SuPeRLaRk
02-10-2005, 02:30 AM
Tips
Assalamualaikum:
I have been pondering about topics to write but my cluttered mind would not spare me anything good. So let's see if I can share some learning tricks instead.
Read. Read as many materials written in English as you can. That should increase your vocabulary and expose you to different types of writing styles. I used to frequent a shop that sells used book and magazines, and every weekend I'd buy some old Reader's digest or a fantasy novel (I'm a fan of Robotech and AD&D) and read them. They were only 25 cents for the Reader's digest, and the pre-owned novels costed me no more than 5 ringgit each. So given my monthly allowance was about $20 I was able to buy one novel and a few reader's digest per month.
SO once I got home, I'd read them over several times within the course of several days. The first time was to find words I didn't know the meaning of. I would skim the book or article and write the words down one by one in a notebook. Once finished, I'd spend a day looking up the dictionary and writing down their meanings in the same notebook. The next day I'd read the book or article again using the notebook as a guide and memorized the meaning of the new words as I came across them. And over and over again until I feel really bored (and until next month when I get my monthly $20 allowance to buy new books). It would be tiresome and boring after a while though, so you need to be diligent at it if you try it. But regardless of the method you use while reading or what you read about, at least try to read something daily and learn a new word everyday.
As for spoken (conversational) English, well, try these two methods.
1) While reading anything English, try to speak it aloud (don't try it in the library). Recite the passages (again and again if needed), and get a good feel to it. (Double check your pronunciation too). Start slowly and improve it over time. If anyone ever learned to read or recite the al-Quran it would be the same way.
2) Secondly, we all are showered with western tv shows - at night or over the weekend, movies or soap operas et cetera. So whatever your favorite shows are, while watching them, watch how the actors/actresses talk and repeat what they say just how you see they say it. (without all the acting, of course :P)
These methods aren't going to improve your command of the language overnight, so keep practicing. They would feel awkward the first few tries but it could work, if you practice enough.
Until then, take care.
SuPeRLaRK.
Assalamualaikum:
I have been pondering about topics to write but my cluttered mind would not spare me anything good. So let's see if I can share some learning tricks instead.
Read. Read as many materials written in English as you can. That should increase your vocabulary and expose you to different types of writing styles. I used to frequent a shop that sells used book and magazines, and every weekend I'd buy some old Reader's digest or a fantasy novel (I'm a fan of Robotech and AD&D) and read them. They were only 25 cents for the Reader's digest, and the pre-owned novels costed me no more than 5 ringgit each. So given my monthly allowance was about $20 I was able to buy one novel and a few reader's digest per month.
SO once I got home, I'd read them over several times within the course of several days. The first time was to find words I didn't know the meaning of. I would skim the book or article and write the words down one by one in a notebook. Once finished, I'd spend a day looking up the dictionary and writing down their meanings in the same notebook. The next day I'd read the book or article again using the notebook as a guide and memorized the meaning of the new words as I came across them. And over and over again until I feel really bored (and until next month when I get my monthly $20 allowance to buy new books). It would be tiresome and boring after a while though, so you need to be diligent at it if you try it. But regardless of the method you use while reading or what you read about, at least try to read something daily and learn a new word everyday.
As for spoken (conversational) English, well, try these two methods.
1) While reading anything English, try to speak it aloud (don't try it in the library). Recite the passages (again and again if needed), and get a good feel to it. (Double check your pronunciation too). Start slowly and improve it over time. If anyone ever learned to read or recite the al-Quran it would be the same way.
2) Secondly, we all are showered with western tv shows - at night or over the weekend, movies or soap operas et cetera. So whatever your favorite shows are, while watching them, watch how the actors/actresses talk and repeat what they say just how you see they say it. (without all the acting, of course :P)
These methods aren't going to improve your command of the language overnight, so keep practicing. They would feel awkward the first few tries but it could work, if you practice enough.
Until then, take care.
SuPeRLaRK.