English Methodology: Ride your Way to Perfect Fluency with Learn English With Africa in 2024-2025!

Let’s help you achieve perfect fluency in English in 2024-2025!

Learning a language is not for the faint-hearted.

Two years ago, I embarked on a long and arduous journey to learn three languages at the same time. Yes, it’s crazy.

Learning one language from scratch is hard enough. Why on earth would someone inflict the burden of learning multiple languages upon themselves? Seriously? Voluntarily?

Well, I love challenges. I am a dreamer and adore reaching new heights. Most of all, I do not shy away from difficulties. This is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because I do not stagnate and a curse because oftentimes my life feels like a struggle.

Anyway, I took up this new challenge of learning three languages and hoped to reach fluency in a matter of months. I am a dreamer, right?

By the way, fluency is the ability to speak or write in the target language smoothly, accurately and automatically.

So what were the languages that I chose? Why did I opt for those languages bearing in mind that fluency was the end goal both in written and oral skills?

I chose German, Spanish and Swahili. Ha, ha, ha.

I took German because I wanted to understand why many Germans bought my books and visited the Learn English With Africa website. Spanish was an easy choice because it is similar to Italian which I already speak. Swahili made sense because it is the most spoken African language.

Previously, I had successfully learnt other foreign languages from scratch with stellar results. Therefore, I was not worried about the difficulty that I would encounter while learning these new languages.

What hurdles did I meet along the way?

1. Poor methodology: I needed to test what worked best for me so I wasted a lot of time trying out new methods and learning styles.
2. Using too many resources: I got overwhelmed with the large amount of resources that I found on the Internet and in bookshops. Every learning material seemed to promise an incredible outcome!
3. Lack of personal agency: Paradoxically, I thought that by just passively reading a book or listening to a podcast, I would miraculously become fluent in a few months. Huge mistake.
4. Pressure to perform: I wanted to achieve great results in a few months. This was not realistic, especially since I was learning three languages.

What was the turning point?

I completely changed the way I studied languages after I realised that I needed to be more proactive in the process in order to achieve fluency.

My success rate increased when I took charge of my language learning. I didn’t have to follow a prescribed route.

My language learning became a buffet. I could eat whatever I wanted and choose the quantity that suited my needs.

What guided my learning was my willingness and burning desire to discover content, connection and meaning in the other languages.

In a nutshell, I completely made my journey personal.

I could choose to read a book or watch a movie. The vocabulary that I learnt was relevant and useful for my experience. I chose what to consume according to my language level and needs. I didn’t have to memorise each and every grammar rule because over time, things do fall in place. Time was my ally. Patience was key.

When I started reading books, I realised how much I loved stories and preferred this method of learning languages.

I established a loose yet strong and foolproof routine.

Soon I was on my way to conversational and reading fluency.

Oh my God, thinking of it now. I looove and breathe languages!

Languages are my life!

What are the hard truths that I learned?

It takes bravery and self-confidence to leave the safety of your mother tongue in order to adopt an entirely new way of speaking and thinking.

One does not become fluent in a month.

If you put in the right amount of work, you can expect to start speaking fluently after six months. It takes years to master a language.

Yes, language learning is hard.

It hates shortcuts and thrives in methods and routines. No one can do it for you. After all, Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb and father of electricity rightly said: “There is no substitute to hard work.”

The trees that are slow to grow bear the best fruit.

– Molière

What personal qualities will enable you to reach fluency in English?

1. Patience: It takes a long time to learn a language. Learn how to stay calm in the face of difficulties. In the end, and I repeat, in the end, you will speak and write English fluently. You just have to put in the effort and work.
2. Dedication: Commitment and loyalty are essential when you are learning something. Establish strong routines and study regularly.
3. Peserverance: You will need to continue learning even though you do not see immediate results. Oftentimes language learning and instant gratification do not go hand in hand.
4. Resilience: You will often meet unpleasant or uncomfortable situations while practising. Learn how to bounce back and keep pushing. Mistakes are an integral part of your journey. The end result will even be sweeter because you will appreciate your efforts.
5. Gratitude: Enjoy the process and reward yourself for your small and big achievements. Rejoice when you master the Present Perfect! Squeal with delight when you manage to get yourself understood on the phone! The small steps do count.

