endeavour - if you have the wrong tools you won't achieve your objectives. You cannot play tennis with a golf club. Don't learn a language with the wrong equipment! On the other hand, clever tools that embed important language principles, will make your learning much easier and a lot more fun.
5 techniques that bring language into your life
Research has shown that the level of language "input" is an important factor in how well you learn your new language. On the other hand, setting aside daily dedicated study time can be difficult. One trick, therefore, is to make your second language a part of everyday life - so that learning becomes automatic and easy.
Here are some simple techniques to get everyday exposure to your new language and power boost your learning.
1. Write foreign words onto pieces of paper and stick them onto common household items - such as mirrors, doors, the fridge, a table, a chair etc. Whenever you see that item, say the word. This is a simple and effective way to build your vocabulary of everyday items. Once you have learned the basic words create new stickers with complete sentences such as "I see the fridge"; "I open the door", "I turn on the light". Say it every time as you complete the action so it all happens in context, every day.
2. Many car navigational systems have language options. Switch it to a foreign language speaker and learn directions and words to do with travelling. From the display you will know what the Sat-Nav is saying and will, therefore, receive information in context. I have my Sat-Nav switched to an Italian woman - it is actually quite fun.
3. At dinnertime, learn the words of all the foods, drinks, crockery and cutlery. Get into the habit of referring to the items in the foreign language. Next learn how to say simple sentences for example "Can I have the peas?" or, "Please pass me the ice cream". Also learn how to offer something to someone with phrases like "Would you like the water." Words spoken during the action puts them in a meaningful context. This is a powerful learning technique and will help you retain your knowledge.
4. Read foreign books and websites. If you have a young child read them their favourite stories in a foreign language. Older children and adults can read foreign books for themselves. Research has shown that this simple past time is actually one of the most effective ways to absorb a language.
5. Play foreign language games. Games are an ideal way to learn a language. They are interactive and fun and can substantially boost your rate of learning. Games which utilise Discovery Learning techniques and then place new words into a sentence work best because this replicates the way we learned our first language.
If you complete these five proven ways to boost your language, you will be surprised at how quickly you pick up language in a natural way.
Andrew Finan - a husband, father, businessman and author who has worked with games most of his life. He believes that learning a foreign language is a wonderful thing - one of the top 10 things you should do in your life. It broadens the mind and lets you see the world through different lenses. His mission is to make learning a language easier by sharing the proven principles of language learning.
In 2009, working with games experts and an Oxford University linguist, he developed a language game called KLOO to make learning a language quicker and easier.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Finan
In 2009, working with games experts and an Oxford University linguist, he developed a language game called KLOO to make learning a language quicker and easier.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Finan
14.10.10
Discover Effortless English Lessons To Speak English Well
It is very advantageous for most of us to learn English. Businessmen will be able to communicate with their clients around the world. English is the official language of a great number of countries. You discover an increase in your business when you do business in English. Consider Effortless English lessons as a method to increase your conversational skills.
Certainly if your ability to speak English is limited, your potential for business on the internet is limited. If you want to start a business, you need to take action and find the best way to improve this situation. You should learn the language that will assist you in promoting your business as much as possible.
When you choose Effortless English lessons, you will receive audio files. You download these MP3 files immediately. There is no waiting time so you can begin the vocabulary lesson right away. When you listen, it is an extremely powerful way to accustom your ears to the sounds of the language. Listening to the vocabulary and the various phrases will help you during the learning process.
Mini stories are another method of quickly understanding English. Again, you listen to these stories over and over. By concentrating on these stories and listening to them every day, improvement is automatic.
Grammar is generally the difficult part about learning any language. When children are learning a language, they do not concentrate on the grammar. This all comes to them automatically as they are listening and speaking. Point of View Story lessons give the student an opportunity in learning grammar easily, intuitively, and naturally.
Other lessons are audio articles which are interesting, exciting articles focusing on adult information. There are also articles which focus on business topics for those who want to learn English for business reasons. These lessons are created with emotion to illicit emotions in the listener. These articles are valuable to the student in understanding much of the language used in different circumstances.
It is possible to download your lessons to your iPod or computer so you can listen any time. Joining the Effortless English club give you the opportunity to practice with other people. You can also access Podcasts. Listening to others while they are discussing interesting topics can be an important part of learning.
There may be many reasons to learn a language and there are many methods to become proficient. This approach teaches you idioms and the power of listening and understanding real conversations. I believe this method may be the successful approach for you.
Click here to start learning with Effortless English Lessons!
Certainly if your ability to speak English is limited, your potential for business on the internet is limited. If you want to start a business, you need to take action and find the best way to improve this situation. You should learn the language that will assist you in promoting your business as much as possible.
When you choose Effortless English lessons, you will receive audio files. You download these MP3 files immediately. There is no waiting time so you can begin the vocabulary lesson right away. When you listen, it is an extremely powerful way to accustom your ears to the sounds of the language. Listening to the vocabulary and the various phrases will help you during the learning process.
Mini stories are another method of quickly understanding English. Again, you listen to these stories over and over. By concentrating on these stories and listening to them every day, improvement is automatic.
Grammar is generally the difficult part about learning any language. When children are learning a language, they do not concentrate on the grammar. This all comes to them automatically as they are listening and speaking. Point of View Story lessons give the student an opportunity in learning grammar easily, intuitively, and naturally.
