How to learn quickly - www.geilien.cn


	How to learn quickly


				Ellen from China asks: Would you please give me some tips about how to improve my English level more quickly? You can regard me as a beginner only with ability of speaking simple sentence and reading simple articles. I think the difficulty for me is that I need teacher's advice.


	Roger replies:


			You are right, Ellen. 'How do I learn English more quickly?' is a very big question!

I am sure the answer has to do with what you enjoy doing most in English. What sort of language learner are you?

Why do you need or want to learn English? Prioritise your needs first. And then consider these questions. How do you organise your learning? What are your preferred learning styles? All of this will be important in helping you to find the answer.


			Let's take just one area, extending vocabulary. How do you do this most efficiently? Do you like to make lists or do you prefer to learn or remember new words or expressions from the contexts in which they occur? Do you make a distinction between active vocabulary (words you need to use) and passive vocabulary (words/expressions you need to recognise)? What does 'knowing a word' mean? Do you need to pronounce it correctly? Do you need to know which other words you can use with it? Do you need to know how to spell it correctly? Do you need to know how to use it in the right situation?


			Think of an English word or phrase that you have met recently and decide which of the above points are important for you in relation to this particular word or phrase. Do it again with another word or phrase you have met recently and see if the answers are the same.