Ron's ESL Blogs

I remember I took my first English class in Mexico, when I was in middle school. I have to admit that I was so excited about it. However, a few days after I started my English class, I lost all the interest, and also I hate English at this time. But destiny is hard to describe and I come to the United States of America, and for firs time in my life I realize how important was to learn English for me.

I remember my first English professor was so nice with me. He helped me a lot understand my second language. He also motive me to learn English. For first time in my life a felt happy to be in an English class. One of the things that I remember most is; when I was out from school and I was walking to my home, I used to read every sing, or flyer that I founded while a walked. Days after I start to read my short stories from my a little sister’s book.

After some months, my next step was tried to watch TV in English or listen English radio. But for me this practice was so hard, and I almost desist of these activity, because I couldn’t understand a single word. Then I used one strategies that really works for me, when people are talking in English I translate in my mind, every word that I heard. I remember one day that I was in class, the professor started talking, and talking then I realized that I was understanding every word without translation. That day I felt so good. That day I started to watch TV again.

However, the process of learning how write English have been very difficult for me. One of the reasons that I felt that happens to me, is because I’m a very good writer in my first language. So a lot of the times, when I write, I think in Spanish. However my last class of ESL help me a lot with my English writing. My professor was a very good teacher.

I don’t know if my way to learn English is the best way to do it. However I’m pretty sure that is the one that works for me. At this moment of my life I enjoyed a lot my second language. I also enjoyed the music, movies, but one of the things that I most enjoy is the opportunity to communicate with people of different cultures.

It is obvious that English is really important nowadays, people start learning English when they are in elementary schools. As a type of western language, it is really difficult for Asian to understand it. As a Chinese, the language I learned is quite different from English, different word structure; different grammar; and different pronunciation. All those things prevent us from learning English well.
However, no matter how difficult problems are, there will always be solutions for that. People try difficult ways: they listen, they shout, and they go abroad for study. Being a college student, I also have my own ways of learning English.
When I was seven years old, I had my first English lesson in an elementary school. At that time, I found English was so hard that I absolutely have no idea how to speak that weird language, and of course, my score on English was really poor.
Thongs begin to change when I attend a middle school. I was lucky that I met a really good English teacher. His name was Mr. Fire, he was my father’s best friend and they used to be colleagues. Like his name, Mr. Fire was passionate and friendly. Because of him, I began to feel interested in English. And one of the most important things that he taught me was one way of learning English. At that time, we were learning a book called<New Concept English>. Every student of Mr. Fire was required to recite all the texts and Mr. Fire told us, if we want to speak English fluently, we should read English out loudly, not in silence. Besides, we should listen to tapes and follow the right or standard English pronunciation, Even now, I still keep that habit, I like reading English out loudly when I read books or newspapers. I think that is a good way of learning, and that helps me a lot with my English pronunciation.
The method of association is also a good way of learning English. When I read English stories or scientific articles, I will not use the dictionary at first; Instead, I’ll try to figure out the meaning of the new words by reading through the whole passage. After that, I’ll check the new words up in the dictionary if I still don’t understand them. I think that’s also a good way of learning English. Actually, when we learn Chinese, we use the same way when we come across new words while reading.
In spite of the methods above, some of my teachers also recommend that it is good to learn English by watching English movies. Here are several reasons: First, watching movie is fun, we won’t feel boring when we study English. Second, we usually learn formal English in school, but through movies, we are able to learn some spoken English that is useful. Third, pronunciation. In some movies, the actors or actresses speak really fluently and clearly. Because of that, we can practice our listening, and learn how to speak English like a native speaker.
In conclusion, reading English loud, using the method of association, and watching English movies are my three ways of learning English. I think those ways are useful, reasonable and I highly recommend them.

Starting back in Middle School, I had three brilliant skills to learn English. A faster way to do it was having all of my friends talk to me nothing but English. Read many books and watch TV.
First, I started by making friends that were Chinese, Americans, and Japanese anyone whom would never talk to me in Spanish. People had asked me why I was doing hanging out with individuals that I could no understand a word of what were they saying. My answer was simple; for me to speak as a native languages I need to think and feel like them. “I am hungry of a new language! I want to feed my tongue and feed my ears of English. Crazy huh? But until this point it is hard to believe it only took me about six months to learn basic skills. What I mean with this is I was already able to communicate with others. My English teacher was amazed to see my progress in such of a short time. She said my English level was equal to students who had been in this country over a year.
However, my English teacher was tremendous help on my way to learn English. Twice a week, she had our class to read the news paper and choose two interesting article which we be able do a research. As follow, we had to read one inside class and outside book. The inside class book was chosen by our teacher. We had to write a summarize of twenty page everyday, along with a ten question about the reading. Besides, we had our out side reading book which we had to read every day and turn in a summarize by the end of the week. I am not going to lie, I was afraid to fail. My main problem was I was too embarrassed to talk in front a class. Students used laugh about me because of my accent and poor vocabulary. But soon I understood that was all part of my learning.
I also believe watching TV was and still a fun way to learn a new language. I remember I use to sit down in front of the screen and paid attention to the actor’s movement of their tong and lips. I watched programs like SIN, NBC and Criminal Minds. All of these programs would always teach me a new word, or a different way to use it.
In conclusion, there is many ways to learn English is just up to us to know how to adapt them to our need.

When I was in middle school, I begin to study English. At that time, I studied very hard, because there were too many words we needed to remember , and we also needed to understand grammar. I also remember that when I took examination I always think that English is harder than mathmatics , so my grade of English is always horrible.

When I graduated from high school , I planed to go to the US. and get a bachelor degree. I need to study English as hard as possible.

Fortunately, I had a great teacher at a workshop in Shenyang. He had studied in England. He taught us his method make us get lots of benefits.

First of all, he told us that you shouldn’t take too much time to study grammar. When we studied in high school, our teacher spend their most time teaching us grammar. That is a wrong way. What is most important? The answer is words. To remember any words whatever you studied. Although it is boring, we also need to do it.

For this point, I collected a lot of methods to remember words. Like Association Memory method, super-imagination method(associative image).But the most important staff is our effort.

Second, we need to get a good sense of language. Just to realize that when we were a child , we did not study any grammar , but what makes us speak fluently? It is sense of language. Therefore we needed listening and speaking practice to improve our sense of language.

Currently my English is not good enough, I also need to study hardly. I study in ESL 6a ELAC. It is a good class with good teacher and friendly classmates.I think I will improve my English a lot for this class experience.

In the USA, English is official language. I come from China. Our first language is Chinese. When we are studying at high school, we are beginning to study English. English is difficult to learn. Some people have a good way to learn English, bus it doesn’t work for me. I just have one way to learn English. Maybe that is not a good way.

Last semester, I had business law class at PCC. This was a difficult class for me because there were a lot of professional words on the notes, and the exam was writing short answers. I need to remember all the notes. Before I had exam, I would use a week to review the notes. This time I learned a lot of words. I feel my English was better.

“It is really difficult to learn.” Some people reply. In my way, I also will say that. If I open my computer, I am not absorbed in my book. I will check my Facebook, check my email, answer my MSN, and download some movies. I don’t focus on my book. When I learn or read book, I must turn off my computer. Then I can focus on my book.

In my case, I am a different student. I can not learn at night. I feel sleepy when I open the book and read for about 10 minutes because I have a class in the morning. I will go to sleep and get up early to learn English. Maybe after sleeping I am not only easily focus on my book but also I can easily to remember the words.

This is my way to learn English. It is tiring way because I need to learn long time, don’t touth my computer and get up early. Although my way is hardship, it is working in my way.