Learning English outside the classrooms

Learning English from various sources outside classrooms, why not?

Most of the time we learn English in classrooms at schools. But on the other time when we are not at schools, sometimes we find it difficult to learn English as we may come to our own confusion on what, when, where, and how to learn English outside the classrooms. Here are some possible activities I have practised myself that you all can try to help develop your English skills.

• Listening English Songs 

listening English songs even only one song each day can help improve your listening skills. It is normal if you do not catch all the words within the songs you listen. The more you listen, you will make yourselves familiar with English words and you will get more confidence in listening. Moreover, you can learn how to pronounce the words within the songs. You can try to imitate and it improves your pronunciations. You can do this activity whenever and wherever you want. May be you never think that listening to English songs is a good way of improving your listening skills, but it does make difference.

• Singing your favourite songs

Singing your favourite songs can help your lips pronounce some difficult words within more enjoyable and interesting way. Sometimes we know how to pronounce words, but by singing our learning does not feel like a hard learning. It is just a real singing, you enjoy it and no one will realise that actually you are practising your pronunciation.

• Watching English Movies

Everyone loves movies. You can watch English movies with or without English subtitles. Besides enjoying your time of watching the films, you can get both listening and comprehension practises. You may find some idioms and proverbs as well as new vocabulary by doing this. Again, it helps you improves your English.

• Translating Indonesian Songs into English

When you are free, you can use your time to translate Indonesian songs into English. It is full of fun. Sometimes you do not know the right words, and you will be so curious to find them. And the words that you find by yourselves last longer in your mind. Doing this activities will test your vocabulary mastery and grammar at the same time.

• Reading English News

News are good sources of new vocabulary and you can make use of English news for practising your reading skills. You get not only the knowledge but also improvement of your reading skills.

• Listing synonyms and antonyms

Listing synonyms and antonyms of the vocabulary you have is helpful in the way you may have more words when you write any English texts. Having more vocabulary will also assist you in understanding any reading passage you read.

• Recording your Speech

One way of practising your speaking skills is by recording your own voice. Then you can listen and see how you pronounce each words, the stress, and the intonation. Don't worry about your accent. You do not need to be like a native speakers.

• Writing on Diary

An activity to improve your writing will be writing your day to day moments on your dairy. I have done this, and after some time of keeping the diary , I look back at it, and I can find my own mistakes and I can correct them both in grammar and spellings. When we can make our past English better, this means that we get some improvement of English mastery.

• Using English on FB or SMS

Sometimes, you need to text your friends in English. The message does not have to be in full English. Use English as you wish. The more frequent you use English, the more you build your habit of using English, and you start remembering some vocabulary and pronunciation, though you may sometimes corrupt the spellings in the FB or SMS.

• Practising with friends

If it is possible, find friends who are willing to have English practises. You will feel the learning much amusing where you can have partners for the communication practises.

Good luck for your English learning outside the classrooms.