Hello Advanced English Explearners. Welcome back to our channel. Today in this lesson, we're delving into an enriching subject, Mastering English as a Second Language.

English's universal footprint opens up a world of opportunities, but getting to an advanced level can be challenging. Let's demystify the journey and arm you with 10 research backed strategies to enhance your English proficiency.

If you're ready, let's get into it.

And now for the strategies. Strategy number one, break down your larger goal into smaller, more measurable ones. The significance of setting small, achievable goals has been well documented. A study led by Teresa Amabile, a professor at Harvard Business School, emphasized the power of progress in what she termed the Progress Principle. According to her research, of all the factors that boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during a workday, the single most important is making progress in meaningful work or small wins. Now, let's translate this finding to your own English learning journey. Instead of setting a daunting goal such as, I will be fluent in English in six months, breaking it down into manageable targets can actully be more helpful. These might include mastering 10 new words a day, or being able to understand a TED Talk without subtitles by the end of the week. 

These incremental achievements offer motivation and a sense of accomplishment, making the larger goal feel much more attainable. Think of it as climbing a mountain. Each step gets you closer to the top, but you need to focus on one step at a time.

Strategy number two, construct an immersive English environment. This is where the input hypothesis, Formulated by linguist Stephen Krashen in the 1980s, comes into play. Krashen postulated that language acquisition occurs when learners receive messages they can understand, a concept that he termed comprehensible input.

The Linguistic Society of America also emphasizes the benefits of immersion in language learning. Living in an English speaking environment is ideal, but if that's not possible or available to you, then creating your own immersive environment can be just as effective. Immerse yourself in English literature, from classic novels to contemporary fiction.

Watch English movies and TV shows. Listen to English music, podcasts, or radio. Engage in social media discussions in English. This immersion helps you absorb the language in a contextual manner, which allows you to understand and use syntax, idioms, and colloquial language, which is very important for social fluency.

The more you expose yourself to varied forms of English input, the more your brain subconsciously processes and learns from it.

Strategy number three. Practice regularly and often. The importance of repeated practice in mastering a skill is well established in cognitive psychology demonstrated in the early 1970s by psychologist K. Anders Ericsson's research on deliberate practice. Erikson found that it's not just the quantity, but the quality and consistency of practice that counts towards achieving mastery.

In the context of language learning, this translates to daily exposure to English in different forms. Speaking in English, even if it's only... to yourself or a virtual assistant or AI, can enhance your fluency and confidence. Writing regularly, whether it's maintaining a diary, writing emails, or composing social media posts and comments can significantly improve your written communication skills.

It helps you remember new vocabulary and grammar rules better, as it necessitates actively recalling what you've learned. Remember that it's about consistency, not intensity. Even just 10 to 15 minutes. of dedicated practice each and every day is more beneficial than hours of sporadic, disorganized study that you maybe do once or twice a week.

Strategy number four, embrace your mistakes. The fear of making mistakes can be a significant obstacle to language learning. However, cognitive science tells us that mistakes are a crucial part of the learning process. Stanford professor Carol Dweck's work on the growth mindset published extensively in the early 2000s indicates that understanding mistakes as opportunities for growth rather than failures, can foster a positive learning attitude.

In English language learning, each error is a learning opportunity. It's a teachable moment. A grammatical error could lead you to explore and understand English grammar better. Mispronunciations can improve your phonetic understanding and prosody. So don't be disheartened by your errors. Instead, recognize them as an integral part of your language journey.

Learning isn't about avoiding mistakes, it's about how we respond, adapt, and grow from them.

Strategy number five, maintain a positive attitude. The influence of a positive mindset on learning outcomes is well studied. A 2006 study conducted by Barbara Fredrickson, a researcher at the University of North Carolina, revealed that positivity broadens your sense of possibilities and opens your mind, allowing you to build new skills and resources.

So, when it comes to learning English, a positive attitude can significantly impact your progress. It enables you to remain motivated and persistent even when the learning gets tough. By maintaining a positive attitude, you can better handle the frustrations of language barriers and complexities of grammar and syntax.

Positivity aids in creativity, enabling you to engage with the language in innovative ways. It could be as simple as playing a game of Scrabble in English, or penning a poem. Also, celebrating small victories, those small wins, like, understanding a full sentence in a movie or correctly using a new word or phrase will boost your morale and keep you motivated.

Strategy number six, believe in yourself. Your belief in your capabilities can significantly influence your language learning success. This concept is supported by Albert Bandura's theory of self efficacy, developed in the late 1970s.

Bandura, a renowned psychologist, Emphasized that individuals who believe in their ability to succeed in a specific situation or accomplish a task are more likely to do so. In English learning, self confidence allows you to actively engage in conversations unafraid of making mistakes. When you believe in your abilities, you are more likely to take risks such as trying out complex sentence structures or using new vocabulary or expressions. Importantly, it helps you to stay resilient in the face of challenges.

