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Learning a language properly takes more than lessons in the classroom. Sure, you’ll figure out the way things work, and it’s an important foundation to learning the language in general, but your progress will be slow, and the final result won’t be as organic as if you had used other methods to help yourself along the way. There are various things you can do to help yourself in your quest to learn English, and if you have time for some of them, it’s definitely a good idea to give them a chance.
1. Discussion Forums
The internet is full of places where people gather to discuss their common interests at length. Those forums can be a great resource for learning the language and participating in some discussions yourself. You’d be surprised how fast you can pick up on some ideas when you keep seeing them repeated over and over again. However, keep in mind that some of those forums might have very strict moderation in place with regards to grammar and general language use. Try to avoid those at first.
2. Karaoke
Karaoke has always been a great way to both socialize, and to learn some of the finer nuances of a language by repeating carefully crafted phrases over and over again. And while it can be a bit challenging to do this right now in the middle of the pandemic, there are some alternatives that can work very well. There are entire communities dedicated to similar ideas, and they can be a great way to not only improve your language skills but to find and make new friends online too.
3. Language Buddy
Perhaps the most obvious resource, and also one that people tend to ignore the most for some reason – a language buddy can help you a lot in many ways, from teaching you common phrases and structures to correcting you when you make common mistakes. Of course, this is a relationship where you’ll be expected to give something as well because it can be quite demanding on the other person. If you can help them learn a language that you yourself are skilled in, that can be a great way to go.
4. Creative Writing
Writing for fun can not only be a relaxing and fulfilling activity; it can also help you gain a new perspective on the way you’re using the language you write in. Try reading your works a few days after writing them – they will always sound much more differently than they did fresh out of the oven. And you’ll often see various opportunities for improvement by doing that over and over again. Take notes, iterate on what you’ve learned, and remember to have fun too!
5. Online Gaming
Games are no longer a “nerd’s hobby”, and gaming is in fact one of the biggest entertainment industries at the moment. Many people enjoy playing online, and this can be a great way to bond with others and to practice your language along the way. However, it also comes with some caveats. You have to be careful about the games you’re playing for this purpose because a severe language barrier can make the experience frustrating for others in some cases. Avoid competitive games where communication is important until you’re certain that you can comfortably talk to others about the things happening on your screen.
Do at least one of those on a regular basis, and it won’t take long before you start to see your language skills improving significantly. It will be slow at first, but your progress is going to practically snowball after that, especially if you combine multiple methods.
