Important questions on learning English

[Competent]

It is a good idea to prepare one's own questions and answers with helpful practical important content on daily life topics and issues. I've almost completed this project of mine.
Let me give you a sample of my questions on the topic titled Learning English that are suitable for classroom use:

1. For what purpose do you learn English? (What do you learn English for? How do you plan to use English in practice?)
2. Do you attend English classes at school, learn English with a tutor (private teacher) or study English yourself (on your own)?
3. What materials (aids) do you use for learning English?
4. Since when (how long) have you been learning English?
5. Do you practise self-control to check your learning progress?
6. Do you know the articulation of English vowels and consonants to pronounce English words correctly?
7. Do you do grammar exercises based on real life situations?
8. How do you practise speaking English?
9. Do you listen to English conversations and texts on audio and video aids?
10. In what ways do you expand your English vocabulary?
11. Do you practise revision of previous material?
12. Do you also make up your own samples of conversation sentences and examples of vocabulary usage in sentences for your own potential practical use?
13. How do you practise listening comprehension in English?
14. How do you work on a conversation topic to master it?
15. Do you sometimes communicate in English with native English speakers? In what ways?
16. Do you do oral and written translation exercises from your native language into English?
17. What is difficult for you in learning and using English? (What difficulties do you experience in learning and using English?)
18. What typical mistakes in English do you make?
19. How good is your knowledge of English as to pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing?
What is your level of knowledge of English? (beginning, intermediate, advanced)

[Torsten]

Hello Competent,

These are excellent questions and I look forward to the answers our users are going to provide. Many thanks for sharing these ideas. Maybe you could start by answering some those questions yourself?

Best regards,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: Aranging a meeting

[Mohammad Ahmad]

1-We learn English as a second language to support our knowledge. When you learn a new language you will turn to a new person. i.e you will gain additional ability.
By learning language we can communicate people and make choice to live.
Language for me is the water I drink, the air I inspire or inhale.
_________________
MMA

[Competent]

Hello Torsten,

My previous posts provide answers to my important questions on learning various aspects of English (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading, writing and the value of oral translation into English).

[Torsten]

Hi Competent,

Do you previous posts also answer the question how learners can put all your suggestions into practice?

Thanks,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: Negotiating a lower price

[Competent]

Hi Torsten,

I believe my previous posts containing practical suggestions clearly explain how to learn and to master various aspects of English. If learners still have questions on those issues I could answer them as clearly and easily understandable as I can. Of course all users of this forum can join discussions on those issues.

[Torsten]

Hi Competent,

I take it you are an English teacher? If so, how many students have you taught so far? What would you say are their biggest problems in learning English?

Many thanks,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: Giving directions

[Competent]

Hi Torsten,

I am a former teacher of English. Now I only teach English to learners privately.
In the past for many years I taught English to international students and immigrants.
Different students can have different difficulties and problems in learning English. They can make different mistakes in English pronunciation, grammar, orthography and vocabulary usage.
There is a connection between the native language of a learner and particular difficulties in learning and using English and the kind of mistakes a learner typically makes in English pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary as there is native language interference in learning and using English.
Listening comprehension and speaking in English are the skills generally more frequently used than reading and writing in daily living in an English speaking country. Listening comprehension and speaking in English are more difficult and more important for learners to master than reading and writing. When reading and writing a text a learner has more time for thinking and pauses than when listening and speaking in English in daily living.
A learner can also look up unknown vocabulary in English dictionaries and use other English reference books when reading and writing a text in English which is impossible when listening and speaking in English. Therefore listening comprehension and speaking in English are more difficult than reading and writing.
English vocabulary for daily living requires more time and is more difficult to master by foreign learners than English grammar. One of my articles in this forum describes difficulties in learning English vocabulary.
I highly recommend learners the reference book titled Practical English Usage by Michael Swan to read to reduce making mistakes in English.

[Torsten]

Hi again, Competent! Thank you very much for sharing your background with us. Have you ever considered offering online tuition?

Regards,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: Employee asks co-worker to help him with a report on investing psychology.

[Competent]

Hi Torsten,

I hope my messages (submissions, contributions) on the issues of learning and using English are helpful to learners and even teachers of English as a second or a foreign language. People can forget or may not take into consideration or may not know some important points in their English language activities. I do not claim that I am more knowledgeable in issues of mastering English and of course I do not try to impose a thought that my suggestions are to be followed. I accept valid critical assessments (judgements) of my views and my opinions. I just want to exchange views and opinions and discuss issues of English with other users and to give them helpful implementable creative ideas in mastering English.
I have created some additional materials for learning English but I haven't typed all of them on my computer. My other thorough English materials are available in different books and other aids as I combine different materials to cover each topic thoroughly.
I also upgrade my English materials with selective borrowing of online English material.
I do not have my own online English learning or teaching materials and I prefer private teaching of English to learners in person as it is more convenient for me to use my own materials with better more helpful practical and more comprehensive content for daily living than online English materials.

[Torsten]

Dear Competent,

Thank you very much for your quick response. It would be great if you could give us some pointers on how we can improve our online training sessions. Here is a thread that introduces the program and I would greatly appreciate it if you could give us some feedback: http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic81399.html#free_oovoo_speaking_session_every_sunday_afternoon

Regards,
Torsten

TOEIC short conversations: Two employees talk about their respective weekends

[Competent]

Hi Torsten,

I am quite busy with my own English language projects and teaching. I cannot participate in spoken discussions in your speaking programmes.
In my view it is helpful for all participants to think through in advance their own questions, answers and messages for discussions on important topics and issues to benefit as much as possible from those speaking programmes.
It would be great if you could gradually present in different programmes all my questions on the topic titled Learning English as well as all my suggestions and views on learning various aspects of English that I posted in your forum in the past.
I'd like to receive responses from participants in your speaking programmes to my highly relevant issues raised in my posts in this forum. For that purpose you may even give them my username Competent to post their messages to me in this forum.
Many of your participants may not have read my posts and may be interested in corresponding with me by email on issues of English.

[Competent]

Hi Torsten,

Do you plan how many participants will speak, how long they will speak and what issues will be discussed on each programme? Maybe it would be better to let participants know in advance each programme schedule and issues so that they could better prepare for each programme and to know in advance who will participate, how long and their issues for each programme. Organisation and reasonable planning will not hurt this project.

In the future I'd like to exchange with you information and ideas on materials for mastering various aspects of English with comprehensive, relevant and practically useful content. As you know the content of English materials matters a great deal.

[Rimmiloud]

Please can somebody explain to me what difference between method and algorithm .
Thank you very much.

[Competent]

Hello Rimmiloud,

Both words can have different meanings depending on the subject context as they can be used in mathematics and in other subjects. Good special subject English dictionaries
can explain the meanings of "method" and "algorithm" better than large general English dictionaries, let alone English speakers non-specialists in the corresponding subject.