Ideas to succeed in mastering English communication

[Bercutt]

My ideas below may help you practice English even on your own more comprehensively and productively.

1. Prepare your own list of everyday topics in order of priority and importance based on your needs for potential practical use.

You can make a plan of issues (list main ideas or key concepts) to cover each topic comprehensively in terms of its content. As you know a daily life topic, for example "Shopping" includes various situations, concepts and issues related to the topic.

Always try to think of potential situations and issues connected with a topic that may be important to you or you may encounter and how to best express your thoughts.

2. Make your own list of materials (aids, resources) to practice a daily life topic and select the most relevant content at all levels for your needs.

There are Internet resources, textbooks, phrase books, conversation books, audio/video recordings, TV, radio programs, online and face-to-face communication, and reading materials to practice daily life topics.

You can also create your own materials on each topic to include the most important content at your own discretion for your potential use.

3. Read helpful advice/suggestions on how to practice listening comprehension, speaking, vocabulary, reading, writing on a daily life topic.

4. In my opinion it would be especially helpful to prepare a list of activities to practice and to master a daily life topic with vocabulary on it. Can you prepare a list of real life topics in order of importance for yourself with a detailed plan to master each topic (by developing your listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing and vocabulary skills)?

I believe it's a good idea to learn and to practice each daily life topic comprehensively (thoroughly) before proceeding to the next topic as I described in my English learning article "Logical mastering of a daily life topic in English". Thought-through (selective) content on each topic for practice based on one's needs is necessary to first encompass relevant content for one's needs as there is an enormous amount of diverse content in language resources.

[Demetrius]

Why are you so English-centered? I believe most people around here know English already, so I don't think your topic is going to attract much attention.

As for what you have written, I usually find it counter-productive for me. I'm learning Chinese now, and when I make lists of things to do, I usually end up not doing things I've added to my list... I believe, if someone wants to learn a language, they should just do it and not spend time planning how to do it the best way.

I think making lists of different things to do makes sense only if it by itself is some kind of exercise. I.e., all lists should be not in your native language but in foreign language.


I'm also not really sure learning topic-by-topic is the best way to learn. It works very well in a classroom setting, because it's helpful for students to have an idea of what words they are learning now. But is it so useful when you learn language on your own? Sure, it's easier to make sentences when all the words you learn are related, but I don't think this is so important.

[Bercutt]

My ideas to practice real life topics comprehensively are suitable for learning and practicing any language. If followed through my suggestions learners would develop language skills thoroughly including vocabulary on each topic. A lot of language learners practice real life topics superficially and not comprehensively and not thoroughly, especially vocabulary. And then they wonder why they haven't achieved high level skills in listening comprehension, speaking, vocabulary, reading and writing a foreign or a second language. Thematic logic matters a great deal in learning and practicing a language to master it sooner.

[Bercutt]

You may find the following book by Reader's Digest useful:  Hints & Tips to Make Life Easier    Practical Solutions for Everyday Problems. Search for the book on //amazon.com
There may be other books with similar title published recently. I do not know which book may be the most up-to-date.
By searching on //google.com for "tips to make life easier" you may find some important websites on this topic.

Let me know what reading materials for daily living you deem very helpful for language learning and practice/use.