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http://www.englishandculture.com In this post, we will explore two options for learning English in Boston or New York. You can take a traditional English class or you can learn by participating in your favorite activity. Which will you choose?
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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