The Secret to Achieving a B2 to C2 Level of English.

The best-kept secret to learning English is not so much a secret, but either deliberately forgotten, badly taught, or misrepresented for their true importance.

This most important secret to learning a truly advanced level of English, in my opinion, and experience, is without a doubt Subliminal learning.

So what is subliminal learning? 

Subliminal learning is when we learn from our environment, when we learn outside of the classroom, or when we learn through general means. Subliminal learning occurs in many ways, but the two most common ways available to students who are not living in an English speaking country are:

1. Reading (A variety of extensive materials)

 

2. Listening (By watching television series, movies, documentaries ect)

As an English teacher who specializes in the teaching of Advanced English (B2 to C2 and above), ESP, International exams, and English teachers, I can assure you that the greatest tools for achieving a truly advanced level of proficiency in English always have been, and always will be reading and listening to everyday English.

Yes, grammar is important, Yes, writing is important, Yes, all skills in a language are important, but in this article, we are talking about the journey of language proficiency, the journey from B2 to C2, a journey that starts when students already have an upper-intermediate level of English and therefore needs to hone their skills and improve their overall knowledge.

What makes this learning journey difficult is the fact that in most places in the world, English is taught to a maximum of a B2, a level considered sufficient for most purposes, therefore, making the journey to C2 autonomous and difficult in most cases.

But what about those students who need or wish to prepare for a C1/C2 level exam, or who want to migrate to an English-speaking country or improve their professional credentials through English, what are their study options for achieving their goals?

In this article, I would like to outline the benefits of subliminal learning through reading and listening to television shows and movies and ways to make them not only easier to learn but interesting and/or fun for the student as well.

5 Stratagies For Successfully Mastering Advanced Vocabulary.

PART ONE: SUBLIMINAL LEARNING THROUGH READING

Reading, even slowly, is an extremely effective form of subliminal learning which exposes students to more sentences, grammar, context, and new vocabulary per minute than any other method. This is why students who read in a second language are able to speak more fluently than students who don’t, even if they have studied the same amount of classes because it essentially supports and feeds the brain with the correct language structures. 

Improve your English through Reading

Reading is a very active process. It is true that the writer does a lot of work, but the reader also has to work hard. When you read a text, you have to do some or all of these:

• imagine a scene in your head
• understand clearly what the writer is trying to say
• agree or disagree with the writer

Advantages of Reading

When you learn a language, listening, speaking, and writing is important, but reading can also be very helpful. There are many advantages associated with reading, including:

Learning Vocabulary in Context

You will usually encounter a wide and varied selection of new words when you read. If there are too many new words for you, then the level is too high and you should read something simpler. But if there are, say, a maximum of five new words per page, you will learn this vocabulary easily. You may not even need to use a dictionary because you can guess the meaning from the rest of the text and from the context. Not only do you learn new words, but you see them being used naturally.

A Model For Writing

When you read, it gives you a good example for writing. Texts that you read show you structures and expressions that you can use when you write.

Seeing "Correctly Structured" English

When people write, they usually use "correct" English with a proper grammatical structure. This is not always true when people speak. So, by reading you see and learn grammatical English naturally.

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Working At Your Own Speed

You can read as fast or as slowly as you like. You can read ten pages in 30 minutes, or take one hour to explore just one page. It doesn't matter. The choice is yours. You cannot easily do this when speaking or listening. This is one of the big advantages of reading because different people work at different speeds.

Personal Interest

If you choose something to read that you like, it can actually be interesting and enjoyable. For example, if you like to read about travel in your own language, why not read about travel in English? You will get information about travel and improve your English at the same time.

Professional Improvement

Today there are so many opportunities to improve your life professionally, yet most of them require some level of proficiency in English. Why not read manuals, search the internet for materials in pdf, or even buy books if that is possible and start learning your profession in English. This way, when opportunities arise, or the day comes when you are needed to use English as part of your job, then you will be prepared and able to reap the benefits.

Five Tips for Reading

Tip 1

Try to read at the right level, something that you can understand. If you need to continually stop to look in a dictionary, it won't be interesting for you and you will soon lose interest.

Make a note of new vocabulary. If there are four or five new words on a page, write them in your vocabulary book. But you don't have to write them while you read. Instead, try to guess their meaning as you read; mark them with a pen; then come back when you have finished reading to check in a dictionary and add them to your vocabulary book.

Using Phrasal Verbs Correctly in Advanced and Academic Writing.

Tip 2

A memory system, which is an effective way to learn vocabulary, should be a constant companion for every second language learner when reading. A memory system is a simple notebook that is set out in the following way...

1. Word
2. Parts of speech
3. Synonyms
4. Meaning
5 Three sentences

For each new word you encounter, write the word on the first line, on the next line whether it is a noun, verb, etc, then on the third line, a selection of synonyms, then the meaning, and finally, three sentences using the word in the context of the original reading activity.