Other lessons are audio articles which are interesting, exciting articles focusing on adult information. There are also articles which focus on business topics for those who want to learn English for business reasons. These lessons are created with emotion to illicit emotions in the listener. These articles are valuable to the student in understanding much of the language used in different circumstances.
It is possible to download your lessons to your iPod or computer so you can listen any time. Joining the Effortless English club give you the opportunity to practice with other people. You can also access Podcasts. Listening to others while they are discussing interesting topics can be an important part of learning.
There may be many reasons to learn a language and there are many methods to become proficient. This approach teaches you idioms and the power of listening and understanding real conversations. I believe this method may be the successful approach for you.
Click here to start learning with Effortless English Lessons!
12.10.10
Learn English at Home
If you want to boost your confidence in your work life or social life, then pay close attention. Because you're about to discover a surefire technique to learn English, at home. Best of all it's easy and fun-filled. You'll soon begin to amaze your colleagues and friends. Let's get started: Learn English.
The motto of success in today's competitive world is to learn English. Sounds like a simplistic solution, doesn't it? I can almost visualize you shaking your head in disbelief and wondering if success can depend on a language and one's expertise in it. Let me convince you however, at the very outset, that if you aspire to make a difference to yourself and the people around you, you have to learn English.
English for most people around the world is a second or at times a third language and it is only natural to feel lost in the maze of this language. This is a problem that needs to be given due consideration, keeping in mind the vital importance that English occupies in today's global world. English is one language that is used in communication of any kind, be it social, political or work related. In this scenario, why do you want to feel left out? Wouldn't it be much better if you could speak English and feel confident and good about yourself?
At this point, you might have a lot of doubts in your mind. You might not be very sure about the possibilities of learning English and how to go about it. Well, all I can tell you is how I learnt English and reached a point where I feel great about sharing my experience with others. I joined Effortless English Club which proved to be the answer to my ardent prayers. The best part about learning English online with Effortless English is that learning doesn't seem a difficult task at all. On the contrary, you can have a lot of fun in the process of mastering English.
One of the problems I had, was with the pronunciation of English. So many words can be misleading if you go by the spellings and you never know when you have fallen into a pitfall and made a fool out of yourself. Well, if you learn English with Effortless English, you won't face this problem. In fact, one of the best features of Effortless English is that it is an audio course and provide special vocabulary lessons so that you are never confused about how to use difficult words.
Again, if you are the conscious type and feel embarrassed about exhibiting your ignorance in front of others, Effortless English is ideal for you as it is an audio course where you can learn from the privacy of your homes and achieve the maximum benefits. With Effortless English lessons you are able to learn English wherever you want in a comfortable and relaxed manner.
Lessons are in mp3 format so you can record them on your mp3 player and go for walk. In this case you will be able to train your body and mind at the same time. You can also burn your lessons on CD and listen at home or while driving your car. In this way you can intensify your learning process and therefore be able to learn English faster.
Effortless English lessons have been devised after a lot of research and ensure that you are adept in every field of life where language comes into play. After going through this, you won't find yourself tongue-tied in social situations groping for the right word but will be able to converse with ease and grace. You might not even think of English as a second language after learning with Effortless English Club, but come to look upon it as a first language.
I think all I need to say further is that by not learning with Effortless English, you are missing the opportunity of a lifetime. So, go ahead and grab the bull by the horns. Be a master of English.
To buy Effortless English lessons now for only $97 go to the official Effortless English website:
Click here to start learning with Effortless English Lessons!
You can download Effortless English lessons immediately after purchase. Link to the lessons will be sent tou you by an e-mail.
The motto of success in today's competitive world is to learn English. Sounds like a simplistic solution, doesn't it? I can almost visualize you shaking your head in disbelief and wondering if success can depend on a language and one's expertise in it. Let me convince you however, at the very outset, that if you aspire to make a difference to yourself and the people around you, you have to learn English.
English for most people around the world is a second or at times a third language and it is only natural to feel lost in the maze of this language. This is a problem that needs to be given due consideration, keeping in mind the vital importance that English occupies in today's global world. English is one language that is used in communication of any kind, be it social, political or work related. In this scenario, why do you want to feel left out? Wouldn't it be much better if you could speak English and feel confident and good about yourself?
At this point, you might have a lot of doubts in your mind. You might not be very sure about the possibilities of learning English and how to go about it. Well, all I can tell you is how I learnt English and reached a point where I feel great about sharing my experience with others. I joined Effortless English Club which proved to be the answer to my ardent prayers. The best part about learning English online with Effortless English is that learning doesn't seem a difficult task at all. On the contrary, you can have a lot of fun in the process of mastering English.
One of the problems I had, was with the pronunciation of English. So many words can be misleading if you go by the spellings and you never know when you have fallen into a pitfall and made a fool out of yourself. Well, if you learn English with Effortless English, you won't face this problem. In fact, one of the best features of Effortless English is that it is an audio course and provide special vocabulary lessons so that you are never confused about how to use difficult words.
Again, if you are the conscious type and feel embarrassed about exhibiting your ignorance in front of others, Effortless English is ideal for you as it is an audio course where you can learn from the privacy of your homes and achieve the maximum benefits. With Effortless English lessons you are able to learn English wherever you want in a comfortable and relaxed manner.
Lessons are in mp3 format so you can record them on your mp3 player and go for walk. In this case you will be able to train your body and mind at the same time. You can also burn your lessons on CD and listen at home or while driving your car. In this way you can intensify your learning process and therefore be able to learn English faster.
