Communicating effectively in English has become an indispensable skill in today’s world. When it comes to professional settings, English proficiency is no longer just a bonus in your resume, but rather a prerequisite for success.
Our Machine Learning Engineer, Dmytro, highlights:
“English is undeniably one of the most crucial soft skills, and its significance in personal and professional growth cannot be overstated.”
At DreamProIT, we share Dmytro’s opinion and have decided to discuss the tips, methods, and tools for mastering English with our colleagues. Let’s explore their recommendations.
Old but Gold: Movies and Series
Watching English movies and series is a multifaceted approach to language learning. This method is a great opportunity to pick up nuances in the language that textbooks often miss, such as pronunciation, intonations, colloquial expressions, and slang.
Many of our team members enjoy watching movies and TV shows in English with subtitles. Our Project Manager, Olha, prefers using Netflix, while Halyna, our Designer, suggests Speechyard – a platform that lets you watch videos with interactive subtitles that provide quick translations.
We have touched on the topic of learning English through a series with our Python Engineer Andrii in one of our previous posts. Andrii shares some of his favorite series with us: ‘Malcolm in the Middle’, ‘Rome’, ‘Black Mirror’, and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’.
Our DevOps Engineer Stepan prefers British films or those featuring British actors:
“If you’re interested in films that showcase diverse social groups and accents, I can recommend ‘The King’s Speech’, ‘Darkest Hour’, ‘In Bruges, Kingsman: The Secret Service’, ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’, ‘Hot Fuzz’, ‘Trainspotting’, ‘RocknRolla’ and ‘Green Street Hooligans’.”
Something New: YouTube and TikTok
Most of our colleagues use YouTube to learn English in diverse and enjoyable ways. From watching interviews with favorite celebrities and videos on science-related topics to acquiring grammar on specialized English learning channels, everyone finds something to their liking.
Olha prefers watching videos on professional topics in English, such as Management, Scrum, and occasionally DevOps. For her part, Halyna emphasizes the significance of watching videos on TikTok, where brief yet informative lessons from various educators can enhance language skills.
“I often listen to mini-lessons from different teachers on TikTok. There are some awesome content creators, like @immortal_kate, @antischool___online, and @makashovskiy that I totally recommend. They explain different topics in a fun and engaging way.”
A piece of cake: Online Platforms and Applications
Using online platforms and applications for learning English is another way to make the process more enjoyable and easier. Our Financial Advisor Tetiana shares that her father enjoys learning English through the gamified platform Duolingo, while Olha uses Quizlet to memorize words more effectively. Both options are available on the web and as a mobile application.
Olha also shares her tip for practicing English communication through using AI-based chatbots:
“I use ChatGPT as a simulator for written conversations, engaging in discussions on various topics, not only professional but also everyday topics.”
Halyna, having the same need, uses a neural network designed to enhance spoken English called TalkPal. TalkPal is a GPT-powered AI language tutor that improves communication skills not just through writing but also through speaking while receiving voice messages.
Another tool that Halyna likes is the language learning platform called Speechling. It helps her to enrich her vocabulary, practice pronunciation, and improve communication skills through chat.
Cherry on top: Music
Learning through songs is always a great way to boost language retention. Dmytro, who attended English language courses, says that listening to songs was one of his favorite activities.
“It was a really engaging practice – we listened to popular English songs and tried to catch the lyrics. Our teacher provided us with printed lyrics with some gaps we had to fill in while listening.”
To my surprise, our Staff Writer Romana has shared an application that does the same thing!
“LyricsTraining is a great platform that lets you practice listening and spelling. There, you can choose a song according to your taste and difficulty level, and then you listen to it and insert the missing words.”
Last but Not Least: Books
Reading is a fundamental method for language acquisition and vocabulary improvement, and also a common hobby among our team. For instance, Olha subscribed to Harvard Business Review and reads their issue once a week, while most of the team members prefer to read their favorite books in English. Tetiana follows this practice and shares her experience:
“I’m attempting to read the Harry Potter series in the original. It helps because I know the story almost by heart. I would call it a way of re-reading my favorite books in English.”
