1. TIPS ON Improving Your English
Volunteer Social
TIPS ON Improving Your English

2. Contents
How can I help my one-on-one conversation partners with their English?
How can I have a great conversation in English?
How can I improve my English?
What online resources can help me with my English?

3. Tips for Conversation Leaders
Get to know your conversation partner’s interests
Identify the level of readiness and build on with new things step by step
Know your partner’s learning strengths and preferences
Incorporate all the language aspects into your lesson
Make it challenging, but not too challenging
Create friendly, encouraging and curiosity- stimulating learning environment

4. Resources www.eslflow.com http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk

5. How to improve my conversation skills?
Don’t be shy and self-conscious!
Communication errors can be solved.
A conversation is an interactive activity involving listening and speaking from both parties.
It’s all about listening and asking questions.
Do some research!
Lulls are normal.
If a conversation is going wrong, it may not be your fault.

6. How to introduce myself?
Greet with smile
Maintain eye contact
Give a firm handshake
Tell your name
Ask for the other person’s name
Repeat the other person’s name
Never draw a negative picture of yourself

7. How to have a great conversation?
Relax and forget about yourself
Listen
Ask questions
Use a friendly tone
Choose your words and questions carefully
Avoid controversial and intimate topics as well as arguments
Neither interrupt a person in the middle of his thought, nor speak on top of it
Compliment the other person
Thank for a great conversation

8. How to handle a difficult question?
Personal, intimate question
I’m sorry, but I’d prefer not to answer this question.
Question you don’t know the answer
I have no idea.
Question you didn’t catch
Can you repeat the question?
Question you don’t understand because of unfamiliar words or question structure
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. Would you mind telling it in different words?/What do you mean by…?/What does…mean?

9. How to avoid awkward lulls?
Move on to another topic
Ask questions for clarity
Find common interests
Compliment the other person
Observe any visual clues to draw a topic out
If an awkward lull happens, correct it by saying the following: I am thinking of what we have just talked about. And paraphrase what you have been talking about.

10. How can I improve my English?
Be active and set goals for improving your English!
A language is not only speaking, but a combination of speaking, listening, reading and writing, including grammar.
Use different learning styles such as visual, auditory and kinesthetic to achieve your objectives.

11. Resources Learn English Free Online: http://www.learnenglish.de
Learn American English Online:
Learn Languages for Free Online:
English Club:

12. How to improve speaking?
Listening and reading aloud
Writing
Networking and making friends
Greeting people on the street
Having small talks in public
Watching foreign movies with English subtitles
Joining one-on-one conversations, conversation and common interest groups

13. Resources EBooks: http://www.gutenberg.org
Phrases and Expressions for Speaking:

14. How to improve listening?
Speaking to English speakers
Watching TV and movies
Listening to radio
Reading audio books
Singing English songs
Practicing pronunciation
Joining conversation groups/one-on-one conversations

15. Resources Listening Lab: http://www.esl-lab.com Listening Activities:
Audio Books:

16. How to improve comprehension?
Reading picture books or comics
Reading newspapers and magazines
Asking questions during conversations
Watching TV and movies
Browsing English websites
Consulting dictionaries
Constantly learning new words
Clarifying meaning of slang and idioms
Knowing grammar

17. Resources Idioms: http://www.idiomconnection.com Slang Words:
Reading Comprehension Exercises:
Listening Comprehension Exercises:
Vocabulary Games:

18. How to improve pronunciation?
Listening to native English and imitating
Reading along with audio books
Speaking, being corrected or asking for correct pronunciation and repeating after
Paying attention to letter combination sounds, stressed syllables, word linkage and intonation
Training speech organs position, shape and movement of English sounds

19. Resources Accent School: http://www.accentschool.com/run_software.html
Some Pronunciation Rules:
Pronunciation Exercises:
Dictionaries with Pronunciation:

20. How to improve grammar? Reading, listening, writing and speaking
Using subject-verb structure
Differentiating questions from statements
Understanding parts of speech
Practicing verb tenses
Knowing words beyond their meaning
Learning phrasal verbs
Doing grammar exercises
Quizzing yourself

21. Resources English Grammar Exercises and Tests:
English Grammar:
English Grammar Quizzes:
English Study Zone:
English Grammar Rules and Exercises:
Phrasal Verbs:

22. How to improve reading? Reading audio books
Watching movies with subtitles
Listening to songs and following their lyrics
Learning letter/letter combination sounds
Stressing words correctly
Paying attention to punctuation signs
Slowing down and pronouncing every single word as well as word endings

23. Resources Listen and Read Along: http://www.manythings.org/listen
Phonics Games:
Songs and Lyrics:

24. How to improve writing? Reading, listening and speaking
Learning English grammar and vocabulary
Understanding the basic subject-verb sentence structure
Using correct spelling
Analyzing frequently misspelled words
Making use of grammar and spell check
Punctuating correctly
Blogging, text messaging or having pen friends

25. Resources Blogging Sites: www.blogger.com www.blogtopsites.com
ESL Blogging:
Spelling Games:
Punctuation Rules: