IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH LEARNING SKILLS 2

Learning is a skill and it can be improved.
Your path to learning effectively is through knowing
yourself
your capacity to learn
processes you have successfully used in the past
your interest, and knowledge of what you wish to learn
Motivate yourself
If you are not motivated to learn English you will become frustrated and give up. Ask yourself the following questions, and be honest:-
Why do you need to learn/improve English?
Where will you need to use English?
What skills do you need to learn/improve? (Reading/Writing/Listening/Speaking)
How soon do you need to see results?
How much time can you afford to devote to learning English.
How much money can you afford to devote to learning English.
Do you have a plan or learning strategy?
Set yourself achievable goals
You know how much time you can dedicate to learning English, but a short time each day will produce better, longer-term results than a full day on the weekend and then nothing for two weeks.
Joining a short intensive course could produce better results than joining a course that takes place once a week for six months.
Here are some goals you could set yourself:-
Join an English course (and attend regularly).
Do your homework.
Read a book a month.
Learn a new word every day.
Visit an English speaking forum every day.
Read a news article on the net every day.
Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
Watch an English film at least once a month.
Follow a soap, comedy or radio or TV drama.
A good way to meet your goals is to establish a system of rewards and punishments.
Decide on a reward you will give yourself for fulfilling your goals for a month.
A bottle of your favourite drink
A meal out / or a nice meal at home
A new outfit
A manicure or massage
Understanding how you learn best may also help you.
There are different ways to learn. Find out what kind of learner you are in order to better understand how to learn more effectively..
The visual learner
Do you need to see your teacher during lessons in order to fully understand the content of a lesson?
Do you prefer to sit at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads)?
Do you think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs?
During a lecture or classroom discussion, do you prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking part in traditional English lessons, but maybe private lessons would be better.
The auditory learner
Do you learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say?
Do you interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances?
Does written information have little meaning until you hear it?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from listening to the radio or listening to text as you read it. You could try reading text aloud and using a tape recorder to play it back to yourself.
The Tactile/Kinesthetic learner
Do you learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around you?
Do you find it hard to sit still for long periods?
Do you become distracted easily?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking an active part in role plays or drama activities.
source:learnenglish.de
Here's How:
tag. The
content following each tag should be no longer than 200
characters. Make sure the last tag includes a tag. -->1-Remember that learning a language is a gradual process - it does not happen overnight. 2-Define your learning objectives early: What do you want to learn and why? 3-Make learning a habit. Try to learn something every day. It is much better to study (or read, or listen to English news, etc.) 10 minutes each day than to study for 2 hours once a week.4-Remember to make learning a habit! If you study each day for 10 minutes English will be constantly in your head. If you study once a week, English will not be as present in your mind. 5-Choose your materials well. You will need reading, grammar, writing, speaking and listening materials 6-Vary your learning routine. It is best to do different things each day to help keep the various relationships between each area active. In other words, don't just study grammar.7-Find friends to study and speak with. Learning English together can be very encouraging. 8-Choose listening and reading materials that relate to what you are interested in. Being interested in the subject will make learning more enjoyable - thus more effective. 9-Relate grammar to practical usage. Grammar by itself does not help you USE the language. You should practice what you are learning by employing it actively. 10-Move your mouth! Understanding something doesn't mean the muscles of your mouth can produce the sounds. Practice speaking what you are learning aloud. It may seem strange, but it is very effective.11-Be patient with yourself. Remember learning is a process - speaking a language well takes time. It is not a computer that is either on or off! 12-Communicate! There is nothing like communicating in English and being successful. Grammar exercises are good - having your friend on the other side of the world understand your email is fantastic!13-Use the Internet. The Internet is the most exciting, unlimited English resource that anyone could imagine and it is right at your finger tips.
Tips:
tag. The
content following each tag should be no longer than 200
characters. Make sure the last tag includes a tag. -->Remember that English learning is a Process Be patient with yourself. Practice, practice, practice
source:about.com

How to improve your English skills

My most important piece of advice is: "Do something (anything). If you don't do anything, you won't get anywhere. Make it your hobby, not a chore, but above all have fun!"
Don't be in too much of a hurry. You're setting off on a long journey and there'll be delays and frustrations along the way. Sometimes you'll be in the fast lane and other times you'll be stuck in traffic, but there will also be lots of interesting things and interesting people along the way. Take your time to really enjoy the experience.
There are many ways to improve your level of English, but only you can find the right way for you. Here are a few tips that might help:-
Improve your Learning Skills
Learning is a skill and it can be improved.
Your path to learning effectively is through knowing
yourself
your capacity to learn
processes you have successfully used in the past
your interest, and knowledge of what you wish to learn
Motivate yourself
If you are not motivated to learn English you will become frustrated and give up. Ask yourself the following questions, and be honest:-
Why do you need to learn/improve English?
Where will you need to use English?
What skills do you need to learn/improve? (Reading/Writing/Listening/Speaking)
How soon do you need to see results?
How much time can you afford to devote to learning English.
How much money can you afford to devote to learning English.
Do you have a plan or learning strategy?
Set yourself achievable goals
You know how much time you can dedicate to learning English, but a short time each day will produce better, longer-term results than a full day on the weekend and then nothing for two weeks.
Joining a short intensive course could produce better results than joining a course that takes place once a week for six months.
Here are some goals you could set yourself:-
Join an English course (and attend regularly).
Do your homework.
Read a book a month.
Learn a new word every day.
Visit an English speaking forum every day.
Read a news article on the net every day.
Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
Watch an English film at least once a month.
Follow a soap, comedy or radio or TV drama.
A good way to meet your goals is to establish a system of rewards and punishments.
Decide on a reward you will give yourself for fulfilling your goals for a month.
A bottle of your favourite drink
A meal out / or a nice meal at home
A new outfit
A manicure or massage
Understanding how you learn best may also help you.
There are different ways to learn. Find out what kind of learner you are in order to better understand how to learn more effectively..
The visual learner
Do you need to see your teacher during lessons in order to fully understand the content of a lesson?
Do you prefer to sit at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads)?
Do you think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs?
During a lecture or classroom discussion, do you prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking part in traditional English lessons, but maybe private lessons would be better.
The auditory learner
Do you learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say?
Do you interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances?
Does written information have little meaning until you hear it?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from listening to the radio or listening to text as you read it. You could try reading text aloud and using a tape recorder to play it back to yourself.
The Tactile/Kinesthetic learner
Do you learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around you?
Do you find it hard to sit still for long periods?
Do you become distracted easily?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking an active part in role plays or drama activities.
Other English Learning Tips
Travel to an English speaking country:-
England is only a few hours flight away.
Specialist holidays are available to improve your English.
Take an English speaking tour or activity holiday.
Spend your time on things that interest you. If you like cooking then buy an English-language cookbook or find recipes on the net and practise following the recipes. You'll soon know if you have made a mistake!
Keep something English on you (book, newspaper or magazine, cd or cassette, set of flashcards) all day and every day, you never know when you might have 5 spare minutes.
If you are too tired to actively practice just relax and listen to an English pop song or talk radio station.