Choosing books, like selecting TV series, is quite personal, and there’s no universally appealing recommendation. Still, here are some insightful tips from our Staff Writer Romana:
“While classics are a popular choice, their vocabulary can be outdated. Instead of choosing classic stories, consider contemporary literature that uses modern language. Also, opt for a full book in a genre you truly enjoy, as it is more likely to keep you engaged and motivated to finish it.”
When looking for recommendations on leisure reading, I turned to our COO, Uliana, a great book lover. Uliana suggests a gradual progression from easier to more challenging reads based on vocabulary and suggested several books to start with.
“Neil Gaiman’s works like ‘The Graveyard Book’ and ‘Coraline’ are easy and feature modern language. J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ is an easy read, too, as the author doesn’t use any complex universe descriptions. Bernard Cornwell’s ‘The Saxon Chronicles,’ a series of historical novels, delves into the 9th-10th centuries and incorporates historicisms, so may be challenging. Lastly, Brendon Sanderson’s ‘The Stormlight Archive,’ a yet unfinished epic fantasy series, introduces many invented words due to its entirely fictional universe, and potentially poses a challenge for those with limited vocabulary.”
A Mixed Bag: Personal Tricks
During our discussion with colleagues, I realized two things: first, we each have different approaches, and second, each person’s unique strategy contributes to our collective learning experience.
Oleksandr, our Director of Engineering, believes in the philosophy of learning hard and breaking through barriers as the only path to skill acquisition. On the flip side, Uliana, our COO seamlessly combines learning English with leisure, advocating for curiosity and the occasional urge to Google for answers.
Here I’ve gathered a bunch of diverse recommendations from our colleagues that help them in language learning:
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Tetiana embraces the power of association to learn words, using familiar words to connect with new ones. She also relies on humor, incorporating memes into her English learning routine.
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Olha googles unknown words immediately, focusing on understanding meanings rather than translation. She maintains a digital vocabulary notebook, records new words, and strives to repeat and learn them.
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Halyna recommends ‘Making Sense of Phrasal Verbs’ by Martin Shovel for broadening vocabulary.
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For unconventional and unfamiliar words, Stepan recommends checking out Urban Dictionary, an online resource that provides a contemporary and colloquial understanding of words and phrases.
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A couple of us go with switching all the devices to English. Despite the occasional challenge in finding configurations, this practice significantly contributes to expanding the vocabulary.
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Olha attends a speaking club weekly and engages with a tutor. Tetiana also dedicates two sessions a week to tutor-led learning.
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Andrii, our Test Automation Engineer, advocates for direct communication with native speakers in a professional setting as the best way to learn.
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Romana offers a unique technique for improving pronunciation – ”shadowing”. By attempting to replicate the pronunciation of native speakers, one can refine their pronunciation and learn English intonation patterns.
Speaking from Experience: Author’s Two Cents
I agree with our colleagues’ advice, especially when it comes to leisure English, be it movies, books, music, or games.
Music, in particular, holds a nostalgic charm for me. In the past, before the convenience of the home internet, I had to listen attentively to a favorite English song, attempting to transcribe the lyrics even if half the words were unfamiliar, and the other half remained incomprehensible. It often resulted in amusing made-up English words.
For a laid-back language-learning experience, I often watch YouTube channels such as @MovieFlame or those that transform Reddit stories into video content.
I also use games as a way to learn indirectly. They provide opportunities to learn language by interacting with interfaces, gameplay, and engaging with global gaming communities. My favorite ones are interactive simulations, such as Choices and Episode, where your choices shape the plot, offering an experience similar to reading an animated comic in English.
To sum it all up
Mastering English is a journey filled with diverse resources and approaches. At DreamProIT, we believe that combining movies, books, online platforms, and personal tips creates a comprehensive and enjoyable language-learning experience. As you embark on your English language journey, remember to explore various tools and find what works best for you.