Learn how to use prepositions by reading advertisements!

Let me tell you a secret. You can learn English without a textbook or a teacher!

You can learn from the English that is around you every day. All you need to do is look for it.

Think about all of the “teachers” you have:

friends, family, colleagues, neighbors, waiters and waitresses, cashiers, taxi and bus drivers, flight attendants, sales people, landlords, hair stylists, the person sitting next to you at a party, supermarket signs, brochures, newspapers, advertisements, billboards, email, junk mail, TV, radio, books, magazines, websites, blogs, videos, food packaging, menus, instruction manuals

These are your teachers, and they’re (mostly) free to use!

Read the paper, and look up words you don’t know. Listen to how cashiers and flight attendants talk to you. Listen for different styles of language. Watch TED videos. Read the back of your cereal box. Watch TV sitcoms to learn slang. Read signs more often.

Write your observations in a notebook.

Let the English that is around you be your teacher. (If you’re not living in an English-speaking community, you’ll have to try a little harder and be more creative, but it’s possible to find many of these things if you have access to the Internet.)

Go on, look. English is all around you.

First, find out what kind of learner you are. Answer these questions to get an idea of how you learn best.

•    Do you need to “see” it on paper to understand?
•    Do you need to “hear” it to understand?
•    Do you learn better when you are having fun?
•    Do you remember more when you are moving around?
•    Do you need to memorize rules?
•    Do you learn by talking to people?

You can learn more effectively if you understand your strengths and use them to help you. Think about what has helped you in the past.

Use a variety of strategies when studying.

Talk to speakers, use a textbook, memorize vocabulary, write sentences and paragraphs, listen to various recordings, study grammar, read newspapers, magazines, and books.

Don’t forget the 4 skills.

Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing

Learn with someone.

Find a language-learning partner. If you meet with someone who is also studying the language, you can help teach each other and practice together.

Organize your studying.

•    Set achievable, short-term goals. (For example: My goal is to finish a book this month; to learn 10 vocabulary words; to be able to tell a story; to be able to ask questions in meetings)
•    Create a study notebook with material that you have studied. Review it every month or two.
•    Study in short intervals. (10, 20, or 30 minutes a day)
•    Tell someone about your study plan, and talk about it frequently.
•    Plan out when, where and how you will study.

Answer these questions to help yourself get started on a self-learning program:

What is your first goal? I will be able to  (                              ) by (deadline).

When will you study?

How will you study?

Your biggest obstacle is fear. Don’t let it stop you. Good luck!

I origionally posted this information for English language learners on my Knol site. You can read the full article here: http://knol.google.com/k/blythe-musteric/learning-english-on-your-own/1js5hgjj9kl0b/2#

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