Hi, this is Kristin Dodds, one of the directors of Learn Real English and I’m going to talk about Rule #6.
Rule #6 to speak excellent English. So what is Rule #6? Rule #6 is to use real English materials. We’ve
mentioned before that you should stop using textbooks. In fact, in Rule #2, Joe even talked about burning
your textbook, burning your grammar books. So if you can’t or if you don’t study English from a grammar or
textbook, how can you study English?
How can you learn English without a grammar textbook? By using real materials. Now what do I mean by
real materials? Well, I mean real materials for native speakers, or materials similar to what native speakers
would use. For example, if you like to read, and I highly recommend that. Reading is very good for learning
English. If you like to read and you’re going to read English, don’t read textbooks. Don’t read textbooks.
Make sure that you find something that’s easy enough to read and read something such as an English
storybook. Or an English novel, just make sure that you pick something that’s interesting to you…that you
like.
Also, for listening, and if you’ll remember we’ve talked about how listening should be 80% of your learning.
Don’t listen to textbook CDs. Don’t listen to people acting out a dialog as if they’re talking in a real
conversation. Why? Why would you not want to listen to a textbook CD or listen to actors acting out a
dialog? Because it’s not real normal English. You want to listen to people who are speaking naturally,
normally. A great example are podcasts. Now, you can either listen to a podcast about English or find a
podcast that is about a topic that you really enjoy or you’re really interested in. Could be a podcast about
adventures or whatever…motorcycles, whatever you have an interest in.
Also, audiobooks are a great way for listening to real English. What is an audiobook? An audiobook is
someone who is reading a book. So you’re basically just listening. You’re not reading the book. You’re just
listening to the book. So here again, that’s a great way for you to find a book that interests you and just get
the audiobook. Just listen.
Now for the same, what I had said about reading materials, real English reading materials…it’s the same for
listening. Make sure that they’re easy enough, that the listening materials are easy enough. I mentioned in
Rule #3 with AJ that you want to be able to understand 95% of what you listen to. This is very important. So
make sure that they’re easy enough. And make sure that they’re interesting enough, that you really enjoy
what you’re listening to or what you’re reading.
Now you may have to start with a child’s audiobook, and that’s okay. Because again, you want to make sure
that you’re understanding 95% of it. So whatever you start with, just listen, listen, listen, listen, listen until it
becomes easy enough to where you can advance to a little bit higher level. For example, after reading or
listening to children’s audiobooks, then maybe you could go up to the next level of what a teenager or young
adult would be reading or listening to. And then after that, you listen, listen, listen, listen, listen and when it
becomes easy enough you can advance to another level.
An advanced level would be listening to the news, such as CNN or the BBC. Also listening, watching,
listening to movies in English, American movies, British movies, Australian movies. Another great example
would be watching TV shows, listening to TV shoes. And again that would be at an advanced level.
Now, as I’ve been saying this whole time, just make sure that you are using real materials. Not textbook
materials. With real materials you get real spoken English. This is the English that we use. Textbooks don’t
teach real English. Textbooks teach real, or not real, textbooks teach formal English. They really basically
teach written English. It’s formal. It’s written English. The vocabulary, the style, they’re all for writing. When
you listen to real English materials, you’re listening and learning to real English, the English that we really use
in day-to-day normal conversations. That’s how we really speak. That’s how we really pronounce things or
words that we use. That’s the real pronunciation.
So just remember, real materials only…only real materials, not textbooks, not textbook CDs. This is a really
simple basic rule and it’s a fun rule. It’s a fun rule because it allows you to go out and find things that interest
you. I mean let’s face it, textbooks are not interesting. They’re boring. So find real listening and real reading
materials that interest you and are easy enough. And what’s great, too, about the internet now…it’s very
easy to find a lot of these materials. Just do a Google search and you’ll find plenty of podcasts. In fact, if you
keep getting our e-mails, we’ll tell you how to find real materials such as podcasts and easy listening.
Alright, so that’s it for Rule #6 and tomorrow will be the last rule, Rule #7. So I hope you enjoyed listening.
See you next time. Bye.
