Overcoming difficulties and enhancing learning efficiency: Key methods

文 | 葉小鍵

When you open an English book, what do you think?

Language learning requires a significant amount of time and discipline.

During the learning process, you may have encountered similar problems, such as:

Spending an hour every day memorizing English vocabulary, but only remembering 30 words and forgetting many of them the next day. Do you doubt the effectiveness of vocabulary memorization? Opening an English book to read, only to be interrupted by a phone call, followed by watching videos on Bilibili or YouTube and keeping up with the latest works of internet celebrities, thus delaying the time to read in English.

Sometimes, we hope to quickly master English without investing too much time.

We yearn for fast learning, hoping to acquire a certain skill and become proficient in a language. This way, we can communicate with others and access information through written materials.

When I open the book “Put Your English to Use!” written by Wu Junyi, what am I thinking?

I wonder if there is a new method that can solve my problems in English learning. I always get stuck halfway, and my English proficiency remains stagnant. Every day, I have the intention to learn, but I am constantly distracted by trivial matters, and time slips away.

What am I thinking?

I’m thinking whether this book can reduce the cost of my learning. Is there a new method worth trying? Since I am self-taught, I am unsure if my learning approach is correct. Therefore, I hope that by reading this book, I can gain insights and information on successful English learning.

This book introduces a method called the “Dissection Method” for in-depth learning. However, mastering this method requires further exploration, which means attending courses.

Why do we need to reflect on our learning methods, invest time, and consider systematic courses?

Why do we need to learn English?

In addition to academic requirements, learning English can help us better understand the world and broaden our horizons. Whether in work or travel, English is an important communication tool.

Why do we encounter these problems?

Is it because our learning methods are incorrect? We need to maintain curiosity and dedicate regular time to language learning, at least one hour every day without limitations.

Learning every day requires effort and time, which are costs we have to bear.

English is an important topic and the longest time I have spent on learning. I have tried taking standardized tests and self-study, but have not passed. Is it because it is really difficult or because I didn’t put in enough effort?

Why is it like this? I had a plan and invested time for learning every day, but without comparison, I didn’t know how to make adjustments. I thought it was feasible to spend an hour each morning memorizing vocabulary and another hour reading at night, but sometimes, it was challenging at night.

Why do I need to wake up early to learn English? Why does it take so much time to learn English? What level can I achieve in three to six months? How much time should I spend on learning every day?

Why does time feel particularly long on the days we put in effort? Why don’t we see immediate results? Is there no shortcut? I think it’s because we believe only in partial aspects of what advertisements say, without considering the whole picture.

First, ask yourself why you don’t allocate enough time or if there are other methods to consider.

We should reflect on the benefits we gain from investing our time.

Perseverance, vocabulary accumulation, and practical application are important for learning English.

I believe there are some key points to learning English. It requires time and focus, and accumulating vocabulary through stories is an effective method.

Choosing interesting stories or articles and consistently reading them is crucial. It is also recommended to keep learning records or use an error notebook.

Every day is a fresh start, and learning is an accumulation process. Starting with listening is important in learning English. There are many resources available, such as books and tutorials, but it is challenging to practice if we lack time, environment, or the right method.

Learning a skill involves practicing it in real-life situations, just like acquiring job skills. We master skills through practical application, time investment, reflection, and referring to relevant materials and guides.

This book introduces different learning methods and other techniques. We do different things at different times, so the learning approach varies. Each person has different opinions on how to learn English, and I believe time investment and attitude shift are crucial.

We may find some things different from before because we start expecting to possess or apply these skills at a certain moment, and this requires a series of familiarity and practice.

Where should we start learning English? Start with listening, as it is important to listen and try to understand pronunciation and sound. We may be unsure of how to begin, and true understanding comes only through actual usage. Therefore, continuous practice is necessary to make progress.

Accumulating vocabulary through storybooks and immersing English learning in contextual situations is effective. Although I haven’t read English novels or storybooks yet, I have downloaded or subscribed to these resources because we all hope to open them and read them someday.

Memorizing vocabulary is something I currently feel can be sustained. Spending an hour every day memorizing vocabulary and waking up an hour

earlier to study is important.

Learning English requires creativity and creating the conditions for learning. I believe that investing time and maintaining a consistent study schedule every day, similar to learning new skills in school, is key. After school, we may need to attend additional classes for reinforcement, and sometimes even stay until late at night.

Using English in practical applications is crucial. We need to know how to use words and idioms. Learning is challenging for adults because they lack the time and interest of children, but adults have the desire to learn, albeit with limited time.

Simplify your English learning plan, don’t overwhelm yourself with too much at once, and don’t strive for perfection. Start by committing to a fixed one-hour study session every day, which is an important first step.

**Focus on one learning goal, find time, set the environment, and persevere.**

I am also currently learning the methods of learning English. Although I haven’t fully mastered them, I have some experiences of failure to share, which I hope you can relate to.

1. Taking exams is a good way to assess your level and obtaining certificates can open up more opportunities and choices.
2. Additionally, vocabulary memorization is necessary. Don’t just memorize ten words each day; aim for memorizing one hundred new words and reviewing one hundred words each day. This requires about four hours of time, which is the minimum investment. If it can’t be completed in a day, it can be extended to two days.
3. Next, listening and speaking are essential. Continuously listen to English articles and repeat a section or an entire article at least one hundred times. Record yourself speaking English and try to match standard pronunciation as closely as possible. Learning is essentially about repetition, and this process may feel tedious, but it is related to our psychological response to novelty.

This learning method should be sufficient. Although you may forget some parts, you will also remember a lot. Progress may not always feel significant, but consistent improvement in certain aspects is crucial.

Start with the simplest things, and start right away!