Have you reached a point in your English-learning journey where you feel stuck? Is your progress in English at a standstill? Don’t worry! There are ways to kick-start your learning.
Think about your strengths
It’s so easy to focus on your mistakes during your language learning journey. However, the truth is that most people that have hit the intermediate plateau or another lull in their learning have already learned so much. Take a moment to reflect on how far you have come in your learning. It takes time and commitment to learn a language and often it becomes more and more difficult to measure your improvement. Give yourself credit for what you have accomplished. This will help fuel your determination for your next steps.
Think about your weaknesses
Frustrated learners often focus on their specific mistakes or confusion in English grammar. Instead, it may be more productive to take a larger view of your language journey. Think about the four corners of language learning: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. Some students make the mistake of only focusing on one element of language acquisition. Maybe your personal goals are in speaking English better. That does not mean that you only need to practice speaking. In fact, it is through the other channels of language that our speaking can improve. Listening to native speakers, reading in the language, and practicing your writing actually helps your speaking ability.
Improve your Listening
Reflect on which of these is the weakest link in your English progress. Is it listening? Find English videos on youtube.com, podcasts, or series and movies on Netflix. Challenge yourself with content that is difficult. Follow along with a transcript or subtitles, if possible. This will train your brain to recognize the native speech patterns. Don’t focus on the percentage that is difficult to understand. Instead, be happy with the percentage of the content that you DO understand. With regular practice, this percentage will begin to increase.
Improve your Speaking
Do you need to improve your speaking? There are many opportunities to improve your speaking ability in English. Regular practice of just one lesson per week can really kick-start your English practice. You can find group and individual lessons here at Four Corners English or at sites like italki or Preply. In addition, there are sites that help you link with language partners for free, such as Tandem or Hello Talk.
Improve your Reading
Do you need to improve your reading in English? There is no shortage of content available. Here are some ideas. Read a book in English that you have enjoyed in your native language. This way, you already know the story and can focus your attention on the vocabulary and grammar in the book. Another strategy is to find graded readers that match your level in English. Collections of short stories intended for language learners can be very helpful to an intermediate learner.
Improve your writing
Can you kick-start your English progress through writing? Absolutely! Try keeping a daily journal in your learning language. If this is difficult to remember, there are many diary apps that will send you a reminder to make an entry each day. Do you want a course that provides daily feedback from an instructor? take one of the writing courses here at Four Corners English. Our courses span over one month and provide daily video lessons and feedback from a certified English teacher for any writing you submit during the course.
Remember, English progress is not always easy and does not always improve at the same pace, but with consistent practice and support, you will reach your language-learning goals!
Leave a Reply