Travelling to an English-speaking country? 6 simple things you need to know

Steffanie Zazulak
A woman with a backpack stood in a airport looking at one of the many boards
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Regardless of where you’re travelling, it‘s definitely worth learning some basic English, and you won’t be alone: (20% of the world). Of course, if you’re visiting an English-speaking country like the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, it’s especially useful to brush up on your English.

Here are six simple things you need to know when travelling to English-speaking countries:

Travel tips for English speaking countries
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Be polite

It sounds obvious, but remembering to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ will help in most travel situations. British people are famously fond of their manners, so if you’re visiting the UK, it’s particularly important to make sure you “queue” behind everyone else.

Learn the currency

There are many ways to ask the price of something, but your wallet won’t be grateful if you don’t understand the reply. Take time to understand the slang words for money in the countries you’re visiting. For example, a $1 coin in Canada is referred to as a ‘loonie’, and in the U.S., a five-cent coin is almost always called a ‘nickel’.

Don’t rely on your smartphone for directions

Even if you have a smartphone, it’s easy to get lost in a foreign place. Local people will often know the quickest and cheapest routes to places and may even have some good sightseeing suggestions that you won’t find in a guidebook. If you don’t understand what they’re saying, don’t be embarrassed to ask them to speak slowly or repeat themselves.

Introduce yourself

If you like meeting new people while traveling, it’s important to know how to speak to them. You may have been taught that ‘How do you do?’ is a polite way to introduce yourself. In reality, most English speakers don’t use this phrase very often as it’s seen as old-fashioned and overly formal. It’s much better to say ‘pleased to meet you’ or ‘good to meet you’ when you’re meeting someone for the first time.

Even if you’re traveling to a non-English speaking country, having some knowledge of English is always useful. International airports, for example, almost always display their signage in English alongside the local language(s).

Don’t be afraid to ask about customs or etiquette

If you’re unsure about the proper etiquette in a given situation, don’t hesitate to ask. Locals will appreciate your effort and are usually happy to explain what’s appropriate. This can help you avoid any unintentional faux pas and make your interactions more pleasant and respectful. Even if its for simple things like, 'Where do I order at the bar?' or 'Where should I leave my wet umbrella?' are perfectly fine to ask.??

Observe and adapt

When in a new environment, observing what others around you are doing can provide valuable clues about local etiquette and expected behavior. Whether it’s how people order food, navigate public transportation, or interact in social settings, taking cues from locals can help you blend in and avoid misunderstandings.

For example, if you see everyone standing on a certain side of public transport, there's probably a good reason for that which you can follow and blend in.?

Equip yourself for a rewarding travel experience

By equipping yourself with these simple yet effective tips, you’ll not only navigate your travels more smoothly but also enrich your overall experience. Remember, the effort you put into learning and practicing English will be met with appreciation and open doors to new opportunities and friendships. Safe travels.

Read our posts 'Essential English phrases to blend in like a local on your holiday' and 'Language learning tips for international students'

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    6 tips for planning your first English classes

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    You are nervous, yet excited. You want to appear relaxed and fun, but still be taken seriously. Most of all, you are keen to make an excellent first impression.

    With all that in mind - planning your first English classes of the year can be a daunting experience.

    Here are six things to consider when planning your first classes:

    1. Set clear aims

    Whether you are teaching young learners, teenagers or adults, it’s important you discuss the aims and objectives of the course from day one. You’ll need to learn more about your students' needs to do this. Why are they learning English? Do they want to prepare for an official exam? What activities do they enjoy? What things do they need to improve the most?

    The way you do this will depend on the age of your learners. For example, with adults and teens, you could get them to interview each other and write a report about what they found out. With younger children, do a survey they can complete using smiley faces.

    2. Find out students’ interests

    Although you should understand your students' needs and why they want to learn English - to help make your classes relevant and engaging - you should also discover what they enjoy doing outside of class.

    To do this, get students to write mini bios you can stick around the classroom. Or have them prepare presentations where they share something they are passionate about with the rest of the class - using coursebooks. As a class, go through the contents page, vote on which topics students find most interesting, and start with those.

    3. Break the ice

    You want your first class to be fun so that students are motivated, and associate English language learning with something they can enjoy. Ice-breakers can also be an excellent way to get to know each other and learn about your students' current level of English.

    Activities where students have to ask each other questions work well.

    4. Provide a comfortable environment

    Young learners and teenagers tend to be shy at the start of a course - especially if they don’t know each other. Develop a rapport and break down boundaries by including team-building activities in your first class.?Your aim is to have all the students feeling more comfortable with each other before the end of the lesson so that there are no awkward silences in future lessons.

    5. Manage expectations

    Managing expectations is an essential part of a teacher's job. Make sure in the first class you are clear about what you expect from your students and what they can expect from you.

    Have students brainstorm the rules for the class and then make a big poster or ‘class contract’ which all students have to sign. Display the poster on the wall so you can always refer to it if someone misbehaves.

    Try to keep the rules as positive as possible. Instead of writing: 'Don’t speak your first language', write: 'Try to always speak English and ask if you don’t know a word'. If you are feeling really brave, you can even get your students to devise a list of rules for you which you can display on the wall next to theirs.

    6. Make it challenging

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    So, as well as getting to know each other and finding out their needs, teach them something new. This could be 10 new pieces of vocabulary, how to structure a letter or report, or a list of resources they can use at home to practice their English.