Resources: Notes on Life and Language in the United States

What are your goals?  Today we are going to talk about individual English lessons and your English learning goals. What questions do you need to ask yourself before you decide on your goals? How do you write goals that are realistic and measurable but still allow you to dream and "think big"? Finally, how can an English tutor in an individual English lesson help you to set, work toward and reach your English goals? Remember, to achieve your dreams, you have to start by writing down your goals so let's get started!

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Getting Started...3 Questions to Ask Yourself:

• "Why am I learning English?" Do you want to get a job in English or a promotion in your current job? Do you want to pass the TOEFL or the IELTS test?

• "What is my plan for achieving my goals?" Will you be working with an English tutor? taking lessons at a language school? doing a language exchange? studying by yourself?

• "How will I measure my goals?" How will you know if you have achieved your goal? Will it be a specific score on a test? getting accepted to a graduate program? attending a dinner party and speaking only in English all night?

Setting your Goals....6 Things to Remember

• Be realistic but but also "dream big"

• Set short-term and long-term goals

• Make your goal specific (say exactly what you will achieve and when)  

• Make your goal measurable (how will you know that you have achieved it ?)

• Don't be afraid to set a goal that seems unrealistic right now. It is only unrealistic if you don't have a plan to achieve it.

• Don't keep your goals in your head. Write them down. Put them somewhere in your house where you can see them every day.

Here's an example of an English learning goal:

• "I will increase my TOEFL score by ___X___ points by October, 2011. To achieve this goal, I will prepare __X___(number of) hours per week in a group class and with a private tutor."

• "I will increase my chances of obtaining a promotion by learning __X__(number of) new business vocabulary phrases and expressions that are typically used in corporate job interviews by September 1, 2011. To reach my goal, I will practice interview role plays with a teacher. I will also do listening practice on my own twice per week"

2 Things to Keep in Mind

• It is great to create short-term and long-term goals but remember that language learning and achieving English fluency is a long term process. It will require dedication, commitment and enthusiasm.

• Your improvement will directly reflect the amount of time that you put into studying in your classes and outside of your classes. So practice as much as you can and enjoy the process!

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