What is the best way to learn English as a second language?

The Eternal Question of Language Learners

It seems to be the eternal question.

Students of all ages have  asked me this question everywhere I go:  

In Korea, China, and the U.S.

In high school and university classrooms.

And even complete strangers on a bus, subway, or even in Tiananmen Square!

I wanted to share my answer with you here in case you have the same question. 

The answer is simple and fun…but not necessarily quick & easy.

The Answer You Want to Hear, But Few Follow

But here is what I ALWAYS tell people:

“Do what you love to do in your first language, and start learning how to do it in English.”

Let your love and passion guide fuel and motivate you through the many challenges of learning a language.

I have to be honest...

Few students or teachers I tell this secret to rarely take me seriously or choose to follow it.

Parents and students, in my view, have been brainwashed into believing English learning has to be meaninglessly disconnected from their desires and daily lives, and that it has to be a struggle for it to be any good.

Teachers are often way too attached to their textbooks, so they just settle for all the general conversational English exercises that typically bore all students to tears.

[And I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret:  Those cookie-cutter approaches to learning English you find in most textbooks, drive me crazy too!]

A Case Study

Instead, you can create little language projects that center on the things that interest you…

…the things that make your heart race and fuel your dreams of a better today or tomorrow.

For example,

I once had a class of 25 Hotel & Restaurant Management students at Woosong University in Daejeon, South Korea back in 2007.

It didn’t take me too long to see that they were completely demoralized and unmotivated to learn from the usual big-name English conversation textbooks. 

I could feel the heaviness of their pain when I walked into the classroom.

This wouldn’t do, so I decided to help them turn everything around.

I asked them what they wanted to do when they graduated from Woosong. 

Where did they see themselves in 5 years? 

What were they doing in their chosen field or their dream job?

Some wanted to be tour guides to foreigners in amazing places, and others wanted to become managers in glamorous hotels or become the CEO’s or owners of hotel or restaurant businesses.

I set to work on creating a curriculum that centered around their dreams.  I taught them English that would get them from where they were to where they wanted to be.

For example, we worked on a unit that gave them the specific reading, writing, listening, speaking, and presentation skills they would need to give a tour of their favorite museum or place of interest.  

This also included the vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar to effectively and powerfully communicate with people in English in the activities and tasks they wanted and needed to do in their dream jobs.

The entire class came alive after that!  Students came into class with smiles on their faces and created stellar projects that even amazed them at what they could actually do in English.

And quite frankly… I later found out after the semester was over that this particular group of students was seen by other teachers as “problematic,”  “tough to teach”, and generally resistant to learning English.

I was rather shocked at hearing this!  Why?  Because I think it wasn’t exactly their fault because no one ever gave them the chance to do what they dreamed of and loved in English.

Start Using the Secret to Language Learning Now!

But this first principle of my teaching can be used for more than academics or career goals.

I have had people everywhere ask me how to learn English better, and the first thing I ask them is what they most love to do.

Some say, “Soccer.”  Others tell me about how much they enjoy cooking.  A few have explained how they love going to their church, mosque, or temple.

“Great!” I say, “Now do what you love in English.”

Find videos with both English subtitles and in your native language and alternative between them.

Discover books, magazines, and websites in English that are all about the subjects and topics you adore. 

There is absolutely no substitute for reading about what you love in your second language…guaranteed by tons of research, I assure you!

There are also plenty of forums, and chat rooms to explore that center on your interests.

Challenge your listening skills by listening to podcasts.

Finally, many online groups have masterminds and meetups where native and non-native English speakers get together to talk about a subject that matters most to them.  You might even find a group in your location sometimes.

Understand:  We all know the euphoric highs and disparaging lows that come with language learning…so many emotional and technical obstacles that we will inevitably face when we commit to acquiring English.

In my 20+ years of experience as an English teacher, neither I or my students have failed to see the power of using one’s passion to drive the engine of language learning.

I invite you, too, to step out of the cookie-cutter comfort zones most commercial English textbooks and schools generally push on you.

Figure out what you love in Life, and start learning to do it in English…and experience the difference for yourself!

Does that make sense to you? 

Let me know in the comments below:

What other questions about language learning or teaching would you like me to answer?

Brandon
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Thanks for stopping by.
I empower high school & university students (and their parents!) to reach their true potential by mastering their mindset and academic English communication skills while learning to navigate the culture of American academia.

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