The power of S l o w L e a r n i n g
Being busy and impatient
People are in such a tearing hurry to learn English. Being impatient doesn’t help.
The search for a quick fix
While conducting corporate training sessions, I noticed that many participants were not really keen to understand, absorb, and appreciate the language point being presented.
They were often looking for a quick fix solution. For example, they want a phrase they can immediately use in the next conference call.
In their minds there are a finite set of phrases to be used in predictable situations.
In a sense, that is true. But do keep in mind this works only when the phrases and grammar points are directly related to those specific situations.
As you know, the demands of work are not always predictable.
Change happens.
You may suddenly have to make a presentation to a foreign client. Or you may have to describe a complicated technical process via an email to non-experts. Or you may have to give a nuanced response to a reporter.
Imagine this happening: one fine day, you get a promotion and have to communicate a sensitive issue to your senior management. ChatGPT may not fully understand your prompt. Then what?
You must have a direct relationship with the language.
That relationship cannot be transactional: I’ll attend a business English course for two months and pay attention during the sessions. My English language learning is done and dusted.
Sorry, that won’t work. Language is far more demanding.
Commit to a long-term relationship
You need to build a long-term relationship with the language.
Yes, I’m talking years… Start taking an interest in how other people communicate.
How to improve by yourself
Spend more time reading–analyzing the emails you receive.
- Is there anything you can learn? (Perhaps a polite phrase that is used.)
- Is there anything that you do not like about the email? Is it too wordy? Too vague?
When reading a report, step back to see the big picture.
- Who is the intended audience? Will they understand?
- Is the report organized logically?
- How does it look visually? Is it easy to interpret the data from that chart?
- Are all crucial points adequately covered?
- Is there any unnecessary information?
Look at it from another perspective.
- Are there any unstated assumptions?
You could take the same approach when reading your newspaper in the morning.
Read the headline. What is it about? Politics? Economics? The next scandal?
Now, look at the photo. How does the photo relate to the headline?
Spend a few seconds on the photo. Can you spot anything interesting? Out of the ordinary, perhaps? Does the politician’s face project confidence or insecurity?
Is the newspaper trying to make a point by choosing that particular headline to go with that particular photo? Think about it.
What do you think the article is going to be about? Will it have a negative, neutral, or positive slant? Go ahead and guess. Now, read the article.
By making predictions, you prepare your mind to better absorb the article.
If you practice this way of reading, you will absorb and retain information more effectively. This is because you have prepared your mind beforehand.
If you are preparing for exams such as IELTS, this method of prediction will help you.
Your takeaway from this post
S l o w d o w n.
We are living in a world that places a premium on multi-tasking, skimming pieces of writing, and forming instant opinions.
And to get through the day, you may have to do all of that. But, there are moments when you can switch gears. These moments may last for as little as ten seconds. Make those moments count.
Spend an extra minute or two over an article that interests you. It could be about sports, fashion, or culture.
Similarly, linger for a few minutes extra over an important report. You might notice things you wouldn’t have noticed before.
When you start becoming mindful of how language is used, you’ll start appreciating it–both the spoken and written word.
After some time your own language will improve. It will seem almost magical.
How about that?
3 don’ts when learning English
In India, it seems that we do not always have a love for learning. We ‘mug up’ before exams and then forget whatever we have ‘learnt’ after leaving the examination hall.
Learning a language is not the same as memorizing mathematical formula or historical dates.
It take time. It takes practice. If you are learning English, here are some of things I recommend that you DO NOT do.
3 things to avoid while learning English
1. Do not memorize lists to increase your vocabulary
This is a terrible, boring, counter-productive way to broaden the range of your vocabulary.
Words, like tigers, must be encountered in their natural habitat.
Words should be read in sentences which give overall meaning, within a broader context. That is, a word should relate to the sentence it is in. And that sentence should relate to the other sentences above and below it.
If you see a caged tiger, you cannot really appreciate its power and beauty. It’s the same with a word. You need to see the word in the real world on a real page, interacting with other words that are delivering authentic meaning.
When you memorize a list of words, you are operating in an artificial environment. The words are presented in an unnatural context. The example sentences are presented in a vacuum. Usually, they do not relate to each other. You may not be able to fully understand when and where to use the target words. And, you may end up using them incorrectly.
Remember, you need to come across a word many times (say, more than 10 times) before you can call it your own.
Similarly, be wary of all those vocabulary apps out there. They are not bad, but (like word lists) use them as supplementary learning tools.
If you want to be exposed to unfamiliar words, absorb their meanings, and use them in a precise manner–go old school.
