EFS 689E - STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Learning English on Your Own
Syllabus
EFS 689E: Learning English on Your Own
Week 6:
Course Conclusion
I. Not on your own: working
with others and formal classes
A. Finding partners: continue with other students in this
class, or check
http://www.speak-english-today.com/pages/view/language_exchange;
http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/
B. List of online English courses, with ratings:
http://www.eslcafe.com/search/Online_English_Courses/
C. EFS Classes: http://efs.stanford.edu
D. Stanford Continuing Studies
courses (taught by EFS staff):
Look for English for Professional Purposes in the
Communication Department, such as
COM 23 and
COM 34
E. English in Action (Stanford)--one hour/week conversation partner:
https://ssl.perfora.net/ccisstanfordu.org/EIAclientSignup.shtml
F, Bechtel International Center: free courses for students, postdocs and spouses:
www.stanford.edu/dept/icenter/families/english.html
II. Student presentations
III. Summary of the course. Some
principles to remember (below)
IV. The end, but not good-by: I'll be in touch requesting progress reports!
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SOME PRINCIPLES FOR
LEARNING ENGLISH ON YOUR OWN
Preparation
- Find good "models" (native & non-native)
- Learn more about language
learning
- Learn more about how you learn best
Planning
- Set goals/objectives: immediate & long term
- Assess needs
regularly
- Create a timetable
- Collect materials
- Describe useful procedures
- Execute according to the timetable: make it high
priority
- Evaluate and review progress regularly (build this into your
plan)
Finding material
- Familiar materials is usually better for learning
- Become a search engine expert
- don't limit yourself to our course materials (add ESL or EFL to searches
for dedicated language learning sites)
- Collect & identify material for later use
Execution
- Focus on one thing at a time
during a lesson
- Use variety in procedures - experiment! Keep in mind
the need to focus on the form-meaning-use linkage
- Speak and write monologues or keep an oral journal.
Use stories, descriptions, opinions: for topics go to
http://infotrac.thomsonlearning.com/infowrite/res_topc.htm
- Monitor yourself during activities
- Make time for consolidation
- Use meaning technologies (online dictionaries,
transcripts, captions, translations, etc.) wisely
- Try to associate, not just remember: think deeply
Management
- Monitor and renew your motivation regularly
- Review and revise your plan regularly
- Look for partners: language is for communication
(e.g.,
www.mylanguageexchange.com)
Outside time
- Monitor your production in real situations whenever possible;
make a note of what you have trouble saying or writing
- Observe others constantly, both native and non-native
- Try to capture useful words and language chunks
- Build language contact on comfortable situations, but
allow yourself to be uncomfortable when needed
- But sometimes, just use the language and don't reflect
Last modified August 12, 2009, by Phil Hubbard