How To Learn English, Self-Taught

Are you interested in foreign language?

Do your learn foreign language?

Are you a polyglot?

Well... I have some tips How To Learn Foreign Language by Self-Taught (English).

Learning a language is no easy task, but if done right, it will be fun and exciting. Here are a few brief tips to help you spend your time wisely. 

1. Grammar

Grammar is perhaps the least exciting and most difficult part of learning a new language. Some people associate memorising boring grammar rules with language learning itself. This is unfair but expected. Being forced to learn anything, in school or otherwise, is always unappealing, and language rules are no exception.

However, the truth is that grammar is the biggest shortcut to learning a new language. Learning the "rules" of a language allow you to accomplish in two years what takes a native speaker the first 8 or so years of their life. This is because native speakers learn things by trial and error. This is like trying to learn your way around a new city by simply wandering around randomly. In this way, you build up an excellent understanding of the city, but it takes a lot of time. Learning grammar is like having someone show you how to get to all the important destinations in the city. From there, you can easily explore the rest of the city, and even if sometimes you get lost, it's easy to find some place that you know.

That said, the truth is, for most people grammar is boring, and learning a new language is supposed to be fun and exciting. So, you should only do as much grammar as you can do without destroying your motivation. The grammar lessons on this site will be fairly basic, so you should try to find a good textbook that will teach you proper grammar.

2. Vocabulary

The main obstacle to overcome when learning a new language is vocabulary. Your average native English speaker may know 15,000 words. Achieving this level of vocabulary will take some time, but there is good news.

• Some words are more important than others. Pronouns, auxiliary verbs, conjunctions, and prepositions make up the most important words in English. These should be learned immediately. Then, by learning a 1,000 or so nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, you will be well on your way to being able to communicate fluently. 
• There are many excellent free tools out there on the internet for learning vocabulary. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of free vocabulary lists, free apps for your phone, etc.  I suggest you to try Quizlet, Quizlet is a free site where people can share flashcards they create on every subject imaginable. Quizlet also provides free apps for Apple and Android phones which can be used to study the flashcards and keep track of which words you need to practice and which words you have down.
• However, the best way to expand your vocabulary is to encounter words in real life situations. In this way you get to see the words being used in context, which ensures that you understand how to use the word correctly, and makes the word more memorable. To learn a new language you have to immerse yourself. You have to surround yourself with the new language. Do everything you can think of. Put stickers with English words on every object you own. Try to think in English in your head. Find friends who are also interested in learning English. These are all great ways to learn, but the main three ways to learn deserve a section for themselves. 

3. Sound Immersion

Try to surround yourself with English. Listen to English music. Watch English movies and television. Make friends who are learning English and then only speak English together. I cannot stress this enough. If you just watch and read the subtitles at the bottom of the screen, you will not learn the new words, or at least you will not learn them as quickly. Try to focus on what is being said. Try to hear the individual words. Find shows and movies that you like so that the experience will be enjoyable. In addition to movies, television, and music, there is a whole new world of podcasts out there of all levels. You should find something you like and download it to your phone. Then when you are on the train or the bus or find any free time, put your headphones in your ears and steal a few minutes of English. Try to surround yourself with English all day. If you do this, you will improve at a rate that you never thought possible.

4. Reading

By far, the best way to learn new vocabulary is to read. We are living in the golden age of language learning. The internet is full of free reading materials, as well as free music, podcasts, movies, videos and more. I can say without a doubt that you will learn new vocabulary from reading. So read and write down any words that you learn. Then put them into your favorite flashcard app on your phone and practice your new vocabulary whenever you get a few minutes free. 

5. Language Partners

The World is smaller than ever before. Using just your phone or your computer and the internet, you can be speaking with a native speaker of almost any language in the World in just a few minutes. Finding a good language partner will be one of the most rewarding parts of your language learning experience. You will get to spend time with another person interested in learning languages, you will get to practice your English with a native speaker, and you will get to experience English in a natural setting.

My favorite sites for finding language partners are the HelloTalk app, the conversationexchange.com website, interpals.net and italki.com. However, there are many good sites out there for this purpose, and a quick search of the internet will yield many interesting results.

If you cannot afford tutoring, then your language partner will come in the form of some native speaker who wants to learn your language. Here are a few quick tips for getting the most out of the experience.

• Look for a serious partner. If someone is not willing to help you, doesn't show up when you agree to meet, or engages in inappropriate behavior, then that person is just wasting your time. Politely tell them that you will not be able to meet anymore and look for someone else.

• Be a good language partner yourself. If you want someone to help you learn English, then you should be willing to help them learn your language. Unfortunately, as I am an Indonesian native speaker, there are many more Indonesians trying to learn English than there are English speakers who are trying to learn Indonesian, so you are in a competitive market. So, be a good partner, and get help in return.

• Make sure your partner understands that you want them to correct your English whenever you make a mistake. If they don't correct your English when you speak or type, then you are losing out on half the benefit of having a native speaker as a partner. Furthermore, make sure that they are willing to speak and write in English.

• It is important that you both speak and write in both languages. This will help you the most. Try to use just one language at a time and then switch after some agreed on amount of time. You can even use the time that you are working in your language to learn English. Notice the mistakes that the English speaker makes in your language. If they try to guess a word in your language and it is wrong, then they might have made that guess by using the English word and making it sound Indonesian. Furthermore, if the English speaker's sentence seems strange in Indonesian, then that is probably how it is said in English. Notice in particular the order of the words and how the sentences are constructed. If you are observant, then you will manage to learn things about English even while you are teaching Indonesian.

• You must speak English. Don't be shy. Don't worry about making mistakes. This is how you learn. Let it be fun and funny and don't worry about looking stupid. You are learning a new language. Be willing to laugh at yourself and don't hold back and you will learn faster.

6. Final Thoughts - Know Thyself

The most important thing to understand when learning a language is yourself. Learning a language takes a lot of time, so you need to push yourself to work harder, On the other hand, pushing yourself too hard can make learning unpleasant, and this will actually cause you to remember less. If you don't feel a little stressed sometimes, then you are probably not working hard enough, but if you are stressed all of the time, then you are either working too hard or working in the wrong way. If this happens, then don’t worry. Just relax and watch some English movies or listen to some music in English. Then, when you feel refreshed again, you can start to learn more actively again.

Second, you should know what you want from your language learning endeavor. A business man trying to conduct business in America needs very different language than a teenager who is moving to America for a year to be an exchange student. English is like any language. It is spoken differently in different countries and different regions of the countries. It is spoken differently in academic settings than in the home. Different social groups speak differently. The poor speak differently than the rich. The young speak differently than the old. Each version of English is rich and interesting in its own way, but you should know what you want beforehand. Then you will know what to focus on. Explain this to your language partner, your tutor, and your teacher. They will help you.

Although you should know what you want and need, you should also experiment and explore. Learning a new language is your chance to learn new things, discover new interests, meet new people, and experience a new culture. Find websites about things that you already love, and be prepared to fall in love with new things. Open your mind and your heart as you learn your new language and you will find yourself growing as a person.

So, what are you waiting for? Get started!