For to be good at English, you must think in English to practice your reflex ability with English. One way to learn thinking in English is using English-English dictionaries to learn all your new words. Because all E-E dictinaries use basic and simple grammar structures so you can easily understand the meaning of the word, which is refered by you.

1. Oxford dictionaries:

With many dictionaries, Oxford dictionaries serie is the best way to learn about new words, which are explained in English. There are many dictionaries, such as:

Oxford Talking Dictionary

Oxford Elementary Learner’s Dictionary of English

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

The Oxford Picture Dictionary

Oxford Guide to British and American Culture CD-ROM

Oxford Wordpower Dictionary

Oxford Interactive Study Dictionary of Business & Computing Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary 2nd on CD-ROM

Concise Oxford English Dictionary on CD-ROM

2. Cambridge Dictionaries:

Cambridge Dictionary of American English

Cambridge International Dictionary of English

Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary with CD-ROM

Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary on CD-ROM

3. Longman Dictionaries:

Longman Active Study Dictionary

Longman Dictionary of American English

Longman Interactive English Dictionary

Longman Handy Learner’s Dictionary of American English

4. Langmaster Student’s Dictionary

5. American Heritage Dictionary for Learners of English:

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language has been recognized for quality, innovation, and timeliness since its inception. Among the distinguishing features of the dictionary are its clear, elegant defining style, its extensive usage guidance, and its unique Appendix of Indo-European Roots. Since its best-selling debut in 1969, users have come to depend on its accessible definitions along with its rich and informative illustrations, now printed in full color in the Fourth Edition. The American Heritage line includes dictionaries for every age level, from preschool through college, and our thoughtful approach to dictionary-making has made our dictionaries the first choice of teachers, parents, and students.

The American Heritage Dictionary for Learners of English is especially designed to suit the needs of ESL students. With an up-to-date word list and definitions adapted from The American Heritage Dictionary databases, abundant sample sentences and phrases, and an easy-to-use alphabetic pronunciation system, it is an indispe.

Not talking about the countries which use English as mother tongue, today I want to talk about a new topic – English for foreign people. English is more and more important in our job and our formal living. And I think a lot of people agree with that. But there are some problems I find out from my colleagues and my friends that often they become big troubles. In this entry, I’ll just comment some solutions to solve these problems. I hope they are useful in some cases.

Problem 1:

“When foreign visitors come to our office, I can’t understand them. I ask them to speak slowly, but it’s still difficult. My English teacher says my pronunciation is difficult to understand, too. But I think my main problem is listening. I need more practice.”

Thuy, an officer

Comment:

Why don’t you think of cable TV? You can watch some English channels like BBC News, CCTV9, BBC World or HBO, etc. It’s not going to be easy to follow the programs at first, but the pictures will help you understand what’s happening. I think it’s going to improve your pronunciation, too.

Problem 2:

“I have a very busy working day and often I’m still in the office at night. But I use English in my job so I have to learn it. I try to study for an hour every night when I get home. But the problem is I’m not making fast enough progress.”

Thanh, accountant

Comment:

Let get up an hour earlier in the morning and study English then. I think better first thing. It’s “quality” time.

Problem 3:

“Some people say I can learn English at any age but I’m not sure. My memory is the problem. I’m getting old and I find it’s very difficult to remember new English words.”

My boss^^

Comment:

I think you should buy some books such as How to improve your memory or The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play, etc.

And there are things like using rhymes and dream up funny mental pictures. I think you can use them in yours English lessons. Beside that, you are also going to review what you learn more often.

Problem 4:

“I’m nervous about speaking English on the telephone. It’s difficult when you can’t see the person you’re talking to. There are a lot of long pauses while I think what to say.”

Uyen, secretary

Comment:

Before you make a call, you should make a note of what you want to say. Sometimes, you can look up any words you don’t know in a dictionary. You’ll feel more confident.

Problem 5:

“I have to attend meetings that are held in English with our suppliers, I know what I want to say but I can’t find the right words. I often have to use ten words instead of one. My vocabulary is too small. I need learn more words.”

