For many years, English as a second language has been taught through different methods, each one claiming to have the most effective approach. It is true that many people learned English through those methods, I myself did, but would they have succeeded if students had not committed or dedicated themselves in a certain way? What I want to say is that there is no miracle in language teaching, i.e., no method works all by itself. As I see it, the key to success in learning a foreign language depends on the commitment from both teachers and learners. What has been proved to be rather effective in fastening the learning process is a good dose of self study. I have observed that students who do tasks by themselves, out of the classroom, have a more satisfactory performance and are able to use a wider range of vocabulary items. These self-study activities can vary a lot. See below some examples of simple activities that learners of any level can do.
Vocabulary:
- Read notes taken in previous classes. Cover the texts and try to remember the words.
- Create anagrams with different combinations of words such as ‘read a book/ a magazine/ the news/ somebody’s mind‘…
Grammar:
- Write sentences with new structures learned.- transform sentences from previous exercises into real examples.
- Buy self-study grammar books. Do exercises and check with answers.
Reading:
- Read news on-line (the New York Times, BBC, CNN)
- Keep a magazine in your bag so that you can read whenever you have time (waiting to see the doctor, at the airport, in the cab) |
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Listening:
- Listen to the news on the web. On most news web sites you can read and listen to ( or watch) the news at the same time.
- Watch TV programs, sitcoms in English. When possible turn on subtitles in English.
Pronunciation:
- Listen to your favorite song reading the lyrics. Pay attention to how words are pronounced when spoken together.
- Make a research about you favorite singer's nationality to understand better his accent.
These activities are not time consuming, which sounds good for those who do not have much free time. However, it is vital that they are done on a regular basis. The more you do, the better your English will be. I can assure you!
Elaine Florencio |
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