Beginners in learning English are somehow similar to a blank sheet of paper because it is easy for them to acquire knowledge, but it is also easy for them to fall into “traps” if they do not know how to learn English properly. What are the most common difficulties that newcomers face when beginning to learn English? How can these obstacles be overcome in order to learn English more effectively? Let’s find out in the following article!
What problems do beginners often face when learning English?
High expectations
If you are a perfectionist who strives for excellence in everything you do, you will undoubtedly want to learn English flawlessly.
When you first start learning English, having unrealistic expectations and exceeding your own level and ability can leave you frustrated, inhibited, and impatient.
Setting goals that are too far away will prevent you from quickly improving your English level by allowing you to learn from your mistakes.
For example, many people have set the goal of “learning English for a salary of $1000/month” from the start. It’s engaging to test your limits. But you have no idea how to achieve that goal or how long it will take,… Unrealistic expectations will only make you feel more burdened and frustrated as you learn English.
Too much focus on theory and grammar knowledge
When they don’t know where to begin, English learners tend to focus on grammar and theory first. This is the result of a long process of familiarizing to traditional learning methods, as it is believed that if the theory is accurate, the practice will be easier.
Spending too much time on grammar knowledge, on the other hand, is not a very effective method. Grammar and theory are only truly effective if you are fluent in English.
When you are not truly immersed and familiar with the language, the grammar knowledge you learn will be nothing more than boring sentence structures on paper that are mechanically applied to reality.
Cramming for vocabulary
Expanding your vocabulary while learning English will undoubtedly help you communicate more effectively. That is also why many people who are just beginning to learn English make a habit of taking notes on every new English word and begin learning by cramming.
Many scientific studies have shown that information that is interesting and impressive to you will be remembered by the brain in as little as 1-2 times. Uninteresting information, on the other hand, requires seven separate repetitions to be remembered by the brain.
Cramming will only improve your vocabulary retention for a few days to a few weeks. Then, if they are not used on a regular basis, they will be erased from your memory.
How to avoid “traps” when learning English for beginners?
Apply the solutions below to avoid wasting time while still being highly effective when learning English for beginners:
Set the right goals
For most beginners, learning English progresses from easy to difficult. If expecting too much makes you impatient, setting goals that are appropriate for you will help motivate you to try new things every day without “burdening” yourself too much.
Your goals must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound).
Instead of setting unrealistic goals for yourself, such as “3 months of speaking English like a native,” set a goal of learning English for at least 5 minutes per day, for example. Starting with a small goal will help you increase your sense of accomplishment, making you feel more connected to the process of learning English.
Learn English from the basics with pronunciation
Contrary to popular belief, pronunciation is the most important aspect of learning English for beginners. As previously stated, learning grammar will only be beneficial if you are already fluent in English. And mastering pronunciation is the quickest way to do so.
Knowing the rules of English pronunciation and how to read the basic sounds in English will help you speak English more effectively when you begin communicating. Furthermore, learning to pronounce words can help you improve your listening skills.
When you understand the syllables you’re saying, you can easily understand what the other person is trying to say, which improves reaction time when communicating in English.
Learn vocabulary by topics
According to scientific studies, the human brain has different stages of memory. Before information can be permanently remembered, it must be passed on from the brain.
During this process, your brain will eliminate unnecessary information in order to focus on remembering the essentials.
Based on this scientific research, journalist Sebastian Leitner developed the “five-subject system” in 1973. You will progress to the next topic once you have mastered the previous one. When you finish all five topics, your English vocabulary will be permanently imprinted in your long-term memory.
This method of learning vocabulary by topic was developed by Sebastian Leitner. Learning vocabulary by topic allows you to learn many related words at the same time, allowing you to memorize more quickly and systematically.
You can begin by learning familiar, easy-to-understand topics such as numbers, friends and family, hobbies, food, and so on, and then progress to more complicated topics.
GOGA app – an effective English learning solution for beginners
Understanding the “traps” that newcomers to English face, GOGA is built on tried-and-true learning principles, combined with cutting-edge technology and features, to keep you interested in learning English.
Methodical learning routine
Rather than the lengthy grammar knowledge found in textbooks, each lesson in GOGA is designed as a learning task with the appropriate amount of time, so you can finish it in one day.
Every time you complete a lesson, you will be eligible for a variety of extremely interesting and diverse rewards. Designing such lessons will give you a sense of accomplishment in the learning process, allowing you to engage in English learning on a daily basis.
Furthermore, GOGA allows you to set a daily self-study time based on levels ranging from easy (5 minutes/day) to super difficult (25 minutes/day) based on your needs. You can also change the target study time at any time.
Pronunciation lessons ranging from simple to difficult
GOGA offers 72 visual pronunciation videos created by native teachers that explain how to pronounce 40 syllables in English for beginners.
When learning to pronounce with GOGA, you will progress through three stages: Core Pronunciation, Advanced Pronunciation, and Advanced Pronunciation. You can also practice pronunciation from the syllable level up to single words, sentences, and paragraphs.
You will be able to correct your mistakes and score with AI technology that is accurate to each phoneme while practicing pronunciation with GOGA.
Extend yourrange of vocabulary with a variety of topics
GOGA offers a plethora of vocabulary topics (Animal, Occupation, Food, Fashion, Travel, Nature, etc.) to help you practice, interact with, and use English vocabulary on a daily basis.
Each topic will include 45-90 new words, for a total of 1000 words divided into three levels: easy, medium, and difficult. In GOGA, new words are accompanied by corresponding illustrations.
You can, for example, immediately apply new words you’ve just learned by playing super-interesting mini-games. Learning and practicing vocabulary through the game will undoubtedly help you remember words more quickly and easily, as well as improve reflexes while playing the game.
If you’re still looking for an effective, “multi-functional” method to learn English for beginners, GOGA is an excellent option.
GOGA is currently available on both the iOS and Android platforms. You can get the app for free by clicking on the link below:
Android: https://bitly.com.vn/weyrn9