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1. Make a study plan. Decide in advance which areas you want to study, or what topics you need to review. If you have a plan, you won't feel as overwhelmed. The act of writing out what needs to be done so you can check it off later lets your brain stop worrying about remembering those to do items, and frees your mind so you can focus on your work.
2. Set goals. When writing that study plan, set small goals that are easily achieved, and reward yourself. Studying for 20-30 minutes, then taking a 5-10 minute break and studying for another 20-30 minutes is more effective than studying for an hour without the break. It's much easier to stay focused when you know that a break and a treat are coming up!
3. Keep your body well fueled. Your mind will wander and you will have more trouble concentrating if you are hungry or tired. Eat regular meals and get enough sleep, even when studying for an exam – while it can feel like drinking coffee and staying up all night will help you master the material, it doesn't. Your brain needs rest to function properly.
4. Choose your study location carefully. Some people study best in the library, some prefer a table in a coffee shop, others like to be alone in their rooms, and still others find that studying with a partner or a small group helps them learn. However, no one will be focused on the material trying to study if their roommate is playing loud music or their child is throwing a tantrum. Find a spot where you have as few distractions as possible, and are comfortable but not so comfortable you're likely to take a nap!
5. Turn off the technology. Texting, IMing, chatting on your phone, and tweeting are not
things you should be doing when studying! Use the break discussed in Tip #2 to text, talk, or tweet, and turn off your phone during the study periods. If you are using a computer, don't turn on your IM program during a study period – your friends can wait until your break to hear from you!
6. Play games. When you are studying alone, try to use mnemonic devices to remember things – My Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas can help students remember the order of the planets. Similarly rhymes can help - “when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking” helps you remember that a word like fear has a long e. If you're studying with others, playing word games, with flash cards, or creating your own game can help the lesson stay in your head.
7. Don't give up. English is a language filled with exceptions, and ESL classes aren't easy. It's tempting to give up when the work becomes difficult and the workload becomes overwhelming. However, you can do it! Divide up the work into more manageable sections, and be persistent. Go through the sections one at a time, with regular breaks and rewards, and you'll figure it out faster than you thought you could!
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* listening
* speaking
* reading
* writing
Which one of these is the "Odd-Man-Out"? Which one of these is different from the other three? The answer is speaking. The other three you can do alone, on your own, without anyone else. You can listen to the radio alone. You can read a book alone. You can write a letter alone. But you can't really speak alone! Speaking to yourself can be 'dangerous' because men in white coats may come and take you away!!!
That is why you should make every effort possible to find somebody to speak with. Where can you find people who can speak English with you? And how can you practise speaking when you are alone?
At School
If you go to a language school, you should use the opportunity to speak to your teachers and other students. When you go home, you can still practise listening, reading and writing, but you probably can't practise speaking. If your teacher asks you a question, take the opportunity to answer. Try to say as much as possible. If your teacher asks you to speak in pairs or groups with other students, try to say as much as possible. Don't worry about your mistakes. Just speak!
Conversation Clubs
Many cities around the world have conversation clubs where people can exchange one language for another. Look in your local newspaper to find a conversation club near you. They are usually free although some may charge a small entrance fee.
Shopping
If you are living in an English-speaking country, you have a wonderful opportunity. Practise speaking to the local people such as shop assistants or taxi drivers. Even if you don't want to buy anything, you can ask questions about products that interest you in a shop. "How much does this cost?" "Can I pay by cheque?" "Which do you recommend?" Often you can start a real conversation - and it costs you nothing!
Anglo-Saxon Pubs and Bars
Even if you don't live in an English-speaking country, there are often American, British, Irish and Australian pubs in many large cities. If you can find one of these pubs, you'll probably meet many people speaking English as a first or second language.
Language is all around You
Everywhere you go you find language. Shop names, street names, advertisements, notices on buses and trains... Even if you are not in an English-speaking country, there are often a lot of English words you can see when walking in the street, especially in big cities. And there are always numbers. Car numbers, telephone numbers, house numbers... How can this help you? When you walk down the street, practise reading the words and numbers that you see. Say them to yourself. It's not exactly a conversation, but it will help you to "think" in English. For example, if you walk along aline of parked cars, say the number on each car quickly as you pass it. Test yourself, to see how fast you can walk and still say each number. But don't speak too loud!
Songs and Video
Listen to the words of an English-language song that you like. Then repeat them to yourself and try to sing with the music. Repeat the words as many times as possible until they become automatic. Soon you'll be singing the whole song. Or listen to one of your favourite actors on video and repeat one or two sentences that you like. Do it until it becomes automatic. It's good practice for your memory and for the mouth muscles that you need for English.
Above all, don't be afraid to speak. You must try to speak, even if you make mistakes. You cannot learn without mistakes. There is a saying: "The person who never made a mistake never made anything." So think of your mistakes as something positive and useful.
Speak as much as possible! Make as many mistakes as possible! When you know that you have made a mistake, you know that you have made Progress!