How To Present Like Steve Jobs

I came across this video on youtube the other day. 

Steve Jobs is widely considered to be one of the world’s BEST presenters. Tis video shows you ho it is done.

 

English Learning Secret 10

Here it is guys - The tenth and final English Learning Secret of my series of the secrets of learning English as a second language.

English Is A Word Language Not A Grammar Language

Many people learning English today are learning English as if it was a grammar language. They spend hours and hours with their heads inside a book, trying to understand why some past tense words end in “ed” and others don’t.

What these students do not realise is that the only reason you are told by your teachers to spend hours and hours studying the grammar of English is because testing grammar is the only way they can test you. Testing whether you can actually speak English is almost impossible to be fair and accurate.

So here’s the thing. When you are studying English stop worrying about the actually grammar of English (after all, you will learn this much faster if you read English articles in newspapers or books) instead, learn English by looking for the patterns of which English words fit with each other. For example:

the words “go” and “home” are partner words.

“Go home”
“Going home”
“Went home” (past tense of “go” is “went”)

OK, so that’s an easy example. No look at these examples:

The word “part”

Part - time
Part - payment
part - company

“time”, “payment” and “company” are also partners of the word “part”

And here’s another, and this one is fantastic. The words “money” and “time” have the same partner words … it is as if they are sister words

Save time / money
Spend time / money
Waste time / money

So stop boring yourself stupid, and start looking for the patterns in English. It is much more fun, makes more sense and is guaranteed to help you through the difficulties of learning English.

Keep studying and if you have any questions about learning English, please feel free to ask me at any time.

English Learning Secret 9

Hi guys - I hope everything is going well for you.

Today’s secret is a simple one, but still very important.

LEARN IN SMALL STEPS

One thing I have noticed in many students is that when they make a decision to start learning English seriously they start off and try to learn everything in one week. This method of learning is not only stupid, but it is guaranteed to fail.

Firstly, you are never, never, never going to learn English properly if you try to learn a complete textbook in one week. Textbooks, and other learning methods are designed to be learnt over a period of time. At BCM and indeed Fandcorp English Solutions we set a learning program over a period of 1, 2 or 3 months. This is because the human brain is designed to learn things er a period of time, not all at once.

Secondly, trying to learn everything too quickly will mean that you learn nothing and then loose your enthusiasm and motivation and finally you will quit. You need to learn things slowly and methodically and practice what you learn in an everyday environment (this could be your classroom with other students, or by making a foreign friend)

The best way to learn, and this week’s secret, is to learn a small amount and learn it regularly.

I would always advise that students should learn no more than 30 minutes per day (plus classes). Stick to learning one part at a time and after you have studied it you MUST practice it before moving on to learning something else.

Doing things this way will help you to keep your motivation and enthusiasm high, you will feel like you are learning something and achieving something (which will keep you going when things get difficult)

Keep going guys.

English Learning Secret 8

Hi guys and welcome to study secret number 8.

This week’s study secret is all about setting yourself a target. Something that you can measure yourself against.

SET YOURSELF A TARGET

What continuously amazes me is the number of students who are studying English who have absolutely no idea what they want to achieve. By this I mean they do not know what they want to achieve by studying English. It is like starting our on a journey without knowing where you want to go. If you do that you will only end up lost. Without a target, you will soon get lost, become frustrated and then quit. It happens time and time again.

To stop this from happening you need a measurable goal. Something that you can achieve and then say “I did it!”

For example, you might decide that you want to achieve a TOEIC score of 850. That is measurable. You study English, you take the test and if you get 840 points, then you are close, but not quite there. You keep studying until you get there. With a targeted goal, you know what you have to do to achieve it.

I have a goal to learn Korean. Sadly, there is no Korean TOEIC, so I need something else that is measurable. My measurable goal is that in 1 year’s time (ie from January 1st 2009) I want to stand up in front of my Korean students and tell them, in Korean, what they need to do to study English. The goal is clear, has a time limit (1 year) and I can measure it.

You need to do the same. You need to think about why you are learning English, how much time you are going to learn English for and what do you want to achieve with English.

