How My English Has Improved at AIU

I’m very happy to be a student at AIU (Akita International University). The main reason why I’m happy is my dream to learn English is coming true.

I arrived here last September. I can remember that tough time because I couldn’t understand either English or Japanese. I was frustrated and disappointed a lot of the time because homework was very difficult, so I spent too much time doing my homework. Also, I was lonely because I couldn’t communicate with people. I sometimes wondered why I was here. When I arrived here I didn’t know some English.

Even though I had studied English for 2 years in Mongolia, it was not enough to survive here. It was children’s English. I always worked with grammar stuff materials. Even then, my knowledge of grammar was poor.

Now, my English is much better and improved a lot. Also, I can speak, write, and read English. I can speak freely with my friends and teachers before I usually brought my Mongolian dictionary. If I want to debate in English I can. Besides, my reading ability improved a lot, and I can read quickly and understand clearly without dictionary before I read some topic again and again, but I couldn’t understand until I used a dictionary. I am amazed, and surprised when I communicate with someone in English. Moreover, my friends ask me, “How did I learn this much English?” They remember when I first came here.

The progress was not easy. I have been studying how to learn English intensely. During the winter and spring vacation while other students were sleeping and playing I studied English by myself. I envied them, but I had to learn.

To summarize, I realized to develop English using 3 effective ways to study at AIU. These ways are materials, strategies, and other people’s help.

First, I worked with the SAC’s (Self Access Center) materials which helped me a lot. There was a variety of useful books and DVDs. I worked there voluntarily during winter and spring vacation. While I was working in the SAC I used these books and DVDs. If I couldn’t have worked at SAC, I wouldn’t have learnt as much English because my materials weren’t good. Besides, I was watching every day’s TV news while I used SAC’s materials. The most useful materials I used were ABC’s news on TV and movies. In addition, I realized that when I watched the news it gave me vital information about what was going on around the world. It was very good activity not only to improve my English intensely but also to develop critically thinking. For example, during that time, most information was displayed about conflict between Iraq and USA’s. Before I watched this news, I had foggy imagination about what was going on in the Iraq. I surprised that there was a kind of war. Civilians were dying because of conflict between America’s military and Iraq rebellious opponents.

Good materials without good strategies and strategies without materials won’t do. Both are needed. I made schedules and plans and followed them. I designed those schedules not only me but also others who want to learn English quickly. When I was Professor Dave Ragan’s student I studied many useful strategies. Also, he taught us very useful strategies about how to learn intensively not only English but also other class. My classmates used book that titled Becoming a Master Student. This book is written about how to achieve our tasks, and many useful ideas and strategies are discussed in the book. Besides, I was surprised while I began to study the book because when I was studied at junior and high school I suddenly used this book’s ideas and strategies. I knew some strategies’ disadvantages before I started to use the book. Then, I took some strategies from the book, and I twisted mine. When I made a plan, I considered improving all skills, both input and output.

When I studied by myself I had many complicated questions, which I couldn’t answer, at that time I just wrote those questions down and took them to my teachers. They explained completely and clearly. In addition, I appreciate my EAP’s (English Academic Purpose) teachers, and I will never forget them. I’m a lucky man.

In conclusion, I believe my English has improved significantly during the last year. Now, I can give myself credit for this given to me by my teacher.