Other methods
Many students do want to improve their English by all means. It’s self-evident that all of us like taking down notes when we are listening to the lectures given by teachers at school. But it’s not a correct way to speak good language. Can you learn swimming by standing at the edge of the pool and taking down the words spoken by the coach? You have to take the plunge, right? I seldom took notes when I was given lessons, but I would memorize them with my mouth, my mind and my ears. There is just one case I will take notes when I am doing my job as an interpreter for the Beijing municipal government and embassy. I still remember when I was interpreting for the ambassador from the Philippines, at which moment she was delivering the speech about 10 minutes at the Great Wall international conference. Hadn’t I taken the notice from the speaker, I don’t think I would have interpreted for her and won the applause from the officials. It is the same with language. Unless you use the language everyday, you will never know how good you are at it. Ask your friends who are good at English to help. Try to speak it as much as possible, and let them interrupt you whenever you make mistakes and ask them to correct you. Do not feel embarrassed to make mistakes, for that is the only way you will learn. Enjoy losing face and enjoy making mistakes because that is the way how the process of acquiring fluency a language occurs. Everyone may have made a lot of mistakes before getting a good grasp of mother tongue. The only difference now is that you are conscious of the mistakes. So ,do not be afraid of making mistakes.
Attitude that counts the most
If you do want to learn something well, you are supposed to have confidence and passion. I love playing piano , basketball and learning as well as being a teacher, to which I devote my whole interest , confidence and passion no matter how many mistakes I will encounter, how helpless , how hopeless and how far away for me to reach my final goal. I will never stop fighting for the betterment and improvement of myself and to be an all-grounded person equipped with knowledge and clear mindset. And that is why I hope all of you can be confident and passionate for what you have done and what you will be doing.
Finally, I want to say to my students and English lovers. Try to be confident and passionate in the journey of study and life, all you need is a will to learn and the initiative to begin. That done, it is simply a matter of time and effort!
I will always back you up and be with you!