What can I do to improve my English for free without travelling?
It is widely believed that to learn a foreign language you have to travel to the country where that language is spoken but there are lots of things you can do where you live to improve your level of English. There are lots of free practice methods you can use to learn while you are having fun. The first tip I’d give you is just try to get as much pure input as possible; you can do this by watching TV in English, listening to the radio and to music in English and reading newspapers and magazines in English. To avoid boredom try to watch and read about things you like and you would do anyway in your own language. For example, try to watch series you are hooked on in English and with subtitles in English and try to catch up on your hobbies in English. When you are learning a language, you usually learn difficult and specialized vocabulary (especially if you are studying English for tourism), but maybe you don’t know what the things you use and do everyday are called. Therefore, you end up knowing what “angling” or “an easel” are but you don’t know how to say “fregar el suelo” or “paso de cebra”. Just go around your house and think what the things are around you are called in English and what the names for everyday actions are. My third tip is finding a conversation exchange. If you live in Barcelona this shouldn’t be difficult, there are lots of foreigners here who are willing to learn either Spanish or Catalan. If you are short of time to go meet someone for a coffee, you can always use skype or google hangouts to speak to someone who is in another country or simply exchange emails with someone. There’s this website: http://www.conversationexchange.com/ where you can sign up and register the language you are learning and the language(s) you can offer. The person with whom you practise does not have to be a native, most European people speak quite good English and you can use it as a means of communication to make each other understood. Write down entire phrases that you hear. You could write them down because you think you will use them or because you didn’t understand. When you look back at the notebook later you will have the whole phrase; instead of one word in isolation and you’ll remember the context. Stop translating everything word for word into your own language, translating will slow down your progress; instead focus on the words that you understand and try to understand the meaning of things as a whole. Last but not least, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, fear can stop you from learning English. You need to let go and relax, no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes and by making mistakes you will learn. The more you speak the better you get at it. So what are you waiting for? Get out there now and find someone to speak your English with! Adriana Hidalgo, English teacher