Regularly remind yourself of your progress and the efforts you have put in. Keep a record of your successes, no matter how small. These could be as simple as a new word you learned, a conversation that you participated in, or a complex text that you understood. These little reminders will help build your confidence over time.

Strategy Number Seven: Avoid comparisons. Psychologists have long studied the negative effects of social comparison, which is a term coined by Leon Festinger in 1954 1954, and have found that it often leads to feelings of inadequacy and frustration. Remember, everyone has their own pace and style of learning. While one person might excel at picking up new vocabulary, another might be a natural at pronunciation.

We all have our unique gifts and abilities. In English learning, it's critical to remember that everyone's journey is unique. So, you might find someone who became fluent in English in a year, while others might take several years. Comparing your progress to others can be disheartening and misleading. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in 2018 suggested that focusing on your progress and achievements, a concept called temporal comparison, leads to higher motivation rather than comparing yourself to others.

So measure your success in terms of how much you've progressed from where you started, not how you stack up against others.

Strategy number eight, leverage online resources. The explosion of digital resources in recent years has transformed the landscape of language learning. In 2017, researchers at the University of Illinois Found that utilizing digital platforms for language learning can increase engagement and motivation and facilitate personalized self paced learning.

Online language learning apps, websites, and virtual courses can provide you with invaluable resources to support your English learning journey. They offer interactive exercises, video lessons, and even opportunities for live conversations with native speakers and global English language learners.

For advanced learners, you can even check out platforms like TED Talks and learning podcasts like Advanced English and academic webinars can be a great source of honing your language skills further because they expose you to authentic, high level English content, thereby familiarizing you with advanced vocabulary, complex grammatical structures, and varied accents.

And I have just the platform for you. That is our very own private global community, which is Explearning Academy. And there you get to practice all four skills, reading, writing, listening, speaking, in addition to learning communication, learning about social skills, and reaching social fluency, so that you can work in any English speaking country, you can work in jobs that require English, and you can make friends around the world, regardless of where you're from.

So, I highly encourage you to join our Explearning Academy where we have live workshops each and every week, and you can join those by going to academy. explearning. co. We would love to have you.

Tip number nine. Find a language exchange partner. Many studies emphasize the importance of social interaction in language learning. One such research published in the Modern Language Journal in 2011 found that language exchanges where two or more learners support each other in learning each other's languages create an immersive learning environment that fosters language proficiency. Finding a study partner who's also learning English can create a supportive learning environment. It offers opportunities to practice your speaking skills in a safe, non judgmental setting. Your study partner, doesn't even have to be in the same location thanks to the magic of technology and the internet, right?

Many language exchange websites and apps can pair you with someone who is trying to learn your native language while they teach you English, right? So these interactions can help you understand cultural nuances, colloquial phrases, and real life language usage. Plus, teaching your native language to someone else can also enhance your understanding of language structures.

And if you're looking for a conversation partner just to speak English to you and practice the social skills and communication skills that I teach here and in our community, then you might be interested in joining our community where we have a conversation partner program where you can find somebody who is a native speaker or someone who has the same level of English as you, and you can meet with them virtually in our community.

So that might be something that you are interested in.

And tip number 10, stay curious. Curiosity is a fantastic learning accelerator. A study conducted at the University of California, Davis, in 2014, showed that curiosity increases learning by preparing the brain for learning and making subsequent learning experiences more rewarding. 

And in the context of learning English, curiosity can manifest in many ways. Questioning why certain grammar rules exist, seeking out the etymology of words, or exploring English literature to understand cultural contexts. This active involvement, this proactivity, makes the learning process much more enjoyable and effective.

Remember, every word you learn, every sentence you read, and every conversation you engage in adds to your understanding of English. So, don't be afraid to ask questions, seek answers, and explore the fascinating world of English.

As we draw this conversation to a close, let's remember that learning English as a second language is a journey filled with exciting discoveries, minor setbacks, and triumphant breakthroughs. It's a testament to your determination, resilience, and intellectual curiosity. 

Each one of you has embarked on this journey for unique reasons.

Maybe you're seeking better job opportunities, planning to study in an English speaking country, or just love the language and its rich literature. Regardless of your reasons, The path to fluency becomes more straightforward when you set achievable goals, embrace mistakes, practice regularly, maintain positivity in yourself, avoid unhealthy comparisons, use available resources, find a study partner, and stay curious. 

So a final thought as we wrap up in the words of one of my favorites, Dr. Seuss, " The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go."

 This is especially true for learning a language. So, keep exploring, keep learning, keep Explearning, and remember that every step you take in this journey is a step towards opening up a new world of opportunities, possibilities, and experiences. 

Thank you so much for joining me for this lesson. Please be sure to share your English experiences in the comments down below. I read every single one of them.

And remember to subscribe to our channel, Advanced English for Professionals, for more fun educational content. Until next time, keep learning, keep exploring, and keep Explearning. I'll see you in the next one. Bye for now!

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About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive skills and professional development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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