Of course, all students are required to hand in a sufficient English language test (except for students with a degree from certain countries). You may be asking yourself: why would I still need to improve my English ability if I have already met the minimum test requirements? The answer is simple: because you’ll be more likely to perform better in your degree. The minimum requirements are sufficient to be able to complete the degree, but studies have shown that a level of English higher than the minimum requirement correlates with higher grades (see for example Kirby, 2018; Trenkic & Warmington, 2019).
Below, we will give you some advice on how to improve your English language ability. We will cover the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) as well as vocabulary and grammar.
- Speaking
When speaking, your pronunciation is important. There is no need to sound like Queen Elizabeth II, as the important thing is intelligibility. This means that others should be able to understand what you are saying and what message you wish to convey. Intelligibility is the focus of the VU Amsterdam MOOC ‘English pronunciation’. This free, online course also emphasises that all accents are equal, and that there is no shame in having a non-native accent. Furthermore, being more conscious of different ways to pronounce English may help you understand others better.
- Listening
When we hear someone else talk, we hear spaces between words. However, the so-called ‘speech signal’ is continuous. This means that speech is continuous and that the spaces we hear between words are not actually there. Rather, they are a product of our brain that occurs when it distinguishes individual words within that continuous stream of sounds. When learning a second language, this means that all these sounds will be gibberish – unless you know the words already, so your brain can actually distinguish them. So to improve your listening skills, it Is fundamental to increase your vocabulary.
- Reading
The above is why reading is a better way to learn new words than listening (e.g., by watching movies or TV), because when reading, the spaces between words are already there. Once you encounter a new word, you know exactly how to write the word and that makes it easy to look it up in a dictionary. You also have time to think and derive the word’s meaning from the context. Using English subtitles when listening could offset this, provided you are willing to pause whatever you are watching every single time a word you do not know pops up.
- Writing
As a student of VU Amsterdam, you will be doing a lot of writing. Grammatically correct sentences and a broad vocabulary are fundamental to every good text. Writing texts is a good way to practice using English, as you have plenty of time to think about what you want to say and how you want to convey it. When practicing you will often write informal texts, but please be aware that academic texts have certain conventions. When you write a text during your degree, it is important to check the specific textual requirements set by the professor or programme coordinator. Students may also benefit from taking a course on how to write academic texts, for example VU Amsterdam’s own Jumpstart programme or our Academic Language Programme.
- Vocabulary
Having a large vocabulary is imperative to using English at a high level (e.g., Sen & Kuleli, 2015; Binder et al., 2017; Miralpeix & Muñoz, 2018). The two most effective strategies are spaced repetition and retrieval practice. Spaced repetition means that you should repeat new vocabulary frequently and with time between each practice session, as opposed to massing all learning into one large session and then not looking at the material again. Retrieval practice means that you need to test yourself, so your memory is trained in retrieving this specific information (Ullman & Lovelett, 2018). Both repetition and retrieval fortify the links in your brain between the new memories, as new words are just that: new memories (Van den Broek, 2017).
In order to link these new words with more existing knowledge, thus making them more accessible in your brain, it is good to use these words in context. For example, you can try to make sentences using a new word, or think of synonyms or antonyms. A very useful list to start with is the Academic Word List (AWL). This is a list of 570 words that are frequently used in academic contexts. Masrai & Milton (2018: 44) write that ‘[k]nowledge of the AWL also adds marginally to the power of overall vocabulary size in explaining variance in grade point average (GPA) scores’. In other words, a large vocabulary, including the words from the AWL, is likely to have a positive effect on your grades.
- Grammar
Depending on your native language, some parts of English grammar may be easier or more difficult for you. Many grammatical errors arise when you subconsciously transfer a grammatical element from your native language to English. This is called language transfer. It occurs when you are either not aware of the correct grammatical rule in English, or when you simply have not practiced it sufficiently. Learners who share the same native language, tend to make the same mistakes. A quick way to find out which errors are often made by speakers of your native language, can be an online search like ‘common English grammatical mistakes by [your native language] speakers’. Then, you need to practice using the new rules by employing the same strategies as for vocabulary, being spaced repetition and retrieval practice.
- Keep practicing
Finally, when it comes to language learning, it boils down to practice, practice, practice. This is the same for any skill you want to acquire, improve or maintain. Sometimes, however, it is difficult to stay motivated. This is why it is good to find materials that are intrinsically motivating to you. For example, if you like history, pick up a book about history written in English. This way, even if you do not feel like practicing English, you may feel like reading the book, simply because it is the content itself that appeals to you.
References
- Binder, K. S.; Gilbert Cote, N.; Lee, C.; Bessette, E.; Vu, H. (2017), Beyond breadth: The contributions of vocabulary depth to reading comprehension among skilled readers. J Res Read, 40(3), 333-343.
- Kirby, E. (2018), International entry qualifications 2018: summary report. Cheltenham: UK NARIC.
- Masrai, A. & Milton, J. (2018), Measuring the contribution of academic and general vocabulary knowledge to learners’ academic achievement. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 31, 44-57.
- Miralpeix, I. & Muñoz, C. (2018), Receptive vocabulary size and its relationship to EFL language skills. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 56(1), 1-24.
- Şen, Y. & Kuleli, M. (2015), The effect of vocabulary size and vocabulary depth on reading in EFL context. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 555-562.
- Trenkic, D. & W. M. (2019), Language and literacy skills of home and international university students: How different are they, and does it matter? Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 22(2), 349–365.
- Ullman, M. T. & Lovelett, J. T. (2018), Implications of the declarative/procedural model for
- improving second language learning: The role of memory enhancement techniques. Second Language Research, 31(1), 39-65.
- Van den Broek, G. (2017), Benefits of memory retrieval for vocabulary learning. A neurocognitive perspective. Dissertation, Radboud Universiteit.