Part 28
Maybe you are sceptical and think that there must be more to learning English than just 30 minutes of daily listening. Well, there certainly is but mastering the 30/30 Challenge is absolutely crucial to success if you want to become a winner. Here is how you should prepare for your challenge: First, you need to make sure you have enough audio materials to listen to for at least 30 days. You can use a variety of resources such as audio books, DVD's, TV and radio. In the "How do I get started?" section we have already discussed the steps you should take to get the ball rolling. The 30/30 Challenge will help you develop the continuity and consistency you need to keep on track. Second, you should start a "30/30 Challenge diary" where you write down the experiences you go through every day. It doesn't matter what format you choose for your diary, it can either be a traditional notebook, an electronic calendar or an Internet blog. The important factor is that you do keep the diary every day because this will help you maintain the self-discipline required to master the challenge. In addition, your diary will have the following advantages:
- It helps you organize your thoughts.
When you write down your daily listening experiences, you think about what you heard on TV, radio or your recordings. You often will pick up information that makes you see your own situation in a different light. For example, if you hear a report about a conflict in another country you might think to yourself: "Oh, I'm quite lucky to have the opportunity to learn English and communicate with positive thinking people from around the world. There are a lot of people who would give anything if they could only be in my place."
- It helps you memorize new words and phrases.
What you put into writing what you heard during your listening, you visualize words and phrases that you heard. This means, you recall some of the words and phrases you heard earlier that day which helps you learn new vocabulary.
- It helps you keep track of your progress.
Your listening diary shows clearly how much you learn every day. After a few days you can go back to your first diary entries and you will notice that you now understand more than when you made those very first entries. When you see how much progress you are making daily, it will be much easier for you to keep your motivation up, which in turn will make you want to learn even more.
- It allows you to share your experiences with your coach and other learners.
Completing the 30/30 Challenge all on your own might be too difficult a task for you. So, you can hire an English language coach who will work with you on a regular basis. Based on the entries in your diary your coach will tell you exactly what you should do to learn even faster and more effectively. In addition, you can use your listening diary to share your experiences with other learners which will increase your motivation to learn English even further.
If you have any English grammar or vocabulary questions,
please post them on this English Grammar Forum.