Using Newspapers to practice English

Newspapers are a great way to practice your reading skill and improve your vocabulary.
In addition, newspapers have ‘real world’ English, which is very different to ‘classroom’ English.
Here are some online newspapers:
Weird News Links to strange news storiesUSA WeekendReuters Hourly News Short summaries of current newsThe Chicago TribuneThe Jerusalem PostThe Nando TimesThe New York TimesThe Washington PostWorld Newspapers On lineReact Newsmagazine for teensReader’s Digest World
Here are some tips:
- it may seem difficult at first, but keep going!- keep your dictionary close by and use it.- writing out vocabulary helps remember it. Start a vocabulary notepad. Use each page for the each letter, A - Z. When you learn a new word, write it in your vocabulary notepad on the right page.- explore the different sections of the newspaper. Some will be easier than others.

do you speak Hinglish?

The largest community of English speaking people is not American, as one would believe, but India. English and Hindi have been happily mingling together for a centuries now, just like Fench and English did after the Norman invasions.The fact that there are more people speaking English in India than Britain, America, Canada and Australia combined raises an important question about the way we teach grammar "rules" to foreign students.If one billion people find it normal to say "are you liking your meal?", what right do we have to say it's wrong? Grammar is merely an attempt to find order in what we say, it wasn't there before language itself. So the majority rule applies - if most people say it - it must be right.Even back in England, many people (myself included) say "I was, you was, he was, we was, they was", paying little regard to whether they should use "was" or "were".English has also benefited from the influence of Indian speakers of English with the many news words that they have given us. There's an interesting article on the BBC about "Hinglish".

Are women better than men at learning languages?

What’s the key to success in learning a foreign language? Surely it’s a genuine desire to communicate with other people. I can’t think of another valid reason. That’s why in general women are better than men at learning languages. If you’re a man and you want to learn a language, I’m going to tell you why you will find it more difficult than a woman and what you can do about it.I’m probably going to be accused of stereotyping men and women here, but time and time again studies have shown that generally, (there are always exceptions) men score higher in maths tests and women score higher in language tests. I’m not a scientist, and I don’t want to bore you with scientific detail, but my experiences as a teacher pretty much confirm the scientists’ view.When I’m teaching a conversation class, it’s instantly obvious who are going to make the fastest progress because these are the ones who quickly get involved by asking questions. And more often than not, it’s the female members of the group that ask the most questions.Women are simply more interested in human beings than men. They genuinely mean it when they ask “how are you?” Being wives and mothers may have something to do with it, I mean, they are conditioned by society to be the ones that care. Men, on the other hand, are less interested in people and more interested in things, notably, cars, computers, gadgets, etc.If you are man reading this article, you have to get out of your macho cave and learn to be more interested in people. And swallow your pride when it comes to making mistakes. Women have fewer complexes about committing errors, because the important thing for them is building relationships. We all learn by making mistakes, it’s a natural part of the process. Learning a language is not a competition – men sometimes see their limitations as a “defeat” so they prefer not to speak at all. Giving up the idea that your are in a competition to see who's the the best would be a good start for a lot of men.

American or British?

Which English do you speak? Many people in France were taught what they believe to be British English, because that's what their teachers studied. That would be logical, as Britain is the nearest English-speaking country to France and thus the most important in terms of travel, trade, etc. However, I hear a lot of people today claiming that they can speak two foreign languages, English and American! That's like me saying I can speak Parisian French and Marseillais. Sure, there are some vocabulary differences, but most English speakers can understand each other, whether they are British, American, Australian or Indian. The pronunciation differences might cause some problems on occasions, just like in any language. When I see people from Quebec being interviewed on French TV, there are usually subtitles! I am in complete agreement with the American practice of simplifying spelling - as if learning a language isn't hard enough without illogical spellings. So whereas in British we write favour, neighbour, colour the Americans write favor, neighbor, color, and when we write theatre, centre, they write theater, center. As far as vocabulary goes, you just have to learn two words instead of one. But if you have a British teacher and you watch American movies, you will quickly get used to the differences.have a look at british/american dictionary for more resources.

Learning English – Tips for Beginners

Learning any new language is always a long and hard process. But there are little tips and tricks that can help along the way. With a little effort and dedication, learning a new language can become fun and exciting. Here are a few hints that will help a beginner in learning English.Tip #1: Use what you learn. This, more than anything else, is going to help a person learn English quickly and with accuracy. It also helps to learn first those words you can use often. A student should start to notice which words they use most often and learn how to say them in English.Tip #2: Work with others. Learning English by oneself can be a trying ordeal. Learning English with a friend can be fun and exciting. Two friends learning together can remind each other to use what they have learned and correct each other when they make mistakes.
Tip #3: Learn songs. If someone were asked to remember what their mother said to them at their childhood bedside, they probably wouldn’t be able to say. However, if someone were asked to sing a song that their mother sang to them at that same bedside, they could sing it back without missing a word. The human brain remembers song a lot better than it remembers straight words. Singing English songs can help with improving accent and remembering how words go together.
Tip #4: Write down new words. If a person can put new information into their brain in several different ways, they will remember it better. Writing down new words lets your mind remember the way it looks, the way it feels to write it. Even better, say the word aloud as you write it.
Tip #5: Write down what you hear. As a person learns English, he will hear new words every time he talks with someone in English. If these new words are not written down, they will be forgotten by the time the person makes it back to a dictionary where they can look the word up. One of the best investments a new English student can make is to buy a small notebook and pen that they can carry with them everywhere they go. Students are often shy about asking people about some word they just said. The truth is most people are more than happy to help, even spelling out words when asked. Everyone likes to feel like they have been helpful.
Tip #6: Read a book. In American schools, the smartest kids and quickest learners are those that take the time to read. Reading will supply a student with new vocabulary and lots of valuable practice. For those who are just starting, Dr. Seuss books provide a quick and fun way to absorb basic vocabulary.
As in everything else in life, the true key to success is very simple: practice, practice, practice. Anyone who is willing to make a real effort every single day can learn English, or any other language, for that matter. All it takes is a little time and dedication.

