I’ve had students complain about how difficult learning English is, and my question is, “How do you learn English?”. I understand how intimidating the English language might be, but your method also plays a considerable role in learning. Learning a foreign language is generally terrifying, and I relate closely to this because I’m currently learning German; initially, it was rocky until I figured out the “how”. For a long time, I wondered how people who spoke German could grasp and speak the language fluently; then, I realised it was their method, paired with consistency, so I decided to try it out as well. I advise my students to focus on the “how” of learning English, and the “how” includes finding the right approach. This school of thought helps me in my German learning journey, and I know it can help you, too.

So here are five proven methods to assist your learning journey:

1. Get a partner: If there’s one thing I’ve learned about language learning, it’s having a speaking partner because a language partner is a practical method to improve your English, and with a partner, your learning journey is effortless; there’s nothing more satisfying in language learning than having someone to practice the language with. Also, a learning partner stands as your accountability person and is there to encourage you, keep you on your toes, correct your mistakes and give you feedback on your improvement. Furthermore, with a learning partner, you’d pick up new expressions, slang words and other commonly used words that could help you speak fluently.

Tip: You can find a language partner online. Do your research on the best places to find the right tutor or language partner for you, or if you have a family member or friend who’s fluent and ready to take this journey with you, that’s good, too. More importantly, remember to set a goal to speak with your partner for at least ten minutes every day or at least three times a week; do this and watch your English take a magical turn.

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2. Speak Speak Speak: It is essential to speak regularly to be fluent in a language, as this will foster confidence in expressing yourself. So now that you’ve got a language partner, use them well. Speak as often as possible about various topics and situations in different environments.

Try to use previously learned vocabulary (this is the best time to bring them out to play), create sentences with them, and hold a dialogue with your partner for at least two minutes (if you’re a beginner) and five minutes (if you’re a little advanced). Using previously learned vocabulary helps you familiarise yourself with the language and makes you feel comfortable speaking.

You could think about scenarios like ordering in a restaurant, a shopping mall scenario, meeting friends, making reservations, holding a telephone conversation and so on; there are a whole bunch of them to practice with, but these are only a handful of good examples to encourage you to speak.

3. Focus on Fluency: Focus on fluency and worry less about making mistakes. However, depending on your goals, this method may vary. Fluency is a spectrum, and it’s only a part of your learning process; some people aim for essential conversational fluency, while others aim for near-native fluency. So, try to tailor your approach to your specific goal, but answer these questions for yourself:

“Am I communicating”? “Does my audience understand me”?

Many Native speakers are usually impressed with a learner’s attempt to speak the language and, most times, are very willing to help and correct you. Bear in mind also that to achieve fluency, you must stay consistent with speaking and listening and try to think in the target language — DO NOT TRANSLATE. If you want to improve fluency, try to directly form thoughts and express ideas in the language you’re learning.

4. Listening: As intentional as you are about speaking, the same energy should be given to listening; both are compatible and crucial in learning a language. Remember that as toddlers, we produce words based on what we consciously and subconsciously absorb, and that’s the same situation with learning English and any other language.

Try to listen to English through audiobooks, movies (you can use subtitles), and music. You can listen to the forecast lady talk about the weather and learn weather expressions, too — as you listen, write down new words, repeat those words or phrases back to yourself and hear yourself say them. You could also record yourself and listen to it again. When you do this, you not only strengthen your listening skills, you also empower your speaking skills and build vocabulary too — so it’s like a three-in-one package, a good deal if you ask me.

5. Consistency: The key to achieving a goal is consistency. If you are consistent with your methods, you will stay caught up.

To lag — falling behind in progress.

It’s okay to slow down, but don’t stop. Here are a few tips to note:

Tip:

• Do not procrastinate. If you set a goal to practice English, make sure you meet that goal.
• Set an achievable goal for yourself. If you can’t do it twice a week, bring it down to once a week, but don’t go a day or two without practising.
• Follow the methods and be consistent with them. Don’t start today; pause and continue in two weeks. You won’t get anywhere. Stay on top of your goals.

Remember, language learning is a journey; it’s not a race for the best man. It might take a while to reach your desired goal, but trust me, if you’re focused and consistent, you’ll see the results.

Don’t stop practising!

If you’ve read this far, try this fun word search puzzle on Wordwall. It helps with building vocabulary.

Have fun!