10 tips - Sky Blue English

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T
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i
ps
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FOR IMPROVING YOUR
ENGLISH
by Jessica Elliot
Sky Blue English
CONTENTS
Find a way to speak more ..................................................1
Spend more time reading ..................................................3
Listen more ......................................................................... 4
Commit ................................................................................6
Buy some books ..................................................................8
Keep a record .....................................................................10
Use flashcards .....................................................................11
Create spider diagrams .....................................................12
Take an exam ......................................................................13
Find out how you learn best ..............................................14
Final words from Jessica.....................................................15
TOP TEN TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ENGLISH
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JESSICA ELLIOT
1
Find a way to speak more
This seems obvious but it is essential to be speaking English as much as possible if
you want to improve. You could pay and go to classes or get a private teacher,
either face to face or through Skype but there are also many free options.
If you are in the UK, the website ‘Gumtree’ has a section called 'Skills and Language Swap' (http://bit.ly/1A8PtRI), where you can find language partners. The
idea is that you meet up with an English speaker who helps you
learn and in return you help them learn your laguage. I know
that there are similar websites in other countries but if there isn’t
maybe consider doing a language swap through Skype. I’ve
just discovered Go Speaky (http://www.gospeaky.com/) which is
another great place to find an online language partner.
TOP TEN TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ENGLISH
JESSICA ELLIOT
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If you would prefer to meet people in a group, there is a website called Meetup. You can find groups to
practise your English all over the world. There are many different kinds of groups you can join, from
conversation to phonetics. I recommend joining these groups as it can also be a good way to meet
people if you are in a new place. It is important to commit for a certain amount of time to see results
so I recommend freeing up some time in your week for this kind of activity.
When I went to live in Spain, I only knew a few words of Spanish. I lived in a house with Spanish people
and quickly started to speak. It wasn’t easy and I used a lot of hand gestures at the beginning!
However, I knew that if I put myself in that situation I would learn quickly and I did. I also did language
exchanges and that really helped. You don’t have to immerse yourself in the way that I did but it is
important to be surrounded by the language and to be speaking regularly.
JESSICA ELLIOT
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2
Spend more time reading
My second tip is to read more in English and this really helps as you'll increase your vocabulary while
becoming more used to grammatical structures. Whether you read books, newspapers,
magazines or blogs, it's important to read about things that you are
interested in.
If you like sailing, read a sailing magazine or if you like interior
design there are many blogs that you could read regularly. You might
find that it's difficult to find material that is the right level for you. If this
is the case, I recommend buying Graded Readers, books that are
written specifically for each English level. There is a huge range for each
level and there are often exercises at the back. Have a look in bookshops
or type ‘Graded Readers’ into the search bar on Amazon.
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3
Listen more
My third tip is to listen to as much English as you can.
I've listened to BBC radio 4 (www.bbc.co.uk/radio4)
since I was a child and there so many interesting programs.
I personal favorites are Desert Island Discs, The Today
Programme and A Good Read. There are lots of podcasts on
itunes. You could choose one that focuses solely on learning
English or you choose a podcast that is about a subject
that you are intetested in. I really like podcasts as you can download
them and listen to them while you are doing other things. I listen to
podcasts when I go running, in the gym and when I'm travelling around
London. I told one of my Spanish students about Vaughan radio, which
is specifically for Spanish speakers and she now listens to it every
morning.
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If you like audio books, Audible is a good website as there are a great range of audio books in English.
You could buy the audio book and the 'real' book and read while you are listening.
I am a member of audible and I think the price is very good. You can download
an app onto your phone and listen wherever you are. I really recommend it
and really think it’s a great way to improve your English.
If there’s a book that you’ve read in your own language, you could see if
the English version is available and listen to that. It’s important to remember
that you don’t have to understand every word and it’s just good to have it
on in the background - you’ll still be taking it in and by doing this you will
start understanding more and more.
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4
Commit
When learning a language, it is essential to commit to
studying. I recommend having a calendar or wall chart
that you can use to map out how much you are going
to do each day. I do this for physical exercise. One of
my New Year’s Resolutions is to exercise at least three
times a week. I have a wall planner above my desk and
put a red spot on the days when I go for a run or go to
the gym. I find this really motivates me as you can see
the whole year and feel really satisfied when you see
your red spots!
2015
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
This is the wall chart that I bought but any kind of wall
chart or calendar would be fine.
http://bit.ly/1HUHG1Q
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You could also try setting aside a certain time of the day to
practise. Set an alarm on your phone, write it in your diary or do
it before or after a particular activity. For example, I am learning
Italian and like testing myself before breakfast. The important
thing important thing is to be consistent and to try and do it
every day. If you forget to practise one day, just try and get back
to it - try it and keep the rhythm.
