Museum of Knowledge blog, Learn to speak English, 02062017

Museum of Knowledge tips, learn how to speak English

Speaking English is undoubtedly one of the most important communication skills a leaner can undertake and the Museum of Knowledge guides its learners through the maze of language learning providers. English is spoken so widely in the world, especially in business therefore learning how to speak English has become increasingly important.

There are many techniques language learners can consider to learn English effectively such as practicing their speaking skills during face-to-face- sessions with bilingual speakers or even taking an online language learning course. However just to speak in another language is not always enough as putting these skills of speaking English into practice is best carried out when students have a good grasp of grammar and syntax.

This additional knowledge will enable students who wish to speak English fluently to really communicate with ease and speak English with a level of competency that can be very useful not only in social occasions but also during critical business negotiations.

Museum of Knowledge blog, Speak English without translating 19052017

How to speak English without translating from your native tongue

One of the key issues and barriers some students face when they decide to learn a language is thinking in their native tongue instead of the target language, in this case, English. The Museum of Knowledge employs various immersion techniques that aim to prevent language learners from adopting bad habits.

If a language learner is constantly thinking in Chinese for example, translating from Chinese to English in their head before speaking or writing in English, then the language learner is not truly adopting the correct techniques. It is true to say that in order to speak English, one must think in English. It is also helpful that to speak Chinese, one must be thinking in Chinese as Chinese is the target language.

The ability to think in English is related to language exposure. The more a student is exposed to a language, the greater the awareness of phrases and vocabulary and therefore the ability to express these thoughts without thinking in the native tongue. Immersion techniques offered at the Museum of Knowledge enable students to gain high levels of exposure to the language they are learning. These include vocabulary and terminology exercises as well as games.

The greater the level of practice the student undertakes, the greater the exposure and therefore the less need a student will have to consistently think in another language when the reality is their goal is to speak English.

 

Museum of Knowledge blog, Speak English fluently12052017

How to improve your fluency, learning English, MOK Knowledge news

Students who reach the intermediate level in their language learning often seek an efficient way of optimizing their fluency. The Museum of Knowledge employs several techniques that students can use to improve their English competency. Fluency can only be garnered when a student has mastered the four skills of language learning in English, speaking, listening, reading and writing.

The above elements are tremendously important especially as there are many words in English that are not pronounced in the same way they are written. Take for example the word “through.” This word is pronounced in the same way as the word “threw” but the words have completely different meanings and usage parameters. Threw comes from the verb to throw and is the past tense of that verb. Through is a proposition and adverb and used to describe movement between passages. For example in that context, one would say, “She threw the ball through the window.”

The best way therefore to enjoy full competency when learning English is to ensure that these subtle differences are understood and the correct usage of verbs and adverbs are used. This is one of the most important reasons why reading competency is also so important. When speaking, no one would be able to tell the difference in terms of spelling between the two words threw and through. The only way to understand full usage is by way of context and understanding this context can be executed via reading exercises that show clearly the two differences as well as spelling changes according to the context of the subject area.

Museum of Knowledge blog, Best Languages to Learn 28042017

Museum of Knowledge shortlist of the best languages to learn

Learning a language takes time, dedication and resources so students will always want to be sure that they have chosen a language that really suits their purpose. The Museum of Knowledge is often asked which are the priority languages to learn and why and our answer is simple. Students first need to define why their desire to learn a language. If they are likely to be travelling on business widely to English-speaking countries, then of course taking an English language course is essential.

It may also be the case that a language learner may reside in an English seeking country but spend much of his/ her time negotiating with overseas suppliers for which having alternative language skills may be useful. The Museum of Knowledge focuses on eight key business languages, English, Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian and German. Language learners are therefore encouraged to choose a language of focus depending on their personal needs, aims and objectives.