Effortless English lessons have been devised after a lot of research and ensure that you are adept in every field of life where language comes into play. After going through this, you won't find yourself tongue-tied in social situations groping for the right word but will be able to converse with ease and grace. You might not even think of English as a second language after learning with Effortless English Club, but come to look upon it as a first language.
I think all I need to say further is that by not learning with Effortless English, you are missing the opportunity of a lifetime. So, go ahead and grab the bull by the horns. Be a master of English.
To buy Effortless English lessons now for only $97 go to the official Effortless English website:
Click here to start learning with Effortless English Lessons!
You can download Effortless English lessons immediately after purchase. Link to the lessons will be sent tou you by an e-mail.
11.10.10
Helpful Tips for Learning Correct English Grammar
It's important to know and use correct English grammar if you plan to speak or write the language. Communication through the internet has literally increased the necessity to use correct grammar. Abbreviations that can be used in texting and chats is not acceptable on a business or educational level. In order to have respect from your peers, employers and instructors, you need to use English that is correct in both spelling and grammar. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve your skills so that you can use the right words when you write in English.
An online grammar checker will be well worth your money if you are struggling with the English language. There are many available today, but it's important to get a checker that will work for your needs. Although many of the more popular word processing programs have spelling and grammar checkers, they will often not be very helpful for those who are struggling. It is important to remember that the checkers within word processing programs are for typing errors, not for grammatical and/or spelling errors. In other words, they are designed to correct the occasional mistake that one will make while typing. They are not designed, however, for those who struggle with English grammar and spelling. or those learning English as a second language, or those who have dyslexia or another learning disability.
There are some important features that you need to think about when looking for a high-quality online grammar checker. A grammar and spelling checker that is contextual is very important. This means that rather than just finding errors, the checker has the ability find and correct errors within the context of each sentence. While most spelling and grammar checkers will make a correction based on another word that is similarly spelled, there are now checkers that make corrections based on the context of the entire sentence. Misused words and unusual spelling errors can be found and corrected by this higher level of spelling and grammar correction.
Another feature that you will want to use as you strive for correct grammar and spelling is text to speech technology. For both grammar and spelling, this tool is absolutely amazing. The user can then hear the test that has been typed. This amazing feature allows sentences from reports, emails or other documents to be read out loud. Users can then hear their mistakes, see the suggested corrections and produce a document that is grammatically correct.
Some websites offer downloadable text to speech programs. Some of the better spelling and grammar checkers now use this feature in their software. As with anything else, you get what you pay for. A free online download is going to be limited in options. Some of the nicer, higher quality programs have unlimited amounts of text that can be used, along with a wide range of voices, speed of the reading and other important and helpful options such as fonts, colors and spacing.
Hiring a tutor or teacher is another way to improve your English grammar. Anyone who has a good understanding of English can help you learn the basics of grammar. Because English can be difficult to learn due to slang and inconsistencies in grammar, it can be most helpful to have someone work with you to explain things as you learn. Many people who are learning English try to do so independently, without the help of a tutor, but by having conversations with others who speak English. Conversation alone is not very a good way to learn correct grammar in any language.
Unfortunately, written language is not the same as spoken language, as people do not always use correct grammar when they speak. It can be easier to understand English if you have a teacher to help explain things. You will then be able to know how to not only write correctly, but also how to speak using English that is grammatically correct. If you are looking for a job or need a promotion, you are going to be more respected if you use correct English grammar.
As you can see, there are many ways to improve your grammar. Software, books and other educational material can all help you master English grammar. Also, talking and listening to people who also use correct grammar can help you learn the right way to say things. The influence of a good tutor, along with a high-quality grammar and spelling checker, can help boost your self esteem and get you on the path to using correct English grammar and spelling.
An online grammar checker will be well worth your money if you are struggling with the English language. There are many available today, but it's important to get a checker that will work for your needs. Although many of the more popular word processing programs have spelling and grammar checkers, they will often not be very helpful for those who are struggling. It is important to remember that the checkers within word processing programs are for typing errors, not for grammatical and/or spelling errors. In other words, they are designed to correct the occasional mistake that one will make while typing. They are not designed, however, for those who struggle with English grammar and spelling. or those learning English as a second language, or those who have dyslexia or another learning disability.
There are some important features that you need to think about when looking for a high-quality online grammar checker. A grammar and spelling checker that is contextual is very important. This means that rather than just finding errors, the checker has the ability find and correct errors within the context of each sentence. While most spelling and grammar checkers will make a correction based on another word that is similarly spelled, there are now checkers that make corrections based on the context of the entire sentence. Misused words and unusual spelling errors can be found and corrected by this higher level of spelling and grammar correction.
Another feature that you will want to use as you strive for correct grammar and spelling is text to speech technology. For both grammar and spelling, this tool is absolutely amazing. The user can then hear the test that has been typed. This amazing feature allows sentences from reports, emails or other documents to be read out loud. Users can then hear their mistakes, see the suggested corrections and produce a document that is grammatically correct.
Some websites offer downloadable text to speech programs. Some of the better spelling and grammar checkers now use this feature in their software. As with anything else, you get what you pay for. A free online download is going to be limited in options. Some of the nicer, higher quality programs have unlimited amounts of text that can be used, along with a wide range of voices, speed of the reading and other important and helpful options such as fonts, colors and spacing.
