Here comes another Outstanding BlueSkyian who has taken part in our volunteer program, assisting in young learners’ classes of Blue Sky International.
Hi, my name is Yuki. Growing up in a country where the majority of children lacks access to basic education, let alone well-organized programmes, I have always dreamt of making an impact through education. From volunteering as an art teacher at a private preschool to teaching English at a public elementary school, I have sought to understand children of various ages and backgrounds. Serving two years as a member and eventually the leader of Building Blocks, a student-led community service group that aims to enhance the learning environments of children who do not have access to quality education, further fueled my passion.
My understanding of children and education only deepened after volunteering at Blue Sky International (BSI). With the support and guidance of BSI teachers, I was able to learn how to properly plan for lessons, host classes, give feedback on homework, and most importantly create an environment where the students are comfortable and engaged to learn in.
Prior to helping children improve their learning, I believe it is important to learn about myself. I have discovered my own strengths and weaknesses by exploring a wide variety of subjects and activities. Now, I continue to discover new sides of myself while pursuing my Bachelors in Psychology at the University of Manchester in the UK. As an advocate of lifelong learning, I look forward to further my studies and, ultimately, to work towards raising the education standards of my home country, Myanmar.
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Blue Sky international Learning Academy
232, Orchid Condo, Unit 198 & 202,
Ahlone Street, Ahlone Township, Yangon, Myanmar 11121
09 254 278 273
09 787 682 164
bsieducation.myanmar@gmail.com
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The following are the suggestions from Yuki on Ways to Improve English.
Learning English takes time and effort. As it is something that you can’t do overnight, you need to be persistent and motivated to learn. Here are some tips to keep you engaged while improving your English in the four key areas (reading, writing, speaking, and listening).
- Watch movies/ videos/ news in English
Watching movies, videos, and news may be a form of entertainment, but it allows you to strengthen all four areas of English. If there are English subtitles, turn them on so you can train how fast you are able to read and comprehend the text. When coming across new vocabularies, phrases, or grammar points, try to understand them using the context. If this method is ineffective, look them up in a dictionary and write them down. Speaking and listening go hand in hand. While watching English forms of entertainment, pay attention to the accent of the speaker. Pause every now and then to imitate the speaker’s accent. This will help you pick up the correct pronunciation of words.
- Read books/ news articles/ blogs in English
Although this tip focuses on reading, it also reinforces other essential skills. When reading, read the words out loud to practice your speaking. Make sure to express commas, periods, and other punctuation marks clearly (e.g. a short pause for a comma). You can practice your listening skills by finding an audio version of the text or getting a fluent English speaker to read certain parts to you.
- Set a practical daily goal to learn a certain number of words.
As mentioned above, you might find new vocabularies in movies and books. If you don’t come across any unfamiliar words that day, look around you or think of words about you, your friends, your hobbies, and so forth. Then find its English version. Read the definition and look up how the word is used in a sentence. Once you are familiar with the word and its usage, write the definition in your own words. By doing this, you will learn how to describe things in English and how words are connected to each other. It is also important to practice what you’ve learned. You can practice these words using online flashcard applications such as Quizlet. Since this application has audio features, you can hear the pronunciations of words as you learn. Other notable features of Quizlet are that it allows you to test yourself (both spelling and the meaning of words), tracks your progress, and enables you to learn through games.
- Record yourself speaking
Think of topics that you are able to talk about and speak to a camera as if it is your friend, family, or teacher. When speaking, try to use the vocabularies, phrases, and grammar rules that you have learned. This might be uncomfortable at first, but you don’t have to show this to anyone. This recording is only for you to reflect on your speaking. Once you are done recording, listen to it and see if you are repeating a word too often, missing certain words, or have used them incorrectly. Take notes of things that you need to fix as well as things you’ve done correctly. Before recording again, read over the notes so that you can prevent making the same mistakes.
- Keep a journal
Similar to the previous tip, write about something new every day. It doesn’t have to be very long, a paragraph will do. However, make sure you are using what you have learned. Because you are writing your own sentences with the new words and phrases, you will be able to remember them more. If you know someone who is proficient in English, you can kindly ask them to correct your work and provide feedback.
- Attend BSI’s classes regularly
Although many creative approaches to learning English are now readily available, a solid understanding of grammar and specific preparation for certain tests are still required. With highly-trained teachers and well-designed lessons, BSI provides students with opportunities to learn English at any level.
There are plenty of ways in which you can incorporate English into your daily life. However, all that matters is for you to be motivated to learn. Remember why you want to learn English and make your goals clear. Simultaneously, include things that you enjoy in your English learning process. This will make it seem less like a task but more like growth in knowledge. We wish you success on your English learning journey. If you have any questions or would like to enroll in our BSI English classes, please feel free to contact us anytime.
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Blue Sky international Learning Academy
232, Orchid Condo, Unit 198 & 202,
Ahlone Street, Ahlone Township, Yangon, Myanmar 11121
09 254 278 273
09 787 682 164
bsieducation.myanmar@gmail.com