Whether you want to converse with others or need to improve your language skills for your job, improving your English can be the competitive advantage you are looking for. However, learning English can be a challenge.
While some software programs can help, you will benefit from a formal education. Formal Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) classes offer guidance from instructors and opportunities to partner with other classmates to practice. Plus, you get a curated curriculum that will lay a solid foundation to build upon. So, how can you improve your English?
How Can I Improve My English?
There are some great ways to improve your English. From watching movies to studying with a partner. Try to improve your English by:
Watching English Speaking Movies & TV
Nothing is better than watching English speaking movies and television. Most offer a wide variety of English dialogue with a few slang terms added for good measure. Pick a movie or television show on a topic you are interested in and start watching. If you like history, then watch television shows on the History Channel. Streaming services like Netflix will also give you a wide variety of programming to choose from.
Listening to English Language Songs
Music is a great learning tool. Pick your favorite music genre and start singing along. You can also get most song lyrics on the Internet to help you with reading comprehension and word memorization. Pandora and Spotify are two great music streaming services that will offer some variety so you can choose the music style that you enjoy.
Putting Post-Its with English words on Everything in The House
Having common household items with names on post-it notes is a great way to learn nouns in English. Whether it is a chair, toaster or one of the many items you have in your home, adding post-its will help you remember the English words for these household items. And this will prepare you to build sentences that will help with conversation and writing.
Studying with a Partner
It is always a great idea to work with a partner that also wants to learn English. You can help each other with pronunciation, word recall and conversational English. Having a learning partner will also give you the motivation to study, because someone else is depending on you and you don’t want to disappoint them.
Speaking English as Much as You Can
Another important way to learn English is to speak it as often as you can. Try to speak English in the household and when you venture out into the world. It can be hard to go back and forth between multiple languages when conversing with others. Try to speak English as much as you can to learn the language quicker.
Summarizing What You Heard
Another great way to learn and comprehend English is to summarize what you have heard in a podcast, news story or read in a book. This will help with English comprehension and reinforce your writing abilities. If you are reading a book, start with a couple pages and then try to summarize what you have read.
Compiling Commonly Misspelled Words and Homonyms
There will be a learning curve and knowing which words are commonly misspelled is a great way to improve writing abilities. Whether a letter is pronounced different or rules need to be memorize, like “i” before “e” except after “c,” making a list of commonly misspelled words will give you a reference.
Homonyms are two words having the same spelling or pronunciation but different meanings. There, Their and They’re is a great example of this. Knowing the difference between these different words will help you get your point across when communicating in writing.
Using What You Have Learned Immediately
Don’t want to use your new words and phrases? Start creating scenarios where you will need to use the new words that you have learned. Study with your language partner after class to reinforce your English vocabulary and word memorization.
Attending a VESL Program
It can be hard to learn English on your own. You won’t know what you don’t know. Let Interactive College of Technology help you become fluent in English. We will help you with your vocabulary, grammar, speaking and reading skills. Our small class sizes allow you to get personalized attention from our instructors. Plus, our instructors have been teaching English for many years and can identify ways to help you learn the language.
What Do You Learn During a VESL Program?
While semantics, syntax, linguistics, phonetics, and grammar can be complex concepts for even native English speakers, VESL instructors are well versed in using these foundational tools to teach their students. When you are learning English, you don’t just need to know how to ask for directions, you need to know English language structure so you can form your own sentences and questions. When you have a foundational knowledge of how the language works, you can successfully repeat the process each time using different words and phrases.
Vocabulary
Critical to the success is the ability to speak the language of the industry. With each area of study, you will spend a great deal of time studying pertinent vocabulary, idioms, and phrasal verbs that will help you communicate successfully with both colleagues and customers.
Grammar
Grammar is the linguistic map that gives you the rules to formulate the correct language structure. By teaching you how parts of speech work, and how language comes together, you can correctly create sentences and questions. Grammar is not always easy, but it is the instructor’s role to help you understand it.
Speaking
The objective of a VESL program is to help you speak English fluently. It is the practical part of making English relevant. This is an important part of the VESL program, and you will get a lot of opportunities to practice what you have learned.
Listening
The act of listening helps you speak, understand, and develop listening skills. VESL programs offer practical listening exercises that sharpen your ability to comprehend what was said. Repetition is one of those exercises and serves to help you pronounce words correctly.
Reading
Reading is fundamental. Nowhere is that truer than in the VESL program. There will be textbooks, workbooks, and other opportunities to read. The more you do it the better you’ll get at it. Reading is not just saying words on a page. When you read, you learn sentence structure and grammar usage. You also increase your vocabulary.
Writing
Writing will be an essential part of your career success. Emails, reports, and other matters must be written as part of today’s business communications. And effective writing is inherently linked to other disciplines. Therefore, knowing how to read is key to helping you write.
Pronunciation
Correct pronunciation is vital to being understood. Pronunciation of some English words is very difficult for non-native English learners. Some of the English sounds may be foreign to you, as these sounds may not exist in your native language. This issue confronts VESL instructors often and they know how to help you correctly form those sounds.
Final Thoughts
Ready to become fluent in the English language? Let Interactive College of Technology help with our VESL program. Prepare for life and a new career with the help of English language fluency at ICT.
Want to Learn More?
Our Vocational English as a Second Language (ESL) training program is designed for student success. Interactive College of Technology offers live online and in-person English classes that fit into your busy schedule.
Our Vocational English as a Second Language classes are set up so your English develops skill by skill. Four levels of rigorous courses help you to comprehend the English language by combining lecture, lab, class discussion, and group activities. This effective method ensures VESL students are provided English language skills as well as cultural transference.
You receive all VESL program materials to keep. You’ll also be provided with a personal email account, job placement assistance, media center access, and more! Our campuses are located across Georgia and Texas.
Let’s learn English together! Contact us now to learn more.