Read novels. Read newspapers. Read magazines. Read good writing, period.
Don’t forget vocabulary includes words, phrases, and idioms.
2. Do not use highfalutin (or fancy) words, unless you really, really know what they mean.
This point is related to the point above. Know your words. Focus on quality and not quantity. I have heard many people use words that they really do not know the meaning of.
Don’t be a show off.
Don’t be inauthentic.
Use the language you know. Not the language you think other people will be impressed to hear.
3. There is no need to acquire an accent
I find it amusing when someone has an American accent, and then says a particular word in a very Indian accent. There is no need to speak like someone from a sitcom based in LA or New York.
Your accent is fine.
What is important is that you pronounce words clearly, in a manner that people will understand. That means when pronouncing a word, you should stress on the correct syllable. It is all about clarity of speech, and not about having a twang in your voice.
To conclude: if you want to improve your language, start systematically improving your vocabulary. And be true to yourself and to others, while speaking and writing.
Best of luck!
Can a couch potato learn English? The answer may surprise you.
Are you looking for free websites to learn English? These three websites are excellent.
How to use punctuation marks
I have a confession to make. I have a soft-corner for punctuation marks. These elegant symbols silently provide order and meaning to words. Unfortunately, these marks are often misused by people who write business emails, reports, and things like that.
Here are seven things about punctuation which you must know:
- Space is a part of punctuation. Yes, it is. So, make sure that there are enough blank spaces in your writing. Remember what you learnt at school: there must be space in between paragraphs. If you are writing a report, make sure that there is sufficient space around headings, sub-headings, diagrams, and charts.
- When introducing a list, use a dash (–) or a colon (:). Do not use a dash and then a colon. Here is a specimen: :– In India, people use this colon-dash monster combination quite regularly. If you are guilty of this. Stop it! And if someone you know does this, tell them about it. Why use extra punctuation?
3. Full-stop. You know this one.
At the end of a sentence, use a full-stop. In this age of SMSing and other forms of instant communication, busy people sometimes forget
(Did you notice the missing full-stop?)
4. & reads as ampersand. We use it in business names, especially for partnerships. For example, McKinsey & Company, and Mahindra & Mahindra.
When writing an office email, use and to join two words or two sentences. And, do not use &.
If you are writing to friends, use & as many times as you like.
5. A semicolon joins two sentences related in meaning.
Here is an example:
The new team has been finalized; we are meeting this Monday.
Do not, and I mean do not, use semicolons in any other way.
For example:
The attachments are; minutes of the meeting, audio files, market research.
As you can see from the above example, you cannot use a semicolon to introduce a list. That is not part of that punctuation mark’s job description.
6. Use exclamation marks sparingly. If you are excited or shocked about something, one ! will do. If you use more (!!!) then exclamation-inflation starts to happen. Every additional exclamation mark rapidly decreases in value. Do not let that happen!
7. Ellipsis…
That is what those three dots are called. They are used to indicate missing words in a text. And of course, some people use them for effect…
If you do use them, restrict yourself to three dots. There are people in this world who use five or six dots. One, two, three. And no more.
For more on misused punctuation marks, visit this post. And if you are curious to know more about semicolons, read this.
Be a couch potato and learn English
Source: vectorstock.com
The best way to a learn a language is to immerse yourself in it.
Be surrounded by it, every waking hour. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to stay in a foreign country. The next best thing could be watching TV.
Television (and now Youtube, Amazon, Netflix) gives us a window into other language worlds and cultures. Surprisingly in India, people do not seem to be taking advantage of this medium as much as they should.
Specifically, when it comes to learning English, learners see it as a distinct subject which is utilized in specific situations (e.g. while taking an exam, or making a presentation at work). This way of thinking limits the way one learns the language. Learning English is understood as learning grammatical rules and lists of words. This creates a narrow (and often fragile) language base.
Being a couch potato could be a part of the solution. (Ah… I see that smile on your face!) There are stories from around the world which highlight the link between TV watching and language learning. Two sisters in Isreal learned Spanish by watching an Argentinian telenovela with Hebrew subtitles. Read about them on CNN. In the short article, the sisters say that they learned English the same way.
And, you can learn English (or any other language) that way too.
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Choose a series that you enjoy. If you like the theme, chances are that you will be more willing to sit through it.
- Where possible, have subtitles. Even if the subtitles are in the same language, that is okay. In this way you are using two language learning skills – listening and reading. The two skills reinforce each other.
