Category Archives: Learning Tips

Read To Your Kids

Posted on by

  … or read to your grandkids, nieces, nephews, little cousins, dog, – or yourself.

Children’s books are shorter and easier to understand.  They’re really good practice for someone learning English. Reading to a child can help you with:

  • Vocabulary – learn new words
  • Comprehension – better understanding when you read
  • Pronunciation

And – you will learn faster when you use English for something you enjoy.  (It’s really good for your child too!)

   March 2nd was the birthday of the famous children’s author Theodor Geisel – “Dr. Seuss“.

 

Closed Captioning

Posted on by

   When you watch a video in English (TV show, movie, YouTube, etc), you can often choose to display the English words at the bottom of your screen – as they are being spoken.  This is called closed captioning. Many times you will see “CC” to show where you need to turn it on.

This is different from subtitles which are also used to show the spoken words, but in your own native language. When you are beginning to learn English, using subtitles in your native language can be helpful.  It lets you listen to the spoken English pronunciation while you read the translation. This can be especially good for learning English slang and idiom expressions.

But as your English improves, closed captioning – reading the English words while you listen to those words being spoken – can help you more, in many ways including:

  • Better understanding and remembering of what you read (reading comprehension)
  • Better understanding and remembering of what you hear (listening comprehension)
  • Improved vocabulary

Many times, you can stop the video, to listen to something again – a great way to practice.

For example, one new TV show, called Planet Earth, is on the cable station BBC America.  They talk slowly and clearly so you really have time to listen and read the closed captions.

A website with many, short, interesting videos is TED.com.  For many of the videos, you can display the words in either your own language, or English.  Here’s one of their most popular videos.  It’s on body language, and how just changing the way you stand can give you more confidence…

 

Small Talk

Posted on by

Small talk is simple, polite conversation – usually with someone you don’t know very well.  Making small talk is a good way to practice your English speaking – such as when you meet someone walking in your neighborhood, or waiting in line at a store.  You can talk about things like the weather (“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”), or someone’s cute dog.

Here are some examples of small talk conversations that you can read, and listen to.

Some Tips to Start Learning English

Posted on by

This week we talked with some of the Level 2 beginner students at our school.  We asked them for things they did that helped them start to learn English when they came to the United States.  Here are some of their suggestions for you:

  • Read – As much as you can.  Children’s books are good because they are easier.  Also many magazines.  Read about anything that interests you (cooking? sports?).  Sometimes, try saying the words out loud as you read them.
  • Watch TV – Again, children’s shows will be easier, but watch anything you like.  You will notice that on some TV shows, people speak much more slowly than others.
  • Watch Movies – You can turn on English subtitles to help you understand more.
  • Listen to Music – Just listening to music with English words is helpful.  But even better is to read the words (lyrics) to the song and to sing out loud.  Try singing to yourself in your car when you have learned the words to the song. To learn the words for any song just go to Google or YouTube.  Type the name of the song, and then add the word “lyrics”.  For example in Google, search for:  Micheal Jackson Thriller lyrics.
    If you like country music, these songs often tell more of a story, and they sing more slowly.
    For example on YouTube, search for: I Hope You Dance lyrics
  • Play Video Games – Many action video games use a lot of English.  It’s much better of course if you can find someone to play the game with who speaks English.

What helps you to practice your English?  Leave us a comment to this post and share your ideas.