Do you have any plan to pursue your further education abroad?
Will you need English for your career or your education? If so,
you may wish to investigate your options for learning, or
improving, your English skills.
The TOEFL Test: TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) is
a test used by many colleges, universities, government agencies
and exchange and scholarship programs in the US, UK and Canada
as a means of evaluating the language skills of a person whose
first language is not English. You can find TOEFL study guides
easily online with other recommended resources listed. You may
be able to access some of the sample tests and prepare with
personal study. Or you may look for a class with an instructor
to help you prepare for the test.
ESL Classes: ESL classes are a common means for students to
learn English with group of classmates. These can be in the form
of an evening class with various individuals attending or may be
part of a college program during the day.
The course length and the topics covered will differ from
country to country and school to school. Some summer programs
are geared for international students to gain a basic grasp of
the language before starting studies in English taught classes
of the college or university.
Since the standards of passing a course, or the course material
itself, will vary drastically, some students may feel that the
language skills gained upon completing the course does not equip
them to handle school work or social interactions adequately.
Some schools offer students and alternative of home-stay
programs for students. Home-stay programs benefit the student by
placing them for several weeks or months with a host family that
speaks English. The student is then able to immerse him or
herself in the culture and social speaking of the English
country they are living in. There are also online ESL programs
that may be suitable for distance education, especially if
programs are not readily available in your area.
Private Tutors: Another popular method of learning English is
with private tutors. The materials and methods used by ESL
tutors will vary greatly and it is important to establish what
material will be used and to feel comfortable with the tutor.
Asking friends or other students for references can be helpful
in finding a good tutor.
A combination of these English learning methods will be
effective as well. You can take a summer course while staying
with a home-stay host family and then arranging for private
tutoring during the school year. Making an effort to use your
new language skills regularly in social situations will improve
your progress regardless of the program or course you are using.
About the author:
George Williams maintains many translator websites, including Free
Translator, French Translator
,and Japanese
Translator.
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