It is no good just saying “I want to get a better job” I know this is a fixed target, but here the goal is to get a “better job”. English might not be the reason you actually get a better job so the target is not actually improving you English it is getting a better job.

So, set your target now. How will you know when you have achieved what you want in English? It could be learning enough English to be able to go abroad without going on a tour group holiday, having enough English to prepare, write and deliver an English business presentation or to complete a full English conversation course. Whatever your goal is, make sure you set a time limit, an achievable target and something you can measure it by.

Your goal has to be “S.M.A.R.T”

Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timed

To read more about “SMART” goals - click HERE

English Learning Secret 7

Here it is guys, English Learning Secret number 7.

CONDITION YOURSELF

A lot of misunderstandings happen because many students have not ‘conditioned’ themselves to listen out for the negative words in English. Words like “not”, “can’t” and “but”.

These words on their own can completely change the meaning of a sentence, and if you have not taught yourself to listen out for them, then you can make some very big mistakes. Let’s look at a very simple example.

“I can come to class but my brother’s car is broken”

This sentence means that you CANNOT come to class, but when spoken quickly it sounds like you CAN come to class AND your brother’s car is broken.

So you need to teach yourself to listen out for the negative words. To do this you should take the time to listen to English TV shows, radio programmes and movies. A good way to teach yourself is through videos or DVD’s that have English subtitles and listen to these, paying particular attention to the written words on the screen.

What you need to do is to ‘program’ your brain to listen out for the negative words. This is easier than you think. Every time you hear “not”, “Can’t”, “but” or “Isn’t”, highlight it in your mind and remember that a negative word has just been said or is about to be said.

Also remember the words “but” and “however” always come after a positive sentence to make it negative.

“I like driving but not in foreign countries”

Means, I like to drive. I do not like to drive in a foreign country.

So, start conditioning yourself today and avoid any embarrassing misunderstandings

English Learning Secret 6

Today’s English learning secret is all about “Immersion” (click here for 한국어)

IMMERSION

There are only two parts to learning English. If you can master both these parts you will become a fantastic English speaker, speaking naturally and fluently. Sadly, most students of English only learn the first part and then wonder why they are not improving.

Learning English is very much like learning to drive a car. The first step is to learn the theory and pass the driving test. Once you pass the driving test, then you start to REALLY learn how to drive, how to react to different driving circumstances and how to drive in heavy rain, snow and ice.

The same applies to learning English. The first part is learning the grammatical and structural rules, and in Korea, as in most countries you do this in school. Once you have learnt the basic rules, as in learning to drive, then you need to start learning REAL English.

How do you do this? Now here’s the difficult part. TO really take yourself in to the next level you have to immerse yourself in English, you have to surround yourself with English and you have to USE English in an everyday situation.

I know this part is difficult, but remember you do not spent 24 hours a day driving, sometimes you might not drive at all, and that is the same with English, you do not have to immerse yourself in English 24 hours a day, but you do need to look at the news in English whether it is by newspapers or TV / radio, you do need to read English magazines and books, watch English movies and TV shows and practice speaking whenever you get a chance.

So there you go guys, to really take your English to the next level and to stop feeling like you are not improving your English, you need to immerse yourself in English and actually use it in an everyday situation. Get yourself an English pen pal, when your teacher tells you he or she is happy to receive your emails, write to them, don’t be afraid and DON’T be lazy - DO IT.

Take every opportunity to use the English you learn regularly, because this really is the only way you can improve your English.

English Learning Secret 5

Number 5 in my series of English learning tips is here ^^ !!!

IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE THEN LEARN LIKE A NATIVE

This tip is an obvious one, but to be honest so many educational systems in the world focus on structure, grammar and error identification because this is the easiest way to test a student, and the whole idea of actually learning the language to use in the real world gets forgotten.

When native speakers start to learn English they get taught the basics of grammar and structure, and then to advance this learning, they read and use English everyday.

As a native English speaker, I have never spent hours and hours with my head inside a grammar book. I HAVE spent many, many hours reading books that interest me on subjects I find exciting. Do you know what has happened? My grammar has become natural and I understand idioms and strange expressions with ease.

