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Your time is limited.
Especially when you are a working professional who is juggling work and personal life.
So it is important that when you are improving your English, you do it in a SMART and efficient manner.
Why? Because if you don’t, you will see 0% results.
Yes, you read that right - 0%.No, you won’t get 50% results just because you are putting up 50% effort 🥲🥲.
Learning English requires a fine balance of multiple components - Vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, non-verbal communication, articulation, etc.
And just like you can’t cook 50% of food with 50% of the ingredients, you can’t improve your English by doing partial, half-hearted practice.
We at BBR English are aware of this problem. Hence, we give your the SMART framework to improve your English.
Don’t be in a hurry.
Take your time to streamline your thoughts and put them into words. Speaking fast can often result in a lack of clarity - thus hurting your fluency.
But when you speak at a moderate pace, you give yourself the opportunity to:
Rushing through your speech can lead to mistakes and miscommunication. You should focus on quality rather than quantity when speaking English.
One practical way to practice speaking at a moderate pace is by engaging in conversational exercises.Find a language partner or join a language exchange group where you can engage in meaningful discussions.
When you have to speak - Start by speaking slowly and deliberately. Pay attention to your pronunciation and grammar.
As you become more comfortable, gradually increase your speed while maintaining clarity.
Please remember clarity is the number 1 priority in any communication.
Your language partner can help you to identify areas where you need improvements. This could be improving pronunciation, intonation, or vocabulary usage.
PS, I go into much more detail about how to control your speed while talking in English. Watch it and let me know your thoughts in comments section of the video.
Make sure you do not reserve learning English for a few hours a week. Instead, you should make it a part of your lifestyle.When English learning is part of your lifestyle - you learn faster and retain your learning for a longer time.
Experts call it Immersion Learning.
Here is how you can make English learning your lifestyle.
A community provides a supportive environment for practicing conversation, sharing resources, and receiving feedback.You might even make new friends with whom you can communicate in English.
Personally, I have been a long-time Toastmasters member and I can tell you from experience that having a supportive community can do wonders to improve your English communication skills.
Maintain a journal where you can write down new words, phrases, and expressions that you come across.Use it to document your language learning progress, jot down ideas, or write short passages in English.
Set daily, weekly, or monthly goals. These provide structure and direction to your learning process.These goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound to maximize their effectiveness.
But don’t choose goals that are too hard for your present self.Because if you fail to achieve them, you will quickly lose motivation and quit.
James Clear, author of the best-selling book Atomic Habits explains it very well.
The Goldilocks Rule states that humans experience peak motivation when working on tasks that are right on the edge of their current abilities. Not too hard. Not too easy. Just right.
So ensure to assess your current English proficiency level (or CEFR level). Identify your areas that require improvement. Then, set realistic goals based on your starting point.
For example, if you are a beginner (like A1 level), your goal might be to learn basic vocabulary and sentence structures.If you are more advanced (like C2), you might focus on enhancing your conversational skills or mastering complex grammar concepts.
Also, be mindful of your practical circumstances.Consider factors such as
By setting goals, breaking them down into manageable tasks, and regularly evaluating your progress, you can stay focused and make consistent advancements in your language skills.
Each accomplishment will boost your confidence and fuel your motivation to continue improving your English skills.
Revision is your best friend.
By making a habit of daily revision, you solidify your language skills and accelerate your progress.
To make your revision sessions more effective and efficient, here are a few tips:
You should regularly assess your progress to stay motivated and track your improvement.Testing your growth helps you measure your language skills and provides valuable insights into areas that require further attention.
Tests serve as checkpoints to assess your overall language development. Set aside time at the end of each month to evaluate your knowledge and skills. Create a comprehensive test that covers various aspects of English, such as vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension, and writing.
You can organize friendly competitions yourself or join language learning communities where you can participate in engaging quizzes and challenges.You must track your progress over time. By monitoring your progress, you'll be able to visualize your growth and identify patterns of improvement or areas that require extra attention.
Finally, celebrate all your successes and milestones along the way. When you see tangible evidence of your progress, it boosts your confidence and motivation to continue learning.
Like I said in the beginning - your time is limited and your focus is usually divided.These challenges are not uncommon - for a person after their thirties.
But, that doesn’t mean you can be casual about your study of the English language.
Since you can’t devote a lot of time and energy, you have to be SMART about where you focus. By following these 5 simple principlesS - Speaking with a moderate paceM - Making English a lifestyleA - Achieving a goalR - Revising dailyT - Test Yourself
Thank you for reading!
Since you are here, I would like to tell you about…
BBR English - India’s premier education institute designed by IITians to improve the English Fluency of working professionals.We offer 60-minute 1:1 live sessions with a communication expert to target your individual needs and problems.
Book a counseling session today and get a detailed assessment of your English level as well as a customized learning plan.
Our several success stories and case studies show that supportive learning environments in the presence of a personal coach make a significant difference in the Spoken English skills of Indian students.
