Learn English faster by finding your learning style

Not everyone learns in the same way. We all have different learning styles based on our background and personalities, and many scientists have tried to categorize the way we learn into different styles. One of the most popular systems was developed by a man called Neil Fleming and uses the categories below.

Take a look through these learning styles and see which describes you best, then use the tips for your learning style to help you learn English faster.

Visual learners
Do you have a preference for pictures and images? If so, you are a visual learner. Visual learners love using diagrams and graphics to help them understand new concepts or ideas.

If you are a visual learner, use flashcards with bold images on them to remember new vocabulary, and take photos or draw pictures in your notes to help your mind remember what you learn in class. To help understand how tense forms work, look for timelines that will show you how they are used.

Auditory learners
Do you find it easy to understand spoken explanations of things? Do you ever talk to yourself? If so, you are probably an auditory learner.

For auditory learners, listening and speaking (often writing, too) will help you remember new concepts and ideas. Make use of any audio resources such as recorded audio of new vocabulary in dictionaries, and try making your own using the voice recorder in your smartphone. If you are using flashcards, have written descriptions on them rather than pictures.

Kinesthetic learners
Do you find it difficult to sit still in class? Do you prefer actually having a go at doing something rather than listening to someone explaining it? Yes? That means you are likely to be a kinesthetic learner.

Kinesthetic learners learn by doing or by associating knowledge with specific actions. If you are a kinesthetic learner, make the most of your classes by getting involved in any activities and try to find as many situations where you can use English outside of class as possible.

- Source: http://www.englishtown.com

Here is the more formal way of saying the same conversation as last week. However, remember that we would never speak like this in real life.

John: Hello Paul, how are things in your life at the moment?

Paul: Things are normal, and you, what is your news.

John: Well things are a little confused at the moment, I failed my mid-term tests.

Paul: O dear that’s a shame, you should have done what I told you and studied more. When will you discover the consequences?

John: Later today.

Paul: O well, try to not become depressed and remain confident.

Later

Paul: Hello John, how did the meeting with your professor go?

John: I manage to pass the semester, but only just. The professor said he would not treat me as severely as he could, because I told him that I felt sick at exam time.

Paul: Was that the truth?

John: No, It was a complete lie. I feel a bit guilty now, but I will recover from this feeling.

Paul: You must be extremely happy.

John: Yes very, I would like to celebrate by drinking a lot. Do you think it is a good idea?

Paul: You know me, that is a very obvious question that you don’t need to ask.

John: Where would you like to go?

Paul: I have no preference.

John: Remember that place where we were talking to those girls from Canada last year.

Paul: That’s sounds familiar.

John: I think Ivan was with us, maybe he remembers. We can try to persuade him to join us.

Paul: Excellent. You can phone him. Ok, if we are going out then I need to go to bed and get some sleep.

Here is a list of 10 popular idioms.

A piece of cake – This means that some task or activity is very simple. For example, Anna said “The exam was a piece of cake.” Anna meant that she found the exam easy.

It cost an arm and a leg – The meaning of this phrase is not that the purchaser had to sacrifice their body parts but rather that the item being bought was very expensive.

Break a leg – Strangely, this is a commonly used phrase to wish a person good luck. It is frequently said to actors or other performers before a show or dramatic performance.

Hit the books – This is a phrase which means to study.  So if you are in a learning environment and a student says they are “going to hit the books” it means they intend to start a period of serious study or research.

To let the cat out of the bag – This is a very common English phrase which means to give away a secret. So, if you hear someone say this, you don’t need to rush to your nearest animal care centre to report a case of animal cruelty!

To hit the nail on the head – You can use this saying to describe a situation where someone has made a very accurate or appropriate comment. It is closely associated with another DIY related phrase “You have nailed it” which means you have got something exactly right.

And pigs might fly – This is a skeptical comment which is used to describe a lack of belief that something will happen. For example, you could comment on your brother’s intention to give up cigarettes by saying “and pigs might fly”. In other words you don’t believe that your brother will give up smoking.