- Watch the programme again and again. A baseball player from Venezuela watched each episode of the serial Friends at least five times. And his level of English has improved dramatically.
- If there is some vocabulary you do not understand, reach out to your cellphone. Google the word and find out its meaning. Go ahead and do it. Don’t postpone it, as you may forget the word. This is a natural way to build your vocabulary, because you are encountering the word in its natural context.
- If there is a grammatical structure which is unfamiliar, try and find out more about it. Google. Don’t be lazy.
- You can have a varied diet as well. Watch a cartoon channel, a news channel, and a nature documentary channel. In this way, you expose yourself to different kinds of vocabulary. This will help you when you have to converse on different themes.
- Be consistent. (Remember point 3 in this list.)
Be an active, curious couch potato. Although your body may be immobile, your mind is all action!
For more on learning English, you can visit these 3 free websites.
Are you afraid of a Grammar Nazi?
What’s your answer? Yes or no?
My answer is: don’t be.
Grammar Nazis give grammar a bad name
These self-appointed guardians of the English language do more harm than good. They intimidate learners of the language by rudely pointing out grammatical errors. Thereby diminishing the joy of learning.
Let’s talk about grammar
Grammar is fluid and alive.
It is derived from the use of language. People use language to convey information, conduct business, share stories, gossip, and do much more. Over time, customs and patterns of usage have taken form. And of course, grammarians have codified these patterns. In short, it is a commonly agreed upon set of rules of language.
Grammar defines the relationships between words.
With a sound knowledge of grammar, you express yourself clearly and precisely. You place key words at the beginning or end of a sentence, depending on the effect you wish to create. You use a mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences to bring variety and pace in your writing. If you are writing poetry, you could happily violate the rules of grammar with impunity.
Grammar is a tool to help you become a more effective communicator.
Grammar has a bad reputation
Unfortunately, grammar has a really, really, really bad reputation.
Many people get defensive when the topic comes up. Even proficient speakers of English say: “Well, my grammar isn’t that good”.
On the bright side, if you are a proficient speaker of the language, then grammar may come naturally to you. You have an implicit understanding of how words are to be arranged in a sentence. You don’t have to refer to a grammar book. If something is amiss, your spider senses tingle. Although you many not be able to explain why the grammar is wrong, you just know that something is not right.
The rules of grammar are hardwired inside your brain. Lucky you!
The problem is when you are not a proficient user of the language, and you are learning it. You may be at the pre-intermediate, intermediate, or upper-intermediate level. In this case, grammar may seem like a never-ending series of arbitrary rules and exceptions.
Learning the subject becomes daunting and boring.
Making errors could be a good thing
When you are learning a language, you will commit errors.
It is important that you learn from these errors. Making errors means that you are trying to understand the mechanics of the language. It is not negative. It’s a good thing!
There is something you must know about your errors. They may be fossilized. What does that mean? It means that these errors are deeply embedded in your mind.
Here’s an example.
Learner: I didn’t went to the office yesterday.
Teacher: Didn’t went?
Learner: Mmm… I mean… Didn’t go.
Two days later the learner says: I didn’t went to the airport.
Although the student is aware that the grammar is wrong, when speaking, they would still make that error. The error is fossilized.
How can you overcome your fossilized errors?
By being aware. Find out what errors you usually make. Then monitor yourself when you speak. You may still be making them. But, they will decrease in frequency.
And then one fine day, they will disappear. Just like the dinosaurs did.
Don’t be impatient when learning grammar
Do you want to learn the present perfect continuous, the past perfect, and the future perfect all in one day? Please don’t. Don’t try to gobble up all of grammar in one go. It won’t work. Trust me. Your mind will not be able to digest all of it.
Learn a grammar point. Practice it. Then move on to the next point. Slow and steady. Just like the turtle in the race.
Here comes the Grammar Nazi
Enter the Grammar Nazi. This person relishes the opportunity to pounce on a misplaced semicolon, or some other grammatical error.
Grammatical rules are stated with finality and authority. (Beware, sometimes these confidently stated rules may be incorrect as well!)
Such a high-handed attitude is unnecessary and counter-productive.
After a Grammar Nazi lesson, the learner may feel even more inhibited to speak. The language becomes a minefield patiently waiting to explode the moment the learner opens their mouth.
Open letter to a Grammar Nazi
Dear Grammar Nazi:
While teaching an aspect of the language, you need to supportive.
Identify the error. Patiently explain why it is incorrect.
Be empathetic. You would make errors too, when learning a new language. It is natural.
In fact, you may be making errors in English that you are unaware of.
