April 2010 - Scholarship Competition

I am (very) bad about the phrasal verbs.. The only way is memorizing them, but they are too much to memorize.. My other weakness about the English is; using of Would.. Many of times I can't decide whether it's would or had, because they are both used like; I'd ...... Besides, when I talk the phone, I really make an effort to understand people's pronunciation.. One more; I can understand movies with subtitle, but without subtitle I don't understand anything... I think I'm bad in everything Learning language is a really difficult issue...

Am I good about anything ? Yes, I don't criticize rules .. I just try to learn..

I look back at the past 11 years of english learning, and find out there are some good ways and bad ways in learning it.

In my hometown, the score of English test is pretty important. It could lead to the result that if you could assest the higher grade or not. Students always focus on writing and reading, for the english exam doesn’t include spoken english, and they seldom have the opportunity to speak. Despite more than ten years of English learning, me and my classmates are hard to speak. We usually use the sentence leaned from the textbook. If somebody said the sentence in a different way, I would have no idea how to respone in english. The more I afraid of mistakes the more I didn’t dare to speak. This lead to lacked of the courage to speak to people. I believe that learning English should be comprehensive, and not just focus on writing and reading. In modern society, speak is a significant way of communication. The one who can get a high score in english test but could not speak correctly and fluently, is not the one that actually good at english.

How to improve my listening and spoken english has become a main issue. My teacher suggest me to learn from watching sitcoms. At first time, I see it with subtitles, and then I read the scripts. If there were some good sentences, I would write down and recite. In addition, I tried to use these sentence when I communicated with others. After learning the script, I will see the sitcom without subtitles again and again to pratice my listening. A few months later, I progressed in listening and spoken english. Besides, I have been insisted on watching to BBC, CNN and other NEWS on the TV everyweek. At first, I could not grasp what they were talking about. Gradually, I could fit into the conversation.

In order to expand my amount of new words, I recited the words in the dictionary everyday When I was in high shool, and I gave up before long. It was boring and difficult to recite the words without using them. Later, I found a small software from Internet which could provide a game on spelling the word based by the given explaination. I memorize 30 words a day, and use this software for testing.

These are my experiences about good ways and bad ways of english learning. English as a language should be used rather than doing exercises to cope with the exams. There is a saying: use it or lose it, I think this is the best way to lean english.

i hop be betar than be for

just try to learn but i am not bad

I am good in grammar, I am bad in vocabulary.
I like to know more, but sometimes I am lazy
The english is good and usefull for travel
You can to speak people and find many friends
all over the world much people know english
I am not good at poem but tried to do well
I like EC School, they make students better
in knowledge of english and practice as well

Hello! I want to share my own way how I become English learner. So I've started learning English at school.But when I was younger I learned it without enthusiasm.I understood that's very important to learn foreign, especially English language but all I've done it's just lern by heart without understanding.I didn't use to think what I will be, but now I'm English teacher in my country!))) I really happy for it! During being a teacher (I've been working 5 years)I become a fan of this language. Actually I try and tent to know more about this affair! To be English teacher it's cool cause you learn every day something new! So I want to say If you really like what you do and here I mean learning English you become a good learner! Good luck for English learners!!!

Hi people. I learn English just 2 years and i must say, that EC helps me a lot, especially in reading and grammar. In primary and high school I have learn just German but I would learn English. I'm very bad in communication with other people,but I try be more better. I know that my grammar isn't ok, but I try. And I allways say: you must love somthing to be in love with this.

Everyone says that it runs in our family – this talent for languages. When I was just a little girl I used to watch cartoons in English and translate them simultaneously to my grandma. I have never realized in what way I managed to learn English grammar and speak fluently, I just did.

Since I clearly had talent for languages I decided to make the most of it. So I decided to study English language and literature at the University. My goal was to achieve perfection in all areas of English, including linguistics, literature, cultural differences, translation, etc. After sixteen years of studying English I now realize that something is missing. I have never been to an English speaking country, I have never talked to people whose mother tongue is English, I have never met with that culture except in a book; I have no real experience in English, just the books.

So, does this make me a good or a bad English learner? Well, a good thing is that I have certain theoretical knowledge of English, but what about practice. John L. Elias nicely puts it: “Theory without practice leads to an empty idealism”. I completely agree with him; what purposes does all this theoretical knowledge serve if one has no practice. Therefore I cannot say whether I am bad or good as a learner, I just want to learn more.

Hello everyone, who are reading and moderating this blog!

