Language learning and its acquisition contribute a pivotal role in everyone’s life. Not only does it shape the way we perceive the world, but it’s also the medium of delivering ideas and expressing feelings. As said by Roger Bacon, “Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom.” This quote shows how language can help you to broaden your horizons – there is always something new and fascinating to learn. English is one of the languages known by many, impacting almost every field of work. The internet and globalization have elevated its importance, with it being widely used in the world of business, education, technology, and entertainment, among others.
Have you ever enjoyed a beautiful piece of writing, but became a little stuck from unfamiliar words or grammar?
Well, learning the English language indeed is difficult, but we all know that it gets better with practice. Here are a few tips which can help you on the journey to successfully learning the English Language.
1) Be a reporter
It can be tedious, but it does work. Make sure to record any new phrases that come along during either your conversation with others or through reading. There can be so much to learn and you can’t remember it all at once. So get into the habit of being like a reporter – carry a small notebook or get IT savvy and use tools like Evernote or Memo Pad.
2) Enrich yourself with English language news
Try to read English language newspapers, online articles, magazines, and online news. These platforms use a wide vocabulary and range of sentence structures, so you can practice your speaking and reading skills through this!
3) Be creative in learning
You can’t learn any language if you think it’s a burden. So, try to be creative in learning through adding games, educational YouTube videos, songs, and other interactive tools. For example, playing Scrabble can enhance your vocabulary, enabling you to create and learn many new words. You can build a personalised learning group like Book Club, where each of you shares and analyses a piece of writing from the book. Creating a book club is interesting as it can gauge students’ understanding and eliminate the feeling of boredom in reading books. Remember, learning English supposed to be fun!
4) Collaborate with experts
Of course, you need to practice if you want to be well versed in English. Try to practice by communicating with others who are experts in the language as they will be able to correct your intonation and fluency. Sometimes, practising language through speaking is far better than only reading and writing. You can take up English lessons in universities or language centres that provide good quality lessons. The International University of Malaya-Wales offers a range of English classes both incorporated in the main programmes, as well as through formal IELTS training – you can even do your exam registration services as IUMW is an authorised exam centre in collaboration with British Council Malaysia.
Don’t give up!
At times you may feel like giving up if there is not much improvement – it happens all the time. Remember that progress starts slowly, and you should keep going and kick into high gear for you to see the success at the end. Believe that nothing is impossible. Even though it takes time, it’s worth it.
By having a good command of the English language, you’re upgrading your skills and it can be good for career advancement. As the idiom “hitting two birds with one stone” – a good command of English can help you to develop your professional and personal life. You can improve your job prospects, and explore the world and meet new people with confidence!
Happy learning everyone!