How to Learn to
Speak English at Home
Learn English from the comfort of your own home and on your
own schedule.
To
learn to speak English at home, the non-native speaker must do three things: listen
to English, read English and speak English. This can be accomplished with tools
available in your home. Books, television, radio and the Internet provide
virtually endless opportunities to listen to, read and speak English. Immerse
yourself in the language at every opportunity. With practice and patience, you
can learn to speak English at home.
ADVISE
Listen to English. When listening
to English television programs, turn on the subtitles or closed captioning to
your native language. Learn conversational English by reading along with
subtitles or closed captioning as you listen to the speakers. Even entertainment
programming is helpful; you will better understand the language when paired
with visual cues, such as the body language of the speaker and the social
context of the spoken words.
Read English language books,
newspapers and magazines. Begin with simple books and interesting magazines.
Many newspapers are written so someone with the reading skills of a 9th- or
10th-grade student can understand the stories. Use an English dictionary to
help you learn new words as you read. Reading English language will improve
your vocabulary, grammar and basic sentence structure.
Speak English to others at home.
When you learn a new word or phrase, use that word or phrase in place of your
native language. Add a few new words daily to gradually increase the words and
phrases you speak. Speak with native English speakers to increase your
understanding and improve your pronunciation.
