How to learn a foreign language. A non academic opinion about how to learn languages.

http://factsinfo.net/index.php/2015/05/30/how-to-learn-a-foreign-language/   

HERE ARE SOME EXTRACTS WHICH I HAVE FOUND EITHER AMUSING OR THOUGHT-PROVOKING:

....Maybe the most rapid way of learning a language would be to fall in love with someone who is a native speaker of the foreign language, then go and live in their country and have no contact with your own language. After 6 months of such a total immersion most people would be very proficient. .....

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.... If you consider that learning a language is a tedious chore then give up now, don’t waste any more time. Do something you like doing. .....

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.....One of the slowest most inefficient ways of learning a language is in a classroom full of people. School children often spend 10 years learning a foreign language with almost no result. ....   .....The results from adult education classes are a little better but only if the teacher is very good and if you also study outside of the classroom. ....

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Some activities and ideas which can help you learn a language:

-Attend language classes but don’t expect to learn very fast unless you do a lot of supplementary study.

-Use the immense amount of free online courses available on internet.

-Sign up for the “word of the day” offered by many sites.

-Read books which have specially reduced vocabularies designed for language learners.

-Note that Jehova’s Witnesses will give you hours of free conversation classes if you invite them into your house to speak about religion. 

TIPS TO HELP YOU LEARN ENGLISH.(9)

taken from :  http://english-tonight.com/learnenglishquickly/

1. Take a deep breath and SPEAK!

The more you think about speaking, the more nervous you will get. Just try speaking more. Next time you go to English class or speak English, count how many times you speak in five or ten minutes. After that, try to speak more. If you spoke one time today, next English class, try to speak two or three times. The more you speak the more you will learn how to communicate properly.

2. Don’t apologize for not knowing everything or “Not speaking English!”

You are learning English… You are trying, right? That’s what’s important. You don’t say “I don’t know how to cook that.” and stop cooking new things or “I don’t know how to use a computer.” and stop using new computer apps and programs. You just keep doing your best and you learn more and more as time goes on.  Please don’t say ‘I DON’T speak English’. Instead you could say:

• “I am learning English. Could you speak a little slower?”

• “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand.”

• “Could you repeat that?”

• “So, you’re saying that…. [rephrase what you heard]”.

• “What does _________ mean?”

(Read more at the website mentioned at the top of this post.)

FREE ENGLISH TEST.

www.english4today.com/assessment/english4today_leveltest.cfm

It covers grammar, vocabulary, reading, and listening.
YOU NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOUR ENGLISH LEVEL IS!
WHY?
Good English is no longer just for the academics ... we all need it if we are going to get ahead in an increasingly competitive and information driven culture. The way you speak, read and write English - the way you communicate can mean the difference between success and failure.

SPEAK ENGLISH NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://speaking24.com/index.php

Here you will find people who want to practise their English speaking skills online!
Check on the list who is currently online and just call him using Skype, MSN, ICQ or Yahoo!
You can also fill in your profile to apear on the listand wait for other person's call. Have fun & Enjoy!

TIPS FOR LEARNING LANGUAGES.

FROM: http://www.teach.bravehost.com/
Learning to communicate in another language may be challenging, but it is also a very rewarding and enriching experience. It is the best passport to discovering another culture. Here are a few tips we’ve put together to help you make the most of the experience.

