ESL Blogs

Here is a fun contest that all MyEC bloggers can enter! Review the "How to Learn English" Bloggers Competition here. Follow the rules and you could win an English course in San Francisco or an iPad 3. (Note: This contest is not associated with EnglishClub in any way.)

Infographic via the KIC Blog.

My Entry(I'd like to win an iPad 3!)

I've reviewed Kaplan's "How to Learn English" infographic (above) carefully. I recently became interested in infographics thanks to Pinterest. Pinterest is a new social media site. According to CNN, Pinterest is the third most visited social media site right now. Facebook and Twitter come first and second. On Pinterest, you pin inspiring images to boards. Infographics make great pins! The ones I made for MyEC get repinned often from my English board. Social media sites are very useful for English learners and teachers. 

The first statistics in Kaplan's infographic reflect similar findings that were presented in EnglishClub.com's Learning English Video Project. Students get the most from studying abroad! I absolutely agree, and I wish that all MyEC learners had the opportunity to do this. Our very own Expector Smith is living proof of how traveling to a foreign country can help your English. He is a doctor who recently came to Canada for a temporary placement. He blogged about his experience in an English speaking country.  I found it interesting that the number of students who want to study in the UK equal those who want to study in the US. Don't count out Canada! Vancouver is the perfect place to study English (if you can affordit). 

The "Harry Potter" statistic in the infographic doesn't surprise me. If you check out EC's forums, you'll see that this is a popular topic with learners from many different countries. Isn't it ironic that JK Rowling was once an English language teacher? I laughed when I saw the "Star Wars" statistic. Just for fun, my kids and I watched "Return of the Jedi" with subtitles the other day. I told them that it would be excellent practice for English learners. 

I'm glad that English learners recognize how useful music is! This is why we have an official MyEC DJ and a Karaoke group. Learning English should be a fun journey. Music can make you forget that you are studying a language. It can also improve your mood.

One thing that seemed to be missing from the infographic was apps. Do you use apps to learn English? My daughter and I started using the Google Translate app to brush up on our French. Like most translation tools, it's not perfect, but it is fun. You can even listen to the words and sentences you translate.   

Finally, I think the best way to learn English is to set mini-goals and follow through! If you fall off the wagon, jump back on. Blogging is a great way to stay motivated! Now let's see your entry. Use the writing prompts Kaplan provided in the contest instructions. Good-luck!