The only way to achieve the great results in English, to succeed in learning is to pay a lot of your attention and life to this process, to the English language knowledge. You must pay as much attention as you can! The next question, of course, is how quickly you are going with the learning, and how effeective the chosen process and methods are... It's up to you. Nowadays a huge number of possibilities that give you a right of choice. You could hone the skills yourself like I do, taking into consideration a whole difficulty of the learning. The results appear not right now, of course it's a long way, but they appear. It's bad. The other choice is to participate the course in English-speaking country, having chosen a famous and experienced school, with good methodologies, all necessary knowledge and qualified and friendly staff. And I'm convinced that during the last one all your clogs and misunderstandings preventing you from going ahead disappear and will be conquered forever.

I am normally good while talking and writting and reading but i find listening is difficult , i need to talk english , i would like to lear more english in england and know about english culture..

thanks

Ali

Hi everybody,

First of all, I would like to introduce myself really quickly. My name is Emilia and I'm in my early thirties I'm Polish but have been living in the Netherlands for the past 13 years.
I am married to a Moroccan man and I teach English in a secondary school here in Holland(although I am still busy with my studies).

Everybody says I have a feeling for languages and I think it is true, I am learning Arabic as well . It doesn't take me too much time to learn something and I am rather good at remembering new vocabulary and expressions.

Even though I am teaching English, I must honestly say my English is not perfect. My biggest problem is punctuation,especially the commas. I really suck at this. Punctuation is definitely my Achilles' hill.
Apart from this I am a good learner. One of the things I love to do is reading dictionaries, if you can call it reading. I have a lot of different English-English dictionaries and I just love browsing them. There are still so many words I don't know and I must say it's a good way to broaden your vocabulary.

Being a teacher I see a lot of bad learners. Most of these students learn stuff by hart. In one of the entries somebody wrote: I learn sentences by hart and if somebody changes them I don't understand what is being said and I am not able to reply. This is so common among the students. A lot of my students do that as well.

Anyway, I should be talking about myself It is always so much easier to criticize somebody else ......

Cheers,

Emilia

I just don't go over what is right nor wrong... I just try and do my best, looking back at 2005, (the year I started studying), I didn't have any fear of failure, disappointment, bitterness or sadness, that's because I was in the bottom, I didn't have anything at all, I think of it as the begging, I didn't have anything to lose. I think this is something good, whenever you want to do something and you do it, you think that you may not succeed you will eventually fail, whatever you do, just keep in mind you're gonna do it the best way you can... That's just how I apply my studies, this is something good about me. Nowadays I speak easily, fluently without thinking about it, that's just my sin, now that I have succesfully learned English I became a lazy fella. I don't ever study, get a book, once I heard you only care for something when it's gone, maybe someday ahead I might try to say something in English and I won't be able to because I don't study anymore...

Hi everyone! I do not for a long time studying English but the more I learn it the more I fall in love in English. It is quite simple but requires a lot of desire. which I have very much. I try to watch movies in English, news, and send that to understand the language. because only by reading and studying grammar, I think that would be difficult to understand the other person if you do not listen to spoken language. In my town there is Kazakh English Language Club Theater, I was very pleased when I heard that he was called. I'm trying so hard and, most importantly I like it. I also love to travel and I really helps me in this, though not a great knowledge of English.and you know I think that the best way to learn English is to be among the speakers, because you'll never understand how to communicate in English if you do not hear it every day around us, and in the shop and walk with your friends! if you just teach him that is to memorize and not understand what can never really learn this beautiful language. I think only a desire to communicate and help the environment well know English.

Grammar has always been my Achilles' heel.
I've been learning English since the fifth grade, I was 10 then.
Our teacher wasn't qualified at all so I rarely learned anything from him. Most of my English comes from watching television or listening to music. Therefore my vocabulary is pretty extensive but my grammar can be quite horrible. But I am quite the perfectionist so I never finish anything if it doesn't meet the standards of myself and the people around me.
Would love to be able to learn English from someone who is qualified and what better way to learn than surrounded by people who have the same goal as myself.

