7 Outstanding English Language Learning Methods.

Studying English abroad in the language school is a very effective way to improve your English. And we prepared 7 advices for you that will help you achieve English proficiency faster. Let’s be honest, there is no magic way of making you know something or being able to do something without the effort and commitment from your side, but there are some proven methods that can make your journey in learning English faster and more efficient.

I have studied English abroad myself and use it in my everyday work now. I interact a lot with foreigner students who study English in language schools and communicate with many teachers. I compiled these suggestions for you.

For those who can’t wait to see them, here is the list:

1. Choose a school that matches your level of English and way of learning.
2. Use English after class.
3. Choose a homestay option.
4. Plan your next day in English.
5. Read.
6. Participate in events such as language exchange
7. Make notes if there is a new word you hear in conversation.

Now let’s look at them in details.

1. Choose a school that matches your level of English and way of learning.

Studying English abroad if the fastest way to improve your English for both beginners and advanced English students. When choosing your language school start with choosing a country that suits you, then look what way of learning school offers.

Country.
Let’s look at the Philippines. It’s a beautiful tropical country but you need to keep in mind that this is a developing country and the streets are mostly not clean. If you are type of person who can not stand that, it is not a place for you. Before going to study abroad, make sure that you can adapt to the new environment and have realistic expectations (weather, development, prices, etc.).
School.
Choose the school that offers a program that matches your goals. And check reviews on teaching methods and styles. Do you prefer studying in big groups, small groups, or have one-on-one classes? You can compare advantages and disadvantages of all them here.

Prepare before classes and review after classes.

The number of classes students take in the same program is the same, but the time they spend preparing for classes vary. Some students will spend about 30 minutes a day on preparing for classes, others will spend 2-3 hours. It doesn’t look like a big difference, but if you add up this time over a month you would be surprised.

30 minutes of self study per day will give you 15 hours per month

3 hours of self study per day will give you 90 hours per month.

The difference is 75 hours!!

Be sure this also will show a big difference is language proficiency of these students.

If you take a course that has 4 hours of classes per day, teachers usually recommend 3 hours of self study and preparations.

2. Use English after class.

Use English that you’ve learned in class outside of the classroom.

You can improve your grammar and listening skills in your home country or when studying abroad. However, you need an English environment to improve your speaking. To speak fluently and without pauses to think what word to use or how to express your thoughts, you need to speak in English as much as possible. After some time you will even think in English!

Take advantage of being in the country where everyone speaks English!  Use English after class, talk with other foreigner students, try to speak on the go. Speak to teachers and staff at school. Make small talk with the teller at supermarket or waiter at the restaurant. People in the Philippines are very friendly and will be happy to speak with you. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Prepare some phrases you can use at the supermarket or restaurant. For example ask for the location of the product you are looking for, ask restaurant about their specials or recommended dishes. Listen to the answers and practice more.

3. Choose a homestay option.

It is recommended that you do a homestay as a means of practicing and using English besides classes. If you do a homestay, you can talk with your host family at home, so it is easy to improve your English skills. Furthermore, it is possible to experience culture and customs of the host family on your own skin. In addition to English, it is possible to gain experience points throughout life!

However, even if you do a homestay, remember to be active and start conversation with your hosts. Hosts will respect your privacy and will not force you into conversation. Of course, will talk with you every time they see you, but it is important to remember to start conversations on your own. Be yourself, let other people learn about you and learn about your hosts. You will build relationships with your host family, and if you get along you will have more conversations, so you will improve your speaking skills. Advantages and disadvantages of homestay we will discuss in another post.

4. Plan your next day in English.

This is a really effective method. Think of your next day in English and plan what do you want to do in English.
Choose phrases you want to practice next day and use them in different situations.

For example:

• What are your plans for tonight?
• What is your favorite food?
• Can I go with you?

Try to use each of the phrases you prepared at least 3 times. This will allow you not only to use them in different situations but also hear responses of different people.
Don’t start with too many phrases as it can be difficult to manage at the beginning. As you feel more confident and comfortable, you can add more phrases to practice.

5. Read.

Reading a book will help you learn new vocabulary and learn the correct grammar. And the advantage is that you can read the same page over and over again until you completely understand it.
This is what one of the students said about reading:
“I was always trying to read in advance all the books I was studying in class. Even in easy books there were words and phrases I did not understand. I would write them down and be ready to use them during the class. Authors tend to use similar style of writing and vocabulary, so it becomes easier to understand as you go through the book. You can enjoy studying if you are interested in a story!”

Benefits of reading explained by the owner of ETHOS

6. Participate in events such as language exchange.

Please actively participate in exchange events such as language exchange using meet up and couch surfing. Even if you have an English-speaking environment around you, talking with different people with different backgrounds is a great deal of study.

Philippines is a great place to meet people from all over the world. You can compare pronunciation of people from the United States, Australia, the UK and people from countries where English is not a native language. Besides studying English you also can make lifelong friends through exchange meetings.

7. Make notes if there is a new word you hear in conversation.

If the person you are having conversation with, is using a word you don’t know while talking, ask “What does that mean?” Or write it down on your smartphone and check the word when you have time. Start with translating words and then use thesaurus to see English synonyms of the new word. This will take more time and effort than simply translating the word but it is much more beneficial and valuable when learning English.

Hope it was useful and you will use this tips to bring your English to the new level.