Regards,
A concerned teacher
Next steps
The next time you encounter a Grammar Nazi, tell them to explain politely or not to explain at all.
Remind him that all grammar rules are make believe!
To improve your grammar, you could read these posts on articles, prepositions, and the future time.
Image credit: Know Your Meme
Why do you make the same language errors, again and again?
Why do people keep repeating the same grammatical and vocabulary errors, even after they have been corrected?
For example, language learners learn that one should say ‘equipment’ and not ‘equipments’. The reason behind it is that ‘equipment’ is an uncountable noun, and so one shouldn’t add an ‘s’ to it. The phrase three equipments is grammatically incorrect. When I say this in a session, people nod their heads in complete agreement. But, when they leave the room, and have a conversation, they are more likely to ask: Where are the equipments?
Why are they repeating this error? The clue is in the photo of this post. The photo is of a fossil. The language errors that we make are fossilized in our minds. This means that even if the trainer corrects you in a session, afterwards, when you speak with friends or colleagues, you are likely to return to making the same error.
Can you de-fossilize your language? Yes, you can. But you have to work at it.
Pay attention to how you speak and write. And mentally take note of the errors which you know you are making. (I monitor my speech, almost all the time.) Over time, you will use the grammar point or word accurately and effortlessly.
The ignored skill of listening
Listen to the sound of the river, if you want to catch fish. – an Irish proverb.
In language learning there are four skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
Of these, the productive skills are speaking and writing. And the receptive skills are listening and reading. When learning a language, the emphasis is on the productive skills. We usually ask, can you speak Japanese. And not, can you read Japanese.
In India, English language learners are keen to speak and write the language. Unfortunately, they are less keen to engage with the receptive skills of listening and reading.
In this post, let’s focus on listening.
4 ways listening skill can help you
As you may have noticed, Indians are terrible listeners. Often, we start speaking while the other person is still speaking. (I am guilty of this too: I confess!) This could be because we are so absorbed in what we feel about the topic, that we cannot wait to express our opinion. Or this could be because we believe we know exactly what the other person thinks on a particular subject. This often happens between husbands and wives.
It is good etiquette to let the person complete what he or she is saying. No matter where one is–at work or at home.
Listening can help you to improve your communication skills.
Here is how:
Listen for pronunciation
Listen how people pronounce words. Are they emphasizing a particular syllable? If so, on which one?
For example, in India, some people pronounce the word sentence as: senTENCE.
Actually, in international English, it is: SENtence.
Listen attentively when you are watching your favourite Netflix series. Notice which syllable is stressed in a word.
Listen to the flow of speech
How is the person using intonation? Is the tone flat? Or is there a rise and fall in pitch to convey nuances in meaning and emotion?
Pay special attention to intonation. How does a stand-up comic use intonation? How is it different from a journalist reporting a story?
Listen for cohesion
When yo
u listen to a speech or watch a documentary, ask yourself why a particular idea or thought has been introduced. Does the next idea follow naturally from that first one? Many times a speaker begins by setting the context. And then she may make an assertion. And then follow it up with supporting statements.
Can you critically analyse the flow of ideas? Do they make sense, when placed next to each other? Could they be ordered in another way? Are all ideas equally important? Analyzing in such a manner will help you to make more effective presentations at work.
Listen with empathy
When listening to someone, try to imagine their lived experience. Where are they coming from? What are the challenges they face? This will help you to better understand them. People will feel that you are giving them your undivided attention. Consequently, they may open up to you even more. When you listen with empathy, you are more likely to recall what was said. Your conversations will be more meaningful. And yes, your communication skills will improve.
As I said before, we live in a world which does not value listening. If we start listening better, we’ll start communicating better.
Don’t forget to listen to yourself
Listen to yourself when you make a complaint, when you make a request, when you give an order, when you plead for understanding, and when you make a presentation.
How wide is your range of vocabulary? Are you repeating words and phrases? Are you learning new words / phrases on a regular basis? At times, do you find it difficult to express a complex idea?
Are you using grammar correctly? Are you using a variety of grammatical structures? Does your grammar crumble when you are angry?
Do you use different types of intonation when speaking to different people? What is your rate of speech? Are you speaking as fast as a bullet train travels?
Phew… That’s a long list of questions, I know. But it will be worth your while to start looking for answers for some, if not all, of these questions.
Focus on listening
When you truly listen, there is so much you can learn.
Listen to others when they speak. Listen to yourself when you speak.
If you will listen intensely and with purpose, you may be surprised as to what you discover.
Listen to the sound of the river…
Image credit: Freepik
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