Becoming fluent in a new language is no easy task. Although English is widely spoken, it takes effort to expand your vocabulary and improve your writing and speaking skills. And that in turn requires discipline. Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut to fluency.
But this can’t be news to you. Chances are you’ve already noticed the need to make a study schedule. It can really help you learn English. It can help you learn anything, for that matter. So, here are some tips on how to make a schedule for studying English.
Why Is It Important to Have a Schedule for Studying English?
Making a schedule for studying English is a great way to manage your time. Besides, it makes it easier to plan your goals. You can set goals to be reached every day or every week, for example.
This tool is even more important for self-taught students or if you take individual classes. Under those circumstances, it’s easy to lose focus. The fewer people that are involved, the easier it is to prioritize other activities over your studies.
Anyone who tries to use a study schedule will notice an increase in their learning speed. And they get even more motivated as they realize they’re reaching their goals. This increases their speed to reach even more goals, creating a virtuous circle.
First of All, Make Sure You Know Where You Stand
Let’s start with tips on how to make a schedule for studying English starting today. Setting your initial goals. Everyone who decides to learn English does it for a reason. Your reason needs to be crystal clear to you.
This line of questioning might seem strange and even silly at first. But it is essential to set your daily and weekly goals, and what to do to reach them. It also prevents frustration later on.
We recommend writing down what you would like to learn and why. Maybe you want to get a promotion at work, to travel more independently, or even just to understand the music you listen to and the games you play. All reasons are valid as long as they keep you motivated.
Keep Your Feet on the Ground
Being realistic is crucial when making your study schedule. You need to take into consideration that your motivation will oscillate. So, hold on to the excitement you feel in the first week of the schedule. It may go away faster than you think.
A daily schedule with six to eight hours dedicated to studying English, with only a few snack breaks, gets tiring. And that can lead to frustration and excuses to give up.
That’s why it’s so important to take your daily routine into consideration, including the other tasks you need to complete. By inserting your studies organically into your daily life, your study schedule won’t become a heavy burden. Just one more task to be completed. You’ll be more mature about it, which will then help you keep up the motivation.
Your Study Schedule Should Be Diversified
To help you stay motivated and keep up your pace, you should diversify your study schedule. This way, you can maintain a consistent daily, weekly, and monthly practice.
You probably need to work on developing all your skills, including writing and speaking. Split those skills into different sessions every week. Dedicate one day to vocabulary, another just to grammar, and so on. And remember to save a day to practice your speaking skills as well.
And even if a whole day is dedicated to a specific skill, there are still many different ways to develop it. You could expand your vocabulary by reading books one day, then watching a movie or TV show on a different day. You could practice speaking by talking to native speakers sometimes, or just practicing in front of the mirror.
Diversifying your studies will help you stay motivated to learn English. Then, your path toward fluency won’t be so rough.
Remember to Rest
Although it may seem your studies are progressing, when you spend hours studying nonstop, that isn’t true. In fact, that’s one of the least efficient ways to study.
You’ll get really tired if you do that. After a while, your brain will start to complain, unable to retain new information. Give yourself and your brain a break! Take breaks in between periods of studying.
For example, you could take a 10-minute break after studying for one hour. If your routine won’t allow it, take shorter breaks. Or only study for 15 to 30 minutes a day. What’s important here is that you take breaks consistently. Your studies will become much more dynamic and fruitful this way. You’ll see.
Technology Is Your Ally
We are constantly surrounded by technology. Might as well use it in our favor, right? Many mobile and desktop apps can help you organize your day. Some even focus on your studies. And most of them are free.
Even proper courses need to use technology for the benefit of the students. That’s why Cambly offers online classes with native tutors that cater to your needs. Class hours are also flexible and easy to fit in your daily schedule.
Try a demo class and see how it can fit into your study schedule specifically.
More awesome tips such as this one are available on the Cambly blog. But you can also check out the Cambly app to start improving your English skills right now!