Hiring a tutor or teacher is another way to improve your English grammar. Anyone who has a good understanding of English can help you learn the basics of grammar. Because English can be difficult to learn due to slang and inconsistencies in grammar, it can be most helpful to have someone work with you to explain things as you learn. Many people who are learning English try to do so independently, without the help of a tutor, but by having conversations with others who speak English. Conversation alone is not very a good way to learn correct grammar in any language.
Unfortunately, written language is not the same as spoken language, as people do not always use correct grammar when they speak. It can be easier to understand English if you have a teacher to help explain things. You will then be able to know how to not only write correctly, but also how to speak using English that is grammatically correct. If you are looking for a job or need a promotion, you are going to be more respected if you use correct English grammar.
As you can see, there are many ways to improve your grammar. Software, books and other educational material can all help you master English grammar. Also, talking and listening to people who also use correct grammar can help you learn the right way to say things. The influence of a good tutor, along with a high-quality grammar and spelling checker, can help boost your self esteem and get you on the path to using correct English grammar and spelling.
10.10.10
More Poles still speak Russian than English
More Poles still speak Russian than English - TheNews.pl :: News from Poland
While almost the whole of Europe speaks English as their second language, in Poland, the best known foreign language remains Russian, although mostly among the older generations.
According to a new Europe-wide survey by the EU’s Eurostat statistical service, English is the most widely studied foreign language at schools and universities all over Europe, followed by French, German, Spanish and Russian.
For historical reasons knowledge of Russian is concentrated mainly in the Eastern European countries, which were under the Soviet Union’s influence.
In Poland, though the younger generations demonstrate proficiency in English - 87 percent of Polish students learn English, older generations would still rather speak Russian.
In general, knowledge of foreign languages in Poland is low, with one-in-five people between 25 and 64 years old unable to understand a language other than Polish - twice the number in in Germany, for instance.
But Poles are still ahead of Hungarians and Bulgarians in being able to understand foreign languages, however.
English is the most commonly required language by employees in Poland, fids the survey by Eurostat. Over 7,000 job offers out of 17,000 advertised on a popular job seeking site required proficiency in English and only 183 in Russian.
“Polish employees usually demand English even if an employee does not need it to perform their duties. On the other hand, if an employee looks for a person who speaks Russian, it means that they really need someone who is fluent,” Elzbieta Flasinska from a job site Pracuj.pl told the Rzeczpospolita daily.
Though English is becoming the default second language in Poland, Russian is making a comeback, after a decline in the 1990s.
“More and more Poles are taking up Russian for business reasons. The Russian-speaking market is huge and Russians don’t often speak English so it’s a great opportunity for Poles,” says Galina Tutaj from Katiusha language school.
While almost the whole of Europe speaks English as their second language, in Poland, the best known foreign language remains Russian, although mostly among the older generations.
According to a new Europe-wide survey by the EU’s Eurostat statistical service, English is the most widely studied foreign language at schools and universities all over Europe, followed by French, German, Spanish and Russian.
For historical reasons knowledge of Russian is concentrated mainly in the Eastern European countries, which were under the Soviet Union’s influence.
In Poland, though the younger generations demonstrate proficiency in English - 87 percent of Polish students learn English, older generations would still rather speak Russian.
In general, knowledge of foreign languages in Poland is low, with one-in-five people between 25 and 64 years old unable to understand a language other than Polish - twice the number in in Germany, for instance.
But Poles are still ahead of Hungarians and Bulgarians in being able to understand foreign languages, however.
English is the most commonly required language by employees in Poland, fids the survey by Eurostat. Over 7,000 job offers out of 17,000 advertised on a popular job seeking site required proficiency in English and only 183 in Russian.
“Polish employees usually demand English even if an employee does not need it to perform their duties. On the other hand, if an employee looks for a person who speaks Russian, it means that they really need someone who is fluent,” Elzbieta Flasinska from a job site Pracuj.pl told the Rzeczpospolita daily.
Though English is becoming the default second language in Poland, Russian is making a comeback, after a decline in the 1990s.
“More and more Poles are taking up Russian for business reasons. The Russian-speaking market is huge and Russians don’t often speak English so it’s a great opportunity for Poles,” says Galina Tutaj from Katiusha language school.
7.10.10
Speak English Clearly and Grammatically, and Boost your Success!
Speak English Clearly and Grammatically, and Boost your Success!
Of course you speak English – who doesn’t? But how well do you speak this international language? Are you clear, concise and grammatically correct? Do people talk about you and the things you say? And are they talking for the right reasons?
It used to be that just speaking English (at any level) was enough to open the doors of opportunity, but times are quickly changing. Most recent estimates place speakers of English as a fluent second language or additional foreign language at over one billion. It is no longer an advantage to speak English, but a requirement! Just speaking English isn’t so impressive anymore – unless you speak it really well.
Many talented and competent professionals who are doing their best to speak good English are left behind. Many don’t even realize why. How many times have you heard a colleague make the same mistake over and over again and never corrected him?
Perfecting the way you speak is challenging, but by applying these tips and tricks, you will ease communication, speed up your work flow and become a more effective business leader.
Speak Clearly
Since English is being used as a lingua franca by more and more non-native speakers, clarity should always be your first priority (whether English happens to be your native language or not). There are a number of things you can do to improve the clarity of your speech.
Slow down
We all speak too fast. It’s a terrible habit! And the faster we speak, the more mumbled our speech becomes.
