if you want to improve your english naturally, automatically. make a small group with 3 or 4 friends on skype. you have topic for each week. all member prepare for that topic then discuss it on dated time. if you have the same opinion please let me know, my email is "06hoangvuhoaian@gamail.com. or you can ad my spype id “volatroicao” nice to be your friend
I suggest you first try our learning method at LingQ. I think you will find this quite effective. Just start LingQing, listening and reading.
I agree with Steve, here’s why: I belonged to a French speaking group that met weekly to talk, chat, etc., but my spoken French did not improve. (We were all sort of bumping into each other and beating up the language.) I did not have enough French to communicate with, and I did not understand what was being said to me most of the time because quite a few of us were beginners, some intermediate. Yet no one was fluent or even conversant in French! (That was the real problem.) I had a great time drinking coffee and laughing, sure, but I got no closer to the language. I realized that I have to build a foundation of familiarity first, that is to say, I need more exposure, more input. When I stopped attending the meetings and just focused on getting the French in me, I started to make tiny improvements naturally. I noticed this when I had to speak up in class. Sometimes a word or two would just came to me from my readings. I’m here again at LingQ with a new commitment to working with its methods of intense listening, intense reading, and with working with a tutor (or tutors) who is fluent in the language. I think that based on my prior experience of little success, I can now make a tremendous amount of progress, and big improvements with the method here if I put in the time and the effort. I think that groups are great when there are more ‘speakers’ than ‘learners’ who can naturally communicate–not the other way around. 
I agree Yvette. It is surprising how effective a little bit “lesson time” or deliberate learning can be, when combined with a lot of listening and reading.
I also agree that at least in the earlier stages, speaking with other learners is not helpful. Later on, once we are comfortable in the language, more speaking, including speaking with other advanced learners can be beneficial, in my experience.
Oh, anejame, I should tell you that I try other things, like reading aloud, and imitating the speaker, etc., but group work for learners has not been effective for me.
I also didn’t find speaking with other learners very helpful. As long as their level is the same or lower than mine- learning is not efficient.
One has to clarify the purpose of speaking at early stages- there can be some useful benefits, like realizing that “hey- I currently suck - I should practice/learn more” or simply gauge your level or show off to people who are even worse at a language than you.
I also found that repeating/reading out loud is much better than passively reading/listening it activates different parts of your head.
However, I do think that speaking to someone in a language you are learning every once in a while is useful (when beginning like once every few months - just to gauge your progress)
Oh, to add.
Language exam/test= BAD way to gauge your progress/overall proficiency
Speaking to a Native = GOOD.
i agee with you yuryithebest but it is difficult to see a native speaker who is willing to help.
yes anejame it is not easy, that’s why the LinqQ idea “tutoring for points” works.
I have found native speakers helpful, but the learner has to show some kind of an independent spirit - learning by spoonfeeding is not the best way to learn.
hello sanne.
in our language this expression is very common “no teacher no student”. i waste decade learning grammar rules. now i wonder what i say is english or an artifical sound. when i speak the native speaker understand maybe my english in ok. but when they talk together i understand nothing or they have problems with their english?
Junair,
Anejame’s native language is Vietnamese. Unless she has skills in another language offered here, she won’t be able to tutor. She could add material into into one of the libraries (if allowed by copyright) and earn points.
Vietnamese could be an important language for people in certain fields, but I don’t know how much demand there is for it here at LingQ.
I feel for people who want to learn English, but they can use the transcripts and podcasts without charge here even if they don’t tutor.
SanneT is right.
Vi7, I don’t understand why you have addressed your post to me. I just wanted to say, that in my experience it is really not so easy to find a native who would sustainable help you for free, unless you can help them in return. Practically, you can count on tutors and on good friends (if they are native) LingQ’s system is smart, that’s why it works, and points can be bought too.
Junair,
This is your post:
“yes anejame it is not easy, that’s why the LinqQ idea “tutoring for points” works.”
I addressed you because as LingQ is now, anejame is at a disadvantage here. She can’t participate as fully as you or I can because her language is not offered.
I see hints that LingQ may be opening up to more languages, and I welcome that.
I welcome that too of course!
anejame learns English, and LingQ now provides enough for it.
I’ll address the issue of buying points as well.
In some parts of Asia (not all, obviously), ten dollars is a lot of money. This sum is probably “nothing” to some Europeans and North Americans. Essentially, we can exchange our languages here and the price is reasonable for many of us.
If LingQ opens up to other languages and anejame becomes a tutor, it could be a wonderful thing for her.
The situation now is that anejame has addressed the members of LingQ repeatedly for help. How can we truly help her? I think it is best to offer practical help even if it means suggesting other websites until she can participate equally here.
I’m sure that my message will be missed by some and deemed counterproductive by others, but consider this: when there is real discussion, sometimes real ideas emerge and people who find this attractive may see LingQ as attractive as well. In addition, an active forum bumps up the number of people who come here.
Vi7 it depends on what part of europe you are talking about- in paris/britain sure, in Ukraine though, while not “huge” it’s about how much I spend when going to the grocery store (1 large bag of groceries)
I actually thought of that, yuriy. That’s why I wrote “some”. I agree with you.
And I agree totally that we should offer pointers to other websites which might be of additional help in view of anejame’s style of wanting to be helped. What about LiveMocha?
@anejame I can see that you know a lot of English. If you regard your years of learning grammar as wasted years, do not persist in asking grammar questions. (There are enough free ‘grammar guides’ available on the net if you really want to know what is ‘correct’; but remember that spoken English often does not follow the rules!)
I have learnt another saying which, I believe, originally came from the East : “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”.
Why don’t you listen again and again to the wonderful free material here on LingQ, your ears will get used to the conversations you hear! Good luck