Life hack: how to start thinking in English, and not just translate words in your mind
Miscellaneous / / August 22, 2022
Learn words not individually, but in pairs
Start with simple phrases that you will definitely need in life. Adapt unfamiliar words for yourself: come up with sentences with them that you can then use. Context will help you understand their meanings better, and it will be easier for you to build vocabulary. And to speak English fluently, enoughHow many words do you need to speak a language? / BBC only 800–1,000 simple words.
Start the day with flashcards in English
Download a special mobile application and flip through cards with photos of things and their names in English. So you fix in your head a foreign word with a visual image, and not its name in Russian. The effect is achieved through spaced repetition. This method helpsSpaced Learning Enhances Episodic Memory by Increasing Neural Pattern Similarity Across Repetitions / The Journal of Neuroscience not only to learn words, but also to fix them in memory for a long time.
Connect your muscle memory
Argentine explorers claimWhat is the neuroscience of language? / Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
that words are associated not only with memories, but also with movements. The scientists noticed that children who ran and jumped while reading stories had better understanding of the text.You don't have to jump around the room to speak a foreign language. Instead, try, for example, snapping your fingers while you are talking. By repeating the gesture in the future, you will be able to quickly gather and think through a thought in English.
Don't Focus on Mistakes
Don't try to build the sentence perfectly: communicate as best you can. Otherwise, you risk falling into the perfectionist trap and suspendLearner Perfectionism and its Role in Foreign Language Learning Success, Academic Achievement, and Learner Anxiety / Journal of Language Teaching and Research progress. Remember: even carriers make mistakes.
Speak English to yourself and make up dialogues for the future. Or chat with friends. So you will stop blocking the flow of thoughts in a foreign language and constantly reprimand yourself for mistakes.
You can find English learning friends in conversation clubs. There are such in ILS International Language School. Here, these are not just gatherings, but full-fledged English lessons with an emphasis on speaking. The clubs employ native speakers and Russian-speaking teachers with certificates from TKT to CPE and work experience of at least three years. ILS holds meetings for students with any level of training - from A1 to C1. You won't be bored: clubs often discuss cartoons and TV shows.
You and your loved ones will be able to attend conversation clubs from one account. The price of one lesson is 350 rubles, and a monthly unlimited with unlimited access will cost 2,240 rubles. By promo code lifehacker you will receive a 50% discount on a one-time visit to the club: it will cost only 175 rubles. And if you sign up for the course, you can come to conversation clubs for free.
At school, you can learn not only English, but also other languages - for example, Chinese, French or Spanish. In addition, ILS provides individual and group lessons on an interactive platform with audio and video materials.
Sign up for a trial lesson