Learn with joy because language learning is a lifestyle.

After all this hard work, what’s in for you?!?

1. Access to a second culture: This is no mean feat! Your world will be wider and richer because you can understand a completely different universe. With English, you will have a plethora of choices! Think of all the films you can watch! Imagine all the books you can devour! What about the recipes and food that you can try out? Learn English and your world will become boundless.
2. Better job opportunities: Speaking English will open more doors as far as your career is concerned. The excellent command of English will open those doors for life!
3. More academic options: English is the language of instruction in many universities. If you master this language, you will be able to have access to quality education, and thereafter a desired job.
4. A sense of security: Going abroad will no longer feel like a burden because you know that you can deal with most communication demands thanks to your fluency.

How will we help you in 2024-2025?

This year, we have decided to create more content that is aimed to give you the right tools to achieve fluency in English. This is also the reason why we created this Methodology page which will be regularly updated.

Thanks to this page, you will have a clear idea of what steps you need to undertake in order to reach your goals faster and realistically. We will give you a concrete road map that helps you to visualise all the steps of your language learning journey.

Our structured and engaging content will help you to stay motivated and committed to learning English.

Most importantly, we will help you build your language skills in:

• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking
• Listening

Our lessons are original, compelling and tailored to your needs and level.

Moreover, our extensive library of captivating short stories enables you to build your vocabulary and grammar skills in context.

Above all, I am a passionate language learner and teacher and I want to share the joy of language learning with you!

Learning a language is hard but it can be done in a way that is both enjoyable and rewarding. I hope that I am able to infuse this love of learning English in your personal journey.

I want you to see the beauty of the small letters that when combined form the English language. I want you to understand why someone can actually laugh or even cry after reading a beautifully-crafted sentence.

English is beautiful.

So are you ready for this incredible journey?

Who knows? Soon you will be on your way to fluency thanks to your efforts!

I can’t wait to start this journey with you!

Key Vocabulary:

• Language: This is a system of communication comprising sounds, words and grammar.
• Fluency: someone is fluent in a language when he or she is able to speak or write fluidly without too many pauses, hesitations and mistakes. Production of language is almost unconscious and automatic. There are no shortcuts to fluency. You need to put in the work and effort.
• Methodology: This is a system of ways of doing, teaching, or studying something. You will need to find the right system that works for you.
• A method: A particular or special way of doing something. Use the right methods when learning vocabulary or grammar. Consequently, you will save a lot of time
• A strategy: A plan of action that helps us to achieve our goals. Prepare useful strategies for the different situations that you will encounter while learning English. You will learn faster and more efficiently.

Recommendations: How to get the most out of this post

• Watch the video first.
• Listen to the text. You will find the audio at the bottom of the page.
• Do the quiz. After you have finished, come back to this section and continue reading the recommendations.
• Listen to the text once again while reading the audio transcription.
• Read the text as it is shown on the website. Reading aloud helps you to perfect your pronunciation.
• Read the Methodology page which is also suggested in the ‘Further Exploration’ section.

Good luck!

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Listen to the audio:

Do the quiz:

Further Exploration: Ride Your Way to Fluency in 2024-2025 with Learn English With Africa

Download Audio Transcription:

• English Methodology, Ride Your Way to Fluency, Learn English With Africa, September 2024

Read:

• Methodology Page, Learn English With Africa, August 2024

Watch: Ride Your Way to Fluency

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About the Author

Thandi Ngwira Gatignol is the founder of Learn English With Africa. She was born on June 11th, 1981 in Blantyre, Malawi. When she was 19, she left her country of birth for France. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband in Poland.

Thandi holds a Bachelor’s degree in English studies obtained at the Université Paris X Nanterre in France and a Certificate in Journalism from Malawi. She has taught English as a French Ministry of Education certified teacher both in France and in Poland. She speaks six languages fluently, including French, Polish and Italian. She is now learning Kiswahili, German and Spanish. Salt No More is her debut novel and you can find her other books here on the website or on Amazon.

Course Title: English Methodology: Ride your Way to Perfect Fluency with Learn English With Africa in 2024-2025! © Learn English With Africa, September 2024