By Khalid E. (Libya), University Placement English Student, LCI Denver
Some foreign students learning English in America believe that studying English in school is enough to be an excellent English speaker. However, practicing English after class hours is vital to improve students’ skills, especially in speaking and listening.
For instance, as I am from Libya, my first language is Arabic. I have been learning English in America for four months at LCI Denver. In addition to that, I push myself to practice English outside the classroom as the city is famous for being friendly and safe.
One way I practice English outside class is that when I drive my car, I listen to the news from National Public Radio (NPR). Doing that continuously has made not only my listening skills much better, but also corrected my pronunciation mistakes.
If you are not interested in listening to the news, you can watch American movies and try to catch some words either by listening or by writing down new words from the subtitles on the screen. Also, listening to and speaking phrases will help students learning English with pronunciation and rhythm.
Another thing that I have found useful for learning English in America is that when I go back home after classes, I list down the new words learned that day alphabetically. I look up the meanings and put them into sentences. Then I try to practice these new words when I go shopping, meet new friends or have a chat with my neighbors.
Finally, one issue that the majority of English students feel uncomfortable with is reading comprehension. According to my experience, I’d suggest that other students learning English in America read at least for an hour daily, either newspapers or books related to their majors. I can guarantee that this technique has improved my reading speed, especially in exams.