Slowing down the pace of your speech is vital in situations where visual communication lacking, for example an international conference call. It is just as important however, while running a meeting or delivering a presentation. Make sure everyone can follow what you are saying at all times. Otherwise, what’s the point of saying it?
Enunciate
Colloquial speech is littered with signs of laziness. We drop word endings, run our words together and create sentences that never seem to end. Sometimes it is too easy to take this style of speech into the boardroom.
Be sure to enunciate your words. Put a special focus on word endings such as ‘ed’ and ‘s’ that act as grammatical markers. If you leave the ‘ed’ off of a past tense verb (Our profits increase last year instead of ‘increased’) it sounds as though you are making a very basic mistake in English. Your education, aptitude and credibility could be questioned.
Practice vowels & consonants
An additional challenge in English is that we have so many words that are identical except for the vowel. Take this string of words for example: mat, met, mitt, mutt, mate, might and moot. Do they all sound different when you say them? They should! Read the words in random order and have someone write down what they hear. Did they hear what you said? Create other lists of words like this to identify your problem sounds and practice, practice, practice!
Consonant sounds can be just as tricky. Be sure you differentiate between voiced and unvoiced sounds, for example, ‘d’ and ‘t.’ The words ‘said’ and ‘set’ should sound different. You should be using your voice to make the ‘d’ sound, whereas the ‘t’ sound only uses air. You can create word pairs similar to the vowels above to practice these sounds and others like ‘v’ and ‘f,’ ‘z’ and ‘s,’ ‘b’ and ‘p,’ and ‘g’ and ‘k.’
Speak grammatically
For most, grammar lessons are thankfully a thing of the distance past. Although lessons usually weren’t fun or interesting, there was a reason why we were drilled in English grammar. Have you ever thought about what your grammar says about you? Proper grammar signals a higher level of education, professionalism and, in many cases, success. Breaking grammar rules can signal a lack of attention to detail, laziness and can be a general irritant and distraction for those who do observe grammar rules.
Not to mention the miscommunication that can happen in written correspondence like email. Think how much time is wasted clarifying the meaning of mails where the structure is so mangled that the message is lost.
If you feel like you never really learned grammar properly or think you might be making mistakes, but don’t really understand why, seek out answers to your questions.
1. Ask a colleague whose language skills you admire to proof-read some of your written work. Ask them to be honest with you about your mistakes. If you’re making the mistakes in your writing, you can assume that you are making the same mistakes (and then some) in your speech.
2. Have a grammar reference on hand at all times – right next to your English dictionary. Local book stores have plenty of references in the language and linguistics sections.
3. Enroll in a refresher course in English. The right teacher can make the subject interesting and enlightening. And speaking better English is definitely worth the investment! Your colleagues and clients will thank you!
Of course you speak English – who doesn’t? But how well do you speak this international language? Are you clear, concise and grammatically correct? Do people talk about you and the things you say? And are they talking for the right reasons?
It used to be that just speaking English (at any level) was enough to open the doors of opportunity, but times are quickly changing. Most recent estimates place speakers of English as a fluent second language or additional foreign language at over one billion. It is no longer an advantage to speak English, but a requirement! Just speaking English isn’t so impressive anymore – unless you speak it really well.
Many talented and competent professionals who are doing their best to speak good English are left behind. Many don’t even realize why. How many times have you heard a colleague make the same mistake over and over again and never corrected him?
Perfecting the way you speak is challenging, but by applying these tips and tricks, you will ease communication, speed up your work flow and become a more effective business leader.
Speak Clearly
Since English is being used as a lingua franca by more and more non-native speakers, clarity should always be your first priority (whether English happens to be your native language or not). There are a number of things you can do to improve the clarity of your speech.
Slow down
We all speak too fast. It’s a terrible habit! And the faster we speak, the more mumbled our speech becomes.
Slowing down the pace of your speech is vital in situations where visual communication lacking, for example an international conference call. It is just as important however, while running a meeting or delivering a presentation. Make sure everyone can follow what you are saying at all times. Otherwise, what’s the point of saying it?
Enunciate
Colloquial speech is littered with signs of laziness. We drop word endings, run our words together and create sentences that never seem to end. Sometimes it is too easy to take this style of speech into the boardroom.
Be sure to enunciate your words. Put a special focus on word endings such as ‘ed’ and ‘s’ that act as grammatical markers. If you leave the ‘ed’ off of a past tense verb (Our profits increase last year instead of ‘increased’) it sounds as though you are making a very basic mistake in English. Your education, aptitude and credibility could be questioned.
Practice vowels & consonants
An additional challenge in English is that we have so many words that are identical except for the vowel. Take this string of words for example: mat, met, mitt, mutt, mate, might and moot. Do they all sound different when you say them? They should! Read the words in random order and have someone write down what they hear. Did they hear what you said? Create other lists of words like this to identify your problem sounds and practice, practice, practice!
Consonant sounds can be just as tricky. Be sure you differentiate between voiced and unvoiced sounds, for example, ‘d’ and ‘t.’ The words ‘said’ and ‘set’ should sound different. You should be using your voice to make the ‘d’ sound, whereas the ‘t’ sound only uses air. You can create word pairs similar to the vowels above to practice these sounds and others like ‘v’ and ‘f,’ ‘z’ and ‘s,’ ‘b’ and ‘p,’ and ‘g’ and ‘k.’
