How to Understand the English Language: Start Here

 

One English Student.
Two Goals.
by
Robert Farmilo

Learning English involves two main goals: understanding the language and being understood by others. 


ONE: To understand.
TWO: To be understood.

Mastering these skills is crucial for non-native speakers, especially in global communication contexts, as it opens doors to new opportunities and enhances personal and professional interactions.

NOTE:
I have included a resource list, with links, at the bottom of this page.

Section 1: The Goal to Understand English


Listening Skills

Listening skills are essential for understanding spoken English. Improving these skills helps you follow conversations, understand instructions, and enjoy English media. 

To enhance your listening comprehension, try the following methods:

---> START HERE:


Find more links, scroll down.

Listen to English songs: Pay attention to the lyrics and try to sing along.

- Podcasts: Choose topics you enjoy and listen regularly.

- Engage in conversations: Practice speaking with native speakers as much as possible.

Reading Skills

Reading is vital for expanding your vocabulary and understanding written English. To improve your reading skills, use these strategies:

- Reading materials: Start with books, newspapers, or online articles that match your level.

- Annotation: Highlight important points and unfamiliar words.

- Summary writing: Write a brief summary after reading to check your understanding.

Whether you like to read or not, this link is going to make a big difference. Imagine finding some stuff you actually like. This link offers many FREE powerful resources, all waiting for you.












The main point is to target content that you mostly understand most of the time. One way to force feed your brain's language centers is to listen to an audio book while you read along with your own copy of the same book.

There are a number of different techniques you can experiment with that will add an extra edge. The most important detail is how to do it, the step-by-step details.


Section 2: The Goal to be Understood by Native English Speakers


Speaking Skills

Speaking clearly and confidently is important for being understood by native speakers. Here are some tips to improve your speaking skills:

- Pronunciation improvement: Practice with tongue twisters and mimic native speakers.

- Fluency: Speak with a partner or use language learning apps regularly.

- Overcome challenges: Learn common idioms and phrasal verbs to sound more natural.

Where to find FREE places online to speak with native English speakers?

Here are five platforms where non-native English speakers can practice speaking with native speakers for free:

1. Speaking Club
   The Speaking Club offers structured conversation groups and one-on-one conversations with native speakers. They have flexible meeting times and a supportive community, making it an excellent platform for improving your English speaking skills through real-life interactions.

2. Hilokal
   Hilokal is a free app that provides live audio conversations with native speakers. You can join various audio tables, listen until you feel ready to speak, and participate in conversations on different topics. The app aims to make language learning accessible and engaging for everyone.

3. Free4Talk
   Free4Talk is a language practice community where you can find conversation partners easily. It supports text, voice, and video chats, allowing you to practice English with native speakers and other learners from around the world.

4. Conversation Exchange
   Conversation Exchange facilitates language learning through text, voice, and video chats with native speakers. You can also find pen-pals for written correspondence, providing a comprehensive platform for practicing both spoken and written English 


5. HelloTalk
   HelloTalk connects you with native speakers for language exchange through text, voice, and video messages. It includes built-in translation and pronunciation tools, making it easier to learn and communicate. You can join group chats, post updates for feedback, and participate in live language events.

These platforms provide various ways to practice speaking English, from structured meetings to casual conversations, helping you improve your fluency and confidence.
 

Writing Skills

Writing in English is significant for academic, professional, and personal purposes. Enhance your writing skills with these methods:

- Practice different types of writing: Try formal essays, business emails, and creative writing.

- Focus on grammar and style: Ensure your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read.

- Coherence: Make sure your ideas flow logically and clearly.








Section 3: Integrating Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing Skills

All these skills are interconnected, and a holistic approach to learning English is beneficial. Activities that can develop multiple skills include:

- Book clubs: Read and discuss books with others.

- Debate teams: Practice speaking, listening, and critical thinking.

- Join Toast Masters or similar English public speaking group.

- Spend time in places where you can find native English speaking people. Engage as many people as you can in active conversation.

Conclusion

Understanding and being understood are the two key goals in learning English. 


Mastering these skills will lead to many long-term benefits, such as better career opportunities, richer cultural exchanges, and significant personal growth. 

Remember, the effort you put into learning English will pay off in numerous ways.



Call to Action
Explore additional resources for learning English and share your experiences or tips in the comments or on social media. Join the community of learners and support each other on this rewarding journey!

RESOURCE LIST AND LINKS:
This is an Amazon Affiliate Link.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Additional Tips:

- When possible --- You want to use content where you understand at least 90 words out of every 100 words.

- Find content that matches your current level of listening skill.


Here is a good place to start.


These listening exercises are listed in order of increasing skill, starting at the A1 Beginner Level.


https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/a1-listening


https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/a2-listening


https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/b1-listening


https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/b2-listening


https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/skills/listening/c1-listening/birthday-parties


And for listening exercises with American-English accents:







Is there more? Yes, you bet there is.
And it is all FREE to use.

>>>click me<<<

Use this link to find listening practice from PreA1 to B2 levels.

I recommend you use this link. This site is loaded with excellent resources.

And here is another fabulous link:

While you are here, click this link and find some content:

Are you looking for the next level?
Do you need more and better insights into this CRAZY English language?
Get this book.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

>>>click to get started<<<

No comments:

Post a Comment