Why and How I Learn English

Learning English is the first thing I did before starting this blog.

English is not my primary language.

Definitely I must learn English to speak, to listen, to write, and to blog in English.

Although I have learned English for quite a long time, I had no intention to learn English three years ago.

My mind would never change if something did not happen.

What the hell has changed my mind?

The First Story.

The story began 3 years ago, when I was a student, I had to live away from home and started a new life in Ho Chi Minh city, the biggest city in my country where I studied.

You know, I was living in a big city, and everything there was expensive.

Obviously, I needed more money to cover the cost of learning and living, but my parents were farmers and they couldn’t have much money for me. Instead of asking financial support from them, I thought I must find other ways to help myself.

Like many other students, I went looking for a job to make extra money.

I thought that reception or washing dishes at the restaurant is suitable for beginners like me.

I had seen many billboards and flyers recruiting to these positions on the streets, but … most of them required English skills. What? English? I even could not pass the English tests at high school. That meant I couldn’t get these jobs. OMG.

I couldn’t believe that I lost the opportunities to get the most casual job just because I didn’t know English.

The Second Story

I forgot that I was on the streets of foreigners when I lost the first job in my life.

There were a few foreign visitors near my place. I guessed they were from Korea. A beautiful Korean girl asked me a question: “Excuse me, could you tell me how to go to the Ben Thanh market?” I couldn’t answer her. I even didn’t understand what she was talking about.

While she was still looking at me to wait for the answer, I didn’t know how to answer her.

Finally, the only sentence I could say: “I don’t know”.

It’s ridiculous if you knew that I learned the first English lesson at 9 years old. What?

I guessed you thought that “What? You had learned English since you were 9, but could not answer such question or what?” However, that’s truth.

Two things above has changed my mind, I realized that I needed to learn English as soon as possible.

Why I Learn English

What happened above just was a catalyst to change my thinking about learning English. Obviously it was not strong enough to motivate me to make up my mind. Most of my colleagues were not serious about learning English, so why should I?

Why Must I learn English?

Why?

Why?

I should find more reasons to force myself to learn English.

And, finally, I found the reasons that made me decide to learn English.

1. English Is an Importance Language.

• English is the international language which is spoken in more than 100 countries.

  There are about 1,500,000,000 people in the world speaking English. And another 1,000,000,000 are learning it

• English is the 3rd popular language in the world, just after Chinese and Portuguese.
• 75% of the world’s letters and postcards are written in English
• Almost all international conferences and competitions are conducted in English. For example, the World Cup, the Olympics and the Miss World contest.
• Almost all international conferences and competitions are conducted in English. For example, the World Cup, the Olympics and the Miss World contest.
• Diplomats and politicians from different countries use English to communicate with each other. English is the main language of organizations like the United Nations, NATO, and the European Free Trade Association.
• English is a compulsory subject in many countries around the world (including my country, Vietnam)..

2. Get Access to Knowledge.

While human knowledge is constantly improving every day, every hour. We must learn as much as possible if we don’t want to be a backward person.

We can learn everything from the book, Internet, television, and the press.

There’s only one problem. Most of this knowledge is in English.

The statistics below may cause you to think:

• Most pages on the Web (that’s over a billion pages of information!) were published in English.
• Books – on any subject, from all over the world, you can read about it in English!
• Only English-language magazines and newspapers can be bought in every part of the world. You don’t have to search for Times, Newsweek, or the International Herald Tribune!
• English is the key to the world of science. In 1997, 95% of the articles in the Science Citation Index were written in English. Only about 50% of them were from English-speaking countries like the USA or Britain. (source)

3. Communicate With People

English is the international language.

It seems all the people in the world have agreed to use English to talk to each other.

If I can speak English, that means I can communicate with over a billion people in over 100 countries worldwide. What’s next?

I could contact people and get a million of new friends from all over the world if I can speak English. That’s great.

4. Looking for More Opportunities

Although our work also required a certain level of English but most of my colleagues were not interested in this. They only consider learning English as an obligation, even only to cope. Some people felt funny when I had intention to study English seriously. However, I thought that it was because they didn’t see what I saw.

