Efficient and effective learning starts with acquiring good study habits. Once you develop theses good habits, you don’t even have to think about how to study. Learning becomes an easy part of your life! Here are 8 tips to improve your study habits especially for ESL students.

1. How to develop
good study
habits:
for ESL students

2. Efficient and effective learning starts with acquiring good
study habits. Once you develop theses good habits, you don’t
even have to think about how to study.
Learning becomes an easy part of your life!
LET’S GET STARTED!

3. 1. Work with your classmates/good friends to
encourage each other.
You will create more opportunities to use English. Also,
working together with your friends will encourage you all to
motivate each other and make your study time more
enjoyable. You will feel like you always have support even
when studying appears difficult or boring.

4. 2. Remind yourself why you wanted to learn English.
You will regain a sense of purpose and ambition when you
remember why you wanted to study English in the first place.
Imagine yourself using English and doing whatever you
wanted to do.

5. 3. Create a check list to cover the things that you
would like to achieve.
If you have multiple things that you need to do, create a to-
do list (in English!!), and crossoff each item as you
accomplish them.

6. 4. Don’t be afraid of being honest and say “I don’t
understand,” or ask questions.
If you are not good at asking questions, learn some question
sentence patterns first, and write down some simple formula
like “Excuse me, but what does “blank” mean?” or “Could
you explain it?”

7. 5. Use an alarm clock, cell-phone alarm or personal
schedule manager to remind you of what you need to do
and when you need to do it.
Also, set aside 10 to 15 minutes every day for specific ESL
activities like reading, writing, listening or speaking. Time
management is a very important part of study skills and a
good habit.

8. 6. Every day, set aside some review time, as little as
10 or 15 minutes.
Ask your classmates to quiz you on vocabulary or phrases
that you learned in class. Or, pick one or two words/phrases
from your class material every day and try using them.
Creating a habit of regularly reviewing class material is very,
very important. If you review, it will be easier for you to
follow the class content, and you won’t have to study as hard
before exams!

9. 7. Develop an interest in different fields by accepting
opportunities, and be curious about
everything and anything.
First, you can start learning words and expressions within the
field that you are interested in, for example, your hobby.
Then, expand your interest into something that’s related to
your hobby. In this way, you can gradually get more
knowledge of vocabulary and expressions in different fields.
If you focus too much on one field, your vocabulary will
become very limited.

10. 8. Find ways to enjoy life in the city you study in.
Interestingly, those students who really enjoy every aspect of
living in an English-speaking environment always learn the
language much faster. When you are having fun, you absorb
everything quickly and without difficulty. Try to find your
favourite or new activity, and accept new opportunities to
meet more people, see different things, and learn new ideas.