1. Be willing to make mistakes.
    You don't want to do anything that will make you look foolish or stupid because of your ego. You might feel that mistakes make you look weak and unintelligent. But to learn English successfully, you must tell yourself that it's okay to make some mistakes. Mistakes are not signs of weakness or failure. They are natural; everyone makes mistakes. So when you make a mistake, just keep talking and don't worry about it.
  2. Make your mistakes work for you.
    When someone corrects you or tells you they don't understand you, try to remember your error. When people correct you, they are giving you useful information. For example, if you notice that people don't understand you when you use the /I/ and /r/ sounds in English, then you know you need to practice the sounds more. Make a list of errors you make. Try to notice them when you speak.

Strong Language Egos

If your score was 22 to 28, you are probably already a pretty good risk taker. You are not afraid of trying to use your English, and you don't mind too much if you make mistakes. You feel that mistakes are a natural part of learning, and if people correct you, you don't worry about it. You are quite confident in yourself and don't get anxious about speaking English.
Should you practice any strategies for better success? Here are some suggestions.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

  1. Make opportunities to use English outside the classroom.
    You may feel quite confident about speaking English in the classroom, but do you make opportunities to use English outside the classroom? If not, make sure you listen to English and speak English with other people, not just your classmates and teacher. Watch English TV or go to a movie; listen to English radio programs and English songs. Find people who speak English; don't talk only with people who speak your native language.
  2. Make your mistakes work for you.
    When someone corrects you or tells you they don't understand you, try to remember what your error was. When people correct you, they are giving you information about your English. For example, if you notice that people don't understand you when you use the /I/ and /r/ sounds in English, then you know you need to practice the sounds more. Make a list of errors you make. Try to notice them when you speak.

H. .Douglas Brown, Strategies for Success: A Practical Guide to Learning English (White Plains, NY. Pearson Education, 2002.) Reprinted by permission of Pearson Education.