You can’t judge a book by its cover – How often do we make a judgment about a person based on our first impressions? Well this statement advises you not to do this, because appearances are frequently misleading.

To bite off more than you can chew – Someone might say this to you if they believe that you have taken on a task which is too difficult for you to achieve.

You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours – What a strange proposition! This popular English idiom actually means that, if you do me a favour I will do you a favour in return.

These are just a few examples of a rich and varied collection of idioms in modern English that are alive and well in everyday use.

The use of idioms and phrasal verbs in conversation is an important part of learning to understand the English that natives speak. If you want to enjoy films and music or just join in a conversation between 2 English speakers, then you need to start integrating them into your learning.  Look at the example below and see how much you can understand. I will explain in next week’s blog.

John:  Hey what’s up?

Paul: Not much and you, what have you been up to?

John: Well, things are a bit up in the air at the moment, I bombed in the mid –terms

Paul: That’s a bummer, you should have listened to me when I told you to hit the books. When do you have to face the music?

John: Later  today.

Paul: O well, keep your chin up and hang in there.

Later

Paul: Hey John how did the meeting with your professor go?

John: I managed to scrape through the semester  by the skin of my teeth. The professor said he would cut me some slack because I told him I was under the weather at exam time.

Paul: Was that on the level?

John No, I was lying through my teeth. I feel a bit guilty now, but I’ll get over it.

Paul: You must be chuffed to bits.

John: Damn right, I want to party, let’s go and paint the town red. What do you say?

Paul: You know me, that’s a no brainer.

John: Where do you fancy?

Paul: I’m easy.

John: Remember that place we chatted up those girls from Canada last year.

Paul: It rings a bell.

John: I think Ivan was with us, maybe he remembers. We can try to twist his arm to come with us.

Paul: Sweet. You can give him a bell. Right, if we are going out then I need to hit the sack for some zeds.

St. Patrick's Day History and Traditions

This holiday is celebrated every year on March 17th, honoring the Irish patron saint, St. Patrick. The celebrations are largely Irish culture themed and typically consist of wearing green, parades, and drinking. Some churches may hold religious services and many schools and offices close in Suffolk County, the area containing Boston and its suburbs.

People all over the world celebrate St. Patrick's Day, especially places with large Irish-American communities. Feasting on the day features traditional Irish food, including corned beef, corned cabbage, coffee, soda bread, potatoes, and shepherd's pie. Many celebrations also hold an Irish breakfast of sausage, black and white pudding, fried eggs, and fried tomatoes. Common traditions include:

·         Parades - This event is most often associated with the holiday. Cities that hold large parades include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Savannah, and other cities worldwide.

·         Drinking - Since many Catholics are Irish-American, some may be required to fast from drinking during Lent. However, they are allowed to break this fast during the St. Patrick's Day celebrations. This is one cause for the day's association with drinking heavily.

·         Dying water or beer green - Chicago dies its river green for the festivities, and many bars serve green-dyed beer. The White House fountain is also dyed green.

·         Other incorporations of green - In Seattle, the parade routes are painted in green. Observers are supposed to wear green or else risk being pinched. Parade floats and decorations will feature the color green.

·         Religious services - Those who celebrate the holiday in a religious context may also hold a feast. Outside of this context, overindulgence tends to revolve around drinking.

·         Pea planting - In the Northeast, many celebrate by planting peas. This is largely due to the color and time of year (prime pea-planting conditions.

Saint Patrick - The Missionary and Bishop of Ireland

St. Patrick, or the "Apostle of Ireland," actually started out in the pagan religion. While not much is known about his early life, as many of his life's details were lost to folklore, letters from St. Patrick reveal that he was captured in Wales, Scotland, or another close area outside of Ireland and taken to Ireland as a slave. Years later, he escaped and returned to his family, who were Romans living in Britain, going back to Ireland for mission work after finding a place as a cleric and then Bishop within the Christian faith. He was born around 460, and by the 600s, he was already known as the Patron Saint of Ireland.

