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This document provides tips for learning English efficiently. It recommends starting with basic vocabulary and reading websites and textbooks in English daily to build skills. Writing skills can be improved through reading, using spelling and grammar check tools, and getting corrections from professors. Listening and speaking are most difficult but can be practiced through courses taught in English, speaking to language partners, and giving presentations. Other tips include listening to English songs, correcting your own speech, and learning proper intonation from movies and songs. Perseverance is key to effective English learning.

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Ó¢ÕZ×ÔŒWÃØóÅ¡«ÐÄ‘BÅc·½·¨ How to Learn English Efficiently Min-Te Sun, Ph.D. Department of Comp. Sci. & Info. Eng. National Central University
Disclaimer ? I DO NOT MAJOR IN ENGLISH! ? I DO NOT WORK FOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT! ? MY UNDERGRADE ENGLISH IS ONLY ABOVE THE AVERAGE! ? This presentation content is based on ¨C my personal experience in English learning ¨C especially after studying abroad ¨C the training I received in Singapore RELC this past summer
Who Am I? ? Min-Te Sun (Peter) Sun ¨C An associate professor of Computer Science & Information Engineering, National Central University ¨C Studied in US for a long time (from 1993 ~ 2002) ¨C Worked as a CS professor at Auburn University, Alabama between 2002 and 2008 (before coming back to Taiwan) ¨C Have taught CS courses in English for more than 10 years
Define ¡°Good English¡± ? The ability to communicate with others through English ¨C by reading ¨C by writing ¨C by listening ¨C by speaking ? It has nothing to do with English tests! ¨C Getting good grades from English tests is merely a by-product!
Is Good English Important? ? For Individual ¨C Reading ¨C lifelong learning to improve your competiveness, especially when you want to acquire the most up-to-date knowledge ¨C Writing ¨C emails with foreign friends/co- workers/customers ¨C Listening ¨C Q/A with foreign customers/boss/etc ¨C Speaking ¨C presentation in front of foreign customers/boss/etc, traveling abroad ? At University level ¨C Internationalization is one of the most prioritized tasks
However, We Have Struggled w/ English ? All of us start learning English at least since our junior high school, so why do you still come here? ? Issues ¨C Lack good environment? ¨C Bad English teachers? ¨C Too many exams to ruin your appetite?
Perseverance is The Key ? Courtesy to ÑÐÈð
How to be Persevere in English Learning ? Do not set the bar too high ¨C ´ó¼ÒÕfÓ¢ÕZ£¬¿ÕÖÐÓ¢ÕZ½ÌÊÒ ¨C Times, Newsweek Magazines ? English learning through Recreation (Fun) ¨C Playing English games (may not applicable anymore) ¨C Attending social events ¨C Travelling ¨C Listening to music and Karaoke ¨C Etc¡­
English Reading ? Check your English vocabulary size @ http://www.insightin.com/test/test.phtml ¨C You need about 10000 to score high in TOEFL/GRE/GMAT ¨C The average vocabulary size of a 4-year college native speaker is 20000 ¨C You need about 3000 ~ 5000 words to start with ? Basic English vocabulary ¨C http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocabulary
Start with What? ? Using English to learn English ¨C Read English textbooks ¨C Play English online games ¨C Browse interesting English websites daily ? http://espn.com/ (Sports News) ? http://imdb.com/ (Movie Database) ? http://www.eonline.com/ (E! Entertainment News) ? http://www.billboard.com/ (Top Music Chart) ? http://www.dilbert.com (Dilbert Comic) ? http://www.slagoon.com/ (Sherman¡¯s Lagoon Comic) ? http://www.peanuts.com/ (Snoopy) ? http://bensbargains.net/ (Deal Site)
English Writing ? You should have received enough grammar knowledge from your high school English classes ? Never trust Google translation ¨C Better choices out there ? http://www.grammarly.com/ ? http://www.grammarcheck.net/ ? How to improve your writing ¨C Reading, reading, and more reading ¨C Spelling and grammar check tools are your best friends ¨C Imitate Good Sentences ? Write English emails (and do it w/ care) daily/often to ¨C International Pen Pals ? http://www.interpals.net/ ¨C Your professors/advisors (and ask them to correct your grammar whenever there is a mistake)
How About English Listening/Speaking? ? The Most Difficult Parts in English Because ¨C No Environment! ? Suggestions ¨C Take courses taught in English (there should be plenty at NCU) ¨C Get to know some ¡°language partners¡± (there are quite a few international students at NCU) ¨C Speak in front of people in English (for presentations, group meetings, TA sessions) <= This will make a huge difference
Differences Between English Writing and Speaking ? In English writing, we sometimes use sentences with complex structure ¨C I recommend against complex sentences, unless you can not avoid that ? In English speaking, NEVER use complex sentences ¨C No native speaker do that, either
Other Things You Should Try ? Listen to English songs ¨C Do not learn from Rap songs (Ebonics) ¨C Practice singing English songs (KTV is a good place) ? Correct yourself whenever you hear something wrong in your own speech ¨C Phase 1 ¨C You are too nervous to even hear your own voice (ask others to correct you) ¨C Phase 2 ¨C Correct yourself (mostly grammar mistakes) ¨C Phase 3 ¨C Improve your pronunciation (tools like audacity help)
English Pronunciation American English Accent ? Resources ¨C http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/engl ish/frameset.html ? Tools ¨C Audacity
Intonation Makes a Big Difference ? Lack of intonation ¨C Mandarin: fixed tones and rhythm ¨C English: variable pitch and tempo ? Incorrect intonation ¨C It¡¯s pretty good. ¨C It¡¯s pretty good. ? Where can we learn the correct intonation? ¨C English songs ¨C Watch movies (with and w/o caption) ? A highly recommended movie: Forrest Gump
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  • 1. Ó¢ÕZ×ÔŒWÃØóÅ¡«ÐÄ‘BÅc·½·¨ How to Learn English Efficiently Min-Te Sun, Ph.D. Department of Comp. Sci. & Info. Eng. National Central University
  • 2. Disclaimer ? I DO NOT MAJOR IN ENGLISH! ? I DO NOT WORK FOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT! ? MY UNDERGRADE ENGLISH IS ONLY ABOVE THE AVERAGE! ? This presentation content is based on ¨C my personal experience in English learning ¨C especially after studying abroad ¨C the training I received in Singapore RELC this past summer
  • 3. Who Am I? ? Min-Te Sun (Peter) Sun ¨C An associate professor of Computer Science & Information Engineering, National Central University ¨C Studied in US for a long time (from 1993 ~ 2002) ¨C Worked as a CS professor at Auburn University, Alabama between 2002 and 2008 (before coming back to Taiwan) ¨C Have taught CS courses in English for more than 10 years
  • 4. Define ¡°Good English¡± ? The ability to communicate with others through English ¨C by reading ¨C by writing ¨C by listening ¨C by speaking ? It has nothing to do with English tests! ¨C Getting good grades from English tests is merely a by-product!
