Think Outside the Book and Really Learn English

When studying English in the conventional way, you open your text book on chapter one and start from there deep into the last chapter.  You follow each chapter and its lesson strictly, as it has a logical structure, an organization that makes sense because it has a beginning and an end. 

But, what if you decided, for example, to start on chapter four, and then move to chapter seven, then to chapter five and only then, to chapter one?  Yes, it sounds weird and disorganized; it seems as if you are learning without a clear method, right?  Or, it may just mean that you like strict methods and structures.

You see, if you really think about it, most life situations do not present themselves in the text book's chapters order.  The grammar and spelling rules in real life defy the chapters' arrangement.  A language cannot be contained inside a text book; it has no beginning and no end.  It is a cycle which presents us with something new every time we move up one phase, and we never finish learning.

When learning English, you will start at one level and, as soon as you master it, you move on to the next one.  However, when you learn a second language, you already master the grammar concepts of yours.  For example, the conditionals in the text books are normally taught at advanced levels, but, during your every day life, you may need to use a conditional to communicate effectively right now. 

It is assumed that different individuals have different capabilities for learning, but, if you speak your mother tongue fluently, which of course you do, you are capable of learning any other language as easily.  In our minds, we have been programmed with the belief that learning a second language is difficult, lots of hard work and discipline, nevertheless, that is not so.

When you start to learn English at an ESL school, you are not starting from scratch, since you already know the concept of tenses, the passive and active voices, the verbs, the conditionals, etc., from your mother tongue.  What is required from you is that you change your habits and learn to express the same concept using a different arrangement and new sentences.        

To learn a second language you must change your habits.  If your mother tongue is English, you will say, for example, “I'm sick”, while if you were born in Spain, it would be “Estoy enfermo” or in Portugal, “Estou doente”.  The concept is the same, what's different is the way to state it.  The older you get, the more used you get to your language, however, you are also more clear on the fact that life is change, that you must embrace.

So, when learning a second language, forget about starting on chapter one, followed by two, and so on.  Start anywhere you feel necessary, because eventually you will get to chapter one.  Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages in regards to learning a second language at an ESL school as an adult, in opposition to learning your mother tongue from birth.  The clear disadvantages are:

• Little time
• Pressure to achieve results
• Mother tongue might interfere with the learning

 
By recognizing these setbacks you can plan to turn them into advantages:

• You already know concepts a child has to acquire, like abstract terms, rhetorical phrases and subliminal meanings
• You have lots of resources and techniques available
• You can monitor and control the process
• You can compare grammar structures of your mother tongue with the second language's
• Your vocabulary in your mother tongue is bigger than a child's, thus, giving you access to more words to “play” with

Clearly, there are many considerations when learning a second language, and the more you experiment, the faster you will find what works for you.

LCI English Center is an ESL school providing general and academic English programs for foreign students.  Our mission is to give each student a personalized, fun, and knowledgeable experience when learning English.

We are an school focused on offering fast results for our students' specific goals.  Everyone is unique, thus, each person's needs are different.  LCI English recognizes this and is prepared to tailor the classes to fit the student's necessities in order to ensure their results.

This school will assign you a personal adviser, a person ready to assist you all the time; following your progress and prepared to help you in any area you require, even in getting your visa approved or finding you a place to stay.

We offer private lessons, but if your choice is a group, be sure you will get the same personalized attention, since our groups have an average of eight students to guarantee everyone's needs are taken care of.  We are proudly recognized by the experience of our teachers and their ability to communicate with you in a fun and efficient way.  Their expertise with foreign students makes them capable of teaching you fluently and fast, allowing you to mingle among the culture immediately.  

Ah, yes!  The culture.  LCI English knows that understanding the culture and blending with it is a must for any language learning experience.  This is why this school takes you by the hand along the whole process: we help you since before you arrive to the country, getting your visa ready and finding you a comfortable place to stay.  We give you lots of information about the city you will be living in, one of the most beautiful places in the United States, we recommend places to socialize, encourage, and arm you to face the culture and have a wonderful experience learning directly from it.

And, in case this is not good enough... we guarantee our lessons.  At this ESL school, if you gave your best and yet, didn't reach the level you expected, we will extend your course free of charge.  We do this because we know our value and level of understanding of your needs.  We know we can teach you the best English fast and proficiently, we have done it before and we can do it with you.

If you have tried at another school before and have not achieved the results you wanted, is not because you are not good at languages, it's just that you have yet not found your own unique way for learning them.  That's why we are here, we are different, we are good.  Check us out, English LCI.