5 Bad Habits: Tips to Kick Them in Learning ESL

Learning ESL can be quite an exciting and rewarding journey. However, it is easy to get into all sorts of bad habits that can slow your learning progress. They might feel minor, but they can make all the difference in how fast and productively you learn. 

This article will discuss five everyday bad habits in learning ESL and give simple tips to help you overcome them.

1. Too Much Dependence on Translations

One of the most common poor habits in learning ESL involves over-relying on word and phrase translation from the native language. Though the translation may work initially, it blocks a person from understanding and knowing English more deeply. Instead of thinking in your native language and then translating, try thinking in English.

Focus on small tasks in life, such as going to the grocery store or getting dressed and undressed, all in English. As time passes, you’ll be able to think in English more comfortably and improve your speaking and listening skills more naturally.

2. Practice of Speaking to Be Avoided

Many ESL learners refrain from speaking because they want to avoid making mistakes. Well, that’s a bad habit because, apart from all those things, speaking happens to be among the most comprehensively advanced ways to improve your language. Making mistakes is just part of learning, and that is perfectly okay. The more you practice speaking, the better you will become.

Find a language partner or join a conversation group where you can practice speaking regularly. Be more confident speaking English, don’t be afraid of making mistakes, and talk to yourself in English, describing what you do throughout the day.

3. Spending Too Much Time on Grammar

While grammar is essential, too much focus can get in your way. Some learners invest too much time in making every sentence grammatically perfect, which can make speaking and writing daunting. Instead, communicate as clearly as possible with imperfect grammar.

Practice balancing your learning by reviewing grammar exercises and spend time speaking and writing without stressing about every mistake. Knowing the basics of grammar is necessary for a foundation, but fluency develops with practice.

4. Holding Oneself Back from Listening Practice

Another bad habit is recognizing or listening to only a little. Most learners focus on reading and writing but forget that listening is also a crucial aspect to master. Knowing spoken English may not be easy, yet it forms a big part of becoming fluent.

Make time daily to listen to English. You could put on a podcast each day, watch a movie, or play videos in English with which to follow along. Even if you do not grasp everything at first, consistent listening will bring improvements little by little.

5. Same Learning Routine

It’s very easy to be caught off guard by just one rhythm of learning, such as using the same textbooks every time or resorting to the same apps. Routines are good, though; they will also limit your progress if you don’t challenge yourself with new materials. 

Mix up your learning by switching resources and methods. For example, if you’ve been studying from a textbook, listen to a podcast, or watch an English TV show. You will learn more quickly and find it more interesting if you learn in different ways.

Conclusion 

Breaking all bad habits that prevent you from learning ESL will make you highly confident and fluent in English. Think in English, speak regularly, balance grammar and communication, listen more often, try new learning methods—the list of significant improvements in the language field goes on and on.

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