There are many legends associated with St. Patrick. The symbol of the shamrock used for St. Patrick's Day comes from the story of St. Patrick using the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity. The three-leafed plant coincided with the Pagan religion's sanctity of the number three and is the root of the green color theme.

Another popular belief is that St. Patrick banished the snakes from Ireland. The story says that while St. Patrick was fasting, snakes attacked him, so he chased all snakes into the ocean. However, there have never been snakes in Ireland during the post-glacial period. The absence of snakes and symbolism involved with snakes is believed to explain the story, although it could have been referring to type of worm rather than snakes. One legend has St. Patrick sticking a walking stick into the ground while evangelizing, which turned into a tree.

The History of St. Patrick's Day and why it's celebrated.

St. Patrick's Day was first celebrated in America in 1737, organized by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston, including a feast and religious service. This first celebration of the holiday in the colonies was largely to honor and celebrate the Irish culture that so many colonists had been separated from.

Early celebrations continued this modest tradition. In New York, the first celebration took place as a small gathering at the home of an Irish protestant. St. Patrick's Day parades started in New York in 1762 by a group of Irish soldiers in the British military who marched down Broadway. This began the tradition of a military theme in the parade, as they often feature marching military unites. The holiday eventually evolved from the modest religious dinner into the raucous holiday we know today.

Vocabulary - illustration courtesy Andy Singer

How many “slugs” do you see here?

How many uses of the word “slug” do you see above? Guess which is which.

A round bullet.

Any of various terrestrial gastropod with no shell.

To strike heavily.

Lazy slow moving person.

How many ‘scales’ can you see here?

How many uses of the word “scale” do you see above? Guess which is which.

To climb up or over or ascend.

An instrument or machine for weighing.

Plates covering the bodies of fishes.

A series of notes differing in pitch.

How many waves do you know?

How many uses of the word “wave” do you see above? Guess which is which.

A ridge or swell moving through or along the surface of a  large body of water.

A rising trend that involves large numbers of individuals.

To move the hand to and fro as a greeting.

Disturbance or vibration that passes through a medium,  such as air.

Here are some tips for improving English outside of the classroom because it is important that you practice at home.

1. Remember that learning a language is a gradual process - it does not happen overnight.

2. Define your learning objectives early: What do you want to learn and why?

3. Make learning a habit. Try to learn something every day.

4. Vary your learning routine. It is best to do different things each day to help keep the various relationships between each area active. In other words, don’t just study grammar.

5. Find friends to study and speak with.

6. Choose listening and reading materials that relate to what you are interested in. Being interested in the subject will make learning more enjoyable - thus more effective.

7. Relate grammar to practical usage. Grammar by itself does not help you USE the language. You should practice what you are learning by employing it actively.

8. Move your mouth! Understanding something doesn’t mean the muscles of your mouth can produce the sounds. Practice speaking what you are learning aloud. It may seem strange, but it is very effective.

9. Be patient with yourself. Remember learning is a process - speaking a language well takes time. It is not a computer that is either on or off!

10. Communicate! There is nothing like communicating in English and being successful.

THE LEGEND OF ST. NICHOLAS

The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. Much admired for his piety and kindness, St. Nicholas became the subject of many legends. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the countryside helping the poor and sick. One of the best known of the St. Nicholas stories is that he saved three poor sisters from being sold into slavery or prostitution by their father by providing them with a dowry so that they could be married. Over the course of many years, Nicholas’s popularity spread and he became known as the protector of children and sailors. His feast day is celebrated on the anniversary of his death, December 6. This was traditionally considered a lucky day to make large purchases or to get married. By the Renaissance, St. Nicholas was the most popular saint in Europe. Even after the Protestant Reformation, when the veneration of saints began to be discouraged, St. Nicholas maintained a positive reputation, especially in Holland.

