4 easy ways to make progress every day in an intensive ESL program
Enrolling in an intensive English program is an important step to perfecting your English. Courses will help you learn important vocabulary and grammar, as well as help you improve your reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension.
English classes and fun activities will also give you plenty of opportunity to practice your English, allowing you to improve quickly. However, taking the time to study and practice English outside of class will also be an important part of your progress, and will help you improve even faster.
What are some of the best ways to make progress every day? Here are some tips we hope you find useful!
Use techniques that work with your learning style
It’s no secret that everyone is unique, and that every student will have different study techniques that work better for them. For example, one of your friends might learn best by writing down lessons, while you might prefer making rhymes and hearing lessons spoken out loud.
For this reason, it can be helpful to determine your learning style. There are many different types of learning styles, including the following:
- Visual: Uses diagrams and other visual aids.
- Physical: Uses movement and touch to learn.
- Auditory: Uses song, rhymes, and music.
- Verbal: Uses writing and reading.
- Logical: Uses logic to understand lessons.
- Social: Interacting with others helps with learning.
- Solitary: Quiet study alone works best.
It’s also possible that you might have more than one learning style. For example, you might be a social learner, a visual learner, and an auditory learner all at the same time. By knowing your learning style or learning styles, and studying in ways that make the best use of them, you’ll be able to make the most of your intensive ESL program.
Set aside time each day for studying
Learning English takes time and plenty of practice. It can’t all be done in one day! Cramming all of your studying into one night each week isn’t the best way to practice your English, or learn lessons effectively. Instead of studying for several hours in one day, it’s better to practice for 20 to 30 minutes every day.
You could choose to wake up early and do your studying in the morning before your classes, or during a break in between activities. Some students even study best at night. The important thing is to choose a time that is easy to fit into your schedule at English as a second language school.
Incorporate English into your hobbies
Practicing each day can be a lot of fun when it’s something you enjoy. That’s why including English practice into your hobbies and interests can be a wonderful idea. For example, if you love playing video games, playing a favourite game in English can help you practice your language skills and have fun at the same time. If you enjoy cooking, try using a recipe written in English. Love sports? Try watching a game in English, or taking a fitness class in English. Even listening to English songs can be a wonderful way to practice your English each day while having fun at the same time.
Don’t worry if you miss a day of practice when studying English in Canada
It’s okay to spend a day relaxing every once in a while. Maybe you really wanted to spend an afternoon shopping with friends, or Skyping with family back home. Missing a day of study can happen from time to time.
When you do forget to study, it’s important to not be too disappointed. You also don’t want to punish yourself by studying extra hard the next day. By doing so, you could begin to associate these negative feelings with learning English, which can lead to even more days spent not studying.
Instead, if you miss a day of study, don’t worry. Remember that nobody is perfect and that it’s okay to make mistakes. You might also want to remind yourself of all the progress you’ve already made. Even just enrolling in an ESL program is a big step towards improving your language skills.
Studying English in Canada can be a wonderful way to improve your English.
Find out how CultureWorks can help you reach your goals!