Last time I talked about input and how it is an important part of studying English. Before moving on, I want to mention that I really do believe that most of the input you use to study should be a little close to your level, but also very challenging. If the content is too easy, you may be bored and just keep hearing the same "baby words" again and again. However, if you cannot understand even one word you see or hear, you may feel frustrated and just want to give up. So here's a rule for you to follow:
If you can understand about twenty percent, then keep going.
If you understand less than twenty percent, the level is too high for you.
"ONLY 20%??? THAT NUMBER IS TOO LOW!!" I know what you're thinking. Maybe you think it's crazy. Maybe you think it's not realistic. But you need to challenge yourself. And you want to learn new things, right? You want to pick up new vocabulary, right? You want to become more familiar with the real rhythm and flow of English, don't you? Well, if you don't expose yourself to it, you can't learn it. You especially can't learn it if you don't know it exists. Let me give you an example using a word than many English learners don't know about. Read this short conversation:
Andy: Hey, what are you up to tomorrow evening, Hank?
Hank: Tomorrow? Well, Andy invited me to a party at his house. I don't think I'm going, though.
What does the conversation mean? Andy asked Hank what he's doing tomorrow evening. Hank answered that Andy invited him to a party, but he doesn't think he is going. Do you understand the situation? Is there anything strange about the conversation? Did you learn anything? What does "though" mean? How can you use it? Let's read 3 more sentences:
1.) John is very good at sports. He's not good at long-distance running, though.
2.) Amy is an excellent English speaker. She's terrible at spelling, though.
3.) Rebecca is a great singer. She can't play any instruments, though.
Now can you understand how to use THOUGH in this way? Maybe you can. Even if you cannot understand how to use it perfectly, NOW YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. You just saw four examples of how to use it, and maybe if you saw it or heard it again, you would understand the meaning. You may not understand something the first time, but if you ENCOUNTER IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, maybe you WILL UNDERSTAND IT. And after the third or fourth or fifth time encountering it, if you still don't know, you can check.
You can ask a friend. You can check a dictionary. You can go online and ask someone for answers. You can ask someone on Dave's ESL Cafe or send a message to JAMES ESL on YouTube. Then you can write it down in a notebook or on a sticky note. You can say it over and over again. You can try to use it when speaking to a friend. You can try to write it in a sentence or in a story. You can start your own English blog and try to use that new vocabulary. This is OUTPUT.
You took something in through your eyes or ears and now it's time to put it out somewhere. It's your turn to pick up your pen or pick up your phone or any tool you can use and show what you have learned. And if you do it in many different ways, you will INCREASE THE CHANCES OF PUTTING INTO YOUR LONG-TERM MEMORY. For example, take the word "annoying." Then follow these steps.
Step 1: Write it down seven times at the top of a page.
annoying annoying annoying annoying annoying annoying annoying
Step 2: Read the word aloud over and over (if you don't know how to say it, check an online dictionary)
Step 3: Try to make two or three more sentences using the word.
-Sometimes my sister is annoying.
-I don't like going to the mall on the weekends because it's annoying to wait in long lines.
-My friends finds it annoying when I try to rap.
Step 4: E-mail or call a friend who speaks English and use the word in a sentence again.
Hello Jessie. How are you? My brother is annoying sometimes. How about your brother?
Step 5: Think of things that are annoying for you and then record yourself saying them. You could record a video or just an audio. It's even okay to use a simple sentence structure and repeat it.
_____________is annoying!!
Rush hour traffic is annoying!!
Extremely hot weather is annoying!!
Someone being noisy at a movie theater is annoying!!
These are only examples of steps you can take. It's okay to find your own style or do it your own way. The main point is that some kind of output is also necessary if you want to learn more quickly.
Next time I want to share come cool stuff with you. I want to talk about some sites, some tools, and some techniques for improving your English even more. So LOOK FORWARD TO IT!!
BFN!!! Happy studying!!
If you can understand about twenty percent, then keep going.
If you understand less than twenty percent, the level is too high for you.
"ONLY 20%??? THAT NUMBER IS TOO LOW!!" I know what you're thinking. Maybe you think it's crazy. Maybe you think it's not realistic. But you need to challenge yourself. And you want to learn new things, right? You want to pick up new vocabulary, right? You want to become more familiar with the real rhythm and flow of English, don't you? Well, if you don't expose yourself to it, you can't learn it. You especially can't learn it if you don't know it exists. Let me give you an example using a word than many English learners don't know about. Read this short conversation:
Andy: Hey, what are you up to tomorrow evening, Hank?
Hank: Tomorrow? Well, Andy invited me to a party at his house. I don't think I'm going, though.
What does the conversation mean? Andy asked Hank what he's doing tomorrow evening. Hank answered that Andy invited him to a party, but he doesn't think he is going. Do you understand the situation? Is there anything strange about the conversation? Did you learn anything? What does "though" mean? How can you use it? Let's read 3 more sentences:
1.) John is very good at sports. He's not good at long-distance running, though.
2.) Amy is an excellent English speaker. She's terrible at spelling, though.
3.) Rebecca is a great singer. She can't play any instruments, though.
Now can you understand how to use THOUGH in this way? Maybe you can. Even if you cannot understand how to use it perfectly, NOW YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. You just saw four examples of how to use it, and maybe if you saw it or heard it again, you would understand the meaning. You may not understand something the first time, but if you ENCOUNTER IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, maybe you WILL UNDERSTAND IT. And after the third or fourth or fifth time encountering it, if you still don't know, you can check.
You can ask a friend. You can check a dictionary. You can go online and ask someone for answers. You can ask someone on Dave's ESL Cafe or send a message to JAMES ESL on YouTube. Then you can write it down in a notebook or on a sticky note. You can say it over and over again. You can try to use it when speaking to a friend. You can try to write it in a sentence or in a story. You can start your own English blog and try to use that new vocabulary. This is OUTPUT.
You took something in through your eyes or ears and now it's time to put it out somewhere. It's your turn to pick up your pen or pick up your phone or any tool you can use and show what you have learned. And if you do it in many different ways, you will INCREASE THE CHANCES OF PUTTING INTO YOUR LONG-TERM MEMORY. For example, take the word "annoying." Then follow these steps.
Step 1: Write it down seven times at the top of a page.
annoying annoying annoying annoying annoying annoying annoying
Step 2: Read the word aloud over and over (if you don't know how to say it, check an online dictionary)
Step 3: Try to make two or three more sentences using the word.
-Sometimes my sister is annoying.
-I don't like going to the mall on the weekends because it's annoying to wait in long lines.
-My friends finds it annoying when I try to rap.
Step 4: E-mail or call a friend who speaks English and use the word in a sentence again.
Hello Jessie. How are you? My brother is annoying sometimes. How about your brother?
Step 5: Think of things that are annoying for you and then record yourself saying them. You could record a video or just an audio. It's even okay to use a simple sentence structure and repeat it.
_____________is annoying!!
Rush hour traffic is annoying!!
Extremely hot weather is annoying!!
Someone being noisy at a movie theater is annoying!!
These are only examples of steps you can take. It's okay to find your own style or do it your own way. The main point is that some kind of output is also necessary if you want to learn more quickly.
Next time I want to share come cool stuff with you. I want to talk about some sites, some tools, and some techniques for improving your English even more. So LOOK FORWARD TO IT!!
BFN!!! Happy studying!!
No comments:
Post a Comment