New Year, New Goals: Resolutions for English Language Learners
We have made it to the end of 2019! It is time to establish new goals and make your New Year’s resolutions. Whether you are home for the holidays or stuck on campus during break, take some time to reflect on what you have accomplished and what you would like to do in 2020. What was your biggest accomplishment this year? What are you proud of the most? Is there a goal you did not meet? What would you like to improve on?
You may want to make goals for your personal life, like going to the gym more or taking more self-care time. If you have professional goals, you may want to volunteer, network, or intern this next year. What about academic goals? Perhaps you want to read more books or complete a research project. Goals help us focus, make progress, and give meaning.
If you are in the process of learning English, it is important to set some goals for yourself to be successful this next year. Here are some examples to help you get started:
- Read a new book every month.
- Watch a popular American (or other English) movie without subtitles once a week.
- Learn five new vocabulary words each week. Use the new words in conversation.
- Write about your day in English in a journal every night.
- Talk with a native English speaker at least once a week.
- Study English 30 minutes a day outside of class.
- Participate or volunteer in a campus activity once a month.
You can customize any of these goals by changing the numbers or time. However, make sure the goals will challenge you. If you find that your goals are not challenging enough, you can always set new ones. When making goals, make sure they follow the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting method.
S – Specific, M – Measurable, A – Attainable, R – Relevant, T – Time Based
This method will help you make goals that will develop your English skills. Check out this article from ELT-Connect.com about S.M.A.R.T. Goal Setting for Language Learners.
So what goals have you set for yourself for 2020? Let us know in the comments below!
