According to data on Statista, there are 1.5 billion people who speak English either as a primary or second language. This statistic means English is the most spoken language worldwide in 2022. I believe the number of learners and speakers will keep increasing as they come from different backgrounds with different purposes for learning English.
Learning English was not easy because English is my second language. Although I made mistakes while learning this language, I did not just want to forget them all. I created documentation of what I called lessons learned to allow me to make improvements for better learning outcomes. You can check it out here.
After setting appropriate goals, I experimented with several strategies for learning English and minimizing losing motivation to achieve better outcomes. Knowing and executing different strategies can help our learning and make each session more effective.
Here are the strategies I use:
1. Find the most suitable learning method
There are four comprehensions in English: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The method of learning depends on your goals. You can initially focus more on one or two aspects of English or learn them altogether but risk being overwhelmed.
But finding a suitable learning method is necessary.
Because learning should be fun yet practical, learning English should not be intimidating because we want to enjoy the process. We do not want to get frustrated and give up.
Nowadays, many resources, both free and paid, are available to use for learning the English language. Use those resources and apply them to your time settings.
In my case, I regularly listen to music and podcasts (either on audio platforms or YouTube). I wisely list my favorite English songs and podcast channels and listen to them every day. I also list phrases/idioms I have not heard and look up the meaning at a later time. There are words that I sometimes look up in an online dictionary to study how to pronounce them correctly. By doing these things, I am allowing myself to enjoy learning English through practicing listening, pronunciation, and developing vocabulary.
Besides listening to music, I also practice my writing by journaling. I write about simple things such as activities, experiences, or daily achievements. I also use Medium as a beneficial platform to express my thoughts in writing, so I started practicing writing on it.
In combination with reading non-fiction books, I find this method useful because it allows me to create sentences and examine the structure of my story.
In addition, I have spoken English with my friends ever since joining an English-speaking club. I did this to make myself familiar with the English environment. Speaking often gives me a chance to use phrases I have heard and better understand what other learners are saying.
Quick tips:
- When practicing writing sentences and brainstorming ideas, focus on words you are familiar with so you can start writing without friction. I notice it is difficult to check mistakes when writing in English, so, if possible, give it to someone with good English proficiency to give feedback on what needs changing or if something sounds odd.
- Be brave when you speak English with your friends or native speakers. Confidence matters, so do not worry too much about grammar. Memorize words with examples and pause when you get stuck. If you have no partners, talk to yourself.
Experiment with choosing learning ways to help you achieve your goals. At the beginner level, learning English should be enjoyable, so it will be something that you will look forward to and increase the chance of making it a daily routine.
2. Create a study plan and stay committed
If you want to progress in learning English, you must create a study plan. You will have a solid study arrangement by having fixed days and times so learning English will not ruin your daily schedule.
There is no perfect study plan; it depends on your availability. Think about the amount of time you will commit to study. Once you create a study plan, you know what and when you need to learn. Train yourself to commit to your study plan and stick to it for at least three months.
I practice a little bit of English, but I do it every single day by myself. I make it part of my daily routine and put it on my study plan. I like to study for 30–45 minutes every day instead of long hours, so I split the time into three studying times: morning, afternoon, and evening. Learning in smaller timing pieces helps me so the study session will be less daunting and not stressful.
Quick tips:
- Do not forget to take a regular little break while studying.
- If you are unproductive on the study time you’ve already set, make a re-adjustment. Remember to be committed and keep consistency.
- Have your study plan visible so you can see it on a daily basis.
There are four comprehension skills I mentioned earlier which are essential to balance. We cannot improve our communication in English if we are only very good at one skill.
Listening and reading are inputs to our study; meanwhile, speaking and writing are the outputs of our study. Give balance to listening and reading skills as passive and speaking and writing as active skills.
Bear in mind that it is a lot better to study for 30 minutes daily instead of two hours once per week when it comes to consistency. No matter your level of learning, you have to be consistent in repeating what you learn; then, you will be able to see significant improvement in your English skills.
To review, English is the most widely spoken language globally. The more you are exposed to English, the more your skills improve. The more you can immerse yourself in an English environment, the better.
Nobody is born with supernatural skills when learning a second language. It requires years of practice to take your skills to a high level. Therefore, I am still learning until now.
I wish you the best learning experience to achieve your desired goals. Thanks for reading.