Now, looking back, I remember myself as a little girl with two plaits around my head. First time I knocked in the door with a tablet
"English teacher" I was about 12 years old. We actually started with alphabet, because I couldn't pronounce some letters correctly. Now I'm 16. And I wondering how unusual my acquaintance with English language had gone through.
My English teacher, an inspiring, incredible woman, opened and shared with me that amazing "English world". I don't know if it's right, but I suppose, while learning language, I was good at feeling it. You know, somewhere deep inside I had those gates, which automatically open every time you have some feelings to the language. So you instinctively know how to use one word with another, how to pronounce. And honestly I was so happy when I actually understood "Yesterday" or "Every time in my dreams, I see you, I hear you..." =)
Also for me it was a great pleasure to meet some people from Spain, France - we all had one gold key, which helped us communicating - English language.
In my opinion I was good in writing, because when I had serious themes, such as "how I spent my holidays" or more serious, f.e. "global problem of pollution", I just put myself, plunge into that language, I liked writing so much.
However, for not destroying nature balance of "pluses and minuses" I will tell about my bad sides in a role of a learner. To start with, I should say that my grammar is not so perfect, even now I can make some weird mistakes.
It's well-known that laziness is always on our way to the top. My teacher always told me one fairy-tail about Mrs. Laziness. And I tried to draw her. Then, I sticked up portrait of Mrs. Laziness on the wall. And every time I caught up myself with "not today" thoughts, I look at her. And I struggled with her, saying "Hey, Mrs. don't look at me in such a way". =) Of course sometimes, my fight was lost.
I think, I should add, that I'm bad vocabulary learner. Once, f.e. I was reading W.Shakespeare and I came across some unknown words. It was so hard to me to find them in the dictionary, that I decided to guess what they could mean. In the end I had absolutely another story.
To sum up, (sorry, for such a long retelling, I'm so emotional) I want once again count all points together:
I'm GOOD at:
1. feeling the language.
2. communicating with people.
3. showing myself on the paper. (essays, letters ect.)
I'm BAD at:
1. remembering and learning by heart some grammar rules.
2. learning new words.
3. sometimes friendship with Mrs. Laziness.

Alina, Kazakhstan.

I’m really bad English learner, the worst about me is that I’ve started studying with enthusiasm and then noticed that I was quite tired and would find more pleasant way to learn English and during the years I have been changing and changing my studying ways and never want to eradicate my weaknesses, especially my vocabulary and more especially listening (I’m really bed in listening and particular can’t understand of quickly talkers pronunciations ). I’m a little lazy and that is why I usually prefer entertaining ways of studying (but such way does not always give me good result) watching movies, reading interesting books only suitable on my level , professional book makes me upset as I don’t like searching in vocabulary every 2-3 minutes during the reading.
So I have introduced my weaknesses above, now I would like to show you how good I am. I think I’m normal/good in communication. I want to speak all the time with foreigners, really trying to assimilate their pronunciations and expressions.
At last I would like to say - proceed of learning isn’t good but as English is the most important than other languages what can we do, we must learn! So good luck everybody and wish you to overcome our laziness together. Learning with EC is really enjoyable for me and a great thanks for this studying way.

Nino Mindiashvili from Georgia

I've been studying English since I was a child. Now, I'm 23 and I consider myself pretty fortunate of having realized how important English is. That's why I started to learn English in my spare time, broadening my vocabulary and watching movies in original version. Nowadays, I'm practically self-taught.

In the summer of 2.006 it had come to my notice the chance of applying for English lessons at European Centre in Cambridge. So... I jumped at the opportunity immediately!!! It really helped me to improve my English.

For the time being, I keep on studying by myself, that's why perseverance and will are my strengths in the language. I can not forgo these two virtues, without which is not possible to get to master a language.

Concerning to my weaknesses, my biggest one is to listen to the native people. I should really crack down on this important drawback, because listening is essential to maintain a conversation.

Thanks to all the EC team, without whom the dream of having a good command of English would be more difficult.

Miguel Verdeguer

I'm fairly sure that once I've heard Sting singing

'Every breath you take
Every move you make
every bond you break
every step you take
I"LL BE WATCHING YOU, that day I've learned what future continuos wos!!
OR
Come and hold my hand
I want the contact the living
Not sure I understand
This role I HAVE BEEN GIVEN, Robie Williams helped me the first time to realize that using pasiv is not too hard

OR Lou Reed
explained me what 'PERFECT day' was, and what 'just keep me hanging on' means:)
Depeche mode taugh me that 'words like violence break the silence'
The point is when smt. strikes you right into your hart you will remember it ! and in that way I'm good learner !
I'm also a bad learner in many,many ways for ex. when I try
to figure out why on earth 'future in the past' is necessary ????
Thinking about this topis I realized that words can influence the way we feel! Some words are so laden with meaning that simply reading or hearing can have a great effect on our felings -again in that way I'm good learner. Don't you feel good just reading: love, sunshine, sweethart, teachers from EC school, wonderful...

