8 easy tricks for improving your English skills

a hand holding a remote control

As you work to improve your English skills, it’s always helpful to have some tricks and tips to help you stay motivated. With that in mind, we’ve collated these eight simple tips from fellow English language learners, to help you on your quest…

1. Set yourself small goals

Learning English is a long process, and it may take years to progress from one level to the next. That’s why it’s important to set yourself achievable goals. At ÃÛÌÒapp, we work with thousands of English teachers worldwide to define what it means to ‘be at a level’ in English.Ìý

2. Create a study schedule

Ensure this schedule works around your daily responsibilities and make sure to keep it simple! Try breaking up your English language learning over the course of an entire day, which may make it feel more manageable.

3. Practice a little bit every day

Even if it’s listening to an English podcast during your commute or practicing your favorite words while having breakfast, every little bit of practice helps!

4. Discover what type of learner you are

Auditory, visual, or tactile. Use this as a basis for how you spend time studying. For instance, a visual learner may benefit from flashcards (see point 7), while an auditory learner may benefit from watching a television program in English.

5. Turn on music in English

Rhythms and rhymes have been found to stimulate the brain and improve learning. Our research found that music can be an invaluable tool when learning English, as it helps with pronunciation, word boundaries and vocabulary.

6. Watch movies with English dialogue

Movies are a great source of native conversation and vocabulary. Plus, the visual nature of film allows you to experience nonverbal context too — such as facial expressions and hand gestures — accompanying and contextualizing the film’s dialogue. Above all, watching a movie is a fun and motivational way to develop English language skills.

7. Learn new vocabulary with flashcards

While this may be the oldest studying trick in the book, students around the world use flashcards because they work!

8. Track your progress

To gain a sense of accomplishment, it’s important to know where you’ve started. We’ve just introduced a new way to measure progress in English. Have a look at it to quickly discover what your areas of strength and weakness are.

Finally, it’s important to remember that not every learning trick will work for you. So, if you find that chatting with fluent English speakers helps you progress faster but you’re not always able to converse with them face-to-face, spend more of your time communicating online with your English-speaking friends and contacts.

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • Children singing in a line holding song sheets, with a teacher singing facing them

    How to incorporate music into the classroom

    By ÃÛÌÒapp Languages

    Learning English with music can enhance learning and create a more engaging and dynamic classroom environment. In a previous post, we discussed if music can help you learn a language; this post looks at how music can be incorporated into the classroom.

    Using music in your classroom can help improve student motivation, focus, and retention of information. Here are some ways you can use music to enhance your classroom teaching:

    Ìý

  • A group of Young adult students in a library, looking in front of them smiling, some with their hands raised

    10 things to know about studying in Canada

    By ÃÛÌÒapp Languages

    Have you considered studying abroad? Moving to Canada to study? With more than 100 world-class universities across the country, there’s good reason to. From coast to coast to coast, it offers many international students a safe and supportive learning environment and the opportunity to work after graduation.

    Want to learn more? In this guide, we cover ten things you should know about studying in Canada:

    Ìý

  • Business people sat at a desk chatting

    The ultimate HR guide to corporate language training

    By ÃÛÌÒapp Languages
    Reading time: 9.5 minutes

    Workplaces are becoming more and more diverse, with employees hailing from various cultures and speaking different languages. This diversity bringsÌývaluable enrichmentÌýbut can also bring communication and collaboration challenges.

    That's why corporate language training is crucial. It bridges cultural divides, promotes understanding, and creates a harmonious work environment.ÌýCultural divides in the workplace can arise from various factors, including language barriers. When diverse employees can't communicate effectively, misunderstandings and decreased productivity can occur.

    Corporate language training plays a vital role in addressing this issue. It helps employees understand and appreciate different cultures, fostering unity and respect. Language training acts as a catalyst for positive workplace dynamics, driving businesses towards global goals.

    The importance of language training in modern corporations

    Enhancing communication and collaboration

    Corporate language training greatly enhances communication, benefiting employees' expression of ideas and fostering understanding among team members.

