English learning as a second language is a slow process, I would not expect someone can jump a big level by only attending an oral English class a couple of times a week, it is impossible.  Even if you are very rich, and don’t care about money for getting an English environment, that’s all right, but you still need to spend time after class by practicing English speaking at home or with friends, eg, prepare a topic, talk to yourself or if you are lucky enough, you may find friends who can talk English with (that’s what I did previously in China actually), or find an English corner in your city etc.

Listening is an essential part for English communication, even though  you can speak English fluently,  if you can’t follow someone’s talking, then you might have to stop the topic at the end because you will totally lost what he or she is talking about. I’ve got this problem the time I first arrived Australia, when someone spoke to me, I couldn’t pick up the meaning at all, my brain suddenly went blank, then people looked at me: “ Emma, please listen, do you understand what I mean?”  I felt embarrassed as I only knew half even less of their meaning.  One day, I was at front desk, when the receptionist asked my password, I immediately went to my room and showed her the passport, and she couldn’t help laughing at me. One day, one floor mate was talking to me, he asked me to wait as he was gonna pick up things, but I left as I didn’t understand his Italian accent, I knew this by another friend later on.

In China, you may practice listening at home, eg, watching nice movies (read subtitle if can’t follow), listening beautiful English songs (read lyrics if don’t know the meaning), watching English program on TV or from internet, it depends on your interests which way you select.

While you are improving your listening, your English speaking will getting better at the same time.eg, writing down some really nice sentences from movies and songs which attract you a lot, and keep those sentences in mind, gradually they will become your own sentences.

Writing is a must for communication if you work in a foreign company. Nowadays, people are too lazy to make a phone call or get very impatient to answer the calls, or sometimes if you hear: “I am not available at the moment, please leave a message, I’ll get back to you shortly.” You might feel frustrated.

Nowadays, in a workplace, most likely, it is communicate through written English. Take myself for example, 90% of my communication with suppliers and clients is through emails. Only on some special occasions, eg, the problem can’t be solved, or on an urgent matter, or someone never get back to my emails after I sent 3 times more, then I will have to chase up by making a phone call. Even someone call me, I will ask them send me email instead as there’s evidence and it’s more understandable. It is not only from my side, all my Aussie Colleague do the same way.

so you understand how important written English as long as you wanna get a job working with English speakers,  you can hardly survive without writing.  So why don’t practice writing, eg, writing blogs, making comments, while you are practicing your writing, you will be surprised to find that actually you are talking to yourself while writing, your speaking English is improving without noticing.

 Reading is very much related to writing, if you misunderstand emails and reports, then you might have trouble in replying to clients properly. Sometimes if there’s conditions or terms be changed, if you have no idea about it, then you may have the risk for losing a job, therefore, to some extent, reading is more important than writing.

At a higher level, reading expend your knowledge, your English language will be so plain and out of date without reading. While reading English books or articles writing down sentences or phrases which amaze you. I didn’t spend time in English reading at all (except academic ones I had to), so I found my English was stagnant whether I lived in Melbourne with all the English speakers surrounded or not. Now, I have just started a plan for reading 100 English books within 2 years. I know it is not easy to follow up. But this is the only way I can improve my written English at a higher level by reading on a regular basis. I don’t think it is time wasting as it is what I love. (To be honest, I am a bit upset by myself as I can’t follow the plan for reading at this stage.)

Therefore, please don’t expect someone else can  get your speaking English fluent or written English perfectly, they can only give you support, it is all up to you, how much effort you have put, how many time you can afford. Please make a plan, take action, and practice more. One day, you will be very happy and proud of yourself for what you’ve achieved.

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