A my friend

Comment:

It’s very important to reading more and more. Remember that you can learn new words everywhere. Let’s try to read English newspapers and write down new words that look useful and learn by heart. Other way, you can watch the movies with English subtitles or listen to English songs to improve your vocabulary.”

In fact, there are many ways to be good at English. It depends on your effort a lot so let’s try your best!

Some people puzzled when begin learning English. They wonder what and how they will learn. I’ve in this case. I think learning English must be a patient process. You can’t learn it just in a short time.

So I recommend you learn English frequently, for better result you should learn English daily.

You can refer to my method, which is displayed below:

1. Good morning, listen to a new song and learn all new words:

It’s easy and enjoyable to listen to a new song in the morning. This thing will give you two profit: start a new day powerfully and learn some new words. Day by day you’ll gathe a large amount words.

2. After breakfast, learn pronunciation:

I use Pronunciation Power 1 & 2 to learn pronunciation. Every morning I learn a sound. If you practice well, you’ll speak with an English acent.

3. After pronunciation, read English newspaper:

You can read every thing you interested in provided it’s written in English. Reading help you learn and mind grammar structures, words in uses and style.

4. After reading, let write something:

Although you can’t write an exactly sentence, keep write something. When you writing, you can remember grammar structures and words. Besides that, you can use words faster. Day by day you’ll no need thinking before speak.

5. After lunch, watch an English movie with subtitle:

Watching movie is a good way to improve your listening and reading ability. I often watch all movie genres, with subtitle. This method also give you two profit: relax and improve your listening/reading ability.

6. Play an English game:

Some time I play an English game to relax and learn some words, which are used in almost games.

7. Listen to VOA:

I always listen to VOA at night, it’s help me improve my listening profit. This method is more difficult than watching movie method because it doen’t has picture. You must well listening to understand what they(VOA) say.

8. Sleep:

Sleep will help your brain remember what it had learned

After a long time hear (not listen) English, I begin listening English. First I can’t discriminate similar words. I found I’ve read wrong those words. Obviously, you never hear right if you speak wrong.

That simple discovery reminded me let practice speak first and then I’ll listen exactly. Now, our progress is like this: hear->speak->listen->speak->listen…It’s simple, right?

Speak exercise:

Speak is simple a phonetic chain, if you want speak right, you must pronounce right.

I advice you to use Pronunciation Power 1 and Pronunciation Workshop to improve your pronunciation.

Listen exercises:

After learn how to speak exactly and fluently, you can listen some radio program such as VOA. You may watch an English film with subtitle, you’ll know more words and how to speak it.

When you meet a new word, let check it on your dictionary. All dictionary is has presentation by phonetic symbols, if you use a computer dictionary, it may speak for you. Learn how it speak and repeat. Day by day you’ll be good and speaking and listening English.

You’re beginning learning English, you wonder how you can get a best result with the shorted time?

You may tried many learning methods, so do I. After that, I found that I can’t well learn if I learn grammar first, like most teacher did. And I found this method: Learn like a child.

When a child grow up, he begin to hear everything around, then he speak one word. Day by day, he begin speak more than he did before. One day, he can speak fluently.

Then that boy go to school, he lean to read alphabet, sentences and paragraphs. He haven’t learned grammar and will not learn until he expert with writing simple sentences.

You and I are the same. Nobody can speak fluently if they just learn grammar. Grammar is important, I know, but speak and listen is more important.

Now you know something  about the method I want to produce? This method can be introduce step-by-step like this:

1. Do not listen, let hear:

If you ill in listening, you can’t listen immediately. Just start with English music, let your ears hear those sound. Day by day you’ll discriminate different sounds.

2. After listen, let read:

You can read some English news, watch a film with English subtitle. First read word by word , then you can read all the sentence.

3. Learn grammar and start writing:

You can’t write in right way if you don’t learn grammar. When you start, learn one grammar section and practice with them, then writing. Continue until you learn all basic grammar sections.

4. Combine all methods above:

Now you must use all methods above to practice. Let use English frequently and you’ll be good one day.

Good luck!