By creating a memory system, you will separate the words from the original text thus giving them their own individual identity, and through this process, stamp them and their meaning into your memory.

Tip 3

Try to read regularly. For example, read for a short amount of time every day. Try to set aside a regular time each day to read and stick to it. For example, you could read for fifteen minutes when you go to bed, or when you get up, or at lunchtime, or even on the bus or train as you travel to or from work each day. Also, if you have children, and you wish to introduce them to English from an early age, try "Story telling" as a regular activity.

Tip 4

Be organized. Have everything ready:

• something to read
• a marker to highlight difficult words
• a dictionary
• your memory system
• a pen to write down the new words
  
  
  The 90 Essential Similies For Achieving a B2 to C2 Level of English
  
  
  

Tip 5

Read material or books that interest you. Choose a magazine or book about a subject that you like.

Things to Read

Newspapers

You can find English-language newspapers in all large cities around the world. Newspapers are interesting because they are about real life and the news. BUT they are not easy to read. Try reading newspapers if your level is intermediate or above.

Magazines

Some magazines are published weekly, some monthly. You can find English-language magazines in many large cities around the world. If you cannot find the magazine you want in your town, you may be able to order it for delivery. Many magazines have pictures that can help your understanding. You will need at least an intermediate level for most magazines, but a pre-intermediate level may be ok for some magazines.

Books

Books are divided mainly into:

• Non-fiction (history, biography, travel, cooking, etc)
• Fiction (stories and novels)

Some books are easier to read than others. It often depends on the author. Jon Cleary, for example, wrote in an easier style and with simpler vocabulary than Stephen King. You can buy books in specialized English-language bookshops, you may also be able to find some English-language books in public, school, or university libraries. If you are truly dedicated, have a credit card, and want to start your own home library at home, you can buy books online through various companies such as Amazon.

Short Stories

Short stories can be a good choice when learning a language because they are short. It's like reading a whole book in a few pages. You have all the excitement of a story in a book, but you only have to read 5,000 or 10,000 words. So you can quite quickly finish the story and feel that you have achieved something. 

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Readers

Readers are books, either physical or online, that are specially published to be easy to read. They are short and with simple vocabulary. They are usually available at different levels, so you should be able to find the right level for you. Many readers are stories by famous authors in a simple form. This is an excellent way for you to start practicing reading.

Consumer products

By "Consumer products", we mean any product that you can buy that has English writing on it. If you buy a box of foreign cookies or a new video camera, why not read the instructions in English? There are many such examples, and they all give you an opportunity to read real English:

Poetry

Poetry, for some people, can be difficult to interpret, especially when it is in a second language because of the style and vocabulary. If you like poetry, try reading some English-language poems. They may not be easy to understand, but if you practice regularly, you can usually get a good idea of what the poet is trying to say. 

Structured sequencing

This is the link to an article about improving English comprehension and proficiency through "Structured sequencing activities". It is extremely interesting and well worth considering.

PART TWO: SUBLIMINAL LEARNING THROUGH LISTENING.

In part two of this article, we will look at subliminal learning through watching television shows, documentaries, and movies, in a way, which in my opinion, is one of the most enjoyable for language learners.

Whether you are watching the cast of Friends half-heartedly ribbing each other week after week in the coffee shop, Charlie taking the micky out of his brother Allan in Two and a Half Men, exploring the wreck of the Titanic in National Geographic, Silvester Stalone rescuing the good guys in The Expendables, or Morgan Freeman saving the world as the President of the United States, television captures both our attention and our imagination.

How Does Watching English Television Improve Fluency?

No matter what your level of English is, learning a second language as complex as English can seem daunting. It is well known that our brains never forget a thing that they hear, see or experience meaning that when we watch television, our brains will absorb unlimited amounts of general information in English.

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Television shows are perfect for learning languages because they are based upon everyday general English including common expressions, slang, idioms, and phrasal verbs. They also cover the full variation in subjects and context, and these things combined make television one of the most effective, and enjoyable tools for learning a language.

Recent studies from the European Union show that people who watch non-native television shows gain improved skills in listening, reading, vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and comprehension.

Spending your free time watching foreign-language television combines learning with entertainment. Here’s how to get started:

1. Find an English-speaking TV show you enjoy. 
2. Watch the show while you read the subtitles in your native language.
3. Be sure to watch the episodes in sequence from beginning to end.
4. Once you finish, rewatch the show. 
5. If you already speak a second language, switch the show to second-language subtitles, and watch it again. 
6. Keep rewatching the show until you no longer need to depend on subtitles to understand it. 
7. By watching and rewatching episodes from beginning to end, you will gain deeper insight into English. 

So, no matter what show you watch, be it a crime show such as CSI, a comedy such as Big bang Theory, documentaries from Disney or Youtube, or the news and current affairs from CNN, your skills, and knowledge of English will progressively improve every day.

Good luck, good studying and I hope that you enjoy learning English whilst reading interesting books or watching your favorite shows on the television.

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