Hi, Ardith Hinton!   
   I read your message from 06.08.2016 15:46   
      
    TC>> Hello, I would like to improve my English.   
    ak>> If you want to improve your English start talking!   
      
    AH> Uh-huh. Over the years, I've seen your English improve a lot as you   
    AH> read widely & ask questions about what you've read... as you share   
    AH> material you have translated from Russian... and as you engage in   
    AH> conversation.   
      
   Also I can add that a person should not delay his learning until an elderly   
   age. His energy is diminishing! If a person keeps working he notes that his   
   work takes more time as well as the recreation.  ;-) No smoking is another   
   reason. ;=) How it was great to read English papers smoking one cigarette   
   after another. :)   
      
    ak>> If you don't like talking your motivation is dubious.   
      
    AH> As a schoolteacher & an introvert I'd put it a bit differently.   
    AH> The "dive in & do it" method works well in many cases, but for   
    AH> various reasons some people may find it quite challenging to face   
    AH> public scruting. They may need to be reassured that we're here to   
    AH> help & we're not grading their efforts.   
      
   A learning person, IMHO, should be happy if someone read his text, make   
   comments and corrections. Of course, it is difficult for one person to   
   correct, so a public scrutiny is a very useful thing.   
      
   Another problem -- what a person should speak about? Where should he find   
   ideas, thoughts to write them down? A learner can find them everywhere. It   
   isn't necessary they should be all his own. But the practice to build   
   sentences, to use correct times is very important.   
      
    AH> Speaking involves a much higher level of skill than listening...   
    AH> and writing involves a much higher level of skill than reading.   
      
   Yes. I've also found out that stress tests are most helpful in learning. When   
   I lazily listen to a lesson playing on my computer I feel sleepy. But when I   
   negotiate a contract to sell something via a telephone with poor audibility   
   all my brains and ears mobilize to the extent never available at training   
   courses. ;-) There is nothing more useful than that.   
      
   I think no wonder that people learn English quicker if they live in an English   
   speaking country. They have a greater motivation, their lives depend on their   
   English; they need understanding things by 100%. Errors in this case cost   
   money! Another matter in Russia where I can watch a movie on my sofa and   
   understand it by 50%. Yes, I understand the movie, but it doesn't help very   
   much with my English progress.   
      
    AH> In order to improve any skill, one must be willing to venture   
    AH> beyond one's present comfort level.   
      
   Yes, a human like a horse -- he also needs spurs. ;)   
      
    AH> I hope our new friends here   
    AH> will see this echo as a good place to try using e.g. sentence   
    AH> structures which are not yet completely familiar. From that   
    AH> standpoint I like your "Find two errors, please". It lets others   
    AH> know you are open to correction & how much you can take in at once.   
      
   F2EP abbreviation was a good idea. Another reason for talking is developing   
   automatism in using basic grammar rules and forms. For a time a person should   
   become a chatterbox. Suppose you was born a boy-stammerer. Anybody who starts   
   learning the language is starting like that. But if the boy trains his   
   speaking ability he will surely overcome his disadvantage.   
      
   PS: well, nevertheless, it is a very good idea to use the computer spell   
   checker when you write your messages. You will eliminate simple errors, and   
   you will get more precious comments and corrections.   
      
   Bye, Ardith!   
   Alexander Koryagin   
   ENGLISH_TUTOR 2016   
      
   --- Paul's Win98SE VirtualBox   
    * Origin: Quinn's Post - Maryborough, Queensland, OZ (3:640/384)