What’s the Right English-learning Strategy For You?

Six questions to ask yourself before

you decide

Two Options:

Traditional English Classes or Learning

English Through Your Hobby

Are you trying to decide which option is the best

for you?

The answer depends on your learning style, your

motivation, and your goals!

Today we will help you make that decision.

Mydphotos, Shane Global Language

How will I be learning?Traditional English

Class Learning Through Your Hobby

O Classroom with 15-20 students

O One native-English speaking teacher at the front of the room.

O You will do role plays, exercises, pronunciation drills, and games.

O Choose a class or activity: yoga, photography, cooking, chess, hiking

O Learn through participating in the activity and speaking with activity partners instead of focusing on grammar, pronunciation, etc.

Question to Ask Yourself:

Will I learn best by focusing on the structure of the

language or by using the language in real-life

situations?

Fort Meade, khrawlings

What will I be doing after class?

Traditional English Classes

Learning English Through Your

Hobby

O You might join your classmates for lunch

O You will be tempted to speak in your native language

O You might visit tourist attractions like the Empire State Building

O You might get invited to a dinner party at a local classmate’s home

O You might go out for coffee with a classmate or activity partner

O You will probably spend your after-class time with native English speakers

Question to Ask Yourself:

Which option will give me the most

opportunities to make connections with

local, native English-speaking people?

Laurenjordre, simon.wright

Will I speak in my native language?

Traditional English classes

Learning Through Your Hobby

In a traditional English class, you are more likely to have a classmate who speaks your native language, especially in large cities like New York and Boston. It might be hard to insist on speaking English with this person.

It is less likely that you will have the opportunity to speak your native language in a yoga class or a cooking class. If you aren’t speaking your native language, you are giving yourself a chance to improve faster and to develop more confidence.

Question to Ask Yourself:

How important is it for me to avoid speaking in my native language

while I am learning English?

Shane Global

What will be the typical ages of my classmates?

Traditional English Class Learning Through

Your Hobby

Students who take classes during the day at English language schools in New York or Boston are often in their 20’s and early 30’s.

The age of the people around you will depend on the activity you choose! Some activities might have a huge variety of ages.

Question to Ask Yourself:

Does it matter to me if my classmates are

younger than I am and at a different life stage?

Will I be interested in talking with them?

Gudlyf, sacks08

Which option will help me stay enthusiastic about learning?

Traditional English Classes Learning Through

Your HobbyIf you learn by participating in your hobby, you will stay motivated because you will see exactly how your English skills are used in everyday life. You will not be disconnected from the real-world and real English.

In your English class, you will have a sense of community and support with your classmates. This might help you stay motivated.

Question to Ask Yourself:

If I take a traditional English class, can I

maintain my enthusiasm while sitting in the same classroom every

day?

Do I need more variety and activity

in my learning?Shane Global

What about price?Traditional English

ClassesLearning through your

Hobby

At a typical language school in New York, you might pay $150-$300 per week for 20 hours of in-class time.

If you choose to learn by participating in your hobby, you will have more control over the amount of money that you spend. You could join a Meetup group for free or enroll in a guitar class for a small fee.

Question to Ask Yourself:

What do I consider a good investment

of my time and money?

Does it mean that I will definitely

improve a lot if I pay a lot of money

for a traditional group class?

Philip Taylor, Images of Money

Which option is right for

you?

Remember, when you make your decision about how to improve your English, try to

think beyond what “learning” means for other people and figure out what it means for you. In many cases, learning

English by participating in your

favorite hobbies could be more

productive, more fun, and could

offer more opportunities to get to know the culture.

Let the decision be yours and define learning for yourself!

www.englishandculture.com