Many students ask us, “What is the best way to learn English?” That is a very difficult question because, of course, it depends on each student and their specific situation. However, there are some general steps and points you should consider when developing your English study plan. In the next few articles we will look at how to develop your plan.

Step 1: Find your true English level. Take a standardized test.

There are many ways to estimate a student’s English skills but generally our students are planning to study at university, so you should probably take one of the two common tests of English for academic purposes. 

The two most popular tests are IELTS and TOEFL iBT. Actually, I believe the new TOEFL iBT is the best test available because it includes a detailed interview, which helps assess a student’s speaking skills, and it was recently updated to include new vocabulary and topics. If you would like to learn more about these tests and where you can take those tests, please click on the links below.

IELTS
TOEF

Why is it important to take an English test?

It is very important to take an English test to learn precisely your level of English and how long it will take you to reach an acceptable level for studying at a university or college. After you have a score you can make a reasonable estimate about how long it will take you and then you can start to think about how to prepare for your next test. Without a current test score, you will be guessing about what to study and how long it will take.

In the next article, we will talk about different types of English courses. We will compare Online English Courses vs. Studying at an English School in Indonesia vs. Studying English in Canada.