English Practice

One of the best ways to teach and to learn how to speak the English language is to actually watch American and British television shows and some learning channels.

For those who are learning in schools which use English as the medium of instruction, they may feel that there is something lacking in their learning. One of the most apparent failures is the use of the slang and the common words which have different meaning as well as the accent.

Learning through television can expand the grammar and pronunciation horizons of the learning dramatically. There is a difference in saying a word if the word is said with a heavy accent.

Another advantage to watching television is the learning of playing with words. English taught in schools can be very rigid and sometimes the words are straight out of the book and may sound funny to American ears. Americans have a tendency to cut short their sentences and they also love to use acronyms and make it sound like they are real words. These can be confusing to a learner and sometimes the confusion can lead them to say the wrong things at the wrong time.

There are also some words that are not found in the dictionary that the learners use, slang words are fairly common and these can be heard used in their proper context on television – this includes movies, talk shows, etc.

For a learner, it is best that they understand that the English they are most likely learning is American English and not British English. For one thing the accents are worlds apart, the terms used are not the same and the play of words is different. British English have a tendency to use deep English words that even Americans literally fail in application.

Learning through television though is very good for pronunciation because the learner can actually hear the words spoken as they should be, as long as they know that they are watching American as opposed to British.

Poetry reading is something that is not as simple as it sounds. It has rhythm, it has rhyme, it has tongue twisters, there are emotions and mood changes, in short, poems are a combination of many things and most of it has to do with emotions and mind imaging.

If you are trying to practice your English language skills, the best thing to do would be of course to keep practicing by talking. But simply talking will not improve your reading skills and your vocabulary. The best way would be to read aloud.

Now some say why not read out a book. This can be done easily because there is actually a story and a lot of people like to listen to a story unfold rather than actually having to read them. But when the question comes to poetry, suddenly, everyone stops and looks. The emotions that come out from people when they hear the word poetry is not the same as when you simple say a book. Why is that?

Because of the combinations that is found in it. The hidden meanings, the emotions that it can stir the reader. Not that it is difficult to read, but because it is difficult to decipher.

Some people find that reading poetry as a hobby is a level that is almost unreachable unless you were an expensively educated person. Some even make the mistake of thinking that only geniuses and scholars read poetry.

This is sad because poetry is another form of reading that can actually promote skills in any language. The English language is especially gifted with works from Byron, Bronte, and Browning who made poems so dark and mesmerizing that they have continued to live on until today.

Poetry reading will not only improve your reading skills and your vocabulary, but it will actually refine it, make the rough edges smoother and make the words coming out from your mouth more meaningful. The average American may not spout out Byron, but definitely, if you are an executive who deals with American executives, you will be surprised that they sometimes speak in ways that others cannot understand, they surprisingly use poetry, and it shows their level of education.

So go and do the same, read the poetry and refine your English language skills.

One of the more popular trends in books is the eBook and the Audio book which can all be downloaded into cell phones, iPods, and other computer gadgets. The learners of course have to pay for the books but they are worth the price because the learner does not need to change their schedule to make room for their learning.

There are some who simply read the books while waiting in line for the bus, the elevator or even the train. Some do it when waiting for their turn in the doctor’s office.

The ease of learning from eBooks has some disadvantages though; there is no one to ask if they are reading the words correctly. However, there are some who simply ask the next person beside them and ask for their assistance, most of whom are only too willing to do. That and the opportunity to converse in the English language to practice their skills is the main attraction.

Audio books are a good way to listen and read at the same time. The listener can actually learn how a word is supposed to sound and they also learn how to say the words in a sentence. Sometimes, writing the words is totally different from just saying them. There are times when the writing can be long and yet entertaining to read, but when said out loud sound incongruous.

One of the more enjoyable advantages to eBooks and Audio books is that more and more popular books are in demand and the learner can actually get to “read” the book even when they are jogging. What is nice is that a lot of the audio books also have popular novels so the learner can actually feel that they are at par with their acquaintances when they start talking to each other about a popular book, in the process they get to speak the English language and if they say something the wrong way, their new friend can correct immediately, something which is inherent in man’s nature, to correct someone if they murder a language.