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5
Buy some books
The next tip is to buy some good English
textbooks. Here are some that I often use and
recommend.
English Grammar in Use
By Raymond Murphy
I use this text book all the time and I really like the straightforward manner in which it is explained. There
are little diagrams that help to explain grammar points and concepts and you can easily select the units
that you want to do (you don’t have to do it in a particular order.)
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Phrasal verbs Plus Published byMacmillan
This is a great book for gaining a better understanding of phrasal verbs. It groups phrasal verbs under
particular prepositions and provides explanations to the different meanings that prepositions can have.
Good for upper-intermediate/ advanced levels
Prentice phrasal verbs by Martin Shovel
This is a fantastic book to help you learn phrasal verbs. There are really funny illustrations that help to
remember each one and there are exercises at the end of each unit and answers at the back so you can
use it for self-study.
English Vocabulary in Use
If you want to improve your vocal. I recommend these books. They come in different levels and have
good explanations and exercises.
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6
Keep a record
It makes a real difference if you write down new words and expressions
as you can revise them. To remember new words, you’ll need to go
back to them again and again. You’ll find that some words just stick
and others are a lot harder to remember. If you have a small notebook
for new words, you can keep it with you and write down new words
when you come across them. You could also have different notebooks
for different types of words. For example, one for nouns and another
for verbs. A great exercise is to make sentences with the new words
and get a native speaker to check them.
New words
I really like Muji’s notebooks and often buy them
http://bit.ly/1OetDsU
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7
Use Flashcards
When learning a language, it’s important to lean vocab, phrases and expressions. I recommend flashcards
for this and they can either be paper or digital. If you prefer to use paper flashcards, Ryman and Muji both
sell them. I think it’s good to have a set of flashcards for each subject. You’ll need to write the
word/phrase in your native language on the front and the English word on the back.
If you would prefer to use your phone or computer, there is a great app called Anki (http://ankisrs.net/).
You can install this for free on your computer but you have to pay for the app for iphones (it’s free for Android phones.) I think it is well worth the money if you do need to pay for it.
When you have installed it, you just need to create a deck and
start creating cards. There’s also a similar app called Flashcards Duluxe,
which is also good (http://bit.ly/1HkPtqH)
Try and test yourself for at least 10 minutes each day!
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8
Make spider diagrams
sunshine
a tan
Grouping words can work well and it’s very
good for people like me, who are visual
learners and respond well to infographics sailing
etc.
Spider diagrams (also called mind maps)
are a great way to learn new vocab and
revise words that you already know.
Here is an example:
The seaside
lie-ins
relaxation
conversation
Holidays
reservations
cocktails
(nouns)
good food
reading
adventure
activities
the flight
TOP TEN TIPS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ENGLISH
hotels/ b&b’s/camping
sightseeing
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9
Take an exam
Take an exam
Exams provide motivation and also look great on your CV or in job interviews. If you find it difficult to motivate yourself, preparing for an exam could be the answer. There are many exam preparation courses and
text books that have been written for exams.
I particularly like the Cambridge exams as there are specific exams for different levels. There are four
parts: Speaking, Reading and use of English, Listening and Writing
With the IELTS, all students take the same exam but are awarded different grades according to their level.
You have the choice of the Academic exam and the General exam. The Academic exam is required if you
are applying to University in an English speaking country. There are also four parts: Speaking, Reading,
Listening and Writing.
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10
Find out how you learn best
We all learn in different ways and I recommend finding out
what type of learner you are. Here are the different types:
Visual
Aural
Reading and writing
Kinaesthetic (learning through doing)
You can find out by doing a test on this website:
http://bit.ly/1ukfRvs
Visual
Aural
Once you know how you learn best, you’ll be able to tailor your
learning more effectively and choose methods that work best for you.
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Reading and writing
Kinaesthetic
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Final words from Jessica
So that’s the end of the 10 tips. I hope that you’ve found these tips useful! I use them when I teach
English and also when I learn languages (I’m learning Italian at the moment). It would be great to hear
from you. Let me know your thoughts on these tips and if you use any of them or are thinking of trying
them.
Get in touch through Facebook (http://on.fb.me/1Fef3vJ), Twitter (https://twitter.com/skyblue_english).
I’d love to hear from you.
Remember that we improve one step at a time. Sometimes you’ll feel that you’re improving faster than at
other times. Some days you’ll be able to speak completely fluently and other days it will be more of a
struggle. This is normal and part of the process. Enjoy learning and keep going.
’The future depends on what you do today.'
Mahatma Gandhi
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