  • 5. Is Good English Important? ? For Individual ¨C Reading ¨C lifelong learning to improve your competiveness, especially when you want to acquire the most up-to-date knowledge ¨C Writing ¨C emails with foreign friends/co- workers/customers ¨C Listening ¨C Q/A with foreign customers/boss/etc ¨C Speaking ¨C presentation in front of foreign customers/boss/etc, traveling abroad ? At University level ¨C Internationalization is one of the most prioritized tasks
  • 6. However, We Have Struggled w/ English ? All of us start learning English at least since our junior high school, so why do you still come here? ? Issues ¨C Lack good environment? ¨C Bad English teachers? ¨C Too many exams to ruin your appetite?
  • 7. Perseverance is The Key ? Courtesy to ÑÐÈð
  • 8. How to be Persevere in English Learning ? Do not set the bar too high ¨C ´ó¼ÒÕfÓ¢ÕZ£¬¿ÕÖÐÓ¢ÕZ½ÌÊÒ ¨C Times, Newsweek Magazines ? English learning through Recreation (Fun) ¨C Playing English games (may not applicable anymore) ¨C Attending social events ¨C Travelling ¨C Listening to music and Karaoke ¨C Etc¡­
  • 9. English Reading ? Check your English vocabulary size @ http://www.insightin.com/test/test.phtml ¨C You need about 10000 to score high in TOEFL/GRE/GMAT ¨C The average vocabulary size of a 4-year college native speaker is 20000 ¨C You need about 3000 ~ 5000 words to start with ? Basic English vocabulary ¨C http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocabulary
  • 10. Start with What? ? Using English to learn English ¨C Read English textbooks ¨C Play English online games ¨C Browse interesting English websites daily ? http://espn.com/ (Sports News) ? http://imdb.com/ (Movie Database) ? http://www.eonline.com/ (E! Entertainment News) ? http://www.billboard.com/ (Top Music Chart) ? http://www.dilbert.com (Dilbert Comic) ? http://www.slagoon.com/ (Sherman¡¯s Lagoon Comic) ? http://www.peanuts.com/ (Snoopy) ? http://bensbargains.net/ (Deal Site)
  • 11. English Writing ? You should have received enough grammar knowledge from your high school English classes ? Never trust Google translation ¨C Better choices out there ? http://www.grammarly.com/ ? http://www.grammarcheck.net/ ? How to improve your writing ¨C Reading, reading, and more reading ¨C Spelling and grammar check tools are your best friends ¨C Imitate Good Sentences ? Write English emails (and do it w/ care) daily/often to ¨C International Pen Pals ? http://www.interpals.net/ ¨C Your professors/advisors (and ask them to correct your grammar whenever there is a mistake)
  • 12. How About English Listening/Speaking? ? The Most Difficult Parts in English Because ¨C No Environment! ? Suggestions ¨C Take courses taught in English (there should be plenty at NCU) ¨C Get to know some ¡°language partners¡± (there are quite a few international students at NCU) ¨C Speak in front of people in English (for presentations, group meetings, TA sessions) <= This will make a huge difference
  • 13. Differences Between English Writing and Speaking ? In English writing, we sometimes use sentences with complex structure ¨C I recommend against complex sentences, unless you can not avoid that ? In English speaking, NEVER use complex sentences ¨C No native speaker do that, either
  • 14. Other Things You Should Try ? Listen to English songs ¨C Do not learn from Rap songs (Ebonics) ¨C Practice singing English songs (KTV is a good place) ? Correct yourself whenever you hear something wrong in your own speech ¨C Phase 1 ¨C You are too nervous to even hear your own voice (ask others to correct you) ¨C Phase 2 ¨C Correct yourself (mostly grammar mistakes) ¨C Phase 3 ¨C Improve your pronunciation (tools like audacity help)
  • 15. English Pronunciation American English Accent ? Resources ¨C http://www.uiowa.edu/~acadtech/phonetics/engl ish/frameset.html ? Tools ¨C Audacity
  • 16. Intonation Makes a Big Difference ? Lack of intonation ¨C Mandarin: fixed tones and rhythm ¨C English: variable pitch and tempo ? Incorrect intonation ¨C It¡¯s pretty good. ¨C It¡¯s pretty good. ? Where can we learn the correct intonation? ¨C English songs ¨C Watch movies (with and w/o caption) ? A highly recommended movie: Forrest Gump