Use your ears, not your eyes

Here is a conversation I heard in class the other day. I asked a student to use the vocabulary she had learned the previous week to tell another student about her hobby.She said, "I like sewing". The other student responded, "sewing? How do you spell it?"- "S-E-W - to sew"- "OK, to sew, like 'you'"- "No, like 'go'"- "Sorry? didn't you say S-E-W?"- "Yes, I did"- "But that's "u" like "few"It took a few minutes to convince her that in fact the correct pronunciation for "sew" ryhmes with "go". She didn't have any problem with the word when she first heard it, but as soon as she saw the way it was spelt, she couldn't pronounce it any more. We just can't help ourselves (I do it too with French words). Have a little trust in you teacher, he or she usually pronounces words correctly! I suggest that you learn the phonetic symbols for at least the vowel sounds. It doesn't take long, and it's a really inexpensive way to master English pronunciation. All you need is a dictionary that uses the international alphabet, and you will know how to pronounce any word in English. Get into the habit of taking notes in phonetic symbols, so you don't confused by all the spelling variations in English.You can see the phonetic alphabet on my site. There is also a link to a university phonetics lab, which is really good practice. If you're serious about learning English, you have to do it!

Stop saying "How do you do" !

I don't know how many of you were taught to say "how do you do" at school, but I'd just like to tell you that virtually nobody says it anymore. If you want to enquire about someone's health, the question is "how are you?" or possibly "how are you doing?" which is more common in American English. Did you notice that I didn't put an exclamation mark after "how do you do" ? That's because it isn't a question. Your teachers mistakenly thought that it is the same as "how are you?", only a little more polite. The reality is, that in "posher" society, the phrase "how do do you do" is used when one is introduced, and the response is, funnily enough, "how do you do".Strange, eh? Well I don't know anyone who says it these days, if you are being introduced to someone you've never met before, you should say "nice to meet you". Here is another example of misleading teaching from non-native teachers of English. I hear tons of examples of old-fashioned expressions from students who learned English from teachers who learned English thirty or forty years ago. Stay in touch with modern English by reading and listening to the radio.

The Big Mistake that Stops you Learning

Want to know what’s holding you back from learning a foreign language? It’s the one thing that children NEVER do when learning their mother tongue. You were a child once, and you learned to speak your first language without ever making this mistake. But adults just can’t stop themselves from doing it! What is it? It’s the question “WHY?”“Why do you say that in French? It just doesn’t make sense”, I would repeatedly ask my wife. This has an incredibly de-motivating effect on the brain’s desire to assimilate new information. Subconsciously, I am saying to myself, “this is really dumb, I don’t want to do this.” I noticed this when trying to conduct conversation classes. A student will invariably ask, “how long you live here?” When I correct the mistake, “how long have you lived here?” they say, “why?” It’s not like that in their language, so they don’t want to believe that it’s like that in English. They even continue to come up with variations that they think sound better and ask me if they can use them. “No”, I say. “Why not?”, they respond. The whole lesson is wasted because they refuse to believe what I, the English teacher, am telling them!My advice: even if you don’t understand why something is said a particular way, just accept it and move on.

learning everyday words

When I first arrived in France, the first thing I had to do was build a kitchen in the apartment where we were living. It was at this time that I realised just how many everyday words I hadn't learned whilst trying to study French in England. I would find myself in some hardware store gazing around wondering how to say "emulsion paint" or "sealant" or "washers". Even a simple word like "paint" can generate dozens of possiblities: vinyl, matt, eggshell, gloss, paintbrush, roller, paint tray, dilute, stir, drying time, undercoat, sandpaper, filler, finish, washable, etc.If you are planning to go live in an foreign country, then start thinking about the possible word groups you are likely to encounter. Have a look around your kitchen and see what words you may need when abroad - not just the obvious ones like names of food items, but others. I know a lot of French people who have an excellent level in English but have never learned words like "sweep" "broom" "mop up" or "do the hoovering"!If you are going to collect word groups like housework or DIY, then you could try making mindmaps. Go to my mind map pages for more information.

Improving Your English Vocabulary

A large part of learning to speak English is to improve your vocabulary. Improving your vocabulary will help you feel more confident when speaking English. It will also help you understand what you are hearing when others are speaking English. There are many tools you can use to improve your English vocabulary.• Get a dictionary. There are some good English dictionaries available online. A good dictionary helps you learn more words. The following are some of the ways to use a dictionary to improve your English vocabulary:o Write down words that are new to you. Look the words up in a dictionary, and then write down the meanings of the words. Keep all of your words together so you can look at them when you need them.o Pay attention to the definition. Some words have more than one meaning, so be sure to read the whole definition. Many dictionaries will also give examples of the word in a sentence. This helps you understand the word and learn to use it.o Find new words and learn what they mean. If you learn 10 new words each day, Monday through Friday, you will learn 200 new words each month. Saturday and Sunday can be used to review your new words to be sure you know what they mean.• Read in English. Read books, magazines and news articles every day. Try to guess the meaning of new words by looking at the whole sentence. When you read words that you do not understand, look in your dictionary.• Ask English speakers. When you think you understand a word, write it in a sentence. Ask someone who speaks English well to read your sentence and tell you if you have used the word correctly. When speaking, ask if you have used the right words.• Use vocabulary books. There are many vocabulary books available. Some websites also offer free vocabulary worksheets. Some books and worksheets are very easy for beginning learners, and some are very hard for more advanced learners. Make sure you use books and worksheets that are right for your level.• Work crossword puzzles. Crossword puzzles are a good way to learn words and their meanings. Crossword puzzles provide clues that are definitions of words. The words that go with the definition are the answers that go into the puzzle. Crossword puzzles come in many levels, so you can work puzzles that are right for you.• If you think you are ready for difficult words, get a copy of a magazine called Reader’s Digest. Each issue has a vocabulary quiz that has 20 words. Each word offers multiple choices for the definition. The correct answers are included in the magazine.• Practice. All of these tools will help you improve your English vocabulary, but you must practice. When you learn a new word, write sentences using that word. Try to use the word when speaking. You will better remember the word if you use it.
When you are learning English, you must do the same things you did when learning your own language. When you began speaking your own language, you knew only a few words. You learned more words by listening, reading and asking others. As you learn new words, practice them so you will know them well.

