Tip 1: Watch English content
Whether through TV, YouTube, or English Billion, you should try watching English content every day. Watching has shown considerable promise in helping non-English speakers learn new vocabulary. But how should you consume English content properly? According to Bob the Canadian, you should watch things that interest you. This way, you won't get bored and doze off in the middle of watching. Another tip is to play the video more slowly (along with captions!), especially if a native speaker is speaking.
Tip 2: Jot down unfamiliar words
While watching your favourite content-creator on YouTube, you might encounter a few new words. Instead of ignoring them entirely, you should look those words up in a dictionary. It doesn't have to be in print – it's probably better to use a digital one! After looking them up, you should write them down in a notebook (again, preferably digital!) along with their definitions and example uses. This way, the next time you need that perfect word to spice up your essay, you can refer to your notes!
Tip 3: Flashcards!
Two of the most effective study techniques are active recall and spaced repetition. Active recall is exactly what it sounds like – recalling information from what you've read. Spaced repetition is spacing out the topics (in this case, words) you've learnt over some time to flatten the "forgetting curve". Flashcards use both techniques. They induce you to recall whatever is on the other side of the card before flipping it, and some flashcard apps (like Anki) have built-in spaced repetition. Before you know it, you've turned into a lexical savant!
Tip 4: Fluency > Accuracy
Most beginners in English tend to worry about grammar as opposed to pronunciation and fluency. That's the main reason why people born outside of an English-speaking country sound different to native speakers. Even though native speakers don't always use proper grammar, the benefits of their verbal fluency far outweigh their minor grammatical inaccuracies. So how can you improve fluency? Well, for starters, English Billion integrates pronunciation and speaking segments into your modules. If you want more than just our courses, try talking to your friend (or a native speaker) in English. As a beginner, you will make grammatical errors – and that's OK! Don't focus on your grammatical errors, and try to speak as fluently and confidently as possible.
Tip 5: Speak to someone (or a computer)
Ultimately, all of the tips above boil down to this final tip: speak! After you've learnt all those words and watched those movies, the last step is to talk to someone. If you have a sibling or relative who speaks English, try speaking with them! If not, you can join English Billion because you will get a free Public Speaking & Conversation video conference meeting weekly. You'll meet a lot of friends from different levels, which will boost your confidence to speak. Isn't that great? You can check the programs here.
That’s it! Not so hard now, right? As long as you follow these tips, you'll be proficient in English in no time!
