Help yourself!

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Section 4:
Help yourself!
This section is to help you think about where, when and how you study.

How can I improve my language skills by

myself?
There is one simple answer as to where and how to get help for
English – books!
Every time we read we learn something new or consolidate what we
already know.

Now you have learned to read, make time

for reading to learn.
Reading novels (hardback, paperback or ebook), newspapers, magazines
and online blogs will improve your vocabulary and help you with every
aspect of your English. It will also help you to prepare for life after
school.

Reading for Success

“Reading is necessary to learn and share information in every aspect of our lives.
Reading is the very first building block in any kind of learning […]
A poor reader will not be able to reach a high level of education. This, in turn, will severely limit the
choices of occupation. The poor reader that grew up with very few job opportunities will inevitably
become part of the lower socio-economic population. Earning potential, if any, will be low.”
By Barbara Nuzum, 30 January, 2010
From: http://www.helium.com/items/1726560-reading-for-success-and-economic-and-social-implications

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Reading and success
Educational researchers have found that there is a strong correlation
between reading and academic success. In other words, a student
who is a good reader is more likely to do well in school and pass
exams than a student who is a weak reader.
Good readers can understand the individual sentences and the
organizational structure of a piece of writing. They can comprehend
ideas, follow arguments, and detect implications. They know most
of the words in the text already, but they can also determine the
meaning of many of the unfamiliar words from the context – failing
this, they can use their dictionary effectively to do so. In summary,
good readers can extract from the writing what is important for the
particular task they are employed in. And they can do it quickly!
Educational researchers have also found a strong correlation
between reading and vocabulary knowledge. In other words,
students who have a large vocabulary are usually good readers.
This is not very surprising, since the best way to acquire a large
vocabulary is to read extensively, and if you read extensively you are
likely to be or become a good reader!
By Paul Shoebottom
From: http://esl.fis.edu

The wonderful thing about reading is that you can enjoy what you
are studying wherever and whenever you like!

When should I study English?

The great thing about English is that if you are studying in English at
school or having interesting conversations with your friends and family
in English at home, you are always learning.
However it is important to set aside time each day to actively improve
your language skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Reading
Use your school library or borrow books from your friends. Your teacher
may be able to lend you some books – if you promise to return them.

Writing
Make time at least once a week (apart from your usual homework) to
practise writing in different styles.

Listening
Tune into BBC Radio 4 or listen to the BBC World Service. Listen to short
stories, plays, discussion programmes and documentaries. This will help you
improve your knowledge of register (the different ways we speak and write)
and it will increase your vocabulary. Listening to the radio is also entertaining!

Speaking
Practise speaking in different registers with your friends. Do pair-work
interviews, play word games, practise giving speeches or debating a topic.

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How should I study on my own?
There is no single answer to this question. Everyone is different: you
might like to work with the radio on or listening to music, your friends
might prefer to work in silence. The most important thing about how to
study is not so much how, but when.
● Make a timetable for yourself and stick to it.
Put the timetable in your kitchen at home and let everyone in your
family see it. That way they will remind you when you should be
studying (and perhaps let you off some domestic chores while you
prepare for your exams!).
● Make time each day to go through your class notes and organise
what you have been doing at school into neat folders (if you use
loose-leaf pieces of paper).
● Research has shown that while you are studying you should have
short, regular breaks.
Study for half an hour, 45 minutes or a full hour – whichever is best
for you – then have a short break to rest your eyes and relieve the
tension in your neck and shoulders.
● Study in a place or area where there are few distractions. Remember
to switch off your phone!
Here is some information given to students at Oxford University.
● Begin by spending a little time organising your work space and your
material. It can help to separate out the areas where you work and
those where you relax. Think about using libraries to do most of
your work. Move things that distract you into the area where you
relax. Similarly organise your notes and files so that you can find
things easily. This will also give you some idea of your strengths and
weaknesses.
● Active revision is better than passive revision. Take notes.
Make summaries of notes.
● Review what you have learned regularly.
● Recite aloud, test yourself, make cards or tapes to use outside the
study situation.
From: http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/shw/health/exams

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Coping with exams
Here is some more excellent advice from Oxford University that applies
to all school tests and external exams:
● Prepare your clothes and equipment the day before.
● Don’t stay up all night revising. You will perform much better after a
good night’s sleep.
● Don’t try to learn anything new – perhaps look over a few key points.
● Arrive on time but not too early.
● Avoid anyone or anything that will make you anxious.
● Use any time before you are allowed to look at the paper to take a few
deep breaths and relax as much as possible.
● Take your time to read through the paper and select the questions you
will answer.
● Some people like to plan all their answers before beginning to write
but others plan and write each answer in turn.
● Make sure you answer the question you are asked, not the one you
would prefer.
● Keep a firm eye on the time and answer the required number of
questions. Two brilliant answers will not get you as many marks as
three average ones.
● Write legibly.
From: http://www.ox.ac.uk/students/shw/health/exams

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