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
now 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?”
3. Stop translating everything word for word to your language.
Translating everything to your native language is a big NO NO when learning
English! If you are doing it, STOP right now! Translating everything is slowing
down your progress. If you hear something in English and instantly try to translate it
to your native language; you will not be focusing on learning English, but rather
translating. When you hear people speaking in English:
• Listen for words you DO understand
• Use contextual clues… so, if you hear, “There is a big rhinoceros.” If you don’t
know what ‘rhinoceros’ means but you see a big animal in a picture, or someone is
pointing at something. Use those clues to figure out what it means.
4. Train your ears to understand.
You need to focus and listen. Train you ears to listen for words they (YOU) know
in English. Listen for patterns. Don’t focus on grammar or single words. Focus on
the phrases. Listen to English movies, music, and TV. Listen to the way things are
phrased or ordered. If you train your ears, you will automatically start to understand
more when people speak English. Training your ears to listen to English, will help
focus on the big picture; understanding English. You cannot become fluent if you are
focusing on words, one at a time. It would take you forever to learn English.
5. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Fear can stop you from learning English.
• Do you go to English class and think that everyone is going to make fun of you or
laugh at you if you try to speak English?
• Do know all the grammar rules but struggle to have a conversation in English?
• Do you avoid speaking with native English speakers and other people that speak
English better than you?
Stop being so afraid to speak English! You need to let go and relax. You need to stop
thinking of the ‘What if’s…?’. Instead focus on doing and your actions. No one is
perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. The more you do something the better you get at
it. To be a better English speaker and understand more English you need to stop being
afraid of making mistakes.
6. Keep Trying. Don’t Give Up.
Professional athletes practice a lot. They weren’t born professional athletes. A ton of
hard work and hours went into being so good at what they do. They could never be a
professional soccer or baseball player without trying. If a professional athlete stopped
practicing today, their skills would get worse. They would start making mistakes. The
more you practice speaking English, reading English, listening to English, and writing
in English the better you will get. You won’t be able to speak English fluently
tomorrow or even next month. Over time if you put in the effort, you will be more
comfortable and know a lot more English.
7. Keep a small notebook… write down important phrases.
Write down entire phrases that you hear. You could write it down because you think
you will use it, you learned something new, or you didn’t understand. When you look
back at the notebook later you will have the whole phrase; instead of one word in
isolate (alone, with no example). By writing down the entire phrase you mind
remember is like that. Next time you need it, the whole phrase will come out, instead
of just one word.
8. Stop Negative Self-Talk
Do you find yourself saying or thinking negative things about learning English? Such
as,
• “You will never learn English.”
• “Why do I always make mistakes? I am so stupid.”
• “I never know what to say. English is so hard.”
If you do say these things to yourself, then you do have negative self-talk about
learning English.
How do you fix negative self-talk?
• Recognize you are being negative.
• Rephrase or change your statement. State the negative in a different manner
Negative Self-Talk: “I will never learn English”.
Positive Self-Talk: “English is difficult but I am going to keep trying. I am sure I will
get it soon.”
Being positive will help you learn English quicker.
9. Set goals- Know why you are learning English. What do you want to
accomplish? Do you want to speak English fluently? Do you want to get a job
speaking English? Are you going to travel to the United States? Do you need to know
English for University? Do you want to learn English because all of your friends
speak English? Think about why you are learning English and set some goals.
• How long will you study English?
• How will you study or learn English?
• What specifically will you do to learn English?
• How will you know when you meet your goal?
• What will happen when you meet your goal?
10. Try something new
Have been trying to learn English the same way for the last year? Three years? Seven
years or more? Try something new! Change is good for you. It will help you grow.
• Try listening to English podcast.
• Take an online English class.
• Listen to music in English.
• Watch TV or news in English.
• Watch YouTube English Lessons
• Take a class from a different teacher.
• Do a language exchange online or in your city
• Find an English speaking friend (native or not)
11. Throw your textbook (or grammar book) out the window.
Okay…. Maybe you don’t need to be so dramatic but a textbook should be used as a
reference. Don’t throw it out the window; put it in the closet. An English textbook
should not be your only resource when learning English. It should be there to use from
time to time when you have a question or want to look up something. You need to
focus on YOU. What do you need to learn? You are an individual. What you need to
learn in English is different than what your neighbor, your friend and your boss need
to know in English. The textbook will not change based on each individual’s needs…
it is a one size fit all. Language learning is NOT one size (or way) fits all!
- See more at: http://english-
tonight.com/learnenglishquickly/#sthash.flonZVz4.dpuf