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Asia is Outside My Window

HINTS FOR IMPROVING YOUR ENGLISH! STUDY ENGLISH MORE EFFECTIVELY! There are many myths about studying English. For example, it is not true that English is harder to learn than other languages. The following information is based on the large amount of research done by linguists, neurologists, psychologists and other language experts. ARE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS TRUE OR FALSE? "English can be learned quickly and easily." Answer: FALSE. | Though some people learn languages faster than others, it is never easy. To become able to use a second language in many different situations, it always takes much time and energy. There are no real shortcuts. Don´t believe books or computer programs that promise ´fluency´ in weeks or months. Even if you study abroad in an English speaking country, it will take time before you are confident with the language. "It is good to study in different places and environments." Answer: TRUE. | If you study in the same place or manner everyday, your ability to remember what you studied will decrease. So mix it up! Try studying in different environments and situations. If an environment is memorable, the content you studied will also become memorable. This is how the human brain works! "Memorizing words and phrases is very helpful." Answer: FALSE. | Though it is popular in many countries, memorizing words is a very bad way to study languages. Held in ´short-term memory´, memorized words are usually quickly forgotten. To make a word or phrase a part of your vocabulary, you must USE IT TO EXPRESS YOURSELF. Perhaps even more importantly, the meaning of almost every word changes depending on how it is used (this is called ´context´). Learn words by using them in different ways, not by ´memorizing´ them! "Learn simple and basic words and phrases first." Answer: FALSE. | Most basic words and expressions can be learned naturally. Study the expressions and words that you find interesting or think you will use to express yourself. You will pick up most of the basics along the way! "Children learn languages faster than adults." Answer: FALSE. | These words are often used as an excuse by adults who don´t have either the time or energy to learn a second language. While children are fast learners of basic information and can quickly adapt their pronunciation to new sounds, it is nearly impossible for them to develop complex language skills. Adults, being much faster at processing and applying information, are actually ideal language learners. "Everyone learns in different ways. Therefore, it is good to find your own learning style." Answer: TRUE. | Even though peoples´ brains function in roughly the same way, everyone has certain areas that are weaker or stronger than others. Therefore, some people are considered better ´visual´ learners while others might learn more by physically experiencing things. Find your strong points and develop your study style accordingly! "The more hours you study, the more English you will retain." Answer: FALSE. | ´Quality´ usually beats ´quantity´. Even if you spend a lot of time studying, you will not learn much if your study methods are not effective. If you become tired, take a break! Every little while, change what you are studying (go from reading to listening, etc.). Put yourself in situations where you will USE real English! There is a reason students who go abroad often become confident speakers in less than a year, yet couldn´t speak much English during the 8 years they studied it in Japan. "The more fun you have studying English, the more you will probably retain." Answer: TRUE. | If you enjoy something, your brain will work harder to remember it. Having fun also dramatically increases a person´s motivation (see below). Therefore, it is much better to study English contents that are interesting to you than textbooks that are not relevant to your hobbies or lifestyle. This is also true with people | find interesting teachers and friends to share English with! "Motivation is the most important factor in successfully learning a language." Answer: TRUE. | Motivation stimulates a person´s brain and allows them to stay focused on learning. If you are not motivated to do something, you probably won´t do it. If you don´t have the natural motivation to do something, it IS possible to increase it by making friends, finding better study materials, or putting yourself in new learning environments. Some scientists say there are two main types of motivation | intrinsic and extrinsic. ´Intrinsic´ motivation involves doing something because you enjoy it while ´extrinsic´ motivation refers to doing something because it will help your career, etc. Of these two, ´intrinsic´ is said to be much stronger. "You should avoid all Japanese speakers when you go abroad." Answer: FALSE. | Though immersion (only speaking in the designated study language) can be good for highly motivated students, it doesn´t work for most people. Using 100% English for a long period of time can become very stressful. Researchers have found that students who occasionally speak their native language while studying abroad often maintain high motivation and low stress. However, talking with fellow Japanese speakers becomes a problem when it happens everyday or if a student passes up English communication opportunities to spend time with another Japanese student. "It is good to study English by using materials that are very difficult for you." Answer: FALSE. | "Very difficult"(or boring) materials will usually decrease a learner´s motivation. ´Challenging´ materials are fine as long as the student enjoys them and has an opportunity to see their own growth. "People who make many mistakes are usually slow English learners." Answer: FALSE. | Making mistakes is an important part of learning. Like scientists or athletes, it usually takes some failure for an English learner to find success. If you are too shy to try out your English in real communication, your growth will be quite slow. "You should understand grammar basics before using English." Answer: FALSE. | English is not made out of grammar! Grammar is merely a way of describing patterns in a language. People usually learn to effectively speak their own native language before they learn about its grammatical structure. If you spend time trying to use and listen to English, you will naturally become able to use many different types of grammar. "Learning about the culture abroad will help you learn about the language." Answer: TRUE. | Culture and language are deeply related to each other. In fact, they cannot really be separated. If a person learns English only through textbooks, their language will be very unnatural. On the other hand, learning about English-speaking culture will help language learners better understand the words and phrases they have studied. An example of this is the word ´apple.´ In English, this word refers to a common inexpensive fruit that people usually eat for a snack (skin and all!) However, it is also a signifier for education as well a symbol in the Christian bible. Though most language learners will say that ´apple´ is ´ringo´ in Japanese, they are not truly the same thing because their meaning within CULTURE is different. In Japan, a ´ringo´ is a fairly expensive fruit that is always skinned and sliced before being eaten. Apple doesn´t equal ´ringo´! "Find a good study method and stay with it!" Answer: FALSE. | Though this may sound true, it is not. An effective study method at one point in our development will not be good in another. Language learners must often adjust the content and methods of their study. If you become too accustomed to a favorite study method, your motivation and retention will decrease. Furthermore, you should never limit yourself to ONE study method. Real English communication involves a lot of different tasks and skills.