What is the most important skill when learning English ? Grammar, pronunciation or communication? If asked this question, perhaps each person will give a different answer with their own arguments. Grammar is necessary to form meaningful sentences while correct pronunciation is important to serve daily communication. All factors play an important role and are complimentary to each other. Being good at grammar but unable to listen and speaking English is considered to useless, while being good at communication but unable to write an essay is not better. There is one way to master and improve your English comprehensive. It is to learn English with the foreigners
1. Improve listening and speaking skills
Practicing English with foreigners means that you will be living in an environment where people always use English to communicate with each other. Therefore, learners can practice communication skills when learning English with foreigners. In each lesson, the native teacher will directly teach students, interact with them as well as convey everything in English; hence, it is natural for learners to re-interact in English. As a result, they will soon form great listening and speaking reflexes.
In addition, during each lesson, you will have the opportunity to present your views and opinions to the teacher and friends. This is not only a way to practice speaking English skills but also help students gain confidence to speak English in front of other people.
2. Learn to pronounce like a native speaker
English pronunciation is an obsession of many people when learning English as the accent of native speakers is not just a matter of sooner or later, it requires an effective learning method as well as an effective learning environment. Practicing English communication with foreigners will be the key to dispel this obsession.
When taking English communication courses with the foreigners, using 100% English will certainly help you interact with the native English, and thereby learn the pronunciation of teachers. During the learning process, listen to how the teachers pronounce, match sounds, and accents to get used to it and form your own speaking reflexes as well as try to pronounce each word correctly with necessary ups and downs in the sentence.
In addition, when you make any mistakes in pronunciation, the foreign teachers will easily discover and rectify them in time. Joining an English course with a native teacher is the way to help you get used to English pronunciation.
3. Improve reflexes for English communication
Many people still wonder why they have rich English vocabulary, and great listening comprehension skills but every moment they stand in front of foreigners, they fall into the situation of being “as dumb as a fish”. This is simply because of the fact that even though you understand what people are saying, you have no idea how to respond. The ideas and words in your head are in disarray and they need to be arranged to make a reply. This is the situation of poor reflexes in communication.
The poor reflexes in communication will make you become inferior when standing in front of foreigners. To cure this “disease”, there is a way. It is “habit cures habit”: to learn English with foreigners. No matter how weak your English reflexes are, once you have practiced communicating with the native speakers, your level will gradually improve, from faltering to fluently making daily conversations.
For those whose English speaking skills are still weak, standing in front of foreigners lead them to encounter feelings of fear and embarrassment. However; everything has its beginning. Everyone has the same starting point, and more brave individual will be the winner. No matter how frightened or self-inferior you are, make efforts to practice speaking English with your native teachers to see the changes day by day. No one will laugh at your efforts. It all depends on whether you want yourself to be better everyday or not.
4. Learn natural phrases and new vocabulary
In the process of learning English with foreigners, you also have many opportunities to learn new vocabulary, which you will not find in any books and documents at all. They are common phrases or slang only used in the native people’s daily communication. With these words, you will find yourself become more confident and fluent when communicating with foreigners.
Non-native teachers may not teach the phrase that is actually being used in the United States. For example, listening to the phrase “See You” is being used by English teachers in Japan but this phrase is not used by Americans, so you don’t need to learn it. A native teacher will not teach you “See You.” They will teach you “See ya later” or “take care” or “talk to you soon.”
5. Enhance knowledge of indigenous culture and customs
Each country, each nation will have different traditions and customs. This is the beauty handed down through the generations. Especially, there is a marked difference between the culture of the East and that of the West.
More significantly, nowadays, in the era of globalization, discovering and learning about civilized things from the West become extremely valuable. Studying English with native teachers is a way for people to better understand the culture, the beauty, the classic style, the elegance of other nations around the world. Certainly, knowledge of indigenous people’s traditions and customs will significantly assist individuals, especially those preparing to study abroad or work in a multinational environment.
If you are planning to use English abroad or with English speakers in your country, you cannot just learn sentence, structure, and grammar. You also want to learn about different cultures as well. You need to understand the communication styles in America. When do Americans add indirect messages to their sentences? How will you react to that? A native English teacher can explain this to you.
What is your main motivation for learning English? Do you find speaking with native English speakers intimidating or inspiring? Learning a language is never easy and will never be as simple as you would hope, but to be outside of your comfort zone and challenging yourself will reward you for years to come! Your skills, ability to adapt, your confidence and your understanding of other cultures will flourish, so what are you waiting for?
