Some people assume that it can be harder to learn English as a new language when you are living in a country where English is not the native language. Whilst there are certainly some advantages of learning a language whilst living or even visiting a country that speaks it as a native tongue, it’s also not the only way to learn!

So here are five of the best ways to learn English if you live in Singapore.

Watch Films

Hey, who said that learning English couldn’t be fun? If you get down to your local library or video store then you should be able to find plenty of English language films – everything from weepy romantics to the latest explosion filled blockbuster. Start watching English Language films with the subtitles turned on to begin picking up both key words and phrases, and also to listen to how the language is spoken, and certain words pronounced.

Of course, in this day and age you don’t have to rent or buy physical copies of films, as many are available via TV streaming services, or even online.

Speaking of which…

Go Online

The Internet these days is a treasure trove of educational materials. Everything from the English language film we discussed above to course materials are available to view, purchase or download online.

If you are serious about learning English then please don not overlook this wonderful resource. As well as books and films you could also download audio such as podcasts from the Apple store.

If you are advanced enough you could download English language episodes that discuss things that interest you such as music, movies or sport. You can also find a number of excellent language courses, all recorded by qualified teachers and available for download immediately – and the best thing? They are completely free.

Find a Tutor

If you are serious about learning any language then hiring a professional to help can be a great move – and luckily there are plenty of excellent English Tutors available in Singapore.

You also need to decide how and where you will meet this tutor – do you do better in classroom environments for example, or would it better if they were to meet you for one on one, direct tuition? Luckily or you, in Singapore, there are plenty of options!

Read all about it!

One of the best – and most fun – ways to learn a new language is to immerse yourself into the culture that has borne it. When you are looking specifically at learning the language, then you should consider reading stories – books, magazines and even online articles – in English.

The great thing about reading a book to learn the language is, like watching a film, it’s fun! You could also tie in reading the book itself with downloading the book as an audio book and reading along. That way, the audio book can help you figure out any words you get suck on, as well as helping with pronunciation.

Practice with a friend

Even if you can’t get to an English speaking country, perhaps that country can come to you. Singapore is a very popular destination for westerners, so if you can find a native English speaker, chances are they will be happy to help you practice. They could in fact be looking for a partner to practice their Tamil or Malay with, so would be more than happy to trade languages for an afternoon!

Article contributed by Annabelle

Annabelle is part of the Content and Community team at SmileTutor, sharing valuable content to their community and beyond.

You can also check out our English lessons here at LessonsGoWhere!