5 Things English Learners Don’t Usually Do (But Should Be Doing)
If you're learning English, you might think that the best way to improve is through traditional methods like language courses, reading books, or watching movies and TV shows. Of course, these are all very useful forms of learning, but besides them, there are also less traditional yet highly effective ways to immerse yourself in English, which students typically don't take advantage of.
If you really want to improve your English, keep reading to discover how to naturally immerse yourself in the language without spending a fortune or a ton of time.
1. Transform Your Home Into an English Zone
Want to learn English naturally and effectively? Start by creating an English-speaking environment at home. For example, you can put words you want to learn on your bulletin board or in other visible places around the house, or hang a language tracker on your fridge to write down new vocabulary (I saw a very nice one at @beautiful_english).
This way, you'll keep English in your sight all the time. However, it's crucial to switch things up regularly to help your brain stay engaged (e.g. change the position or color of the sticky notes). Otherwise, your brain will start filtering them out as "background noise."
Don't forget to switch your everyday items into English – computer, phone, shopping list, calendar, to-do list, or journal – by doing this, you'll use English in your daily activities, and it won't cost you any extra time.
2. New Skills
If you're interested in cooking, exercising, or other practical activities, use YouTube to improve your English. There are countless videos that teach you new skills while helping you learn specific terminology and phrases used in different fields. If you have kids who love drawing, I recommend @artforkidshub. This way, you'll naturally immerse yourself in the language, helping you improve your English faster.
3. Self-Talk and Recording
To improve communication in English, you don't necessarily need a sparring partner. You can start practicing self-talk or converse with AI (at least you'll avoid conflicting opinions 😀). ChatGPT now has a very advanced voice mode that sounds surprisingly natural and can help you improve fluency and boost confidence in communication.
If you want to make it even more effective, try recording yourself – and, of course, listen to the recordings – it will help you identify weak points in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar, so you'll know exactly what you need to work on. When speaking, many people don't notice their own fixed mistakes, and if you don't have a tutor to give you feedback, this is practically the only way to improve your grammar.
4. The Power of Social Media
If you're already spending time doom-scrolling, why not add an educational twist to it? Don't limit yourself to channels focused solely on learning English – you can follow any authentic channels aimed at native speakers that align with your interests. For example, I recommend Huberman Lab for fascinating topics in neuroscience and lifestyle optimization or Dr. Becky Kennedy for parenting and relationships.
What’s key is not just watching reels and posts (although they’re extremely useful). Make sure to read the discussions under the posts and participate in them. You'll pick up plenty of colloquial expressions that you won’t find in textbooks.
5. Real-Life Practice
In larger cities, various events for expats are often organized – from language cafes and workshops to theater performances in English, which offer a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the language while meeting new people.
Even if such opportunities aren’t available in your area, it’s not the end of the world. It might sound a bit crazy, but have you ever thought of pretending you're from another country and ordering food or a taxi in English? It's a fantastic way to practice communication in everyday life situations before you actually experience it abroad.
By utilizing these forms of contact with the English language, you can improve your English in a fun and effective way without spending hours with your nose stuck in textbooks. All it takes is a bit of creativity, letting go, and taking advantage of the opportunities you have right at your fingertips.