How to Study English

 How to Study English as a Second Language PLAN

First step " Choose your Goal" for learning English as a Second Language

Goals are your motivation. Goals can remind you of purpose and direction. Why do you need English as a second or third language. What do you wish to accomplish with English as a second language? Studying ESL requires thousands of hours of real effort - you need motivation and endurance to be able to study or work using the English language with native speakers.

Top 15 Goals for studying English as a second language

• Immigrate into an English speaking country
• Get hired at a first job
• Be hired at a better company
• Be promoted in your company
• Sell and market your products to English speaking countries
• Be able to operate a business completely in English.
• Publish an authoritative business, scientific journal article in English
• Be admitted and study in a North American university.
• Be admitted and study in a North American university graduate program.
• Travel independently in English speaking countries.
• As an Artist, perform for English speaking audiences
• Enjoy entertainment produced by English speaking artists
• Use English instructions for computer applications. Surf the net in English
• Score 950 on the Toeic test or 280 on the new Toefl exam
• Study English Literature in the original text

Second step: "Select the best Learning Methods" - how you learn most efficiently

Examples of questions to determine "how you learn best"

• What English can you learn the most while studying alone?
• What English can you learn the most by studying in a group?
• Can you listen once and remember the pronunciation and vocabulary?
• Does it help to see pictures of nouns or action verbs demonstrated?
• Do you have to write and repeat words to memorize vocabulary?
• How many times and ways must you use a word to "know" its proper context?
• How often do you have to repeat lessons?
• Can you create and use mnemonics to remember lists
• Can you benefit using accelerated English language learning methods
• Does music or games help you to relax, making learning easier?

Third step "Form a Plan" use the best learning stages to reach study Goals

An example of a two year study plan with four stages to learn English:

• (First stage - 6 months)
  Start with picture dictionaries to begin vocabulary, use the ESL in Canada  or Sentencemaster 1000 most used words list as the initial core vocabulary, start to study pronunciation by watching English TV, listen to taped conversations, for 1 - 2 hours each day.
• (Second stage - 6 months)
  Add grammar, use the Blueprint for English Grammar Summary for the most important English Grammar points, start to study English punctuation, spelling, vocabulary studies, start to read newspapers/magazines, begin a vocabulary diary to add to your initial 1000 words the for 1 - 2 hours each day
• (Third stage - 6 months)
  Add one hour of English conversation classes everyday for 6 months, review grammar and vocabulary, add to vocabulary diary each day.
• (Fourth stage - 6 months)
  Travel to Canada for 400 hours of English conversation classes, perform some volunteer work, take a special interest course and travel using English.
• (After the Two Year Plan)
  Continuing ESL education program with one English conversation class per week or start your own English Conversation Club, watch English News on TV, read English newspapers do your favourite hobby using English.

Fourth step "create a Cost & Benefit Analysis for your Plan"

• What FREE English learning resources are available on the internet?
• What FREE English learning resources are at the library, community or cultural centers?
• What FREE English Learning clubs offer conversation classes?
• What FREE English Language exchange clubs offer conversation classes?
• Compare the costs of books, texts, tapes, Cd's for self-study.
• Analyze the cost of instruction by tutors in a small group of 3 or 4
• Analyze the cost of instruction at local English schools
• Analyze costs of foreign travel and accommodation to study English abroad.

Fifth step "Start your Plan"

Email for help to plan your trip to study "English as a Second Language" ESL in Canada

Need help with your Plan?

Use the following chart and Answer questions with a %

How do you like to study? By yourself One partner Small groups Large groups

What learning materials do you like to use? audio CD's or cassettes DVD's, videos or television CALL and interactive computer programs picture dictionaries ESL workbooks regular subject text books newspapers, magazines

Conversation Practice group pronunciation drills Conversations with native speakers Low structure ESL student conversation High structure ESL teacher talk

The ESL English tests that students are preparing for include: TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, CELPIPS Cambridge CFA CPC CAE FCA, GMAT, GRE, SAT, LSAT, DSAT, CAEL, Cantest, college board, IH, AP, TSE, YLE, BULATS, ILEC, and Michigan exams.

Why international students score low on English tests

• Students score low because they do not understand the test requirements.
• Students underestimate the large volume of work necessary to pass.
• Students score low because they have limited English vocabulary.
• Students score low because some English skills are not practiced.
• Students score low because they rely on "secret tips" rather than real skill.
• Students score low because they cram for tests and become confused.
• Students score low because they become upset and cannot perform.

How international students can SCORE HIGH on NEW English tests.

First step in your plan to score high on a specific English test is to understand the test requirements. Is the test a written test only? Do you have to read a text? Do you have to listen to a conversation on tape? How much speaking is required? What type of questions will be asked? What type of answers are required? Students must understand how the English information is presented, what English skills are being tested, and how answers must be submitted.

Second step is to understand the volume of advanced English skills and vocabulary required to score high on these tests. Students must have studied and practiced English for 2500 to 5000 hours counting school classes and self study.

Students require a vocabulary of between 8,000 and 15,000 words to score high on the new TOEFL, TOEIC, AP, IELTS and Cambridge tests. Students who score over 95 in the IBT or 900 on the TOEIC have English language vocabularies of over 10,000 words.

To score high, students require all four English skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening), technical language structure knowledge (grammar) and the application of the grammar knowledge in the active productions of speaking and writing.

The "secret tips" of using specific words that have a higher percentage of occurrence in the correct answers may give you the opportunity to raise your score from 0 to 1 %. If your vocabulary is less than 8000 words or your listening skills or writing less than advanced then you will still fail despite using all the "secret tips" or "secret vocabulary indicating correct answers".

Everyone knows that cramming helps memorizing facts for a short time but does very little for the practice of the application skills. All new English tests are a combination of facts and the application of English skills including technical grammar knowledge. Students who only cram for tests will fail most of the new tests as answers require the application of English grammar skills. The students who cram can only help some of their factual knowledge if they can remember it perfectly. I have never met a student who can remember crammed English facts correctly.

Students become upset when they read questions they cannot answer, questions they cannot understand, words they do not know the meaning of, or "secret words" that occur in two or more answers.

Remember students that are prepared have less chance of becoming upset.

Students that are rested, relaxed and arrive on time at the test site will score higher on the tests.

What English Should I study to PASS English Tests?

Diagram showing the overlap between the English Classes

There is only one English language.

There are a variety of programs and courses that overlap each other. Many business English courses cover 90% of what students require to pass the TOEIC exam. Many advanced English courses cover 90 % of what is required to pass TOEFL, TOEIC, AP, IELTS and other English tests.

Many Toeic, toefl, IELTS courses only provide practice tests without teaching any vocabulary the four English skills and applied grammar practice. Students must create a plan to increase all applied English skills, vocabulary and become comfortable with the test requirements and answer formats.

Students can take combinations of English language programs and enjoy high test scores.

For example: Advanced students could take 100 hours of business English, 200 hours of academic preparation and 10 hours of toefl and score high on the new Toefl test.

The only secret to high English language test scores is to have a balance of applied English skills and factual knowledge. The following is an example of a balanced study program.

EXAMPLE PLAN TO PASS ENGLISH TESTS

• 20% vocabulary
• 15% grammar comprehension
• 15% reading comprehension
• 15% listening comprehension
• 15% writing skills, short answer and essay
• 15% speaking skills
• 5% practicing test formats