Those who are fluent in English at a bilingual level have a guaranteed position in almost any company, because that means giving the business the possibility of expanding and being much more competitive in the face of new entities that are making a name for themselves. Above all, if your work is related to direct contact with clients, suppliers, vendors or the media, you already know that English skills are essential to move in a market as globalized as the one that protects us today.
Do you want to know more about the importance of mastering English and how far you can go if you achieve a high level? Find out in this post and get motivated to keep learning!
English skills: the three pillars on which you should focus all your attention to learn this language
The general concept of linguistic competencies is the knowledge that the speaker, whether native or foreign, possesses of a language. The more and deeper skills one has in a language, the better a message can be formed, transmitted and understood, which will determine the quality of communication.
If you want to learn English, before using the various techniques and tools available, you should focus on working on English skills individually, especially if you start from scratch, to form a solid foundation of grammar and vocabulary that will allow you to progress correctly. .
Let’s see what the three English skills are!
Listening comprehension: listening and understanding conversations is the first step in learning a language and, in fact, it is the first skill we develop from a young age when we are exposed to the mother tongue day after day. This is not entirely a passive activity but requires full attention and practice with self-assessment exercises, such as quizzes or tests that confirm that we have correctly understood the content. These exercises become more complex as they require us to understand more detailed information.
Exercising the ear and trying to decipher what is being said is essential to get the brain working and exercising association and memory. Trying to remember the new vocabulary and its pronunciation, it will be very useful to build more and more elaborate sentences.
Oral expression: it is the ability to put into practice and transmit the knowledge acquired by listening. It is about the ability to create logical and correct sentences with the proper pronunciation. This linguistic competence allows us to relate and interact with other people.
Reading comprehension: is the ability to understand a written language, interpreting both the signs of the language and the meanings of words and grammatical structures. The best way to improve this competence is by reading a lot, all kinds of texts, and increasing the level of complexity.
Written comprehension: Writing coherently, concordantly and fluently is a challenge for people who decide to learn a new language. This would be the most advanced competence and, for example, in the case of Spanish speakers, it becomes more difficult when non-phonetic languages are studied.
As you know, English has become the fundamental language for all professionals who want to reach a high level in their career or enhance their more international facet. In areas such as foreign trade , international relations, logistics and many others, if you don’t know English, you will have a serious obstacle to overcome. But don’t worry, as with everything, there are methods that will help you consolidate knowledge. We tell you below!
How to improve the dreaded “listening”?
Listen to music and songs in English: Music is a great way to improve your listening skills. Listen to songs in English and try to identify the words and phrases you hear. You can look up the lyrics of the song and follow it while listening to the music to improve your understanding. Of course, do not pass by the vocabulary that you do not understand!
Watch movies and TV shows in English with subtitles: choose simple English movies or TV shows and turn on English subtitles. This will help you associate words you hear with their writing. Try to pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation of the actors as you follow the story.
Practice with English podcasts or audiobooks: Listen to English podcasts or audiobooks on topics that interest you. You can start with options that have a slower rate of speech and then work your way up to faster audio. Try to understand the information and take notes of words or phrases you don’t understand to investigate later.
How to improve written expression in English?
Freewriting: Practice freewriting by choosing a topic and writing down everything you can think of about it. Don’t worry about grammar or structure right now, just let the words flow. Then review and proofread your writing to improve accuracy and consistency.
Correction of texts: ask someone to correct your writing and point out any grammatical errors, vocabulary, wrong expressions, or any other facet that needs to be improved. Use this feedback to learn from your mistakes and strengthen your writing skills.
Practice structured writing: Choose a specific writing format, such as essays, formal letters, or book reviews. Practice organizing your ideas into coherent paragraphs and use a clear introduction, body, and conclusion structure. Be sure to use appropriate vocabulary for the format and vary in grammatical structures.
Look at these three ideas to practice your “speaking” if you live in Spain
Language exchange: If you can’t go abroad, a foreigner will come to you. Look for groups or language exchange events in your area, there are usually many planned on the websites or social networks of language schools. These events consist of bringing together people who want to learn English or Spanish to talk and provide feedback. This is the perfect opportunity not only to converse in English and improve your verbal fluency but also to exchange ideas, experience new cultures and make new friends.
English conversation classes: Find out if there are any language schools or cultural centres that offer English conversation classes. These classes are specifically designed to practice speaking. You will be able to participate in group activities, debates and oral expression exercises. In addition, you will have the guidance of a teacher who will give you feedback and help you improve your communication skills.
Online Practice: Take advantage of online tools to practice speaking. Look for online language exchange platforms where you can connect with native English speakers over video calls. You can have regular conversations with them and practice different topics. There are also mobile apps that allow you to record yourself speaking in English and receive feedback on your pronunciation and fluency.
As you can see, in addition to the academic options for learning English, there are others that you can start practising today from home to improve your language skills in record time. Go ahead and continue reading our blog on professional development and much more!