English must be the most common requirement for any applicant. Without knowledge of at least one foreign language, one cannot count on a decent job and wages. But not everyone speaks English at least at an intermediate level.
Therefore, knowledge of the language can be your absolute advantage.
There are three ways to learn a language – on your own, in courses, and with the help of a tutor. Classes in a group or with a tutor are best combined with constant self-education, without neglecting the slightest opportunity to practice language skills.
Courses
First of all, make the choice of courses responsibly. There are a lot of them now, but not all of them are of high quality. Attend trial classes, review textbooks, and meet the teacher. Ask your friends for advice – surely one of them has attended or is attending such courses and is able to assess progress in language proficiency. Although the choice, of course, is up to you and only you.
Most courses take place in the evenings, after hours, but other options can be found. It is good if, in addition to two or three main classes per week, there is also an additional meeting designed for conversational practice; native speakers are usually invited there, and you can talk with them on any topic. The courses themselves should have a multi-vector focus: train communication skills, grammar, listening, and spelling. Language courses should not be like a purely conversational interest club or a dry study of the rules.
Learning English in a group has both advantages and disadvantages. Man, of course, is such a creature that needs to compare himself with others. The competitive moment can really spur language learning, especially since you will be able to directly compare your level with others. But the group should correspond to your level of knowledge. If most of the students are weaker than you, you will be given less time, and thus you risk losing motivation.
Conversely, a group that speaks much better English is too hard to keep up with. There are usually 10-15 people in a language group, and it is very difficult to pay attention to everyone. No one will explain the rule to a student who has not understood the rule for 15 minutes. But there is no need to be afraid of becoming lagging behind, because the teachers in the courses are not from the street, and are usually able to explain everything in an accessible way. Progress is almost entirely dependent on the attentiveness and diligence of the student.
In the courses, you can learn not only from your own but also from the mistakes of others. In addition, this is a great opportunity to find new friends and acquaintances with the same interests. If you like communication, you have a direct way to study English in a group.
Tutor
In this case, you will have to look for a person who not only knows the language and knows how to teach it but is also personally pleasant to you. This applies to appearance, manner of speaking, and decency. You will spend several hours a week with a tutor. Mutual sympathy between him and you is simply necessary.
The best tutors are usually found through acquaintances. So do not hesitate to ask who, how, and at what price. The tutor will either come to your home, or you will visit him. Sometimes options are considered when a person is given time and space to study right at work. A huge plus of individual lessons is that you can choose a time convenient for you, and not adjust to the course schedule.
Almost all tutors, as a rule, have a different main place of work – they teach at universities or at the same courses, and have a philological, and sometimes pedagogical education. The experience of teaching them, therefore, does not hold. The tutor will be able to find an approach for you, identify weaknesses and select the necessary teaching methods. He will determine the speed of progress in learning the language and correct the slightest mistakes. This is the main advantage of individual lessons – an individual approach and undivided attention to you and only to you.
Lessons with a tutor usually cost more than courses. The price depends on the experience of the teacher: classes with a student have one price, while a teacher with many years of experience and reputation will ask for another. But if you want time to be spent only on you and well spent, be prepared to pay the corresponding cost.
The gender and age of the intended tutor are a matter of preference. However, you can give some general advice on his selection :
– the tutor will become your model and example, so his knowledge must be impeccable;
– the tutor must have significant experience in communicating with native speakers, perhaps even foreign certificates confirming the level of language proficiency;
– at least short-term, but teaching experience is needed: the ability to correctly present the material is polished only in practice;
– The tutor should be a pleasant person to you.
Independently
In addition to constant work with educational material, practice is needed, it is necessary to hear a living language and speak it without being embarrassed by mistakes. Locked in your room and surrounded by books, you will not speak English.
Follow these simple guidelines and keep going:
In this case, the main thing is discipline and motivation. It is very important to have a purpose for which you are learning a language, whether it be working for an international company, marrying a citizen of another country, or wanting to read Jack London in the original. There are many tools at your disposal for learning foreign languages, and if you use them correctly, it is quite possible to achieve tangible results. There are many textbooks, reference books, dictionaries, and media resources at your disposal.
• It’s easy to find English-language movies and series with subtitles on the Internet. It will become a good habit to watch one episode of your favorite English-language series daily, only, of course, without translation;
• You can practice a foreign language using Skype and ICQ programs, Facebook social network, and communicating with foreigners via the World Wide Web;
• Read the news and search the Internet for all the information you are interested in English;
• You meet an unfamiliar word – write it out with transcription and translation. Do not focus on difficult words, learn common ones;
• Go-to conversation clubs. There, for free or for a small fee, there are meetings of people like you who are learning English;
• exercise daily. Remember that less is better, but it is better – it will be more effective to devote half an hour to an hour every evening to studying the language than the whole day once a week.
