For us, learning English at a young age is no longer a strange thing. But why do you still feel uncomfortable in real conversations in English? Why do not you avoid being embarrassed when talking to native speakers, despite having passed the exams with not bad grades? Why do you still have to spend time translating from Vietnamese into English before speaking?
What is the problem here?
“Can not thinking in English” is one of the obstacles for English learners, or any other language. Thinking in English is one of the most important steps in helping you master the language, but it is also a step that many underachieving students take.
Many human actions are done on the basis of habits, and life experiences tell us, it is difficult to give up the bad habits. The best way to avoid bad habits is to not form it in the first place. Instead of practicing renouncing a bad habit, not doing it from the beginning is much easier. As for learning English too, one of the worst habits is to translate in the head.
Thinking in English is not so easy, but you can practice it anytime of the day, here are some ways to overcome it.
Learn vocabulary and phrases in specific situations
Do not just learn the vocabulary separately by opening the dictionary. If you are simply memorizing each page of the dictionary, do not do that anymore. If the condition does not allow you to speak to someone in English, you should think about what you are doing, in English.
Do you know the reason why group learning, or classroom learning, does not really work? This is because you listen to the mistakes of your classmates many times, and in the unlikely event you can believe they are right, and repeat their mistakes. Therefore, if you have conditions, you should study with native speakers. This is a way to keep you motivated, so you will learn faster and thinking in English more effectively and receive positive contributions.
If you do not have the opportunity to meet foreigners or study abroad, you can find ways to connect with native speakers with the help of the Internet: via podcasts, language exchanges, or communication programs.
Learn English in short time
It’s a good idea to listen to podcasts for 10 minutes while you’re on the road, or talk to a native speaker in about 30 minutes. Read through a newsletter in English before checking email. These are simple things that you can do everyday to get used to thinking in English, but not too boring that you want to give up.
