10 New Year’s Resolutions For Learning English
13/01/2022/ Keyword: Learning
Coach John looks forward to 2022 and the English learning journey of ECP students. He uses ten verbs to give advice and ideas to help everyone achieve their goals.
Click HERE to download the Weekly English Practice as a PDF.
Useful vocabulary
to jot down: to make notes and write down ideas and information
to improve: to make progress and get better
to commit: to enact and accomplish
phonemic script: a transcription of the sounds of a word or phrase, using phonemic symbols
to cross off: to draw a line through (a name or item on a list) usually to signify you have done it
feedback: the transmission of evaluative or corrective information about an action and/or an event
rhymes: a word, syllable or line that has or ends with a sound that corresponds to another. “Balloon rhymes with moon”
Listen to the audio and read the text.
Coach John looks forward to 2022 and the English learning journey of ECP students. He uses ten verbs to give advice and ideas to help everyone achieve their goals.
- START a learning diary where you can jot down your common mistakes. As you have promised yourself many times, begin listening to different English accents on BBC Radio. It’s worth remembering, a journey of 1,000 miles STARTS with a single step! There are many steps you can take to improve your English. STARTwatching your favourite Netflix series in English (with subtitles in English, of course!).
- PRACTISE doing something in English for 10 minutes every day. Why not repeat new vocabulary as much as possible to commit it to your long-term memory and use it in sentences? Translating a text from English into your first language and vice versa is a useful exercise. As the saying goes, ‘Practice makes perfect!’
- TRY using at least five new items of vocabulary every week. Consciously introduce phrases you like into conversations with your coach, classmates and even colleagues at work. Attempt to learn the phonemic script to help you focus on English sounds and pronunciation.
- MAKE a list of your common grammatical errors and cross them off when you stop making them. Record your speaking to analyse with your coach.
- REMEMBER that learning a language is a process that takes time and effort. Try to be patient and enjoy the journey! Never forget that there isn’t one ‘correct’ accent in English. Don’t be shy in asking for feedback from your coach.
- STOP putting yourself down by saying that you don’t speak English well. Be confident in your ability to learn the language!
- FIND a grammar reference book/website you like and refer to it regularly. FIND a friend who is also learning English and support each other. FIND time to attend ECP’s free activities to practise English in a relaxed atmosphere.
- TAKE the time to check your writing for mistakes before you give it to your coach. Also TAKE a look at your previous homework and writings in English and evaluate your progress. Look for your repeated errors and correct them.
- DO plenty of pronunciation practice and regular speaking with your coach and/or an English-speaking friend.
- ENJOY reflecting on your progress. If you ENJOY music, listen to songs, print out the lyrics and learn new phrases and rhymes. Finally, always remember, if you ENJOY learning something, it’s always easier.
By ECP coach John, inspired by years of teaching and stuff he’s seen on the internet.
Let’s chat about learning!
- Summarise the resolutions. Can you remember them all without looking at the text?
- What progress did you make in 2021?
- Which of the resolutions do you already do?
- Which ones are you going to start doing?
- What are your objectives for your English for 2022?
- Look at the language learning quotes on page 2. What do you think about them?
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