Learning English – Tips for Beginners

Learning any new language is always a long and hard process. But there are little tips and tricks that can help along the way. With a little effort and dedication, learning a new language can become fun and exciting. Here are a few hints that will help a beginner in learning English.Tip #1: Use what you learn. This, more than anything else, is going to help a person learn English quickly and with accuracy. It also helps to learn first those words you can use often. A student should start to notice which words they use most often and learn how to say them in English.Tip #2: Work with others. Learning English by oneself can be a trying ordeal. Learning English with a friend can be fun and exciting. Two friends learning together can remind each other to use what they have learned and correct each other when they make mistakes.
Tip #3: Learn songs. If someone were asked to remember what their mother said to them at their childhood bedside, they probably wouldn’t be able to say. However, if someone were asked to sing a song that their mother sang to them at that same bedside, they could sing it back without missing a word. The human brain remembers song a lot better than it remembers straight words. Singing English songs can help with improving accent and remembering how words go together.
Tip #4: Write down new words. If a person can put new information into their brain in several different ways, they will remember it better. Writing down new words lets your mind remember the way it looks, the way it feels to write it. Even better, say the word aloud as you write it.
Tip #5: Write down what you hear. As a person learns English, he will hear new words every time he talks with someone in English. If these new words are not written down, they will be forgotten by the time the person makes it back to a dictionary where they can look the word up. One of the best investments a new English student can make is to buy a small notebook and pen that they can carry with them everywhere they go. Students are often shy about asking people about some word they just said. The truth is most people are more than happy to help, even spelling out words when asked. Everyone likes to feel like they have been helpful.
Tip #6: Read a book. In American schools, the smartest kids and quickest learners are those that take the time to read. Reading will supply a student with new vocabulary and lots of valuable practice. For those who are just starting, Dr. Seuss books provide a quick and fun way to absorb basic vocabulary.
As in everything else in life, the true key to success is very simple: practice, practice, practice. Anyone who is willing to make a real effort every single day can learn English, or any other language, for that matter. All it takes is a little time and dedication.

http://www.learning-english.ca/

Games for Learning English

Learning any language can often become quite a tedious affair. There are endless grammar rules to memorize, and thousands of vocabulary words to try to hold in mind until they are needed. One of the primary enemies in learning English is boredom. English learning games can provide a bit fun in the long process of learning a language. Here are a few ideas for English learning games that can be used in classrooms or among friends.
Game #1: Fill in the blanks. How many times is an English student left searching for just the right word? This game can help students learn different ways of saying something and making it fun. Simply take an easy to understand paragraph (song lyrics are often good for this game) and take out several words. For instance:
Johnny was walking home one fine _______ and happened to notice a ______ lying on the ground. He stopped to pick it up and found that it was glued onto a piece of _____.
English students can find different words that will work in each sentence. If the students want ot make a competition out of it, they can award points for who can come up with the most alternative words for the blanks. On the other hand, points can be awarded in each round for the student who can think up the longest word that would fit in the sentence.
Game #2: Jeopardy: This fun American English learning game can give a lot of help for English students who are learning the correct way to ask questions. In Jeopardy, a contestant chooses a category and the person running the game reads out the answer. Students then raise their hand when they know the answer. The first student to raise their hand gets the first chance to answer. The answer must be in the form of a question. For example:Student picks category, “US History.” The person running the game reads the clue, “This person was the first president of the United States.” Then, the first student who raised their hand would have to say, “Who was George Washington?” in order to win the points for the question.
Game #3: Charades: This is an excellent English learning game for students who are learning adjectives and other descriptions. The students divide into two teams. On one team’s turn, one student gets up and acts out a clue, such as ‘Elevator,’ and the members of his or her team try to guess what they are acting out. The students can only speak in English while trying to guess the clues. Any student who speaks to in their native language is disqualified form the round.
English learning games are a lot of fun and provide a fun and exciting way to recall everything that the students have learned during a particular session. As with any other activity, it is a lot easier to learn if it is fun. Other suggestions might include breaking up a lesson by learning some children’s songs or nursery rhymes.

http://www.learning-english.ca/games-for-learning-english/

Improve your vocabulary part 3

Use crazy associations.I have been writing quite a lot recently about the linkword method, which involves associating something memorable in your own language to something that sounds similar in the language you are learning. Somebody came up with a great list of French phrases that could be converted in into English. The list appears on a lot of 'joke' websites, but it is in fact the basis of having a great memory, not just for foreign words, but for anything else too. Here are a few examples:FrenchCanaille (rogue, rascal) - can I?ail ou radis? (garlic or radish?) - are you ready?six tonnes de chair (six tons of flesh) - sit on the chairguy vomit sur mon nez (guy vomits on my nose) - give me some moneyoeuf corse (Corsican egg) - of courseNow the trick here is to create a funny scene in your head that will make it impossible to forget. So a French speaker would imagine a huge six-ton elephant trying to sit on a chair, because to him 'sit on the chair' sounds like 'six tons of flesh' in his language.You can read more about linkword here

improve your vocabulary - part 2

What's the word for the instrument you use to open a bottle of wine? It's a corkscrew. We saw this word in the previous post. If you are a native French speaker, you would think that this word is an old anglo-saxon word that has no connection with French. You would be wrong. According to my dictionary 'cork' has come from French 'écorce', the letter Cs having changed to hard 'k' sounds. And I would bet, although I'm not 100% sure, that 'screw' stemmed from 'écrou', although the meaning has changed somewhat.This knowledge helps you connect something familiar (if you are a French-speaker) to something that was before quite unfamiliar - écorce - écrou - corkscrew. Being aware of the roots of a word can help you enormously in your quest to build your vocabulary. Another thing that will help you is to learn some of the prefixes and suffixes that have come from Latin or Greek. There are some examples here.

