Monday, December 28, 2009

Improving your English Language


Language is a medium of communication. There are over 6000 languages spoken by the entire human race. And through further reading, I found out that the most spoken language is Chinese, followed by English. Malay/Indonesian is at #9. So, based on that statistic, of course we can’t deny the importance of mastering the English language. I must admit that I am not really that good in English, but I still want to share some tips on improving the language. Actually this can be applied to any language that you wish to learn. For myself, I had the opportunity to learn Arabic language too, but after 10 years , it totally slipped my mind and I regret that.

1. Like any language, it must be spoken, and practiced. Don’t be afraid or shy to speak although it may be broken English. It is totally fine. It may be difficult and frustrating at first but it can be done. Peers , parents and teachers play a big role in encouraging others to speak in English. Speaking is important in practicing our pronunciation and building our confidence.
I know that a lot of us are inferior when it comes to communicating in English. We think too much about the perception of others. Put that aside. Remind ourselves that whatever other people think, the main point is that you want to improve your English.

2. Read English materials – newspapers, magazines, novels, books. With lots of reading, we can familiarise ourselves with the language. Especially when it comes to learning grammar. Yes of course in the school we are taught the rules of English grammar, but sometimes there are exceptions, and you can identify this by reading. Reading will also add on to your vocabulary.

3. Find the why. If we know the answer to “Why do you have to learn English?” then it will be easier for us to motivate ourself. For me, I have to learn English because most of the reading materials nowadays are in English and by mastering English, it will help me to get through job interviews.

4. Write. Practice writing. Blogging is a way to practice writing. Share your thoughts and stories to others. Write comments in FB or twit in English.

5. Listen to English materials. English songs, listen to English radio stations. But be careful with the language used. It is known that sometimes the language used is not proper English.

6. Watch English materials. Dramas, movies, cartoons. I don’t see anybody having problem with this tip right? When you watch these materials, ignore the subtitles.

7. Make English learning fun. Don’t get tense by learning English. It should be fun and enjoyable. Try language games and activities.

Easier said than done right? But if don’t even try, then of course it won’t be any easier to learn English. So give it a try ok? :)

2 comments:

  1. Very true.

    Like anything else, language must be used often to be proficient in it.

    Learn English by spelling is the wrong approach. Speak it, use it, everyday, every time, and it will improve.

    It works for me that way.

    ReplyDelete
  2. hurm..i will terai :-)

    ReplyDelete