New Year resolutions for learning English

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If you have made any New Year’s resolutions for learning English this year, this article might give you a few tips on how they can become reality.

Longman Online Dictionary:
New Year resolution , New Year’s resolution [countable]
a decision to do something better or to stop doing something bad in the new year:I haven’t made any New Year resolutions – I never stick to them anyway.

Many of us make resolutions each year, such as: “I”ll quit smoking”, “I’ll cut down on beer”, or “I’ll get a new job.” The problem is that for many people they are simply wishes. In other words, the person making the resolution does nothing or very little towards actually making the resolution come true.

What about you? Have you made any New Year resolutions? And for you to fulfil them, what do you need to have in place? These tips should help you:

1. Choose an area of your English you really want to improve

Napoleon Hill said it best: successful people really WANT to achieve something. It is not a mere wish. They are almost burning with desire to achieve something in particular that is important to them.

So saying “I want to improve my English is not enough.” You need to really want it, and have a strong motivation towards achieving it.

2. Set out a plan

How are you going to get better at speaking or reading or whatever it is you would like to improve?

You really do need a plan. A realistic plan might include attending 2 lessons a week at your local language school and studying 15 – 20 minutes a day 5 days a week.

Will you get a private teacher?

Is there an exam you would like to take?

How will you know you have reached your goals? As an example, if you would like to reach a strong Upper-Intermediate level, then the Cambridge ESOL FCE exam would be a good way of knowing you have fulfilled your resolutions.

Other questions to answer:

Where will you study?

What resources (eg magazines, books, blogs) will you use?

What local events are held in English in your town? For example, can you see British or American films in their original version? Is there a club where people speak English? If you are in a non-English speaking country, check out your local online resources in English for more information.

3. Persistence, persistence, persistence

What will you do when you face a problem? Successful people know challenges will come, and that maybe they need to adapt or make changes to their original plan in order to achieve their resolutions and goals.

Again, Napoleon Hill and other researchers (eg Malcolm Gladwell) into success and successful people have discovered that persistence is one of the most important ingredients you need.

Don’t give up. Find another way.

Keep moving forward.

4. Review your resolutions during the year

If you really want to get better at English, go over with your teacher or by yourself how you are progressing. Set aside a time each month to determine how you are going, and if you need to make some changes to your plans.

5. Focus on your growth

This is a big one: although you might want to take the Cambridge FCE or the CPE exam, it’s more important to focus on the process of learning than the end result.

Learning is a process. Focus on what you are doing each day, and then the goal becomes more achievable.

I hope you’ll have a great year of learning English, and that you bookmark this magazine as part of your many resources.

Best wishes

David Sweetnam
English Teacher and Trainer
Engage sro Prague
IČO 28400852
DIČ CZ28400852

Contact:
For English lessons with me in Prague: david(at)engage.cz
For feedback on Get Into English: david(at)getintoenglish(dot)com

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