How to Learn English at Home - Interesting and Different Ways
It’s important to find ways to learn English at home if you want to become fluent in English. Most English language learners have a good understanding of vocabulary and grammar rules, however, they struggle to learn how to speak English fluently.
We’re here to tell you that it is possible to build your understanding of the English language and improve your English speaking skills all from the comfort of your home.
Why Learn English From Home?
Learning English from home is gaining popularity and for good reason. Learning a new language is a daunting task, so why not make it enjoyable by learning from the comfort of your own home? Home is where the heart is; it’s where we feel the most comfortable and confident.
And let’s face it, one of the most difficult aspects of learning a language is joining a new class full of strangers. We can eliminate the pre-language school jitters by setting ourselves up to succeed in our favourite environment.
Learning English from home can also make us more productive by eliminating the unnecessary commute to English language schools. Learning from home means that we can squeeze in five extra minutes and increase our understanding of the English language without wasting time.
How to Learn Spoken English at Home
It’s a great idea to learn new words, read them, and repeat them on our own; however, we also need to practice using them in conversation with native English speakers. There is no alternative to learning English with a partner. It remains the best way to learn a new language.
There is more to learning new vocabulary than simply learning a new word. We need to learn the word, its meaning, its form, its pronunciation, and (most importantly) its tone and register. It would be a misstep to use an informal word in a formal situation; and vice versa. When we learn English alone, we are at risk of using certain words in the wrong context simply because we don’t understand the connotation of the words.
It’s also important to practice English with a partner to ensure we can be understood when speaking English. Our partner can help us form the appropriate tenses and correct errors before they become habits.
We need to keep information moving from our brains to our mouths to speak fluently and an English speaking partner can make sure it’s done in the right way.
How to Become Fluent in English at Home
Technology has brought the world to our fingertips. There are native English speakers around the world who are one click away from speaking English with you. This gives you the ability to learn how to speak English like a native speaker. Fluency comes from practice and you need to speak English every day to speak English fluently.
If you have a Zoom account and internet access, then you can simply search for a program that brings a native English speaker right into your home. We have our very own platform with classes that run all day where you can speak English with native English speakers. Try our free seminar to find out more and to practice speaking English with native English speakers who are available to help you reach your language goals.
How to Learn English at Home Step by Step
In addition to speaking with natives English speakers, there are a lot of things you can do to learn English at home. Follow our step-by-step guide to reach your English language goals without leaving the comfort of your home.
Watch TV Channels in English
English pronunciation is challenging and there are a lot of aspects to consider. First, we need to learn the word and the sounds of each letter in a word. Then, we need to hear a native speaker say the word to figure out the number of syllables and the stressed syllable in the word. Finally, we need to listen to native speakers use the new word in a sentence so that we can use it correctly too.
Watching TV shows in English is a great way to expose ourselves to new pronunciation and to improve our rhythm when speaking English.
English TV shows are great for learners at any level. In the beginning, we can use subtitles to help us and rewatch movies and series we have watched in our mothertongue.
Simply exposing ourselves to the sounds of English is enough to start off. As we develop our listening skills, it’s important to rely less and less on the subtitles and, one day, we’ll be able to turn them off and watch new movies in English.
There are countless English sitcoms and TV shows for everyone to enjoy such as Friends, Two and a Half Men and The Simpsons. The best thing you can do to start is watch a TV series or movie that you have already watched so that you are familiar with the plot and storyline.
Just remember to set your goals according to your English level. Don’t expect too much too soon or else you’ll feel discouraged.
Write a Diary or Blog in English
Writing is a fantastic way to learn English. When we learn English, we develop our receptive vocabulary (words we can understand) and productive vocabulary (words we can produce.) We can practice our productive skills by writing in a diary or on a blog.
This is also a great way for us to record new vocabulary and phrases that we learn when speaking English with a native English speaker. Recycling vocabulary ensures that it sticks in our minds.
Don’t underestimate the value of writing. Writing and speaking are our productive skills, so the better we become at writing, the better our English speaking skills will be too.
Play Games in English
If you enjoy playing video games, why not play them in English? There is a massive community of English speaking video game players and, chances are, you will find a speaking partner who will practice speaking English with you.
There are also countless English resources and online videos about different games. If you enjoy a game, you can follow English streamers online and watch YouTube videos about the game in English to develop two interests at once.
Go on Online English Course
The online English learning community is a wonderful resource. Don’t waste time watching English teachers on YouTube when you can be in the classroom speaking English with native English teachers and other students.
