LETTER FROM HAPPY ENGLISH SCHOOL Sep 12th, 2022

It is getting a little cooler in the morning and in the evening and I sometimes hear crickets chirping at night these days. I also have spotted a dragonfly flying in my yard. We can see some signs of autumn; autumn will be here soon.

Sorry for the long break from issuing a new letter. I tested positive for the coronavirus and canceled some lessons during the quarantine period from the end of July to the beginning of August. My case was not serious, but I ended up resting and not doing much for a while even after the quarantine period. Now I am alive and kicking. Thank you for your concern about me and I am sorry for the inconvenience caused during the period.

I have found mimicking is one of the most important elements for learning English as well as trying to use the vocabulary words, idioms, phrases and English structures you have learned. You can improve your English pronunciation, intonation, fluency and even listening skills by repeating and imitating what you hear and trying to speak like the model, the person speaking.

I hope you will sound more like a native English speaker so that you can make yourself understood in English more. Therefore, I encourage you to do shadowing: to try to repeat any English you hear and say it at almost the same speed.

Shadowing makes us practice pronouncing English words and phrases, especially new words and phrases that take us some repetition to utter accurately. As a result, it is good for us to get into the habit of imitating not only new words and phrases but also those we already know as it is true that we sometimes say the words we know wrong,too. You will see how effective shadowing is. Professional interpreters also train themselves with shadowing.

秋の気配そこここにあるのを気づかされます。まだまだ日中は暑いですが、朝晩は結構涼しくなりました。

コロナで7月23日から8月4日まで、Beckyはお休みさせていただきました。その間出来なかったレッスンについてはは、レッスン料を返金させていただきますが、ご迷惑をかけて誠に申し訳ございませんでした。Becky以外のレッスンは滞りなはなかったと思います。

さて、英語の学習にはシャドウイングがつきものです。聞いた英語そのものを同じスピードですぐ繰り返すことで、発音やアクセント、イントネーション、流暢さが磨かれます。そしてリスニングも向上します。長い文章も言いやすくなります。何でも英語を聞いたら繰り返すことを習慣にしましょう。