The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Language Learners
You're probably familiar with the title of Stephen Covey's popular personal development book. Perhaps you read it in English or in your own language. You might have seen video reviews or summaries of it - just like me - and if you take your personal productivity seriously, you ought to have been able to see how many of these habits you already have and which you still need to take up as an effective person.
If you haven't heard about the 7 habits before, but you'd like to know, this YouTube video might trigger your interest.
The purpose of me writing this is I thought about the seven habits and how they can be applied to language learning. As a teacher of English, learners often approach me to ask for the BEST advice on learning English. Many people want to be able to speak and write English fairly fluently quickly and without exerting a lot of effort. Not only do they set themselves unrealistic goals, they keep failing to achieve any progress because they find it hard to give up this idea.
Here are the 7 habits of highly effective language learners - as I thought of them:
- Habit # 1: Be proactive. Make the decision that you want to learn and start. Do NOT keep asking people what to do. Start and find your own way.
- Habit # 2: Begin with the end in mind. Close your eyes and see yourself using the language in different situations. Does it sound amazing? Is life easy?
- Habit # 3: Put first things first. Build your knowledge base and essential skills before moving on to more challenging tasks like preparing for an international exam.
- Habit # 4: Think win-win. In order for you to speak English - for example - well, other learners needn't be bad at it. On the contrary, you'll benefit from other people speaking good English; you can communicate together. It's exciting!
- Habit # 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Listen to teachers and other people who might be able to offer you some help. They've been in your position one day. Some of them - teachers - have some unique knowledge of how people learn and how languages are learned. If their advice doesn't seem to work for you, then speak up and ask for what you think could be more effective for you.
- Habit # 6: Synergise. Language is a skill first and foremost. Knowing more words than other learners may not make you a better language user until you put these words to use. Moreover, other learners may be able to use vocabulary in ways that you haven't thought of. It is when you communicate and work together that you are able to learn more and develop your language.
- Habit # 7: Sharpen the saw. Take part in language practice communities. Set up learning circles with your friends. Start a blog. Read regularly. Listen to the radio in the language you want to learn. Live your life in language. Learning is a lifelong journey. Enjoy it!
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