Find out what kind of learner are you ???

The visual learner

Do you need to see your teacher during lessons in order to fully understand the content of a lesson?

Do you prefer to sit at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads)?

Do you think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs?

During a lecture or classroom discussion, do you prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information?

!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking part in traditional English lessons, but maybe private lessons would be better.
The auditory learner

Do you learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say?

Do you interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances?

Does written information have little meaning until you hear it?

!Learning Tip - you may benefit from listening to the radio or listening to text as you read it. You could try reading text aloud and using a tape recorder to play it back to yourself.
The Tactile/Kinesthetic learner

Do you learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around you?

Do you find it hard to sit still for long periods?

Do you become distracted easily?

!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking an active part in role plays or drama activities.
Other English Learning Tips

Travel to an English speaking country:-
England, America, Australia, Canada, South Africa, one of them is only a few hours away from you.
Specialist holidays are available to improve your English.
Take an English speaking tour or activity holiday.

Spend your time on things that interest you. If you like cooking then buy an English-language cookbook or find recipes on the net and practise following the recipes. You'll soon know if you have made a mistake!

Keep something English on you (book, newspaper or magazine, cd or cassette, set of flashcards) all day and every day, you never know when you might have 5 spare minutes.

If you are too tired to actively practice just relax and listen to an English pop song or talk radio station.

Get onto Skype and Second Life. Start networking with other learners / native speakers / teachers (don't just restrict yourself to seeking out native speakers.

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Mastering English

I believe the best way to learn English vocabulary is by topics with explanations of meaning, examples of usage and subsequent exercises. It is possible to practise English vocabulary through exercises in listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing.
Learners of English should have lists of difficult word meanings and of phrases (expressions) on every topic with usage sentences. They must read those ready-made vocabulary usage sentences many times if needed. Longman Language Activator Dictionary (unique English Idea Production Dictionary) covers this issue thoroughly. It is essential that learners also make up their own sentences with that vocabulary, taking into consideration real life situations.
Students of English can learn a lot of vocabulary on every topic from thematic English dictionaries. Good thematic English dictionaries provide clear word usage explanations and also a few usage sentences for each word meaning, which is especially important. It is essential that students of English also make up their own sentences with difficult vocabulary. They should think about the real life situations where and when that vocabulary can be used.
Do ready-made exercises from textbooks in vocabulary practice. Exercises in vocabulary practice can include dialogues, narrations (telling stories), thematic texts, questions and answers in various situations, discussions, talking points and expressing opinions and views on real life topics and issues.
Learners can also master new English vocabulary by reading thematic texts (materials), first of all on everyday topics with important content, for example: Practical Tips and Advice to Make Everyday Life Easier and Better (practical solutions for everyday problems). Such self-help books on settling everyday matters are available at book stores.

Learners must write down unknown vocabulary in whole sentences. It is essential that they practise telling the content of the texts that they have read. As people say, practice makes perfect.

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English Idioms

In my view the best way to learn English idioms (fixed expressions) is by topics with explanations of meaning, examples of usage and subsequent exercises. Practising idioms can be done through exercises in listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. I suggest the following sequence of learning English idioms (5-10 idioms per lesson):
Read clear precise meanings of idioms with usage examples in several realistic sentences in a good thematic dictionary of English idioms.
Make up your own sentences for using idioms in real life situations.
Do ready-made exercises from text books in idioms practice. Exercises in idioms practice can include dialogues, narrations (telling stories), thematic texts, questions and answers with idioms in various situations, discussions, talking points and expressing opinions and views on real life topics and issues.

The most comprehensive aids for learning English idioms are dictionaries of English idioms that contain thematic arrangement of idioms. Below is the list of the most important dictionaries of English idioms:
Longman Idioms Dictionary (over 6,000 idioms; choose the right idiom with the unique Idiom Activator).
Longman American Idioms Dictionary (over 4,000 idioms).
Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms (7,000 idioms ; with 15 topic classification of idioms).
Collins Cobuild Dictionary of Idioms (6,000 idiom expressions, has a thematic index of idioms).
Oxford Dictionary of Idioms (over 5,000 idioms, with a thematic index of idioms).
Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms (volumes 1, 2).
Oxford Idioms Dictionary for Learners of English (10,000 idioms).
NTC's Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions (over 7,000 expressions presented according to topic and situation).
NTC's Thematic Dictionary of American Idioms (900 thematic headings).

The English language is rich in idioms, and although it is possible to converse correctly in non-idiomatic English, a student with only a superficial knowledge of English idioms will find himself (or herself) at a serious disadvantage in his (her) reading, and even more so when he (she) takes part in discussions and debates. Ready-made copious usage sentences of English idioms taken from real life offer guidance on the most effective way to use them. The English Idiom Dictionaries listed by me in this post provide clear idiom usage explanations and several realistic idiom usage sentences. Many native English speakers, especially when they converse among themselves use idioms, informal colloquial expressions and slang.

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English Video Lesson

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Language Learning

Overview: Imagine a language as a living thing where vocabulary is the body parts, grammar is the brain, language resources are the muscles, and motivation is the energy which makes that living thing work hard or not. To be able to use a language, you need a body, a brain, some muscles, and energy.

Vocabulary is what most of the language is made of, you will need lots of that (around 3000 words is fair). To be able to use the vocabulary, you need grammar, which is the brain that allows you to use and manipulate your vocabulary. You need some muscles: language resources such as audio lessons, exercises, and practice can speed up your learning process. Finally you need motivation, without it, any language could seem difficult to learn.

Below are 4 of the most important elements in learning a language, with an explanation to why that is. If you think other factors should be included too, please comment at the bottom.

1) Vocabulary: Did you know that a native speaker of most languages of the world only uses about 3000 to 5000 words? What's more, a native speaker uses only about 300 to 500 words on a daily basis, which are repeated over and over again. That means, if you memorize around 3000 words, you will be able to say write and understand more than 75% of the general conversations. If you memorize 33 words per day, in 3 months you would have memorized 3000 word.

2) Grammar: This powerful tool allows you to manipulate the vocabulary you already memorized. With it, you can structure the vocabulary to make proper sentences, but it can also help you multiply the number of words you already know. With a couple hundreds of words and a dozen grammar rules you can form thousands of sentences simply by changing the order or adding prefixes and suffixes.

3) Language resources: The more adequate tools you have available to you, the faster and better you learn. For example, if you listen to audio lessons, practice your speaking and writing by chatting with native speakers every day is better than simply learning from a book. You need to diversify your methods of learning. Reading, listening, writing, all can help you practice and remember more.

4) Motivation: It is the energy that drives the whole process, without it, you will feel like swimming against the current, and you will give up eventually. Motivation can help you set goals and achieve them. If you say I should memorize 10 words a day for the next 3 months, then, all you need is motivation, because it's not an impossible goal, it's only a matter of passion for learning.

In short, you needs lots of vocabulary, a good number of grammar rules, adequate language resources and motivation. You can improvise with the rest depending on the language you're learning.

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