Periods of school closure are difficult for everyone involved. Especially in subjects like English, where language practice is so essential, it’s important not to lose touch and to keep practicing as best you can. We give you 5 tips on how to make learning easier at home.

Foreign languages have the advantage that being exposed to the language at all is beneficial for the subconscious. So when your nerves get the best of you, it’s not absolutely necessary to cram through worksheets on tenses.

It can also be helpful to simply listen while English is spoken in the environment. Be it a real conversation, a series or a song.

Series And Movies In English

Listening-viewing comprehension can be trained well by watching movies and series. There are different levels of difficulty, which the young people can approach step by step.

First of all, you can start with films whose plot you already know, so that you can concentrate on the language and the phrasing. There is also room for maneuver when it comes to subtitles. In the beginning, German subtitles to the English sound can still give a certain security, which will not be necessary with time.

The next stage with English subtitles has a particular advantage, as this creates a direct connection between the spoken word and the written image. This helps children develop a sense of spelling from the moment they learn a new word, which prevents possible spelling errors in the future.

Once a solid foundation is in place, it is also possible to take the final step and eliminate subtitles altogether. In this case, viewers must rely solely on their hearing and visual support.

Those who understand what the series is about in this way have already reached a fairly high level and may, as a reward, sit back and enjoy the series.

Flashcards

If you prefer to learn in the traditional way, you can rely on the classic flashcards. Not without reason are they so tried and tested when it comes to learning vocabulary. By repeating the cards regularly, you can expand your vocabulary in a targeted manner. In the meantime, there are even numerous flashcard apps.

You can either use the textbook chapters as a guide or proceed thematically and pick topics that really interest you or that could be helpful in everyday life.

A larger vocabulary promotes self-confidence in the language and leads to being able to express oneself more precisely, being better understood, and therefore likely to use the language more often, as one feels comfortable with it.

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Online Learning Platforms

Digital learning platforms offer a great hybrid of classic assignment formats and interactive, entertaining elements. Homeschooling eliminates many explanation phases in the classroom, which often leads to further difficulty with the subject matter. The explanatory units on such platforms can compensate for this effect to a certain extent.

In addition, there are often numerous exercises with different task formats available, so that it always remains varied and the motivation is not lost too quickly.

Feedback is given directly, so you don’t have to wait long to continue working on the weak points. This creates a learning cycle that can lead to long-term improvement.

Learning Groups

Many young people’s thoughts turn to when they will next see their circle of friends. If you need other people to motivate you, try a study group.

Especially if your best friend goes to the same class or has similar subjects in class, a tandem can work wonders. This way, you combine the tedious studying with the bright spot of talking on the phone with friends.

Via video chat, you can do study sessions and answer each other’s questions, explain or quiz each other. On the one hand, this creates social pressure and commitment to really learn vocabulary on Tuesday at 3 p.m., but also a significant motivation, because you can also just talk afterward and loosen up the learning with jokes in between.

Music

Back to listening comprehension in everyday life: Most young people listen to music a lot anyway, so this is another opportunity to practice – provided it is sung in English. Often, you’ll spend weeks wondering exactly what is being said at one point in the song or what that one phrase means.

Translating the lyrics piece by piece can provide clarity here. This not only trains language mediation, but also develops a feeling for colloquial phrases and idioms.

Due to its catchy potential, this way of learning English accompanies you throughout the day and is fun at the same time.

Summary

In conclusion, it is important to maintain at least a little bit of enjoyment especially during tense periods during homeschooling.

That’s why small steps in learning and varied tasks are so important to keep kids happy. After all, without drive, a complete learning block quickly develops, which is something to be avoided.