И как Ваш английский?

[panas 1 528]

I`ll tell you my story.

1. After high school I barely could express myself, maybe just a couple of phrases with a tremendous pain on my face. But in the same time I could read and translate technical texts.

2. At university I memorized a dictionary of 10+k words. I memorized 4 pages in the morning and refreshed the learnt in the evening. It took 2 or 3 months. I think it was one of the most important investments of my time and energy at the times I had no money, no work, no responsibilities, just a lot of time during vacations.

3. A couple years after graduation I have started working for an international company. Good English is still a must in my position, so I had to do something to improve it. I started watching the BBC World. For the first 2 months I used to turn the TV up very loudly to be able to get anything. The language there is very basic, but very correct at the same time. I got used to the RP pronunciation. At that point I developed a skill of understanding what is said (at least on the TV), but I still could not speak properly.

4. At some point I understood that I`m stuck at a very mediocre level (intermediate) and decided to push forward. What is really and undoubtedly helpful is listening to the stuff all day long. Various lectures, podcasts, shows, audiobook, anything you can think of, everything you are interested in. The most important thing is amount of time you are allocating. It should be as much time as possible, almost all your awake time. In about 4 months I could think in English which was weird, but pleasing and almost rewarding in itself. Listen even if you do not understand it, even if you are freaking tired. Listening is passive, it does not require your conscious effort, you are just exposed to the language in the most natural way. A few years of listening will rewire your brain in such a way that you will be able to speak almost effortlessly about anything that crosses your mind, the correct words and collocations will just pop up in your mind.

5. Here we are, the final and terminal stage which might seem nightmarish to many. This is the stage you start speaking in English to your children. Yeah, that is so. You have to speak a foreign language to your kid all day long, on any occasion, even when he or she is in pain or jeopardy, and you have to expect your kids to always answer you in the foreign language too. If you are a real freak (or a devoted learner) you are going to do it. I have been doing it for 4 years. You must think I`m clinically insane, and you are by all means right! But, who cares, if I do speak that fucking English and you don`t?

[Эллочка- людоедка 656]

I`ll tell you my story.

1. After high school I barely could express myself, maybe just a couple of phrases with a tremendous pain on my face. But in the same time I could read and translate technical texts.

2. At university I memorized a dictionary of 10+k words. I memorized 4 pages in the morning and refreshed the learnt in the evening. It took 2 or 3 months. I think it was one of the most important investments of my time and energy at the times I had no money, no work, no responsibilities, just a lot of time during vacations.

3. A couple years after graduation I have started working for an international company. Good English is still a must in my position, so I had to do something to improve it. I started watching the BBC World. For the first 2 months I used to turn the TV up very loudly to be able to get anything. The language there is very basic, but very correct at the same time. I got used to the RP pronunciation. At that point I developed a skill of understanding what is said (at least on the TV), but I still could not speak properly.

4. At some point I understood that I`m stuck at a very mediocre level (intermediate) and decided to push forward. What is really and undoubtedly helpful is listening to the stuff all day long. Various lectures, podcasts, shows, audiobook, anything you can think of, everything you are interested in. The most important thing is amount of time you are allocating. It should be as much time as possible, almost all your awake time. In about 4 months I could think in English which was weird, but pleasing and almost rewarding in itself. Listen even if you do not understand it, even if you are freaking tired. Listening is passive, it does not require your conscious effort, you are just exposed to the language in the most natural way. A few years of listening will rewire your brain in such a way that you will be able to speak almost effortlessly about anything that crosses your mind, the correct words and collocations will just pop up in your mind.

5. Here we are, the final and terminal stage which might seem nightmarish to many. This is the stage you start speaking in English to your children. Yeah, that is so. You have to speak a foreign language to your kid all day long, on any occasion, even when he or she is in pain or jeopardy, and you have to expect your kids to always answer you in the foreign language too. If you are a real freak (or a devoted learner) you are going to do it. I have been doing it for 4 years. You must think I`m clinically insane, and you are by all means right! But, who cares, if I do speak that fucking English and you don`t?

. I think it was one of the most important investments of my time and energy at the times I had no money, no work, no responsibilities -  Как некоторые имеют по 2 высших образования и не могут найти себе адекватную работу и зарплату. Но в то же время, придёт евросоюз к нам или мы к нему)), то на каком общаться будем с понаехавшими?))