Speak grammatically
For most, grammar lessons are thankfully a thing of the distance past. Although lessons usually weren’t fun or interesting, there was a reason why we were drilled in English grammar. Have you ever thought about what your grammar says about you? Proper grammar signals a higher level of education, professionalism and, in many cases, success. Breaking grammar rules can signal a lack of attention to detail, laziness and can be a general irritant and distraction for those who do observe grammar rules.
Not to mention the miscommunication that can happen in written correspondence like email. Think how much time is wasted clarifying the meaning of mails where the structure is so mangled that the message is lost.
If you feel like you never really learned grammar properly or think you might be making mistakes, but don’t really understand why, seek out answers to your questions.
1. Ask a colleague whose language skills you admire to proof-read some of your written work. Ask them to be honest with you about your mistakes. If you’re making the mistakes in your writing, you can assume that you are making the same mistakes (and then some) in your speech.
2. Have a grammar reference on hand at all times – right next to your English dictionary. Local book stores have plenty of references in the language and linguistics sections.
3. Enroll in a refresher course in English. The right teacher can make the subject interesting and enlightening. And speaking better English is definitely worth the investment! Your colleagues and clients will thank you!
6.10.10
Speak Using Your American Accent With Confidence: Tips for the Native Chinese Speaker
Speak Using Your American Accent With Confidence: Tips for the Native Chinese Speaker
Top 6 strategies to speak with more confidence - For native Chinese speakers.
Many foreign students are very effective using written English, but struggle using the correct pronunciation verbally. Speaking American English more confidently is a goal of many. When you are a more confident speaker, this can result in optimizing personal and business communications with less confusion.
Native Chinese speakers are usually taught American English by Native Chinese teachers. There are many schools where the Chinese learn English. When many of these native Chinese speakers initially arrive to the United States to start their new life, they report great difficulty in understanding the American accent. There are a number of strategies that can help with the transition and help reduce anxiety and frustration.
1. First, you must realize that changing some of your old habits takes time. American English has a very smooth and fluid sound. You will want to practice speaking English for at least 30 minutes every day. Look for opportunities to practice, such as ordering your takeout food or when speaking on the telephone.
2. Find a local speech professional that specializes in American accent training to improve English accent. The speech professional will initially perform a speech analysis to identify which error patterns you are making that contribute to your accent.
3.Try to observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well and imitate them. Many students have reported that they watch the news nightly repeating the newscaster’s English pronunciation.
4. Keep a pocket Chinese to English pocket dictionary handy to look up words that you do not know well.
5. It’s important to read English aloud every day. You can use a newspaper or magazine. You can also record yourself reading short articles and have a friend who speaks good English for feedback.
6. You can barter language lessons with a friend. Find a person who speaks English very well and offer to teach the friend Mandarin lessons in exchange for English lessons. This way you will have a language partner who can help you learn American accent.
If you chose to hire a speech professional who specializes in American accent training, take the time to meet with the instructor to learn about the program. Make sure the program is flexible and can meet your goals. Try to arrange one class with the instructor to see if you are comfortable with the process before you make a large financial commitment.
By Tracey Ingram
Top 6 strategies to speak with more confidence - For native Chinese speakers.
Many foreign students are very effective using written English, but struggle using the correct pronunciation verbally. Speaking American English more confidently is a goal of many. When you are a more confident speaker, this can result in optimizing personal and business communications with less confusion.
Native Chinese speakers are usually taught American English by Native Chinese teachers. There are many schools where the Chinese learn English. When many of these native Chinese speakers initially arrive to the United States to start their new life, they report great difficulty in understanding the American accent. There are a number of strategies that can help with the transition and help reduce anxiety and frustration.
1. First, you must realize that changing some of your old habits takes time. American English has a very smooth and fluid sound. You will want to practice speaking English for at least 30 minutes every day. Look for opportunities to practice, such as ordering your takeout food or when speaking on the telephone.
2. Find a local speech professional that specializes in American accent training to improve English accent. The speech professional will initially perform a speech analysis to identify which error patterns you are making that contribute to your accent.
3.Try to observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well and imitate them. Many students have reported that they watch the news nightly repeating the newscaster’s English pronunciation.
4. Keep a pocket Chinese to English pocket dictionary handy to look up words that you do not know well.
5. It’s important to read English aloud every day. You can use a newspaper or magazine. You can also record yourself reading short articles and have a friend who speaks good English for feedback.
6. You can barter language lessons with a friend. Find a person who speaks English very well and offer to teach the friend Mandarin lessons in exchange for English lessons. This way you will have a language partner who can help you learn American accent.
If you chose to hire a speech professional who specializes in American accent training, take the time to meet with the instructor to learn about the program. Make sure the program is flexible and can meet your goals. Try to arrange one class with the instructor to see if you are comfortable with the process before you make a large financial commitment.
By Tracey Ingram
2.10.10
How To Learn English Pronunciation
English proununciation can be difficult for international students. Yet, it is very important to have clear pronunciation. Perfection is not required, but clarity is. After all, it doesn’t matter how great your grammar and vocabulary are if no one can understand you.
So, how can you improve your English pronunciation?
I recommend the following steps:
For example, pick your favorite American actor or actress and decide to speak like them. Your goal might be, “I will speak exactly like George Cloony”. This goal is much more powerful because it is very specific.