improve your vocabulary - part 1

Many of you write to me saying that you lack vocabulary and would like to know what is the best way to improve. Others say that they need English for a specific purpose, like business, and request lessons on business vocabulary. still others need to travel, so need travel vocabulary.So everyone has their own reason for learning a language, and this reason is the most important motivation you can have for wanting to learn. If you need English to go on holiday to Las Vegas, there is simply no point in spending time learning Sillicon Valley business idioms.I'm going to give you five ways to help you retain the new words that you learn during your study periods. Be aware, however, that all of these techniques need lots of revision for them to be effective, and like it or not, repetition is still the best way to fix a word or expression in your head.Number One:Link words that go together and review often. I started the mind map below based on the theme of wine, a favourite subject amongst my French students. I test their vocabulary by asking them what the English word is for the instrument they use to open the bottle. Usually they don't know the word 'corkscrew', and it is a difficult word for them to retain as it doesn't bear any immediate similarity to any word in French. By linking familiar words to less familiar ones, we have a better chance of understanding and, eventually, retaining them for later use. So on the mind-map we have 'bottle' which is recognisable as coming from 'bouteille' in French, and next to it the word 'cork'. If I link the verb 'to open' with 'cork' and then add 'corkscrew', you could probably guess that it is the French word for 'tirebouchon' (if you're a French-speaker, of course, as most of my readers are).

Try this technique with a group of vocabulary that you need to learn. Each branch of the mind map should have words that relate to each other - so 'living room' would link to 'sofa' 'coffee table' 'television' and other things that are found in a living room. Do a personal 'brainstorming' with a dictionary to see how many words you can come up for a given subect.

http://apprendre-anglais.blogspot.com/

Using the internet

I'm a fan of Google, as I've said before. Their search engine almost always pulls up the results I'm looking for. The internet is a fantastic resource for language learning, as you can find free courses, dictionaries, chat-rooms to help you. When learning vocabulary and expressions, though, a single dictionary definition can be a bit limited. Here's what I do when I want to fully understand a word or phrase that I've come across, but am little uncertain as to its use:Simple type the word or phrase into google in speech marks (guillemets ""). Google will pull up not only dictionary definitions but examples of the word or phrase in various contexts - something that is essential in language acqisition. Have a look a five or more of these references and you will have a good idea of how a native speaker uses it.Try it out: do a search for "brown nosing"; "takes the biscuit" "parrot-fashion" and see what results you get!

Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary

What made Shakespeare the greatest writer in English literature? His stories were good, for sure - but a lot of them were simply re-workings of historical events or legends. His rhythm and rhyme were good, too - but everyone else was doing the same. What made Shakespeare great, and what can make you great too, was the size of his...Vocabulary! It is believed that the average person is able to recognise between 10 and 15 thousand words. Shakespeare used 35,000 words in his plays and sonnets, thus making him the ultimate communicator in history.What are the benefits you can derive from improving your vocabulary?1 Greater understanding means being better informed. So it's easy to read comic books but a bit more tricky reading "the Times". Want the edge on your colleagues or competitors? You must be at ease with your language, and have a good understanding. it can be embarrassing and even destructive to find yourself in a situation where everyone is using a word that you don't know. Knowledge is power!2 Add spice to your public speaking. Using the same words over and over gets boring. Having a large vocabulary will always keep your audience keen. Be careful though, using long words just to impress will always have the opposite effect, people will switch off if they think you are being pompous.3. Get your message across more effectively. Many people believe that the word 'synonym' means 'another word for the same thing'. This is not true. If two words meant exactly the same thing, we wouldn't need them. Synonyms are similar words, but not the same. Having a good range of synonyms can add not only richness to your speech, but also make you communicate more effectively. The nuances that you create in your choice of vocabulary will hit the nail on the head as far as your listeners are concerned. They will go away knowing exactly what the message was, not just some vague idea.The best way to improve your vocabulary is get a thesaurus and start adding words to your active vocabulary. Using mind maps is great way to organise your ideas: write a word in the middle of blank sheet of paper and use colors and images to build associations. If you've never used mind maps before, now's the time to get started. You can see some examples at my site.

http://apprendre-anglais.blogspot.com/

How to improve your English skills

My most important advice is to do something (anything), but above all have fun! Make learning English your hobby, not a chore.
Don't be in too much of a hurry. You're setting off on a long journey and there'll be delays and frustrations along the way. Sometimes you'll be in the fast lane and other times you'll be stuck in traffic, but there will also be lots of interesting things and interesting people along the way. Take your time to really enjoy the experience.
There are many ways to improve your level of English, but only you can find the right way for you. Here are a few tips that might help:-
Improve your Learning Skills
Learning is a skill and it can be improved.
Your path to learning effectively is through knowing
yourself
your capacity to learn
processes you have successfully used in the past
your interest, and knowledge of what you wish to learn
Motivate yourself
If you are not motivated to learn English you will become frustrated and give up. Ask yourself the following questions, and be honest:-
Why do you need to learn/improve English?
Where will you need to use English?
What skills do you need to learn/improve? (Reading/Writing/Listening/Speaking)
How soon do you need to see results?
How much time can you afford to devote to learning English.
How much money can you afford to devote to learning English.
Do you have a plan or learning strategy?
Set yourself achievable goals
You know how much time you can dedicate to learning English, but a short time each day will produce better, longer-term results than a full day on the weekend and then nothing for two weeks.
Joining a short intensive course could produce better results than joining a course that takes place once a week for six months.
Here are some goals you could set yourself:-
Join an English course (and attend regularly).
Do your homework.
Read a book a month.
Learn a new word every day.
Visit an English speaking forum every day.
Read a news article on the net every day.
Do 10 minutes listening practice every day.
Watch an English film at least once a month.
Follow a soap, comedy or radio or TV drama.
A good way to meet your goals is to establish a system of rewards and punishments.
Decide on a reward you will give yourself for fulfilling your goals for a month.
A bottle of your favourite drink
A meal out / or a nice meal at home
A new outfit
A manicure or massage
Understanding how you learn best may also help you.
There are different ways to learn. Find out what kind of learner you are in order to better understand how to learn more effectively..

