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Christopher Vaines 선생님

admin 2014-07-07

I have been studying foreign languages nearly all of my life. Some successfully others less so, but I have always tried to enjoy myself no matter what language I am learning. One very important thing to remember is that language learning doesn’t have to be boring, nor does it have to be difficult. In fact if done right, learning a new language should be both fun and interesting.

The biggest problem that most people come across when they are trying to learn another language is fear of making mistakes. People become so scared of speaking badly that they just don’t speak at all. This is the worst thing that you can do as learning is all about making mistakes and the old clich? "practice makes perfect" could not be more true when it comes to language learning.

Even though many people learn English at school or an academy, it is very important not to confine your language learning to the classroom. There are many opportunities to learn English outside of the classroom and they should be seized as this is how you are going to really improve.

The most effective way to learn a language is by total immersion. That means being in a completely English environment where you will be forced to speak and think in English. In Korea this can be very difficult but there are still ways that you can immerse yourself in English. Reading English books, writing in English and speaking in English with your friends are some of the best ways to surround yourself with the language.

As well as surrounding yourself with English it is a good idea to listen to as much English as possible. By this I mean listening to radio broadcasts and listening to audio CDs in English. Many books are available on CD and can provide a wonderful learning resource as you cannot see the reader so it forces you to concentrate harder on the words. There are also a few English language radio broadcasts available in Seoul, details below, as well as numerous online radio shows and news broadcasts. Listening to a native speaker is invaluable as it will get you used to listening to the natural flow of English, as well as getting you acquainted with different accents and manners of speech.

The Internet is another wonderful resource for English language learners. There are numerous sites dedicated to the learning of English using many different mediums. Online radio shows and news broadcasts can be the best. The BBC website even has a site dedicated to the learning of English. Another good use for the internet is to use it to download the lyrics to your favorite English language songs. This way you can learn to sing along. This will improve both your comprehension and your fluency as it will get you in to the habit if speaking with the speed and the rhythm of a native speaker.

English films with Korean subtitles are also a great way of learning English. Most of the time you will be able to read the subtitles before the actor or actress has finished speaking so this will give you a chance to listen to the English while having the meaning already in your head. Movies are a fun way of learning English but also a useful way as they will help you expand your vocabulary, teach you set phrases and expose you to many different ways of speaking. Even by just sitting back and relaxing in front of an English film you will be taking in vocabulary and reinforcing the English that you already know.

Unfortunately there are some things that are still best learned in the classroom. Grammar is one of those things. English grammar can be a little difficult to get your head around without a teacher to walk you through it so take advantage of the teacher when you are there. Don’t be afraid of asking them as many questions as you need to understand the subject. Remember that just because other people in the class are silent it doesn’t mean that they know the answer, in fact quite the opposite. They probably don’t know.

Once you have learned a new grammar point in the classroom you can then go and practice it outside, or test yourself by trying to listen for that particular point while listening to an audio book or watching a film.

The last thing that I would recommend, which probably won’t be too popular, is testing. I know that everybody hates tests but they are important to help you consolidate your English knowledge and to refresh the things that you have learned in the past. It is all too easy to learn something in the classroom but then to forget at is you don’t use it.

This is also why practicing outside the classroom is so important as it gives you an opportunity to hear and use the English that you have learned in the classroom.

Restricting yourself to just a few hours of English a week at school or at your academy will make it so much more difficult to learn. It means that you are not taking advantage of any of the opportunities available to you and therefore it will take you much longer to master the language.

English Language Radio Stations in Korea:

EBS radio 104.5 FM

AFN radio 1040-1540 AM

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Christopher Vaines 선생님