It’s not enough to have a goal. You must make that goal emotionally powerful. You must have very powerful reasons.. a long list. So, you need to brainstorm. Imagine all of the incredibe benefits that will come to you as a result of having excellent pronunciation. Find powerful emotional reasons. Also, imagine all of the terrible results of failing.
Your list might include:
I’ll get a fantastic job and make a lot of money because my English speech is so clear!
I’ll meet beautiful American girls, have a lot of dates, and find an amazing girlfriend because my spoken English is so fantastic!
The important thing to do is to find the reasons that are powerful for you. Exaggerate them. Imagine the best possible consequences!
Now it’s time for action. Create a massive action plan. Here’s what I recommend:
Buy a few movies that have your favorite actor or actress.
Each day, watch one scene of the movie. Play the scene a few times with subtitles… and listen carefully to the actor’s intonation (the rise, fall, and rhythm of his/her speech).
Next, rewind and play just one sentence. Pause and copy the actor’s speech. Copy it EXACTLY. Copy the rhythm. Copy the volume. Copy the pauses. Copy the emotion.
Also, copy the actor’s gestures. Move your body exactly like they do. Copy their facial expressions exactly. Copy their posture. Remember, your goal is to look, act, and speak exactly like them.
Follow this system for 20-30 minutes every day.
Next, rewind your recording and play it. Then rewind the movie scene and play it. Listen to both and decide– how close are you to the actor? What is different about your speech and theirs? What are you doing well?
Use this measurement to adjust your focus…. then continue using the system everyday.
Finally, when your deadline comes and you succeed– be sure to celebrate! Have a party! Go crazy! Fill yourself with happy, excited, grateful emotions. This will increase your motivation and will help you continue to improve as you move to your next goal.
In my opinion, this is how to learn English pronunciation most effectively, most enjoyably, and most efficiently.
Enjoy!
Article by AJ Hoge, creator of Effortless English LLC
So, how can you improve your English pronunciation?
I recommend the following steps:
1. Identify A Very Specific Result That You Want
To improve, you must have a very clear goal. General goals such as “I want to have better English pronunciation” have no power. You need a much more specific goal.For example, pick your favorite American actor or actress and decide to speak like them. Your goal might be, “I will speak exactly like George Cloony”. This goal is much more powerful because it is very specific.
2. Choose A Deadline
Goals are powerless without a timeline. You must choose a specific date when you will accomplish your pronunciation goal. Your goal, therefore, might be: “I will speak exactly like George Cloony by June 4, 2009″.3. Find A Lot of Compelling Reasons For Your Goal
As Anthony Robbins says, “if you can find enough ‘why’s', you will easily find the how’s”. In other words, if you are very motivated, you will find a way to succeed. Motivation (psychology) is more important than method.It’s not enough to have a goal. You must make that goal emotionally powerful. You must have very powerful reasons.. a long list. So, you need to brainstorm. Imagine all of the incredibe benefits that will come to you as a result of having excellent pronunciation. Find powerful emotional reasons. Also, imagine all of the terrible results of failing.
Your list might include:
I’ll get a fantastic job and make a lot of money because my English speech is so clear!
I’ll meet beautiful American girls, have a lot of dates, and find an amazing girlfriend because my spoken English is so fantastic!
The important thing to do is to find the reasons that are powerful for you. Exaggerate them. Imagine the best possible consequences!
4. Take Massive Action
You have a very specific English pronunciation goal. You have a deadline. You have a long list of emotionally compelling reasons.Now it’s time for action. Create a massive action plan. Here’s what I recommend:
Buy a few movies that have your favorite actor or actress.
Each day, watch one scene of the movie. Play the scene a few times with subtitles… and listen carefully to the actor’s intonation (the rise, fall, and rhythm of his/her speech).
Next, rewind and play just one sentence. Pause and copy the actor’s speech. Copy it EXACTLY. Copy the rhythm. Copy the volume. Copy the pauses. Copy the emotion.
Also, copy the actor’s gestures. Move your body exactly like they do. Copy their facial expressions exactly. Copy their posture. Remember, your goal is to look, act, and speak exactly like them.
Follow this system for 20-30 minutes every day.
5. Measure & Celebrate
After a few months of using this system, it’s time to measure yourself. Play a scene from a movie with your actor in it. Then pause it– copy the actor’s speech AND record yourself. Record yourself speaking the same scene.Next, rewind your recording and play it. Then rewind the movie scene and play it. Listen to both and decide– how close are you to the actor? What is different about your speech and theirs? What are you doing well?
Use this measurement to adjust your focus…. then continue using the system everyday.
Finally, when your deadline comes and you succeed– be sure to celebrate! Have a party! Go crazy! Fill yourself with happy, excited, grateful emotions. This will increase your motivation and will help you continue to improve as you move to your next goal.
In my opinion, this is how to learn English pronunciation most effectively, most enjoyably, and most efficiently.
Enjoy!
Article by AJ Hoge, creator of Effortless English LLC
28.9.10
My opinion about Effortless English method
I decided to write about my experiences with the Effortless English method because many people are looking for information on this topic. This method is becoming very popular and many people want to learn more about it. They ask how these lessons can help them to improve their English. Before I started to learn this method I also tried to find Effortless English reviews, so I could make the right decision and buy the lessons.
The new Effortless English lessons (Power English) have been created to make optimum use of all the principles of effective language learning. These lessons are in the form of mp3 recordings, which can be downloaded from the website immediately after purchase. They also contain files (e-books) with the texts of lessons, so you can print them or read directly from your computer.