In what ways are you a good or bad English learner?
Well, in order to answer this question there is much to say.
First of all, about the negative side, in terms of speaking, although I am teaching English at school, I usually make a lot of grammar mistakes when I say something. The origin of the reason must be the fact that English learning syllabuses in Vietnam have spent a huge time for learners to study grammar only. Therefore, learners like me bear in mind that grammar is something we need to learn by heart and do exercises like Maths for example only, not to put it into speaking or even writing. I have been a learner before becoming a teacher of English. Sadly enough, I am in that habit too. So, sometimes when I speak English in my classes and forget that I need to put my perfect grammar that has been learned for a lengthy time into my speaking and you know, it is very embarrassed if some of my students can realize these mistakes that I made.

Another drawback that I usually encounter is word choice in writing, essay for example. I can learn all the rules by heart however still there are silly mistakes. That because when we studied English at school, teachers told me to learn new words by translating it into Vietnamese. For example, I used to think that these words ‘special, odd, peculiar, outstanding’ are the same because my teachers at Secondary school wrote them in the board with only one meaning.

Next, there are some words that are usually pronounced in a wrong way for a long time, kind of traditionally wrong-pronounced words that I ALWAYS pronounced them incorrectly such as ‘won’ into ‘ won’- monetary unit in Korea, ‘ career’.. Actually, there are more than all I can list here about the bad sides as a learner of English. For example, my clumsiness in writing, my helplessness before certain English sounds, my sadness about reading comprehension exercises with time pressure.

However, I can say I am a good English learner somehow. I can speak English quite fluently with some minor grammar mistakes. That makes me different from most English learners here in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. Besides, I am good at argumentative essays and public speaking. But, most of all, I am good at doing grammar exercises as a product of grammar-based syllabus in education system here in my country.

Thank you for taking time to read mine. Hope that I can win this two-week course. Cheers!

Oh, it's rather difficult to write about oneself(or myself -?).
It is nessesary to be honest and self-critical.
Well, I am bad at listening and speaking:(
And I am good at ...thinking in English:)

But as an English learner -
I am good at doing different EC tasks.
And I am bad at memorizing new Vocabulary and Grammar.

Don't try to be the best - be the best!!!( It's not about me)
Marina, Ukraine

I learnt English when I went to school, about 30 years ago. I haven't used English much in the meantime, only as a tourist. English is one of the most important languages to learn, the common language when people from different countries meet, the common language for trade, for science, for culture.

For a long time I didn't use English much, but I found that I got very dependent on other people around me because I didn't trust myself to speak English. So I decided to take up and brush up on my English, and possibly learn some more. I do this by reading books and magazines, and watching English films and TV-programs. I also use this EC learn English site, to get a little doze of English every day (or whenever I have time). It's always exciting to open the EC site to see what today's lesson is about.

I think I have a good basic knowledge of English grammar, but my vocabulary can improve. Listening and understanding spoken English I also find not too difficult. What is most difficult is speaking, probably because that's what I'm doing the least. Last summer I visited an EC English school, and that helped a lot.

So that's what I'm doing. Reading, listening, watching, doing exercises on this site... Joining this blog is a good way of making myself try to write. And I hope at least that I can keep up my English, and hopefully improve it over time, too.
If this makes me a good or bad English learner, I don't know, but it's the kind of learner I am.

My problem is that when I get a strong school of English willingness to learn and it takes some time after returning to reality, to everyday obligations. After a few months I give up even thougn I'm aware that my knowledge of English is necessary, especially for my job. It's simply, it's stronger than me, unfortunately.
Also, I have a feeling there is stagnation in my English knowledge, and that certainly doesn't exceed the intermediate level.
Whole situation takes till a new depature to English language school and all in a circle.
What would help me is a long stay abroad, at least a month or two, but this is difficult due to commitments at work.
The good thing is that I can "rapidly infiltrate" upon attending English language school - I'm immediately relax and sort of English that goes by itself...

Ljiljana, Serbia

From my own experience,non-English speaking countries focuss in teaching English since we are children, but for them the most important thing is grammar, you can pass without problem, even thought you don't know how the pronounciation is. For me that is the beginning of the problem.
Maybe I have grammar mistakes writing this letter, however the most frustrating thing for me is when a non-English speaker goes abroad and he tries to speak in English, people don´t understand a word of what he is saying.
To sum up, I think that we must try to learn everything, English is not only grammar, English is vocabulary,speaking, listening , and the best way to learn a language is study hard as Napoleon once said, “Victory belongs to him who has the most perseverance".
I always try to be good learner because I want to be a Translator,so I make an effort every day , learning English watching movies, looking up new words in the dictionary and trying to use them, and so on.
A good oppotunity for being a good English learner is going abroad,EC language school helps me feel more comfortable speaking and writing English, so it is a good way to start being a good English learner

Jackeline