Let’s face it: the vast majority of English language courses are worthless! The majority of English classes are a waste of time and money. You’ll sit in classrooms where the teacher speaks most of the time, be asked to memorize hundreds of grammar rules, and be given a nice diploma at the end. However, in most circumstances, you will “graduate” without even being able to communicate in English. What causes this to happen? Why do so many English programs fall short of their goals? The most important reason is that many English programs’ teaching philosophy is founded on misconceptions about learning English. Let’s take a look at four major myths about learning English today.
Adults cannot become fluent in English
One of the most common misconceptions about learning English is that you can’t learn it because you’re too old.
The good news is that there is no clear study to back up this theory. According to the majority of recent neuroscience studies, you can never be too old to learn anything new. Indeed, Albert Costa, a professor of neuroscience at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona who studies bilingualism, claims that adults may have an advantage over younger learners in some aspects of language learning, such as absorbing new vocabulary because adults typically have a larger vocabulary in their native language. Adult brains can quickly map a new word to their existing vocabulary knowledge base as a result of this.
Adults perform better at pronunciation while learning a new language than children, according to studies by David Birdsong of the University of Texas.
So, nobody should tell you that you’re too old to study English! It simply isn’t true from a scientific standpoint
Living in an English-speaking area is the only way to become truly fluent in the language
False.
The quickest approach to learning English is to immerse yourself in it completely. Immersion in the English language is aided by living in an English-speaking country. There isn’t a single person who disagrees with this. Virtual immersion, on the other hand, is just as effective. You may practice Conversational English with native speakers via Discord English lessons without having to buy a plane ticket or leave the comfort of your own home.
The problem is that most traditional English classes, whether for children, adults, or business professionals, fail to immerse students in English in a meaningful and engaging way. Instead, most English classes devote hundreds of hours to drill ESL students in grammar, ludicrous role plays, and phonetic exercises, leaving them with insufficient opportunity to practice speaking.
It must be costly to learn English
This one may be a little controversial, but there’s no reason to spend thousands of dollars on expensive English teachers, language software, or newsletters unless you’re paying for 1 on 1 speaking practice with a native speaker.
The majority of students attempt to learn English from qualified ESL teachers who charge $30 to $60 per hour. There is no need to do this unless you are a complete newbie in the English language. Instead, use the hundreds of free online resources to learn topics like grammar, vocabulary, fundamental sentence structures, and even pronunciation, and then hire a 1-on-1 native English-speaking conversation partner to practice speaking 3-4 times a week. In this manner, you save a lot of money by self-studying the elements of the English language that you can learn on your own and only using a native English-speaking conversation partner to practice speaking.
Bonus tip: When choosing a discussion partner, don’t go for the cheapest choice, as with most things in life. The majority of free language exchange services on the Internet are unreliable, and most language exchange programs do not provide adequate opportunities to practice English. Learning English is a long-term commitment. Just make sure you spend your money on things that are important to you.
You don’t have a sufficient vocabulary to communicate in English
A typical complaint among non-native English learners is that they do not have a large enough vocabulary to begin speaking.
However, studies reveal that in the English language, only 300 words account for over 70% of all words used. If you have a vocabulary of roughly 1000 words, you should be able to go through any one-hour conversation or presentation without difficulty. Most students who have studied English for more than two years have a vocabulary of roughly 1000 words.
The goal is to start speaking English as soon as possible after you start your learning process. Speaking experience is an essential part of learning English. It makes no difference how many words you can recite. You can’t learn a language without speaking it!
Bonus tip: Think of new vocabulary in terms of word families when extending your vocabulary. For example, instead of the term “large,” try using words like colossal, massive, and huge. This method of learning vocabulary is much faster than trying to remember the meaning of individual words.