How to Learn English Online: 8 Tips for Success

Take Advice from our In-house Experts on How to Learn English Online.

Learning English can be challenging, especially if you cannot attend a physical classroom. However, don’t let that stop you from achieving your goal of learning English. You can always try learning English online, as it has become more accessible. There are numerous digital resources available that offer a variety of tools and platforms to help learners master the language.

In this blog, we will provide a step-by-step guide on effectively learning English online, which can be useful alongside a language course in school, even if you only want to learn English. English is a global language that can provide you with countless personal and professional opportunities.

1. Set Clear Goals and Create a Plan

It’s important to define your goals before starting your English learning journey. Ask yourself whether you’re learning for academic purposes, career advancement, or personal enrichment. Setting clear objectives will help you choose the right resources and stay motivated.

Learning a new language can be daunting, especially if you do it alone. Having a strategy and plan is essential to have a clear sense of direction and break down the larger aim into smaller, more achievable tasks. This ensures success and allows you to track your progress and maintain a good pace.

One of the best ways to create a structured strategy for your online English learning goals is using SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, ambitious, realistic, and time-bound.

For instance, if your aim is to “improve your English online,” it’s vague and challenging. Using SMART goals, you can set a specific goal like “moving up one level of English in 12 weeks.”

If you’re interested in this method, you can find out your current level of English here.

2. Follow Online Guides from Reputable English Sources

The internet is full of content you can leverage to learn English online. Many established schools and English-learning platforms regularly post content related to how to learn English online with useful tips directly from the teachers.  Look for these articles and use the tips provided with your aims to help create SMART goals for each specific aim (for example, improving your vocabulary, learning grammar online, or developing your listening skills).

3. Utilise Language Learning Apps

If you want to learn English online, various online applications can be helpful. You can take advantage of practical apps to enhance your learning experience. The first step is to download a good dictionary app that allows you to save new words and offers a “word of the day” feature. You may also find an interactive phonemic chart beneficial for improving your pronunciation. Apps like Memrise can help you memorize new words, while Duolingo offers addictive games to practice grammar and vocabulary.

Using language learning apps such as Rosetta Stone, Memrise, and FluentU can help you practice English even on the go. These apps use gamification and interactive content to make learning enjoyable and help reinforce your vocabulary and grammar skills.

4. Reading Lifestyle Articles or News

Nowadays, people are doing most of their reading online. One way to increase your exposure to English is to follow news and lifestyle websites in English. Reading lifestyle articles on popular blogs or magazine websites is a good way to learn casual, natural language. You’ll read and learn about a variety of topics, elevate your reading skills and acquire new vocabulary in an effortless way.

5.  Watch Movies and Listen to Audiobooks

One of the easiest ways to learn English online is by watching movies or TV shows in English. Another less common way to learn English is by using audiobooks from YouTube to accompany an English book you might be reading. That way, you can listen to how the words are said and the natural flow of the sentence. When learning English way, it’s important to have language tasks and activities related to the content – you won’t just learn by watching and listening online.

6. Keep in touch with International Friends

Back in the pre-internet days, people used pen-friends to practice new languages. It’s a custom that’s alien to people in today’s age, but the concept behind it still holds ground. If you have any international connections, write to them in English to practice your writing skills.

7. Follow Relevant YouTube Channels

Learning English alone can be a solitary experience. Using YouTube allows you to get something similar to a classroom experience. There’s an endless collection of videos explaining grammar, teaching new vocabulary, exemplifying conversations and anything else you can dream of needing to do in English.

8. Engage in Online Language Exchange

Improve your English speaking and listening skills by connecting with native speakers through language exchange platforms like Tandem and HelloTalk. They’re great websites that allow you to practice conversational English with real people, making learning fun and interactive.

9. Join Online Language Communities

Participating in online forums and communities dedicated to language learning is a great way to get support, ask questions, share experiences, and receive feedback. Websites like Reddit’s r/EnglishLearning and language exchange forums provide a supportive environment for learners.

10. Take Advantage of social media

Following English-speaking influencers, language educators, and language learning accounts on social media is beneficial. Engage in discussions, ask questions, and learn from the community. Social media provides a dynamic and interactive way to immerse yourself in the language.

11. Monitor Your Progress

Regularly tracking your progress can help you stay motivated in your language-learning journey. Many online learning platforms offer progress-tracking features, so set milestones, celebrate achievements, and reassess your goals as you advance.

12. Register for Online English Lessons

Finally, you can learn English online with a certified teacher for the extra push. Having live sessions with a teacher offers benefits such as having a correction, focusing on accuracy issues you cannot notice on your own, and being exposed to weaknesses and how to overcome them. Also, when taking lessons at an official school, you can obtain a certification to prove your level of English – this is useful for job applications, getting promoted, entering universities, etc.

Ensuring the language teacher or school you choose is experienced, and well-established is essential. A quick Google search for English lessons will result in tens of pages when trying to learn English online. Unfortunately, there are a lot of scam websites that claim to offer lessons by professional teachers. Choosing the right English lessons online can make all the difference in your progress and the value of the certification.

Learn English Online with BELS – here’s why and how.

1. BELS is a legit English school in Malta and Gozo – …with plenty of accreditation and over 20 years of experience. While impostor websites can buy stock photos for bogus testimonials, they can’t fake accreditation and licences. With BELS, you can be assured that you’ll be assigned a qualified teacher for your online English lessons. During your first online English lesson, your teacher will conduct a needs analysis and plan a course accordingly. Whether you need help preparing for a job interview or college assignment, or just want to talk to someone, our teachers will plan lessons just for you.
2. You will gain access to various quality resources – As part of your online courses with BELS, your teacher will plan lessons using a variety of books and resources from esteemed publications in our library. This allows teachers to personalise lessons to maximise the learning outcome. Rather than just buying one book and being limited to the content of that one book, you will benefit from having the best parts of each book for your needs. Teachers scan book pages for online lessons and send students a soft copy. The same system is used to provide more content for homework and self-study.
3. We run internationally certified courses – At the end of your online courses with us, we will provide a certificate of attendance that includes all our accreditation and licenses. This is an internationally recognised and esteemed certificate.
4. The opportunity to travel to Malta and Gozo for an immersive learning experience – If you ever wish to take an English learning study trip, you can join our school in Malta to continue your course with your online teacher.

To learn more, write to us at [email protected].