The visual learner
Do you need to see your teacher during lessons in order to fully understand the content of a lesson?
Do you prefer to sit at the front of the classroom to avoid visual obstructions (e.g. people's heads)?
Do you think in pictures and learn best from visual displays including: diagrams, illustrated text books, overhead transparencies, videos, flipcharts and hand-outs?
During a lecture or classroom discussion, do you prefer to take detailed notes to absorb the information?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking part in traditional English lessons, but maybe private lessons would be better.
The auditory learner
Do you learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through and listening to what others have to say?
Do you interpret the underlying meanings of speech through listening to tone of voice, pitch, speed and other nuances?
Does written information have little meaning until you hear it?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from listening to the radio or listening to text as you read it. You could try reading text aloud and using a tape recorder to play it back to yourself.
The Tactile/Kinesthetic learner
Do you learn best through a hands-on approach, actively exploring the physical world around you?
Do you find it hard to sit still for long periods?
Do you become distracted easily?
!Learning Tip - you may benefit from taking an active part in role plays or drama activities.
Other English Learning Tips
Travel to an English speaking country:-
England is only a few hours flight away.
Specialist holidays are available to improve your English.
Take an English speaking tour or activity holiday.
Spend your time on things that interest you. If you like cooking then buy an English-language cookbook or find recipes on the net and practise following the recipes. You'll soon know if you have made a mistake!
Keep something English on you (book, newspaper or magazine, cd or cassette, set of flashcards) all day and every day, you never know when you might have 5 spare minutes.
If you are too tired to actively practice just relax and listen to an English pop song or talk radio station.

http://www.learnenglish.de/improvepage.htm

how to improve English writing

When learning how to improve English writing skills, it's helpful to have some help.
Some guided help.
Of course, the next question has to be...
How guided?
There is no simple answer. It all depends on what level you are at now and to what degree you want to improve your English writing skills.
As an example, let's say that you are an intermediate or upper intermediate student and you want to take the next step to attain a proficiency level of writing.
How do you get there?
Remember when you first started to improve your English writing skills?
Probably not, but it looked more or less like this...
Dear ________,
Hello! How are _____ ?
I'm _______. I hope you _________ (have) a good timeat school.
My friends and I ________ (go) to the cinema tonight.
We ______ (be) going to see an action movie.
Something similar to the above was probably your introduction to guided composition writing. That's great when you are just starting out, but knowing how to improve your writing skills at the proficiency level is a bit more complicated.

First, let's start with some basic phrases that are an absolute must at this level of writing.
To begin with, you need to know... to begin with!
At the proficiency level of writing it pays to know more than one way to list sequential events or introduce subjects. Instead of using first, secondly, thirdly, next and finally to introduce a sequence or series of events (as is commonly done at an intermediate level) you can use, to begin with, what's more, moreover, consequently and ultimately to conclude the series. The job these words and phrases accomplish make up an important part of writing proficiently.

You see, there is much to know when learning how to improve English writing skills.
Not only will you learn how to improve English writing skills from "Writing Proficiently," you'll get access to guided composition writing at the highest levels with advanced exercises designed to help you go from being an average or upper intermediate writer, to being a proficient writer of the English language.

How to Improve English Reading

To read English books and magazines is one of the main purposes of English learning. If you can understand the contents, you will feel happy. Many people want to improve their English through reading, so they begin to read all kinds of English hooks and magazines with high expectation. But many of them give up halfway because of some difficulties. What a pity! They lack persistence I have some suggestions to offer. First, they should pay attention to the reading materials they choose. Those materials should be not only interesting, but also not too difficult. Otherwise, it will be easy for the readers to lose heart. Second, don't consult dictionaries during reading. That will disturb you and make the reading boring. Last but not least, choose a quiet place to yourself. The environment is also crucial to reading, especially English reading. You have to concentrate your mind. Try these, and you will make progress.

To improve your English reading, you should, first of all, choose something you feel important or interesting to read. Don't try to read everything. You should begin with those written in simple English, Don't read those which prove difficult for you at the very beginning. While reading, don't ad too slowly or look up every new word you meet with.After reading a passage and having its main idea in mind ,you may turn back and read it again.. This time you read it slowly and look up some new words if necessary.Keep on reading.like this and you'll surely make progress little by little.