SINTER KLAAS COMES TO NEW YORK

St. Nicholas made his first inroads into American popular culture towards the end of the 18th century. In December 1773, and again in 1774, a New York newspaper reported that groups of Dutch families had gathered to honor the anniversary of his death.

The name Santa Claus evolved from Nick’s Dutch nickname, Sinter Klaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas (Dutch for Saint Nicholas). In 1804, John Pintard, a member of the New York Historical Society, distributed woodcuts of St. Nicholas at the society’s annual meeting. The background of the engraving contains now-familiar Santa images including stockings filled with toys and fruit hung over a fireplace. In 1809, Washington Irving helped to popularize the Sinter Klaas stories when he referred to St. Nicholas as the patron saint of New York in his book, The History of New York. As his prominence grew, Sinter Klaas was described as everything from a “rascal” with a blue three-cornered hat, red waistcoat, and yellow stockings to a man wearing a broad-brimmed hat and a “huge pair of Flemish trunk hose.”

SHOPPING MALL SANTAS

Gift-giving, mainly centered around children, has been an important part of the Christmas celebration since the holiday’s rejuvenation in the early 19th century. Stores began to advertise Christmas shopping in 1820, and by the 1840s, newspapers were creating separate sections for holiday advertisements, which often featured images of the newly-popular Santa Claus. In 1841, thousands of children visited a Philadelphia shop to see a life-size Santa Claus model. It was only a matter of time before stores began to attract children, and their parents, with the lure of a peek at a “live” Santa Claus. In the early 1890s, the Salvation Army needed money to pay for the free Christmas meals they provided to needy families. They began dressing up unemployed men in Santa Claus suits and sending them into the streets of New York to solicit donations. Those familiar Salvation Army Santas have been ringing bells on the street corners of American cities ever since.

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

In 1822, Clement Clarke Moore, an Episcopal minister, wrote a long Christmas poem for his three daughters entitled “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas.” Moore’s poem, which he was initially hesitant to publish due to the frivolous nature of its subject, is largely responsible for our modern image of Santa Claus as a “right jolly old elf” with a portly figure and the supernatural ability to ascend a chimney with a mere nod of his head! Although some of Moore’s imagery was probably borrowed from other sources, his poem helped popularize the now-familiar image of a Santa Claus who flew from house to house on Christmas Eve–in “a miniature sleigh” led by eight flying reindeer–leaving presents for deserving children. “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” created a new and immediately popular American icon. In 1881, political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew on Moore’s poem to create the first likeness that matches our modern image of Santa Claus. His cartoon, which appeared in Harper’s Weekly, depicted Santa as a rotund, cheerful man with a full, white beard, holding a sack laden with toys for lucky children. It is Nast who gave Santa his bright red suit trimmed with white fur, North Pole workshop, elves, and his wife, Mrs. Claus.

A SANTA BY ANY OTHER NAME

18th-century America’s Santa Claus was not the only St. Nicholas-inspired gift-giver to make an appearance at Christmastime. Similar figures were popular all over the world. Christkind or Kris Kringle was believed to deliver presents to well-behaved Swiss and German children. Meaning “Christ child,” Christkind is an angel-like figure often accompanied by St. Nicholas on his holiday missions. In Scandinavia, a jolly elf named Jultomten was thought to deliver gifts in a sleigh drawn by goats. English legend explains that Father Christmas visits each home on Christmas Eve to fill children’s stockings with holiday treats. Pere Noel is responsible for filling the shoes of French children. In Russia, it is believed that an elderly woman named Babouschka purposely gave the wise men wrong directions to Bethlehem so that they couldn’t find Jesus. Later, she felt remorseful, but could not find the men to undo the damage. To this day, on January 5, Babouschka visits Russian children leaving gifts at their bedsides in the hope that one of them is the baby Jesus and she will be forgiven. In Italy, a similar story exists about a woman called La Befana, a kindly witch who rides a broomstick down the chimneys of Italian homes to deliver toys into the stockings of lucky children.