Find out what kind of learner you are
Ask yourself, do I learn something better when I see it written down? Do I only need to hear something a few times before I know it? Do I like to learn grammar rules by heart? Are there other strategies that work well for me? If you recognize your strengths, you can use them to work more effectively.When learning a language, it is important to use a variety of strategies (using the book, listening to the recording, rehearsing dialogues, learning vocabulary, writing things down, listing verb forms, etc.) to practise the different skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Work out what your preferred learning style is and use it to your advantage.
Work at your own pace
Make the most of the time you have available to study. As a general rule, don’t try and do too much at once. You will often find you can learn more effectively if you study for half an hour or so at regular intervals, rather than try to do a whole unit in one sitting.With the best will in the world, there will be times when you don’t feel like studying. Try not to skip your session, though, and organize your work according to your mood. If you’re tired, choose less demanding tasks such as repeating activities; if you lack concentration, read a foreign magazine article about a subject which really interests you.
Why not learn with someone else?
It helps if you can learn with someone else. If you can persuade a friend or family member to study with you, it will give you extra impetus to keep working. Agree times to meet and set goals for the week, and test each other regularly.
Language learning is also about intuition
Guesswork is an important strategy in learning a new language and you will probably be pleasantly surprised at how often you’re right.When listening to recorded material, you aren’t expected to understand everything first time round. If you play the same piece several times, you will most probably understand something new each time. Learn to make maximum use of all the clues you can pick up. For example, what do the speakers sound like? Happy? Angry? Calm? etc.Also, in most European languages a lot of words have a common origin, which will help you build your knowledge more quickly. After a while you should also be able to identify common patterns between English and the language you’re learning, for example French equivalents of English words ending in –ly often end in –ment.
Speak, speak, speak!
Practise speaking as often as you can – even speaking to yourself is good practice.Try recording yourself whenever you can – especially when doing the pronunciation practice activities. When you listen to it afterwards, don’t worry if you sound hesitant or have made mistakes. It is important to evaluate your performance. Compare your pronunciation with the master version, see how you can do better and have another go. If you do this several times, you will find that each version is better than the last.Read aloud whenever possible: it will help you memorize vocabulary and structures. Going through the same dialogue several times is a good idea too.If possible, try and find someone who speaks the language you want to learn!
Build up your vocabulary
A wide vocabulary is the key to successful language learning but don’t try to learn too much at once. It’s best to study frequently, for short periods of time. Take a maximum of six or seven items of vocabulary and learn them. Put them into sentences to fix them in your mind, then come back to them later. Much of the vocabulary in the course is presented by topic. Learning vocabulary in this way is usually very effective.
Get the right tools
You may find you want a bilingual dictionary to help translate new words and expressions as you expand your vocabulary. When choosing a dictionary, make sure you pick one that gives you plenty of information on usage through illustrative examples, rather than one which only gives translations for each word with no guidance as to which ones to use in which contexts.Alternatively, you may find a vocabulary builder useful. These are usually arranged thematically and allow you to learn lists of words and expressions associated with a particular topic.
Get used to hearing everyday language at normal speed
Apart from listening to the course recordings, you could watch films with subtitles, listen to a foreign radio station (for example if you're learning English then your best choice is the BBC), or watch foreign language TV stations if you have satellite or cable TV. Even if you don’t understand much of what is being said, it is a good way of getting used to sounds and intonations. Choose programmes according to your own interests, you’ll learn much more effectively about subjects you’re keen on.International news is a good thing to listen to, particularly if you have already heard the news in English that day. Pictures will give you clues. You’ll find that you are picking up a lot of vocabulary by making use of the subtitles especially for expressions that occur regularly.
But most of all, have fun!

TIPS TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH!!

ALGUNAS VERDADES SOBRE CÓMO LOGRAR APRENDER INGLÉS.
http://elblogdelingles.blogspot.com/2005/12/unas-cuantas-verdades.html

HOW TO LEARN ENGLISH!
FROM: http://www.nkjo.pl/how_to_learn_english.htmSome tips which may help you to master the English Language!

TIPS AND IDEAS ON THE BEST WAYS TO LEARN ENGLISH FASTER.
http://www.englishclub.com/learn-english-how.htm

FIVE WAYS TO SPEAK ENGLISH MORE NATURALLY:
http://www.roadtogrammar.com/dl/5ways.pdf

CONSEJOS PARA LEER EN INGLÉS.
http://elblogdelingles.blogspot.com/2007/08/consejos-para-leer-en-ingls.html