Last Sunday I asked for your comments regarding the following question:
How can you improve your environment so that it accelerates your learning?
People shared lots of good ideas in the comments below the lesson. Here are a few of my own tips:
- First, it's important to realise how important your environment is. If you live and work with native English speakers and you're surrounded by the English language all day, you're going to improve much more quickly than someone who studies English from a book for one hour each day. Knowing that the 'native speaker' environment is the ideal, try to set up your environment so that it is a close to this ideal as possible.
- Second, I recommend finding an environment that challenges you. If you attend a course of English lessons, for example, it shouldn't be an easy course. You need to feel like you're learning something useful in every lesson, and your teacher should be highlighting your mistakes and pushing you to perform better.
- Third, I think it helps if you feel that you're part of a community of learners who have shared goals. By following this blog, you are already doing this to some extent.
- Finally, use the Internet to get as much language 'input' as you can. Even if you're studying alone, you have access to a world of English content online. You can probably also find people to talk to and practise with.
Here's a shorter answer: Surround yourself with as much English as you can, and take every opportunity to practise what you learn.
ı think we need a reason for learning english so if our reason is very important for us, we will learn fastly, ı think absolutely the most important thing is finding reason for learning english thanks your ideas
Posted by: Hakan | August 25, 2019 at 21:26
hey,simon.
I just got a question about the use of "what do you make of (something)".
It'scommon for people to say what do you make of this question or this man or this situation or etc.
but is it grammatically right to put a clause following this phrase, like what do you make of when I say you are so native? or what do you make of if the answer is what you anticipate.
Posted by: Henry | August 26, 2019 at 03:57
Henry
"What do you make of it (all)?" is fine.
https://www.google.com/search?lr=lang_en&tbs=lr%3Alang_1en&tbm=bks&ei=nmxjXcyKBbW0mgeD3IOICQ&q="what+do+you+make+of+it"&oq="what+do+you+make+of+it"&gs_l=psy-ab.12...4317.4860.0.8484.4.4.0.0.0.0.156.607.0j4.4.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.156...33i10k1.0.40zYP
https://www.google.com/search?lr=lang_en&tbs=lr%3Alang_1en&tbm=bks&ei=t2xjXdTOA6HA3LUPwPqs-Ag&q=%22what+do+you+make+of+it+all%22&oq=%22what+do+you+make+of+it+all%22&gs_l=psy-ab.3...3650.5183.0.5678.4.4.0.0.0.0.158.609.0j4.4.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.154...33i10k1.0.Z6IeQt_J_1A
The above seem to be the standard usages.
"What do you make of it when ..." crops up very rarely in books:
https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=CXcpUdTEIZwC&pg=PA69&dq=%22what+do+you+make+of+it+when%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjY2bTw5Z_kAhWc_XMBHZf9D_UQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=%22what%20do%20you%20make%20of%20it%20when%22&f=false
https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=NoNSDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT91&dq=%22what+do+you+make+of+it+when%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjY2bTw5Z_kAhWc_XMBHZf9D_UQ6AEIMDAB#v=onepage&q=%22what%20do%20you%20make%20of%20it%20when%22&f=false
Posted by: M'ambo | August 26, 2019 at 06:32
Thank you very much for sharing your ideas, Simon!
I learn a lot from your blog. Every time I come here I find a new thing to study. And, I often note your teaching about reading because I am trying my best to practise reading skills.
Good health to you, Simon!
Posted by: Phan Phoi | August 27, 2019 at 10:06
Hakan,
Absolutely, I agree that having a reason for learning English is vital - "start with why".
However, that's your motivation, not your environment. You still need to create the best possible environment.
If you're interested in listening to a discussion about these things, here's a link to a podcast episode that I found:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BksuiGr-YxQ
Posted by: Simon | August 30, 2019 at 08:44