Top Tips for Learners of English as a Foreign Language

This piece attempts to cover all the useful tips that usually feature in the 1st lesson with a little bit more detail.

Always be prepared

The boy scout motto works just as well for language learners as the right attitude and realistic expectations will pay dividends. Although they may not become the best linguists of all time, they will improve in all the areas they set out to. In terms of karma, what they put in is what they will get out of it. Learning another language requires hard work, so actively participating in lessons, doing the homework between lessons, keeping notes and all materials and resources well-organised will always be fruitful. Results won’t happen overnight; it takes hard work, perseverance and commitment. Mistakes need to be made, so don’t be afraid to make them. We have a safe learning environment, a place for learning and always feel free to ask questions. Be prepared for some mistakes to keep coming back over and over again. The best thing to do is become even more determined to overcome these hurdles, and you will succeed. Eventually, you can think and even dream in English; this does sound like brainwashing. Perhaps there is an element of this as one of the most important tips is to get maximum exposure to the English language. So good quality English not Tom and Jerry. Always be curious, look words up. Enjoy your learning.

Self-study

Prioritise what you need to by listing all the skills, i.e. writing, listening, reading, vocab and grammar. Speaking we do in class so unless you have access to native speakers or colleagues whose English is at a higher level, then write a plan of action, i.e. a self-study schedule. When do I have time? How much time can I spare each week? Some things will be set by the teacher, others you can dictate yourself. If your vocab or listening is under par, then you know what to do. You will receive a list of useful websites. Look at your own habits. Do I watch the news in Dutch? Then switch to English. Do I read in English? If the answer is no, then now is the time to start. Experiment and find what works best for you. Do you like watching/ listening with/ without subtitles or with/ without a transcript (aka audio script). Have a look at Ted Talks, BBC Sounds and find interesting respective videos, shows, podcasts etc. Always have a wide range of interests and topics that you read/ listen about. Try The Guardian newspaper international edition. If you want something more challenging check out The Conversation. It’s never a bad idea to aim higher but not too high or it could be demotivating. A book fills any gaps that are not taught in the course or give more opportunities for practice. Online grammar exercises will give you much needed revision so you can refresh what you practiced in the last lesson.

Course outline

The course outline is based on students’ goals and objectives and should be seen as more of a guide than something rigid to stick to. It is useful to have an idea of what you will cover in the lessons, but the idea is not to rush through things to get them finished. As long as the students are happy and understand everything, then that is the most important thing. A typical lesson is not like the first, where there are introductions. There is an ice-breaker, which is a nice way to begin the lesson so you can forget about outside problems and focus on the lesson. Then, corrections, i.e. on the spot corrections regarding writing assignments or work samples (i.e. an email or 2 if short). Writing should always be ‘brought’ to the lesson as a word doc so the learner can make corrections and benefit most from receiving help during this process. The teacher will try and elicit answers (getting the answers) from the student, before giving clues, and, if all else fails, will reveal the answer; this is in keeping with autonomous learning. Integrated skills feature on the course where grammar comes first as it takes the most energy and there is usually a balance between speaking and writing/ grammar exercises for examples. So never grammar followed by grammar. In the last two lessons you have the opportunity to present. At this late stage of the course, your speaking skills will be much better, so you will be in a better position to take on this challenge. The first is work-related, the duration depends on the level and how many participants. This will be mentioned one week before the 1st presentation; the times are typically 5-15 mins. The presenter presents, the trainer asks him/ her how it went (reflection), then peer feedback so the non-presenters can constructively comment based on criteria, which should always be done positively. Lastly, the trainer gives his/ her own two cents worth. Power points can be used or any other visuals. Signalling language (linking words for presentations) should also be used for structure. This will either be provided halfway through the course or one week before presenting. The second presentation is hobby or interest related unless the student expressly needs to practice a different work-related one.