How to Improve Your Listening

Everyone knows that there are four skills in learning a language， namely listening， speaking， reading and writing. They are always related in terms of usage， and speaking is viewed by learners as the most desirable skill in face-to-face communication in the globalization era. However， what is the answer to the following questions？
　　* What do you have to do before you speak？
　　* What does a child learn before he talks？
　　* What do you do before chatting？
　　Listen， of course！
　　In English learning， not enough attention is paid to listening. You have one mouth but two ears！ Therefore， we should listen twice as much as we speak. Did you ever ask yourself， “How did I learn my own language？” In fact you never really learned it at all —— you just started speaking it. But this speaking was the result of hearing your native language for two or three years. All that hearing was necessary for you to start speaking. For two years words went IN to your head and then words came OUT of your head. That is why hearing （and listening to） English as much as possible is so important to you now. The more English you put in， the more you'll get out！
　　Why is listening good for you ？
　　Listening is good for the English student because：
　　1. When listening， you are reviewing a lot of English usage such as vocabulary， grammatical structures， intonation， accent and your own interpretation.
　　2. You can learn new words and expressions by hearing them frequently.
　　3. General knowledge gained from television or radio news， features， or even advertising spots is certainly beneficial if you are a regular listener.
　　4. You can imitate what you hear and apply it with great confidence.
　　5. Listening can be a great “hobby” while you do other things such as cooking， exercising， relaxing， etc. In other words， you have no wasted time at all.
　　6. Listening is also a great way to train your attention.
　　The results of good listening
　　Confidence
　　To be able to listen well gives you confidence in communication. And the more confident you are at listening the more confident you will be at speaking.
　　Good communication
　　You can only talk sensibly when you can understand what is said to you. Failing that， you may miss important information presented to you， or respond in a funny way. Good communication means longer communication that is worthwhile communication. The better you become at communication the more foreigners will want to talk with you.
　　Develop good listening skills
　　Listening in everyday life is a real-time skill. Unlike reading， you often don't have the chance to adjust the pace of speech， listen again or check an unknown word. The need to understand what you hear on the spot makes it even more crucial that you develop the ability to listen well.
　　Basic advice about improving your listening
　　1. Don't worry if you don't understand every word. Do you think that listening is about getting every word that is spoken？ If so， think again. Even though good listeners may be able to get every word they hear， this is not their concern most of the time， as our experience with our first language tells us. Have objectives. So do specify your listening objectives when you carry out a listening activity. As long as you achieve your objectives， you are a good listener —— whether you catch every word or not.
　　2. Be a good listener. To start to be a good listener try this. Face the speaker squarely， lean slightly toward the speaker， do not fold your arms across your chest， look at the speaker， let them know you are attending. The speaker will pick up on this and will also become more relaxed. Listening is a part of communication.
　　Good listening habits
　　1. Pay attention to the listener， even though the subject may be boring.
　　2. Wait for the speaker to finish before you speak.
　　3. Maintain eye contact.
　　4. Listen for feelings as well as subject matter.
　　5. Show non-verbal responses to listening to demonstrate that you are listening such as nodding， smiling， leaning forward， etc.
　　6. Give brief verbal responses： “Yes，” “Yeah”， “Uh-hum，” “M-m-m，” “Oh，” etc.
　　7. Only ask questions to clarify something said.
　　8. Demonstrate you have an open mind by not responding negatively to the other person's ideas or feeling.
　　9. Paraphrase what you hear to make sure you have heard it correctly.
　　10. Work to make yourself really want to listen.
　　11. Listen carefully to understand the main message.
　　12. Maintain emotional control， no matter what is said.
　　Bad listening habits
　　The following are bad listening habits and can become irritating to the speaker. Try to avoid them whenever possible.
　　1. Interrupting the speaker.
　　2. Not looking at the speaker.
　　3. Rushing the speaker and making him feel that he's wasting the listener's time.
　　4. Showing interest in something other than the conversation.
　　5. Getting ahead of the speaker and finishing his thoughts.
　　6. Not responding to the speaker's requests.
　　7. Saying， “Yes， but … ” as if the listener has made up his mind.
　　8. Topping the speaker's story with “That reminds me … ” or “That's nothing， let me tell you about … ”
　　9. Forgetting what was talked about previously.
　　10. Asking too many questions about detail.
　　Practical ways to improve your listening
　　The following are just a few ways in which you can improve your listening.
　　Radio. Listen to the radio， especially Voice of America （VOA） and the BBC World Service. News reports are ideal practice materials because they are easily accessible and there is a real reason for you to listen. You want to know what's happening in the world. You could wake up five minutes earlier and listen to the news in English. Make it a goal to learn several new words every time. Try to imitate the announcer. Talk along with him.
　　Television. TV is an excellent resource for hearing and listening to English. The pictures help you understand what is being said. Especially watch CCTV 9， which is the English channel， to improve your listening skills. Try watching the news in English instead of Chinese. If you don't have access to a TV you may be able to watch movies on the Internet. Listening to others talk is good preparation for talking yourself.
　　Internet. It is now a lot easier to hear English-language radio news on the Internet. To be able to listen to radio on the Internet， you'll need to have special software called “players” installed on your computer. Most sites work with two players —— the RealPlayer from RealNotworks and the Windows Media Player from Microsoft. Both these packages are free and you may already have them installed on your computer. Search for English material on the net. Instead of chatting in Chinese on the net why not try chatting in English！ Check out web sites on the Internet that have been designed for， or by， students. Dave's ESL Cafe （www daveseslcafe.com）， Linguistic Funland （www. linguistic-funland.com/ tesl. html） and Virtual English Language Center （www. comenius.com） are good examples. Why not try 2english.com.cn which has recently come on line and is a joint Sino-British language learning project with support from the British Council， China Central Radio and Television University and the BBC. Two sections of this free website will interest you： “Living English” offers English language materials developed by the BBC and focuses on recreational English for sports， travel and music. “Working English” is intended for business professionals and has a systematic business English programme to improve business vocabulary， negotiation techniques and spoken English.
　　Music/ songs. Songs in English are everywhere， even on foreign-language radio and TV stations. Listen to them often and try to read the words of their songs. Repeat. Sing along. Write five sentences using some of the new words you hear. Enjoy singing in English with your friends. When you go to Karaoke bar try to sing at least one English song. Buy some cassettes or CDs， or make recordings， and try to write the words for an entire song. （Warning： don't depend on texts provided in Chinese magazines or On CD covers because they sometimes contain errors.）
　　Cinema. Outside the English-speaking world， many large cities have cinemas that show films in English， usually with subtitles. Make it a habit to go to these films. When you go to see English films， try not to read the Chinese subtitles. If you need to read the subtitles， at least you'll be hearing English even if you don't understand it.
　　Video/ VCD/ DVD. DVD has one really great advantage. You can play it over again. You can turn ordinary viewing into an active language learning exercise by：
　　（a） stopping the disc and comparing what you hear to what the subtitles say
　　（b） keeping a diary of any new expressions or words you learn
　　（c） recording any interesting or unusual translations you hear
　　（d） taking notes of any gestures or other body language you see
　　（e） covering any subtitles with paper （which you can remove if you really don't understand after listening several times）
　　（f） recording programmes from television and then watching them several times to improve your understanding
　　（g） playing English video games！
　　Tapes. Listen to tapes. Find books-on-tapes in your local library. Listen while you are relaxing in your dormitory or while walking or cycling if you have a Walkman. Choose a famous person whose accent you like， and if you can get recordings of him or her， imitate the way he/she speaks. You could also tape your own voice and analyse your own speech. You could also send a copy to your foreign teacher and let them correct your grammar and pronunciation. Exchange taped messages with a classmate. Record a few minutes and then ask your classmate to respond on the same tape.
　　Lectures. Lectures are the main way of communicating knowledge at university， so it would be of great benefit if you can improve your ability to better understand lectures. Comprehending academic lectures in a second language is not an easy task， because it involves skills such as coping with the lecturer's speech characteristics （e.g. accent， speed， intonation， expressions）， identifying the main ideas， and not-taking. Try the following suggestions：
　　* Jot down notes of the main points of the lecture and compare this with the lecturer's handout to see what you have got or missed
　　* Compare and discuss your comprehension with another student's
　　* Record the lecture using a Walkman and check your comprehension and notes as you listen to it again （but do be courteous and ask the lecturer for permission before making the recording）
　　* Review your notes shortly after the lecture to help you to remember the contents better， annotating or highlighting any key points for easy revision
　　Friends. Find a friend who also wants to improve his or her English and have lunch or dinner together —— speaking English of course. Make it a rule to have one evening a week in your dormitory as an English evening when only English is spoken. Introduce penalties if this rule is broken. Of course， this will practice your listening as well as your speaking. And if you don't have a lot of time to go out and meet people， at least you can chat a little by telephone. Play games printed in English， which require some knowledge of English （Monopoly， Scrabble， Life， Dictionary， etc.）。 Before starting， come up with a repertoire of basic commands for playing， and encourage the other players to speak only English.
　　Finally. Don't worry if you don't understand everything you hear. Hearing comes first！ Understanding comes next！