Ask me to explain why a certain grammar principle is used in a certain way and I find it extremely difficult to explain, but I never have to do this in a real conversational situation.

So if you really want to learn English effectively and efficiently throw away those grammar books now. Go and buy yourself an English reading book on a subject that YOU find interesting and start reading. I can guarantee that your grammar, structure and vocabulary will have improved 5 times faster at the end of the month than if you had bought a grammar book.

English Learning Secret 4

Here is number 4 in my English Learning Secrets series.

KISS (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!)

Here’s the thing guys. If you listen to native English speakers talking, they always take the easy sentence or phrase, and drop words that are unnecessary. When using the English language simple is good, complex, long phrases and sentences are bad.

As a teacher, it always amazes me when I find students trying to make their sentences as difficult as they can in the belief that it will make them sound better. It doesn’t. It actually makes you sound bad.

The only group of people who use long, complicated sentences are politicians and lawyers. And believe me guys, you do not want to sound like a politician or lawyer.

Here are some examples:

A: Hello, how are you?
B: I am very good thank you. How are you?

A native speaker would say:

A: Hello how are you?
B: Fine thanks and you?

That’s simple example, but “B:”s answer is 5 words less than the non-native speaker’s answer. But as a student of English it makes sense to learn 5 words rather than 9 yes?

So guys, learn less and KISS - KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

You can view the previous Learning Secrets by Clicking HERE

English Learning Secret 3

Here it is guys, yet another English Learning Secret !!

HAVE FUN

Now, I have met so many students who, if they are being honest, HATE learning English. If this is you, then please read on…

If you hate something, the chances are you are not going to do it for very long. If you hate eating bananas - then you are not going to keep eating bananas. If you hate horror movies, you are not going to go out on a Saturday night and rent 3 or 4 horror movies to watch at home alone.

The same applies to English study. If you hate studying English, then you are not going to succeed in English.

So what do you do? Simple

If you hate learning English then you are doing something wrong. Perhaps you are learning it in a way that makes it boring. Sitting at a desk with you head inside an English textbook IS BORING, going to a class that you find extremely difficult or you don’t really like your teacher is not gong to be fun, perhaps you do not like your classmates. It doesn’t really matter what it is that you do not like. If you do not like it, then you need to find a way to learn English that you DO like.

Here are a few ways to make English more fun for you.

1. Learn English with your friends (in a coffee shop, in a bar or even using MSN Messenger)

2. Watch English sitcoms or movies (your teacher can advise you how best to do this)

3. Download English files from the internet and listen to them on your MP3 player

4. If you have a hobby you enjoy, buy an English book on your hobby

5. If you hate you classmates / teacher / institute - change them. Find classmates you like or a teacher you like - Don’t stay in a class you do not like.

6. Browse through You Tube for video in English you find interesting

7. Read this blog

So there you go guys, you do not have to study English in a boring way,

YOU have the power to decide how and when you want to learn English. So use that power and HAVE FUN!!!

English Learning Secret 2

Here it is guys - here’s the second of 10 English learning secrets I am going to give you over the next few weeks.

STUDY AT HOME

English is not a scientific subject, it is an art subject. And with all art subjects the only way to learn it is to PRACTICE what you learn in the classroom outside the classroom.

If you go to class everyday and then simply go home and do not open your textbook again until you arrive at the next class - don’t expect to find yourself improving at English very quickly. Life. sadly is not like that.

To improve your level of English you MUST set aside 20 to 30 minutes everyday to practice what you learned. Look at the sentences, the structure and how the words fit together. And YES you must practice speaking it over and over again.

As a teacher of English for over 5 years I am amazed how students blame their institute or their teacher for not getting them to improve their English when they themselves have never opened their textbooks outside the classroom. If this is you, then you only have yourself to blame.

So, if you are really serious about improving your English, if you really do want to get a better score at TOEIC, speak English comfortably with foreigners or write better emails in English - put 20 or 30 minutes aside everyday for quiet English practice.

That’s all it takes.

To see the first English Learning Secret - Click HERE