31.12.10

Why should English teachers be English learners?

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

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/

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

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

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

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!
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!

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

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.

About Author
Jack Askew is an online tutor at - English Courses Online Jack also writes at Study and Learn English Online and Spoken English Tips

14.12.10

3 Tips To Improve Your English For The Toefl Exam

Are you looking for some English tips to help you understand English better? Maybe you are someone that has been studying to understand and speak English for a long time but still are having a hard time? Do you ever watch an American movie or TV show and some of the things they say, you just don't quite understand? First, don't get frustrated, no matter what anyone says, learning English is not easy. It takes time, effort, and persistence. Let me give you some English tips to help you out.

English Tip #1 - Study a Certain Kind of English

By now you understand that Americans, as well as British, Australians, and all of the other English speaking countries have their own unique speech. Yes, it is all English - but sometimes an American speaking to British person will be a little confused also. The forms of English are different. I remember meeting an English guy the other day (I am American). Believe it or not, when I talked to him I didn't understand about 10% of what he was saying. Why am I telling you this? Because if you will mainly be dealing with British people, the you should study the British form of English. If you are going to be in contact with Australians, then study Australian English. You will be so confused studying all types of English.

English Tip #2 - Watch and Listen to Good English Speakers

Just because someone was born in an English speaking country does not mean they speak good English. I was born in the USA and there are many people here who do not speak good English. Just being born in the USA does not mean you speak good English. What should you do? Find good native speakers on the internet. How? If you want to listen to good American English, visit websites like foxnews.com and cnn.com. Click on the video section of these websites and listen and watch the mouth movements. These people are paid a lot of money because they communicate (speak) well. The BBC is a great place to visit on the internet if you want to listen to proper British English.

English Tip #3 - Be Careful With English Slang

It is important to understand slang, but don't worry about it so much. Please do not try to use slang unless you really know how to use it. If you say something in the wrong way, you might offend the native English speaker. You might think it is everyday harmless slang but it make make you sound terrible. Maybe you have a native English speaking friend. If so they will be able to tell you what is OK to say and what is not.

Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/English-Tips---3-Tips-To-Improve-Your-English-For-The-Toefl-Exam/1811304#ixzz187UFjheS
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

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.