I began to learn with Effortless English few months ago. For me, the method works very well. I significantly improved my spoken English. What is very important I gained confidence when I speak English. I'm no longer afraid to speak English. Previously, despite learning at school I couldn't start talking. Now I have no problem to talk with foreigners in English.
I have found Effortless English on the internet one day, and I bought these lessons. Previously, I learnt at language school for some time but with a poor effect. Later I realized that buying Effortless English lessons would be cheaper than a month at that school. I decided to buy these lessons because AJ Hoge gave a guarantee on his lessons - if they don't work for you, he returns your money back. This guarantee made this purchase safe for me, and I have never my decision.
Effortless English lessons are not for everybody. If your English is very poor at the moment, you will not speak fluent English in one month. However, if you devote enough time to learn, and you will follow the guidelines from the introduction to the lessons, you really have a chance for fast progress. Those who already had contact with English and can understand a little, will definitely benefit from this method.
Remember - to achieve your goal and speak English fluently you must spend a lot of time learning. There is no magic method that make you speak English without learning. But learning with Effortless English is interesting and full of fun, therefore you can learn longer without boredom.
I really like lessons in an audio format, because now I am able to study longer every day. I recorded the lessons on CD and now very often listen to them in my car because I spend a lot of time driving. Sometimes I learn at the computer reading the attached text and listening to the lesson at the same time. It is known that the more time you spend learning the faster you will learn.
The big advantage of this method is participation in the Effortless English Club. This is a special forum designed for all Effortless English learners. Access to the forum is obtained after the purchase of the lessons. As you know, writing is also very helpful in English learning. On this forum, you are able to communicate in English with people from different countries. Even those who write very little English do not need to worry, since the level of people on the forum is really diverse. Some people write poorly, others are almost flawless, but all are friendly and motivate each other. By using the forum you can learn a lot and meet great people from all over the world.
In conclusion, I recommend the Effortless English method to anyone who wants to learn English. The lessons are designed to teach you vocabulary and English grammar at the same time. You do not have to think about grammatical rules, but learn to use them automatically. I think this automatic assimilation of various aspects of a language is the biggest advantage of Effortless English.
Now you can buy new Power English lessons that are even better than previous Original Effortless English lessons. They have superb sound quality and each lesson have very interesting topic. You will improve your English and learn how to improve other aspects of your life.
If you want to start learning immediately with Power English lessons, you can buy them now. Just click on the link below. It will take you to the official AJ Hoge's website where you can safely buy lessons and start learning today.
Good luck!
The new Effortless English lessons (Power English) have been created to make optimum use of all the principles of effective language learning. These lessons are in the form of mp3 recordings, which can be downloaded from the website immediately after purchase. They also contain files (e-books) with the texts of lessons, so you can print them or read directly from your computer.
Click here to get the best Effortless English lessons from the official website!
I began to learn with Effortless English few months ago. For me, the method works very well. I significantly improved my spoken English. What is very important I gained confidence when I speak English. I'm no longer afraid to speak English. Previously, despite learning at school I couldn't start talking. Now I have no problem to talk with foreigners in English.
I have found Effortless English on the internet one day, and I bought these lessons. Previously, I learnt at language school for some time but with a poor effect. Later I realized that buying Effortless English lessons would be cheaper than a month at that school. I decided to buy these lessons because AJ Hoge gave a guarantee on his lessons - if they don't work for you, he returns your money back. This guarantee made this purchase safe for me, and I have never my decision.
Effortless English lessons are not for everybody. If your English is very poor at the moment, you will not speak fluent English in one month. However, if you devote enough time to learn, and you will follow the guidelines from the introduction to the lessons, you really have a chance for fast progress. Those who already had contact with English and can understand a little, will definitely benefit from this method.
Click here to check Effortless English lessons for yourself!
Remember - to achieve your goal and speak English fluently you must spend a lot of time learning. There is no magic method that make you speak English without learning. But learning with Effortless English is interesting and full of fun, therefore you can learn longer without boredom.
I really like lessons in an audio format, because now I am able to study longer every day. I recorded the lessons on CD and now very often listen to them in my car because I spend a lot of time driving. Sometimes I learn at the computer reading the attached text and listening to the lesson at the same time. It is known that the more time you spend learning the faster you will learn.
The big advantage of this method is participation in the Effortless English Club. This is a special forum designed for all Effortless English learners. Access to the forum is obtained after the purchase of the lessons. As you know, writing is also very helpful in English learning. On this forum, you are able to communicate in English with people from different countries. Even those who write very little English do not need to worry, since the level of people on the forum is really diverse. Some people write poorly, others are almost flawless, but all are friendly and motivate each other. By using the forum you can learn a lot and meet great people from all over the world.
In conclusion, I recommend the Effortless English method to anyone who wants to learn English. The lessons are designed to teach you vocabulary and English grammar at the same time. You do not have to think about grammatical rules, but learn to use them automatically. I think this automatic assimilation of various aspects of a language is the biggest advantage of Effortless English.
Now you can buy new Power English lessons that are even better than previous Original Effortless English lessons. They have superb sound quality and each lesson have very interesting topic. You will improve your English and learn how to improve other aspects of your life.
If you want to start learning immediately with Power English lessons, you can buy them now. Just click on the link below. It will take you to the official AJ Hoge's website where you can safely buy lessons and start learning today.
Good luck!
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