For many adult students, our methods at Study Sulmona may seem a little scary. For people who have only ever studied English at high school, their experience has mostly consisted of memorising grammar rules and doing translations. When students come into our classroom, we promise that they will speak English from the very first lesson. They are often shocked by the amount of English we use but our motto is “The first step is the hardest”. If you have come to us to learn English, it’s proof that the traditional methods don’t work. Furthermore, Italy often finds itself at the bottom of the classification when it comes to English ability. So how can you make the most of your lessons with us?
- Sii preparato a fare errori
In my time as a teacher, I’ve seen many students who are absolutely terrified of making mistakes. Some are so scared that they refuse to speak until they can form a perfect sentence. Yet, the reality of learning something new is that you will make mistakes. It’s inevitable. The important thing is that you learn from them. I always tell our students that mistakes are proof that you’re learning. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and that’s the only place you can grow. It may seem scary at first but it’s the only way to learn.
- Accetta il fatto che non capirai tutto
Often when students are reading a text or completing a listening exercise, they focus too much on what they don’t understand rather than what they do. They become obsessed with the words they don’t know. However, it’s not necessary to understand every single word as long as you understand the main ideas. I’ve been learning Italian for six years yet there are still a lot of words I don’t know. 99% of the time, it doesn’t matter. In real life, you may have a conversation with someone in a pub in London and understand 75% of what is said. That’s still amazing!
- Vieni alla lezione pronto a dire qualcosa
A French teacher at school once told me “There’s no point learning a language if you have nothing to say”. That teacher, Mr Lloyd, is just one of the many people who inspired me to become a teacher. I’ve lost count of the number of times a complete beginner student has come to their first lesson with nothing to say. Sometimes they’re not even able to introduce themselves. This is a mistake, not because the student can’t speak English but because it’s a waste of time. If your teacher asks you to read something for homework, be ready to talk about it in the next lesson. You don’t have to give a prize-winning speech on it but you should prepare a few sentences about your ideas and opinions. Use an online dictionary if you have to! This leads me to my next point.
- Sii indipendente e attivo
As teachers, we are here to help you with your learning. We can give you directions on your journey but you have to drive. The students who make the most progress are those who are curious and search for the answers to their own questions before asking the teacher. They use the resources we give them and then go out and find their own. There are so many resources available free of charge; there’s really no excuse not to use them.
- Sii costante e risoluto
Learning a language is like exercise – it’s much better to study little and often than a lot on one day and then nothing for the rest of the week. Just like exercise, you get out what you put in. Language learning needs to become a habit. Successful students build it into their daily routine. It could be as simple as reading an article in English on the train to work or taking half an hour after lunch to review some grammar. Whatever you choose to do, consistency is key. Even when you’re really tired, take a few minutes to review some words on your favourite vocabulary-learning app. We’re all busier than ever but it’s the students who dedicate their time on a regular basis that make the most progress.
Mai studiato inglese? Comincia adesso col 50% di sconto – €180 invece di €360*
Sappiamo che iniziare ad apprendere una cosa nuova da adulti è difficile e impegnativo. Per aiutarti a intraprendere il primo passo, abbiamo un’offerta sul nostro corso online “Complete Beginner” che comincerà a gennaio 2021. Questo corso è per chi non ha mai studiato o lo ha fatto tanto tempo fa a scuola. Il corso sarà completamente online sulla piattaforma Zoom e durerà 30 ore con un incontro di 1,5 ore una volta a settimana. Contattaci oggi via mail a info@studysulmona.com o al numero 3451808922. What are you waiting for?
*Si richiede un minimo di otto studenti per poter iniziare il corso
I nostri libri preferiti per imparare inglese!
English 
Italian