English-Everyday is designed to help you practice speaking English anytime, anywhere. Those are English classes where you can hop into any class on any day, ask your teachers your pressing English questions, and speak with other students who are just like you. We suggest you to start from our free English seminar
Listen to the Radio in English
Listening to the radio and podcasts in English is a fantastic way to learn English. This is more challenging than watching TV shows because you don’t have the option to add subtitles. However, listening to the radio or podcasts in English is a great option for every English language learner, regardless of your level.
Top tips: find a podcast that focuses on an area you are interested in. Then, set your listening tasks to something that is achievable for you. If you are a low-level English learner, simply listen to the tone of voice of the speakers and the rhythm they use when speaking. It can be that simple.
Next, listen to the sounds of the language and get familiar with English in ways that go beyond words and comprehension; these will come with time and more exposure. Remember, you need to start somewhere, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
Read Books in English
Listening and reading are receptive skills in English. We should use these skills to expose ourselves to new words and phrases. Speaking and writing can only take us so far. We need to listen to people speaking English and read books in English to expand our knowledge of the English language and, in turn, improve our English speaking skills.
English is not a phonetic language, so it’s a good idea to expose ourselves to written English to improve our writing skills too.
Talk With Yourself in English and Try To Think in English
There’s nothing wrong with the old reliable technique of sitting in front of a mirror and speaking to ourselves to practice speaking English. The more we speak to ourselves in English, the higher the chances are that we will start to think in English.
When we talk to ourselves in English, we have an opportunity to play around with words, phrases and grammar points without the judgement of others. This is where we can find any sticky spots and areas that we need to work on; which we can take to our next English class and ask our teachers to help us work through them.
There is nothing more empowering when learning a language than knowing exactly what we need to work on. Once we become active learners of a language, we can unlock unlimited potential.
What is English Everyday
English Everyday is an English course with 24/7 live speaking lessons for English learners who want unlimited speaking practice with native speakers, professional teachers, and students from around the world.
You have live speaking lessons where you can join an unlimited amount of lessons every day. There's a lesson almost every hour and you can join all of them and also, you can review all record lessons. English Everyday contains a lot of conversation practice for each level of English (A2, B1-B2, C1), and also you have a calendar of scheduled lessons so you can see when lessons are and at what time you can join and start speaking.
In English Everyday program, you have 24/7 support and also you have student chat where you can speak with other students from all around the world. You can look at our feedback page so that you can know from which countries our students are. Before you join our program, we strongly recommend you sign up for our free seminar with Kris Amerikos, where you can learn:
- What goals you need to have to get better results
- How to become fluent in English very quickly
- What you need to do to have perfect pronunciation
- The 3 biggest mistakes you need to avoid
- Which free resources will help you learn English
- The best resource to use to improve your speaking
Interesting Tips to Improve Spoken English at Home
-
Sing Karaoke With Friends
Karaoke is fun. It’s a great way to let go and let our hair down. So why not use it to have some fun when learning English? The more you enjoy the process, the more you will remember. Karaoke combines reading and speaking. We can improve our word recognition and our speaking skills while having fun at the same time.
-
Read Out Loud So You Can Hear Yourself
Reading out loud can help improve our pronunciation. It also gives us the opportunity to get our mouths around the pronunciation of new words that we discover while reading. Reading out loud will also give us the opportunity to practice the rhythm of spoken English. We won’t have to produce the sentences; we will only need to say them.
-
Chat With Friends Online
Chatting with friends online is another great way to practice English. We can also practice our informal writing skills and learn common English abbreviations that are used in text messages. We can ensure that we are exposing ourselves to every aspect of the English language so that we can use it in every context.
-
Record Yourself and Listen That Audio
Record yourself speaking English so that you can rewatch it and objectively find the areas that you want to work on. The English-Everyday lessons are all recorded and you will have the opportunity to rewatch yourself and see how well you speak English with a native speaker.
Outside of the English-Everyday platform, you should practice speaking in front of a camera. It will feel awkward at first, but the more you do it, the better you will become at identifying your own mistakes and areas that you need to work on.
-
Make a Blog Only With Audio
If you’re not comfortable with videoing yourself, you can also record audio blogs and listen to them again. Audio blogs are great because you can’t see your body language. You have to rely on your English speaking skills to communicate effectively. In the beginning, it will be difficult to listen to yourself speak English. Practice makes perfect. If you don’t give up, you will see results.
How to Learn English Speaking Fast at Home
The only way to learn how to speak English fast is to speak English each and every day. Our program, English-Everyday, is specifically designed to get you speaking English every day. You can join an environment of English learners who have different driving forces with the same goal: to learn how to speak English fluently. Join us today and learn how to speak English fast.