Where Are You On Your English Learning Journey?
09/06/22 / Keyword: Journey
As we are nearing the end of the 2021-22 English season, ECP coach John invites our learners (and coaches) to reflect on where we are on our learning journey.
Click HERE to download the Weekly English Practice as a PDF.
Useful vocabulary
season: a period of the year in which certain conditions, activities, etc., take place
trick: a clever action, as to solve a problem
to work out: to solve or find out by reasoning or calculation
signalled: anything that serves to indicate, warn, direct, etc., such as a light, a gesture, or an act
Listen to the audio and read the text.
As we are nearing the end of the 2021-22 English season, ECP coach John invites our learners (and coaches) to reflect on where we are on our learning journey.
It is said that learning a language is like a journey with no final destination. The trick is to enjoy the journey! However, language learners should always take time to think about how they are learning and whether or not they are making progress. As we are coming to the end of the ECP 2021-22 year, it’s a good moment to ask some pertinent questions and reflect on our own personal learning journey.
- WHY ARE YOU LEARNING ENGLISH? Motivation is a key factor in language learning. What is your motivation? What are the different types of motivation? Which one is said to be best for language learning?
- WHAT IMPROVEMENTS TO YOUR LANGUAGE SKILLS HAVE YOU MADE THIS YEAR? Do you feel you speak more fluently? Have your comprehension skills got better? What about your pronunciation?
- IN YOUR OPINION, WHICH CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES ARE ESSENTIAL TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH? Here is a short list: Communicative activities, information exchanges, listening and speaking about what you have heard, pair work, reading and talking about what you have read, fun and games, songs, giving opinions and debates, doing grammar exercises, writing, thinking and working things out for yourself, pronunciation practice and learning how to learn.
- WHICH CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES ARE NOT SO IMPORTANT IN CLASS? Are there any activities you would prefer NOT to do? Explain why.
- HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING CORRECTED BY YOUR COACH? Do you prefer to be corrected every time you make a ‘mistake’ or in a specific and signalled part of the class? Or not at all? Which is best in your opinion? Is there a difference between a ‘mistake’ and an ‘error’?
- DO YOU GET ENOUGH FEEDBACK ABOUT YOUR PROGRESS FROM YOUR COACH? What kind of feedback would you like?
- HAVE YOU DONE MUCH HOMEWORK THIS YEAR? Is it important to do homework? Why/Why not? Would you like more or less homework next year?
- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE WEEKLY ENGLISH PRACTICE? Do you use it regularly? How do you use it? If the text is difficult, some students listen and read the text simultaneously, while others listen to it first, try to understand and then read it and listen to it again to get a full understanding. Have you got any ideas to improve the WEP?
- WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE ECP CLASSROOM TO IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH? Have you followed the advice of your coaches? Do you read books in English and watch Netflix series in the original version, with English subtitles? Have you taken advantage of the free ECP events such as ‘Coffee Saturdays’ and ‘Cine Nights’?
All ECP students are welcome at our free events and a selection of books can be borrowed from the Anfield classroom. Just let an ECP coach know what you are taking. Don’t forget the ECP PLAYLIST PARTY THIS FRIDAY!
As an ECP coach I have learned so much from all our students and I thank you all for your stories and sharing. It’s been a difficult couple of years, but the learning journey continues!
Written by ECP coach John Hird.
Let’s chat about that!
1. Where are you on your own personal ‘learning journey’?
2. List three important aspects of your English which have improved this year.
3. Which English skills do you need to concentrate on next year?
4. Are there activities you would like to do more in class?
5. Talk about some classes you really enjoyed at ECP.
6. Which were your favourite WEPs this year?
7. Are there any more events you think ECP should organise?
8. Have you any feedback for your coaches? How can they help you learn better?