How to improve your spoken English

Improve Your English Speaking and English Pronunciation Skills
The first rule of speaking English is to speak clearly, concisely and use simple vocabulary. KISS - keep it short and simple.
Remember you probably won't just speak to native speakers. There are roughly 380 million native speakers, but as many as a billion people speak it as a second language. So it's a good idea to avoid idioms and slang (I always say learn it, but don't use it). It might sound clever to say "You're barking up the wrong tree," but if you misuse it or if the other person doesn't understand you, you'll only look silly when you try to explain what you meant to say, or what it actually means.
There's also a saying in English "Have you swallowed a dictionary?" It is applicable to anyone who uses long, complicated words when a shorter word will do. Short sentences are just as good (if not better) than long explanations. The value in what you have to say is what you say, not how clever you look or sound when you say it.
Pronunciation skills
Accents don't matter, as long as people can understand you, so pronunciation is important.
Learn the phonetic alphabet.
List words that have the same sound add to the lists as you learn more words.
For example words that rhyme with me:-
Work on one problem sound at a time. Read slowly concentrating on the pronunciation of particular words. Record yourself, keep the tape and record yourself later, have you improved? Don't be shy - ask a friend to listen to the tape too.
Don't worry about sounding like a native, it is more important to speak clearly and pleasantly than it is to sound like the Queen of England.
The most important thing to think about is can people understand you? If you have a problem being understood then find someone who speaks English clearly and try to copy the way they speak. Pay particular attention to speed and diction.
English speaking tips
Read short stories out loud and try to see, say and hear the words to reinforce your memory. Record yourself and play it back later, how does it sound?
Talk to friends who are also learning English. Go out together for coffee and only speak English to each other!Find native English speaking friends:-
You can find ePals on the Internet!
Visit an Irish/English/Australian theme pub. Often, the waiters and waitresses come from English-speaking countries, the menu is often in English too!
You can find pen pals through specialist magazines. See my Resources Page for details of a few.
Join an English club or conversation group. Around the world there are many English speaking clubs, these clubs aren't just for expats but for people interested in the English way of life. They are friendly and fun. For a list of English clubs click here. Check magazines as well as your phone book, your local newspaper and your local university. Or if there isn't one in your area - start one! Place an advertisement in your newspaper for people interested in starting a group or go to Meetup.
There are several internet based voice chat programmes out there: iVisit Pal Talk MSN Web Messenger Yahoo! Messenger Google Talk Skype and lots more.

How To Learn English!

Speak without Fear
The biggest problem most people face in learning a new language is their own fear. They worry that they won’t say things correctly or that they will look stupid so they don’t talk at all. Don’t do this. The fastest way to learn anything is to do it – again and again until you get it right. Like anything, learning English requires practice. Don’t let a little fear stop you from getting what you want.
Use all of your Resources
Even if you study English at a language school it doesn’t mean you can’t learn outside of class. Using as many different sources, methods and tools as possible, will allow you to learn faster. There are many different ways you can improve your English, so don’t limit yourself to only one or two. The internet is a fantastic resource for virtually anything, but for the language learner it's perfect.
Surround Yourself with English
The absolute best way to learn English is to surround yourself with it. Take notes in English, put English books around your room, listen to English language radio broadcasts, watch English news, movies and television. Speak English with your friends whenever you can. The more English material that you have around you, the faster you will learn and the more likely it is that you will begin “thinking in English.” .
Listen to Native Speakers as Much as Possible
There are some good English teachers that have had to learn English as a second language before they could teach it. However, there are several reasons why many of the best schools prefer to hire native English speakers. One of the reasons is that native speakers have a natural flow to their speech that students of English should try to imitate. The closer ESL / EFL students can get to this rhythm or flow, the more convincing and comfortable they will become.
Watch English Films and Television
This is not only a fun way to learn but it is also very effective. By watching English films (especially those with English subtitles) you can expand your vocabulary and hear the flow of speech from the actors. If you listen to the news you can also hear different accents.
Listen to English Music
Music can be a very effective method of learning English. In fact, it is often used as a way of improving comprehension. The best way to learn though, is to get the lyrics (words) to the songs you are listening to and try to read them as the artist sings. There are several good internet sites where one can find the words for most songs. This way you can practice your listening and reading at the same time. And if you like to sing, fine.
Study As Often As Possible!
Only by studying things like grammar and vocabulary and doing exercises, can you really improve your knowledge of any language.
Do Exercises and Take Tests
Many people think that exercises and tests aren't much fun. However, by completing exercises and taking tests you can really improve your English. One of the best reasons for doing lots of exercises and tests is that they give you a benchmark to compare your future results with. Often, it is by comparing your score on a test you took yesterday with one you took a month or six months ago that you realize just how much you have learned. If you never test yourself, you will never know how much you are progressing. Start now by doing some of the many exercises and tests on this site, and return in a few days to see what you've learned. Keep doing this and you really will make some progress with English.
Record Yourself
Nobody likes to hear their own voice on tape but like tests, it is good to compare your tapes from time to time. You may be so impressed with the progress you are making that you may not mind the sound of your voice as much.
Listen to English
By this, we mean, speak on the phone or listen to radio broadcasts, audiobooks or CDs in English. This is different than watching the television or films because you can’t see the person that is speaking to you. Many learners of English say that speaking on the phone is one of the most difficult things that they do and the only way to improve is to practice.
Finally
Have fun!