How I became fluent in English, and how you can, too!
Full disclosure: I was born and raised in Romania, so my first language is Romanian.
I was there until I was 15 years old, and after that, I moved to the US, to California.
I lived in LA and San Francisco for about 14 years, so at this point, I'm probably half American.
But I do know people that have lived in the US for much longer than I have, and have much stronger accents and a harder time communicating in English.
Why? They don't immerse themselves in the language.
So what is immersion?
Immersing yourself in a language means getting completely involved in that language by watching movies, by listening to music,
by reading, by speaking with everyone... basically completely surrounding yourself with that language.
Not too long ago, I came across an article that talked about how language is rooted in culture.
The author, a Hungarian CEO who speaks seven languages, talked about how the English language is rooted in the Anglo-Saxon culture.
He mentions how positive thinking is embedded in the English language.
For example, using a word like "challenge" instead of "problem".
He also mentions how English uses a more indirect approach than other languages...
...how the Brits and Americans do not always directly state something. They might say
That's interesting.
That means it's not interesting.
Hey, let's get together the next time I'm in town.
You're not going to get together.
Well the main takeaway from the article is that it praises language immersion in order to fully become fluent in that language.
If you're interested in reading the article, I'll leave a link to it down in the description.
I think there's so much truth in this article.
As an English teacher, I've observed the progress of so many students who have immersed themselves in the language,
versus the stagnation of students who were translating, and only practicing English inside the classroom, and not outside.
And so, I got inspired to tell you about my experience with learning English.
Here's what I've learned:
Number 1: When you immerse yourself in a language, you open yourself up to learn something new.
You leave your character and your personality at the door, and you embrace a whole new one
Honestly, it's part of experiencing the world at a new level.
You should try it!
And don't worry: your identity is not going anywhere! You don't lose yourself when you're immersed in a new language.
So what's the result of immersion? You learn new idioms, phrasal verbs, local expressions,
which automatically make you sound a lot more like a native English speaker.
People also have an easier time understanding you.
In addition, you are able to comprehend and use colloquial English.
... because it is NOT the same as academic English or the English we learn from books.
So, the second thing I've learned is that learning English is not easy... and it takes time.
But, it can be a lot of fun, especially because most of it does not happen in the classroom.
Once I had a student ask me: "Teacher, do you think in two years I'll know ALL the English?"
I smiled and told him:"No! But you know what? You'll be so much more proficient than you are now!"
I'm proud to say that even after 20+ years of learning English, I'm still learning, because a true learner never stops.
It also makes me a better English teacher.
Let me tell you: Once you realize you're always learning, you're not stressed anymore.
You just focus on the things you can change, and actively work to change those things, one at a time.
So where's the fun part you ask? Well, I learned a lot of English from movies, books, parties, friends, and boyfriends.
I always paid attention to how people spoke, and every time I heard a new idiom or expression,
I took a mental note of it, and made sure to use it the next time I had the opportunity.
For example, I remember when I heard one of my friends saying the word "to".
And they meant "to"- like you go to the beach. But I noticed that this person used "uh", like :"tuh"
I made a note of that little syllable because it wasn't "to", like "ooo", that sound that I used to make.
And I started using too, so I'd stay stuff like: I'm going "tuh" the doctor, I'm going "tuh" school.
Well, let me tell you: That one simple vowel made such a huge difference in my fluency, and how people understood my spoken English.
And don't worry: As you learn, you can still communicate in English, and it does not have to be perfect!
Which brings me to my last point: It's OK to make mistakes.
In some countries, people might judge for grammatical errors or pronunciation mistakes.
I don't think it's the same with English.
In today's world, there are many different versions of English: different accents, different grammar... English is a world language!
So people in general may be kinder and more forgiving of your mistakes than you think.
They certainly were in my case!
In fact, if you listen carefully, you can hear native speakers make mistakes as well.
I think I make less mistakes than Ioana.
Fewer mistakes. See? You get the point.
So here's my advice: Maybe you think it's crazy, but: Strive to make mistakes.
If you make mistakes, you're using the language more, which means you're improving.
What WON'T help you is taking time to think of one perfect sentence.
Having a conversation, with mistakes and all, will be a lot more helpful.
Remember, the best way to learn English is to always practice.
So follow us on social media. It's a great way to connect and interact with us. You can get the American perspective! Wes is very American.
Wait a second... is that a compliment?
Sure!
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts and confessions as an English teacher whose first language is not English.
As you can see and hear, it is possible to become fluent in English. You just need to continue practicing.
Keep practicing with us! And give a thumbs up if you found this video helpful.