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| Improve your English |
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| Learning a new language can
appear daunting at first.
But never fear, Monique le Riche is
here to offer you some top tips
on learning English before you
begin your studies in the UK
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| You've spent hours researching and applying for your chosen
course in the UK and the letter has just arrived in the post.
Eagerly you tear open the envelope and there is your acceptance
to the institution of your choice. Now all you have to
worry about is how to improve and practise your English
language skills.
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| Remember to check first with the institution if there are any
minimum English language requirements. There is often a test
before you enter the institution to ensure your understanding
of the language matches these set requirements. Or they may
run top-up English language courses, so check what they offer.
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| English has special status in at least 75 countries and obviously
is the official language of the UK. Around 375 million people in
the UK speak English as a first language and about 750 million
are believed to speak English as a foreign language. But how
do you go about learning the language and improving your
conversational skills before arriving in the UK?
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‘Coming to study in London was one of the best choices I have ever made. My English was not very
good when I arrived but I am now much better than before. I have made so many friends over here
from all over the world and we spend our free time together seeing all the sights in London and
practising our English together’.
Raffaele Flacco, Bologna, Italy
University of North London
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| Read, read, read |
| English reading matter is widely available and is one of the best
ways for you to begin learning English. Try to get hold of as
much English literature as possible - read anything and everything
you can. It helps if you have a dictionary handy to look up any
words that you may be struggling with. You could borrow books
from your local library, or buy newspapers and magazines.
Children's books are easiest for beginners and will help build
your understanding of English sentence structure. The British
Council is a very helpful organisation and has reading material
on their site designed specifically for international students.
For more information, visit www.learnenglish.org.uk
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| Go to the cinema or meet up with friends |
| English television programmes can also help to improve your
English. You can watch cartoons, the news or sitcoms. It is
especially helpful to learn the pronunciation of words if you go
to the cinema or get a video that has subtitles in your own
language. Take note of the expressions of the actors and this can
give you a feel for certain words or sayings.
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| Ask around and see if you know any friends that speak English
or that are eager to learn. Why not start a weekly meeting for
everyone interested and you can meet and have conversational
classes? Everyone can come along and practise their English
and each week you can choose a different theme. Have a rule
that only English may be spoken for that hour and everyone can
help each other out.
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| What can technology offer me? |
| Countless software packages are available and they can be
bought from larger newsagents or via the internet. Software may
include dictionaries, exercises, quizzes and even pre-recorded
words for you to hear the pronunciation of words.
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| If you have access to the internet your options are endless.
Online courses are available with qualified teachers standing by
to answer your questions and mark your language exercises.
This is useful as you can monitor your progress and possible
problem areas can be pointed out and worked on. There are
online dictionaries that will translate any words and give all
possible meanings.
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| Check out your local college |
| You should easily be able to find courses at your local college
that teach English for a small fee. These classes can vary from
beginners to professional and can even cater for specific purposes
such as 'English for business'. If you want to learn English
and take exams in your home country then why not go to the
British Council website at www.britishcouncil.org/education/exams/index.htm
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| As you practise your English and begin to improve you will
soon notice the difference between textbook and spoken
English. The English language is littered with colloquialisms,
sayings and words that may have several meanings. This at
first may be confusing but the more you speak to native
English speakers the easier this multi-faceted language will
become. Before you know it you will even be using some of
them yourself!
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| No matter how fluent you become there will always be
something new to learn. English will open up international
communication for you and it is vital to your studies in the
United Kingdom. Suddenly you will begin to notice how
accessible English is in your everyday life, in places that you
never even noticed before. The more you practise it, the more
naturally it will come.
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| Top Tips... |
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Buy a pocket-sized dictionary and carry
it around with you.Whenever you don't
understand a word, just get out your handy
dictionary and look it up.
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Write English sentences on to pieces of
paper and put them around the house,
such as on the fridge. Then, whenever you
see them, you can practise the sentence.
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| Web links |
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