5 Free Strategies to Learn English: Strategies and Practical Tips
By Frank Alvarez
Self-learner and expert in ESL education since 2011, Frank has designed English curricula and trained teachers at top institutions. He currently teaches at Inner English Online.
Learning English is a common goal for many people around the world, whether for personal, professional, or academic reasons. That's why there is a wide range of options, methods, institutes, and apps that promise that you will "Learn English in just 10 minutes a day!" or "Learn to Speak Native English in Just 3 Months!". However, learning English is not something that magically happens overnight, it takes passion, work, focus, and persistence.
It doesn't really matter what your motivation is, pay attention to what I'm about to say next, it may sound harsh but throughout my experience having taught over 10,000 students both in a classroom and online, I can safely tell you that
You must become obsessed with the English language, find something for you, something or someone that keeps you interested in practicing every day.
1. TV Series and Movies in English
This is probably the most popular advice for anyone who has ever decided to learn the English language. Watching TV Series and Movies in English is an excellent way to become familiar with different pronunciations and accents, it also helps expand your vocabulary almost unconsciously thanks to the visual context of your favorite series or your favorite childhood movie, don't worry if you don't understand every word, just make sure to enjoy the show.
By watching movies or shows that you have already seen in your native language, you already know the plot and the characters. This allows you to enjoy and focus on the movie even if you don't exactly know every single word.
There are various ways to enjoy your series and learn English at the same time. Whether you prefer audio in English and subtitles in Spanish, vice versa, or simply just audio, you will always learn something new.
The biggest problem with this strategy is the lack of production on our part. Production refers to the process of writing, speaking, or communicating using our own ideas or words. Just watching TV is a very passive practice, so it is important to complement it with other techniques.
2. Books and Audiobooks
Just as with movies or series, it's advisable to read a book that you have already read in Spanish. If you don't remember any book, maybe you should start by finding a good one in your native language first. This will help you understand the plot without worrying so much about not understanding all of the words. I am not saying there's something wrong with searching for the meaning or translation of some key words that you might need to understand a page, but if possible, just highlight them and come back later.
Listen to the audiobook in your commute or at the gym. Read the same chapters a couple of times, maybe the first time highlighting important words, a second time after finding synonyms or translating a section, a third time while you listen to the audiobook, etc. This is exactly why I need you to find a book that you really like!
When I was reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, I could see Gary Oldman's face in my mind as I read. This helped me create a mental image, increasing retention and comprehension of what I was reading. If it worked for me and it has worked for so many, why wouldn't it work for you too?
TikTok, Instagram, and smartphones have taken away our ability to focus. Therefore, reading is not as common a pastime as watching series or listening to music. But like in other hobbies, it's a matter of finding important, relevant, entertaining, or fun content. Don't be afraid to start with Fifty Shades of Grey.
3. Apps and Online Resources
If you have a phone with Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, your phone can probably access lots of free apps like Duolingo or Inner English App, which can help you practice at any time of your day. Believe me, I met someone who learned French from the toilet!
Today it is more common to see people who have forgotten their house keys, wallet, purse, or even their underwear, but never their smartphone. Take advantage of those 5 minutes while you wait for the train, or in the supermarket line, and use your phone to practice.
The first obstacle is getting to open Duolingo instead of wasting time watching what Pedro or Lupita is having for lunch on Insta. The second obstacle is the phone itself, activate the do not disturb mode on your phone, turn off notifications, or uninstall TikTok if necessary.
4. Music
Spotify, Youtube Music, and Apple Music allow you to see the lyrics of your favorite Adele song while you have ice cream and two large pizzas on a Saturday night at home.
The more you feel the song, the better. Don't let your teacher impose "Imagine" by John Lennon on you again.
Music helps you learn words, stories, phrases, and expressions in English audibly. You may not know how to spell certain phrases, and that's okay, focus on echoing or shadowing what you hear or understand from the song. If possible, follow the song with the correct lyrics and try to prioritize what you hear over what you read.
Once you hear "Huevos con Aceite" instead of "We're Not Gonna Take it", it's hard to change the bad habit of looking for words in Spanish in English songs. Our brain doesn't like to think (ironic I know) and will try to switch to Spanish because it's more comfortable and less tiring for the mind. Don't let your mind be lazy! Show it that there are other channels of communication!
When learning English, try to sing or move your lips with the lyrics of the song, it's important to move your mouth, to articulate. I suggest writing the lyrics of your favorite English song without reading the original lyrics. At the end, you can correct it with the real version and sing or articulate the lyrics while reading them.
5. English on All Your Devices
iPad, iPhone, Android, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Your Personal Computer, or your Mac Pro, all the devices at your disposal should be in English. Spanish or Castilian is a beautiful language, but you have already mastered that one. Dare to make English something of your own, we are creating a new highway of information in English in your brain. This also applies to the interface or menu within applications like Netflix or Microsoft Word. By using only English in your daily life, your brain learns to use memory and your best deductions to navigate the world.
By using the English language as a tool to navigate through the world and not as a final goal, you acquire the language as when you were a child. Back in the day, when you were learning to navigate this world with your first words, you didn't care for grammar or pronunciation. We must learn to be comfortable not being perfect, every error takes you a step closer to the goal.
Conclusion
You don't need to invest thousands of dollars in an institute to learn English. No English teacher or school miss can teach you everything you need to learn. At the end of the day, it's always in your hands to dedicate a space in your mind and in your day to learn and acquire English in an effective way. It's on you, whether this will take you six months or 20 years.
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink".