Creating an English environment at home
01/04/26 Filed in: 勉強法
Learning English can be a tough experience. It can be enjoyable, but a little confusing as you try to learn numerous words and phrases, and put them together to effectively communicate with others. Attending a language school can be a great way to improve, as the teachers can guide you and help you progress more quickly. However, more is needed. What can you do to further your English skills outside the classroom?
One of my most memorable experiences growing up was being introduced to martial arts. I practiced jujitsu, Shorin-ryu, and Okinawa-Te karate. Over the years, I improved greatly as I trained four times a week. However, my father knew that training at the dojo would not be enough to reach the levels that my instructors sought, and so he set up a mini-dojo at home for extra training. This kept me pushing to reach my potential.
It may seem unusual to discuss martial arts and language learning together, but to make real progress they both require practice and patience. It’s essential to find ways to keep developing your English skills outside of class. One of the best is to create an English environment at home. This may seem a little tough to do, but here are several suggestions to boost both your English level, and—if you have kids— to help with your child’s English study.
1) Label things around the house
Labels can be used to build and maintain vocabulary that is acquired in your more-formal studies. Of course this can be done for furniture and rooms, but it's also useful for learning the names of items used daily. It’s a great opportunity to read the words aloud every day for your pronunciation.
Labels also provide chances to use the words in sentences so you can get accustomed to using them in regular conversation. This is very helpful in getting children to listen and use the words to communicate. For example:
Parent: Where are your shoes?
Child: They are in the entryway.
Parent: Did you finish reading the book?
Child: Yes, I did. I put it back on the bookshelf.
This can easily be applied to practicing grammar, such as past, present and future forms.
2) Take advantage of English videos to learn everyday communication
With video platforms such as YouTube, Netflix and Disney Channel available on numerous devices, now is an excellent time to study English not only at home, but anywhere. Many of the videos provide subtitles to give learners another way to read and study.
There are some great children's channels on YouTube for parents to use with their kids. Songs and stories on video help build vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, and natural intonation. A few that we recommend are PBS Kids, ChuChu TV, Happy Toddler Learning, Smile and Learn English, and Rock 'N Learn. These short videos are great at capturing children's interest. By all means, watch them together with your child. This makes the experience far more meaningful and fun than watching alone.
3) Set an English conversation time for the whole family
Learning doesn't have to be a grind. One way to make it fun and more natural is to set a time for the family to use English. Devote 10-15 minutes daily to reading aloud, playing games or having little conversations together—of course in English.
Some—mostly adults—may be afraid of making mistakes. Perfection is not the goal. We just want to make using English daily natural, get comfortable with it, and build more confidence. Set a schedule and stick to it. Even just a few minutes a day can be very effective.
Finally, the most important part of language learning is taking everything step by step. No one can communicate perfectly overnight, but achieving one small goal at a time, whether it be memorizing 10 words in a day or nailing a conversational phrase, goes a long way to developing fluency in English. Good luck!
One of my most memorable experiences growing up was being introduced to martial arts. I practiced jujitsu, Shorin-ryu, and Okinawa-Te karate. Over the years, I improved greatly as I trained four times a week. However, my father knew that training at the dojo would not be enough to reach the levels that my instructors sought, and so he set up a mini-dojo at home for extra training. This kept me pushing to reach my potential.
It may seem unusual to discuss martial arts and language learning together, but to make real progress they both require practice and patience. It’s essential to find ways to keep developing your English skills outside of class. One of the best is to create an English environment at home. This may seem a little tough to do, but here are several suggestions to boost both your English level, and—if you have kids— to help with your child’s English study.
1) Label things around the house
Labels can be used to build and maintain vocabulary that is acquired in your more-formal studies. Of course this can be done for furniture and rooms, but it's also useful for learning the names of items used daily. It’s a great opportunity to read the words aloud every day for your pronunciation.
Labels also provide chances to use the words in sentences so you can get accustomed to using them in regular conversation. This is very helpful in getting children to listen and use the words to communicate. For example:
Parent: Where are your shoes?
Child: They are in the entryway.
Parent: Did you finish reading the book?
Child: Yes, I did. I put it back on the bookshelf.
This can easily be applied to practicing grammar, such as past, present and future forms.
2) Take advantage of English videos to learn everyday communication
With video platforms such as YouTube, Netflix and Disney Channel available on numerous devices, now is an excellent time to study English not only at home, but anywhere. Many of the videos provide subtitles to give learners another way to read and study.
There are some great children's channels on YouTube for parents to use with their kids. Songs and stories on video help build vocabulary, pronunciation, phrases, and natural intonation. A few that we recommend are PBS Kids, ChuChu TV, Happy Toddler Learning, Smile and Learn English, and Rock 'N Learn. These short videos are great at capturing children's interest. By all means, watch them together with your child. This makes the experience far more meaningful and fun than watching alone.
3) Set an English conversation time for the whole family
Learning doesn't have to be a grind. One way to make it fun and more natural is to set a time for the family to use English. Devote 10-15 minutes daily to reading aloud, playing games or having little conversations together—of course in English.
Some—mostly adults—may be afraid of making mistakes. Perfection is not the goal. We just want to make using English daily natural, get comfortable with it, and build more confidence. Set a schedule and stick to it. Even just a few minutes a day can be very effective.
Finally, the most important part of language learning is taking everything step by step. No one can communicate perfectly overnight, but achieving one small goal at a time, whether it be memorizing 10 words in a day or nailing a conversational phrase, goes a long way to developing fluency in English. Good luck!
Kenya