I saw I would have many opportunities if I know English such as making new friend, making more money, pushing my career forward etc…

5. English is Easy to Learn

The biggest reason that many people are afraid of learning English because they think English is not easy to learn. I did.

I had felt English is boring and difficult to learn. But I was wrong.

English is easy to learn.

It was hard because I used the wrong method and approach.

To learn English easily, we must change the way we study English.

How I Learn English.

Did I succeed in learning English?

No, I didn’t.

In fact, I have to admit that my English is not good. But it’s better than 3 years ago. And I can’t wait to share with you how I learned English to get this result.

I hope that my experience could help you at a certain level to learn English easily. Now, here we go.

1. I Used The Best Method to Learn English.

Definitely I would continue feeling embarrassed, nervous and shy when I try to speak or understand English if I didn’t find a suitable method to learn English.

However, I was a lucky man when I found the way to learn English easily and fast. This method called “Effortless English” that created by the English teacher named AJ Hoge. I have never been felt learning English that easy before I use this method.

In school, my English teachers always forced us to learn more grammar, more vocabulary. They taught me learning English by reading, reading, reading, reading … writing, writing, writing and writing in Vietnamese (they used Vietnamese to teach English, that was definitely a wrong way, I thought so).

I was tired and stressed all the time. In all English tests at school, I met dozens of errors in grammar and spelling. I couldn’t remember anything about English. So that was why my English skills never improved.

Since I used “Effortless English” method to learn English, I felt learning English was easier and more comfortable.

AJ Hoge taught me to learn English in a special way. He never taught grammar rules. Instead, he told a story. He told it many times, in a strange way. He constantly asked questions, and I answered the questions. My answer was just one word or two words. I have never concerned about grammar and that was why my English improved fast.

Did you want to learn English easily and fast? Why don’t you try this method?

2. Use Support Tools

When I told my friend I wanted to learn English, he also introduced me 2 awesome products that he used to study English. That were Tell Me More English Performance and The Oxford English Dictionary.

He told me that Tell Me More English Performance was the most complete and extensive English software available. He had used some other English software but this was absolutely his best choice, simple-to-use and increasingly effective, making learning a language fun and engaging.

I used this software and I realized that it offers over 2,000 hours of dynamic English learning on 10 distinct levels. However, the features I love most are there online services:

• A 24/7 online adviser to answer your questions
• Comprehensive tests to evaluate your level and progress
• Weekly lessons based on a relevant news topic
• New Role Play activity

My friend also encouraged me to use an English – English dictionary as this could help me learn English faster.

I totally agreed with him because AJ Hoge advised me to use dictionary if I didn’t understand an English word.

And the Oxford English Dictionary is considered as the definitive historical record of the English language. Instead of buying a dictionary book, I got a Compact Oxford English e-Dictionary by Franklin, this is a powerful reference tool including dictionary content from Oxford. This device is also loaded with extras such as Phonetic Spell Correction, word games and exercises, and many other helpful features. That’s the reason I bought this one.

3. Join Social Network

The best way to learn English is talking in English. I thought so. And that’s why I must find people who speak English to get started. But where to find?

I realized that I could find people who speak English on the Internet, special as on the social networks.
I have been joining some social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Google + where I talked with many people speaking English and I thought that I have got more result than I want.

4. Start an English Blog

As you know, I built some blogs in English. Blog is one of the best ways to communicate with other people. Right?

Through my blogs, I will meet many people. And many of them can teach me about English.

And when I’m blogging in English, my writing and English skill will improve.

5. Reading English articles.

Since I have started a discussion on Mylot to ask someone for help me improving English skills, many of them advised me that I should read international newspaper. That was a great idea.

I followed this way and realized that it helped me learning English well. I learned how they used English words, wrote an English sentence and much more
.
You should follow this way to start learning English.

I’m sure that my English is still not as good as I expected. I need to practice more and more to improve my English skills, that’s why I’m looking for more effective ways to help me improving English faster. So … what can I learn from you?

How did you learn English?

If you were a successful English learner, please share your experience with me and my readers here, we will be glad to learn something from you to get success.