5 ways to track your English progress and keep you motivated
When I first started learning Spanish, I improved a lot very quickly and it was so exciting and motivating!
But, the better you get, the harder it is to see your progress. Sometimes I get really frustrated because it feels like my Spanish isn’t getting better.
Does this sound familiar? You’re really trying to improve your English but it feels like you are stuck. You’re never going to be ready for that exam!
To see your progress, you have to find ways to track it.
Here are five ideas:
Every time you hear or read a new word, phrase or structure and write it down… yes, that’s progress! You may not be able to use it yet, but the first step is noticing.
Mentally congratulate yourself when you use an expression or structure which is new to you or which you find difficult. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect. Making an effort to use something difficult is progress.
Think about a mistake that you used to make but you don’t anymore. It doesn’t matter how small, these small changes add up to make more significant progress over time.
Look back at your notebook (from six months ago, from last year or the last time you took a class) and notice the language you have learnt. Are there words and phrases you wrote down that now you can use? That’s progress!
If you haven’t got one already, get a notebook! (or a folder or a folder on your computer) It doesn’t matter what it is, but have ONE convenient place to keep all your notes for English. It helps you to review and also to be able to look back and see your progress!
In future, think about how you can track your progress – record yourself speaking, look back at notes, create flashcards in Quizlet or Memrise, keep a journal. And notice your achievements – even the small ones!
It’s important to keep yourself motivated when you’re learning English and especially if you’re preparing for a Cambridge exam. Being aware of your progress is really motivating!
If you’ve been thinking about doing Cambridge B2 First or C1 Advanced but never seem to find the right moment, maybe it’s time to see your progress and put you on the path to writing FCE or CAE on your CV!