    Breaking down linguistic barriers promotes mutual respect, unity, and effective collaboration. It also prevents misunderstandings that may lead to conflicts, improving the overall workplace environment and fostering innovative ideas through successful teamwork.

    Fostering inclusion and diversity

    Corporate language training plays a key role in fostering an inclusive and diverse atmosphere. Learning a new language provides insights into different cultures, promoting a deeper appreciation for diversity and reducing biases. This creates a more inclusive work environment where employees from diverse backgrounds feel understood and valued, fostering a sense of belonging and unity.

    Language training also equips employees to engage with global customers and clients, reflecting the company's commitment to diversity. Corporate language training is instrumental in cultivating inclusion and diversity, enhancing corporate culture.

    Strengthening global business relations

    Corporate language training strengthens global business relations. As businesses expand worldwide, employees will interact face-to-face with diverse linguistic backgrounds. Knowledge of another language shows respect for other cultures, which is crucial for trust in business relationships.

    The ability to connect across cultures is a game-changer for businesses, helping them build strong international relations. Investing in corporate language training not only benefits employees but also secures a company's global future.

    Benefits of corporate language learning

    Improved team performance and productivity

    A common language fosters seamless communication, enabling effective collaboration. It cultivates a coherent team dynamic where ideas flow and tasks are executed efficiently. This linguistic unity significantly boosts team performance. Reduced misunderstandings lead to increased productivity. Read our post on performance management for language learning in the workplace.Ìý

    As the employees learn and gain confidence in their language skills, they engage, contribute, and excel, driving the team and the business forward.

    Enhanced employee engagement and retention

    If done correctly, corporate language training improves employee engagement and retention. Investing in employees' personal and professional development fosters a sense of value and belonging. Learning to speak a new language is challenging yet rewarding, promoting personal growth and cognitive skills.

    Language training also brings employees together, fostering teamwork and unity. This increased engagement leads to higher job satisfaction, loyalty, and reduced turnover. Corporate language training is a strategic investment in employee engagement and retention, a key feature bridging linguistic divides in the modern corporate arena.

    Increased competitive edge in global markets

    A competitive edge is crucial for business growth in today's global economy. Corporate language training contributes significantly to this edge, especially in global markets. Proficiency in multiple languages enables businesses to easily enter new markets, communicate effectively and build trust. Employees with language training represent their companies internationally, exhibiting cultural sensitivity.

    Companies showcasing expertise, language proficiency, expertise and cultural understanding stand out, reflecting a global-minded ethos. Corporate language training enhances a corporation or company's presence, reputation, and success in the global market.

    Identifying your organization's language training needs

    Assessing current language proficiencies and gaps

    To implement effective corporate language training, organizations should assess how employees learn languages and current language proficiencies and identify gaps. A skills audit can assist in identifying areas requiring training, taking into account the languages spoken within the company and the skill levels necessary for business strategies.

    Moreover, it allows for assessing employees' proficiency in various languages, encompassing written, spoken, and cultural understanding. This proactive approach ensures tailored and valuable language training for the organization and its employees, promoting skill development at all levels.

    Understanding cultural nuances and requirements

    Understanding cultural nuances is crucial in corporate language training courses. It's not just about learning to speak the language but also grasping the cultural contexts. This includes knowing the etiquettes, conventions, and unspoken rules governing social interactions across cultures. Being mindful of these subtleties prevents misunderstandings, fosters better relationships, and facilitates smoother communication.

    Effective corporate language training should include cultural education to equip employees with the cultural insights and skills to confidently navigate these complexities.

    Aligning language training with business objectives

    Aligning language training with business objectives is a strategic move that ensures relevant, effective, and valuable training.

    In an international business context, objectives may include expanding into new markets, improving multilingual customer service, enhancing internal communication among a diverse workforce, or forming alliances with foreign partners.

    By defining these objectives, corporations can tailor language learning programs to specific needs, maximizing ROI. For example, if a company aims to enter a new market with a dominant language, the training could focus on equipping employees with linguistic and cultural skills to communicate effectively with potential clients or partners. This alignment ensures successful training implementation and achievement of broader business goals.