11 dez 2015

What have YOU been doing to improve? (Part 1) *

*O texto a seguir foi escrito para a revista  Braz-Tesol Newsletter de dezembro/2015.  Nesse blog, ele será publicado em 10 postagens, todas as sextas-feiras.

10 questions that will help you boost your skills – both as a teacher and as an English speaker

steps

 1. Have you been reading?

Reading is one of the most powerful learn-a-language-by-yourself tools I know. Do you want to have a more sophisticated vocabulary? Read. Do you want to pass a proficiency exam? Read. Do you want to be a better teacher to your students? Read. Read vastly. Read variedly. Read. Read. Read.

It is simple math: the more texts you read, the more familiar with a language you become.  The more familiar with a language you become, the better the better able you will be to deal with students’ questions and language needs. As we read, we expand our vocabulary; we see grammatical structures into use; we learn how people speak real English – real as opposed to adapted for students; we become more organized writers and more accurate speakers.

Novels, articles about astronomy, comics, gossip magazines. Find something you enjoy reading and go for it.