Today, I finally got some free time to do some self-learning. My English has been kind of stuck, and it’s been bothering me. So I figured, let’s try to figure out how to get better at it. I started by grabbing my laptop and did some searching online. You know, just typing in stuff like “how to improve English” and all that.
I found some articles talking about learning idioms and stuff. They say it’s good for making your speech more colorful, which makes sense. I guess it’s like adding spice to food. It just makes it taste better. I also looked into some learning methods, and one of them really caught my eye – it’s called “Harris English”. I mean, it’s a pretty common name, but I’d never heard of it as a method before.
So, I dug a little deeper. I found it’s about improving all your language skills – listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It sounds pretty comprehensive, which is what I need. I need to get better across the board, not just one or two areas. The thing is, it felt like a long shot.
I gave it a shot anyway. I started with the listening part. I found some English audio, just some random podcasts and news, and forced myself to listen without looking at any transcripts. It was tough at first, like trying to catch a greased pig. The words just went whoosh, right past me. But I kept at it. I set a goal to listen for at least 30 minutes every day. And guess what? After a week or so, I started to pick up more words, understand the gist of what they were saying. It felt good, like I’d finally cracked some secret code.
Then I moved on to speaking. This was even harder. I mean, who do I talk to? I’m not in an English-speaking country. But then I remembered those online language exchange things. I signed up for one, and man, it was awkward at first. My tongue felt like a lead weight. But I kept pushing. I started with simple stuff, like “Hello, how are you?” and slowly, slowly, I started to form more complex sentences. The people I talked to were super patient and helpful. They corrected my mistakes, taught me new words. It was like having my own little English tutoring squad.
Next up was reading. I started with easy stuff, like children’s books, to build confidence. After that, I moved to simple English novels to build my vocabulary and reading comprehension. It made me feel like a kid again, but hey, it worked. I realized I was actually enjoying the stories, not just focusing on the words. That was a big breakthrough for me. This gave me the confidence to read English more often, and I’ve found that I’ve been able to understand more and more as time goes on.
Wrapping Up
Writing was the last piece of the puzzle. I started a journal, just writing about my day, my thoughts, whatever came to mind. It was rough at first. My grammar was all over the place, and I kept forgetting words. But I didn’t give up. I used online dictionaries, grammar checkers, anything to help me improve. And slowly but surely, my writing started to get better. I felt more confident expressing myself in English.
- Started by searching online for ways to improve my English.
- Found information about the importance of learning idioms and various learning methods.
- Decided to try the “Harris English” method, which focuses on improving all language skills.
- Began with listening practice, using podcasts and news without transcripts.
- Progressed to speaking by joining online language exchanges, despite initial awkwardness.
- Moved on to reading, starting with children’s books and then English novels.
- Concluded with writing practice by keeping a journal and using online tools for improvement.
So, that’s my Harris English journey so far. It’s been tough, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. I’m not fluent yet, not by a long shot. But I’m definitely better than I was before. And that’s what matters. It’s all about taking small steps, celebrating the little victories, and never giving up. It’s not easy, but hey, nothing worth having comes easy, right? Keep at it, and you’ll get there!