Now that you have reasons for improving your English and ways to build your abilities, what's next? Expressed in quotes, here's why Choice in language improvement, learning, and teaching-as in most areas of work and life-works.
And here are a few of the many possible general choices to [1] make, [2] experience, and [3] update-in living your best life and doing your best work with language:
Download Materials. Want ideas, instructions for activities, books, lessons, and games right now? Choose the Download Option on products that offer print matter (text + visuals) and/or audio at www.worklifeenglish.com. Use them on your computer screen or handheld devices and/or print out the portions you want yourself or others to study. Other advantages to downloading materials include [1] getting the latest (renovated) versions-often richly illustrated and in full color; [2] saving delivery time and handling/shipping costs; and [3] and feeling modern. For materials that are downloadable, see our Authors & Editors Catalog and the Work/Life English Online Store.
Get Printed Materials. Need something in your hands to manipulate? If you have lesson or book pages, you can carry them around during work or school days, mark them up, arrange and rearrange them, cut up and paste them for your own purposes, and otherwise “make them yours.” The same is true about game boards & cards. The ability to “control” materials by hand activates engagement and learning. It enhances the progress of kinesthetic teachers and learners. Peruse our current (and permanent) Authors & Editors Catalog and the Work/Life English Online Store for items that can be printed and shipped.
Learn Academically, Respecting Past Methodologies. Want the memory, comfort, or directive discipline of going (back) to school, taking classes, or working with tutors? Do you find it satisfying to do assignments, take quizzes, “perform” for others, and/or be evaluated or graded? Then choose whole programs with clear, organized Tables of Contents, sequenced pedagogy, review and reinforcement, and assessment tools. Major examples are integrated series with ancillaries such as Work/LIfe English -and textbooks designed for “higher education”-like What's the Point? and Everyday Spelling Workbooks.
Focus on One or Two Areas of Expertise or Language Skills. Prefer to concentrate on your perceived gaps in knowledge or less developed linguistic skills? Then dive and delve directly into what you most want to know and improve as a priority. Target grammar (patterns and rules), vocabulary, or subject matter-as in Grammar Scenarios, What's the Word? or A Journey Through America. Alternatively or additionally, zoom in on the Reading/Writing or Listening/Speaking strand of a leveled series like Work/Life English.
Play Games & Participate in Activities. Compete or Cooperate. Try to Win or Help. Do you live to score, to triumph, to prove yourself? Or is it the joy of cooperating or assisting that best fulfills your teaching/learning goals? For both kinds of motivation, games and activities are not only enjoyable but also effective and efficient. Choose items that weave interaction into the set up, procedure, play, and follow up. During action steps, take maximum advantage of the automatic feedback and natural skills improvement that occurs. Notice the “levels of challenge,” wide variation, and other benefits of packages like Phonics & Spelling Bingo, Using Homophones, and English Through Citizenship: the Game.
Of course, the fleshing out or refining your Choices depends on your personality-at least those aspects you to keep or develop. Here are examples of how your choices might work:
Satisfy Your-and Others'-Basic Needs. What's the theme of Possibilities for Choice in language improvement, learning, and teaching? As in most areas of work and life, it's the aims. process, and results of conscious choosing that contribute most directly to the fulfillment of human needs like those on the Hierarchy Pyramid. Not just the topmost necessities (Self-Actualization / Esteem), but the more basic ones (Love/Belonging, Safety, Physiological) are more easily attained through the acquisition of valuable info and skills that revolve around language. Here's to success in both the processes and results of your choices.
Work/Life English's founder, Elaine Kirn-Rubin, has over 40 years of experience teaching, developing, and publishing effective English language learning and teaching tools. Send us an email below if you want your question covered in the next "Ask Elaine" post!
About Work/Life English
Work/Life English is an experienced provider of fun, effective English language improvement content that advances the lives of native English and English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers by improving their English competence, comprehension, and communication skills. For more information, visit: www.worklifeenglish.com.