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Prague is now full of people coming to the city centre to see the Christmas markets and the spendidly lit up tree in Old Town Square. The cafes, pubs and shops are abuzz with activity and the year is coming to a close. If you’re in a country which celebrates Christmas, then your city may be similar. But what’s this got to do with learning English?
For those who want to get better at English, this is a tricky time of year. This is the busiest and most stressful time for many of you. At work you have deadlines to meet, end of year accounts to manage, and company events to keep you going. At university you may have essays to write or research to do for an exam. You’ve got family and friends to catch up with. So December is often a time when people have very little contact with English. Here in Prague language schools begin to shut down around the 15th and some don’t re-open till mid-January. For you though does it really need to be a lost month?
It’s kinda funny that people make all these New Year resolutions like “I’m going to study English much more in 2012” and yet the month they make this resolution is often the month when they neglect it. If you are seriously going to get better at English and improve your communication skills, why do you have to wait until January the 1st? Why not get into English now?
Learning English isn’t necessarily the goal. That’s like collecting a trophy and putting it on your shelf. Perhaps your real goal, at least in practical terms, is to get a better job in 2012. To get fitter. To give up smoking and spend more time on the things you really love.
Link English with your overall life goals
Can’t improving your English help you here? For example, I know quite a few people looking for work. Putting up a profile in English on LinkedIn can help you achieve your goal. Link up with others in your industry. Read articles on your favourite blog related to your area of expertise (if you don’t know one, then LinkedIn features business and work-related articles every day). Want to lose weight and get fit? Check out some free tips on health and fitness while you’re at a wi-fi cafe in between shopping trips.
Sure, take a break from that dull textbook your school told you to buy (hopefully it wasn’t me 😉 ). Forget about those small mistakes you were making in last week’s lesson. Instead look back to how far you’ve travelled this year, and what your wider goals are.
Don’t throw out English for a whole month – even integrating the language into your life for just 15 minutes a day will be well worth it!
Credits
Image: Jeremiah John McBride
Licence: CC by 2.0
Andrea says
You’re right. This period of year is the most stressful ever. I have never made any resolutions because I know, that I will neglect it 🙂
And with English, I hope that I have the best teacher who is helpful and do the best for teaching his students 🙂
David Sweetnam says
Hi Andrea : )
I know it’s the busiest time, for me too in fact, but I hope that you can still do a little English over the next month or so. For example, today I read some French news at lunch, and I’ve also organised a Czech lesson for Wed. So that’s something re: my language learning (must write about this sometime).
Have you seen the tree in the Old Town yet? Moc hezky
David
Andrea says
I have a little time for learning English and also I’ve started to read my school book – Navigation, it has about 400 pages and it is in ENGLISH. Every day one chapter and I’d be better 🙂
Yes, I saw it, my my was here during the week so we are shopping a little bit and yesterday in the evening we were in Old Town to see Christmas Markets and also a tree.
Marcelo says
David, I couldn’t agree with you more! 🙂
MilaI says
David hi!
Veselé Vánoce!
I wish you a Merry Christmas and may this festival bring abundant joy and happiness in your life :))
David Sweetnam says
Hi Milal!
Veselé Vánoce to you too! And thanks too for your support, the site’s re-design is not finished yet, but I’ll be posting regularly again in the New Year. Have a wonderful 2012 🙂
David