Imagine transforming your daily routines into a powerful tool for mastering English. Habit stacking, the simple yet transformational technique of linking new habits to existing ones, can do just that. By integrating language practice into activities you already do, like brushing your teeth or commuting, you’ll find yourself learning English faster than ever before.
In this post, we’ll explore how habit stacking can turn your everyday moments into a language-learning powerhouse, making rapid progress not just possible, but inevitable. Ready to supercharge your English journey? Let’s dive in!
Importance of Daily Learning Routines
Consistent practice is crucial for mastering English. Research suggests that spaced learning (spreading your learning over time into short, frequent study sessions) helps you learn more effectively than studying for long periods of time less frequently.
Spaced learning prevents information overload, promotes long-term retention, and allows time for review and reinforcement to help with understanding.
Adult English learners face many challenges: balancing work and family life, working multiple jobs, carpooling kids around, attending family events. It’s difficult to attend 1-2 hour English classes multiple times a week. Short study sessions that can fit into your daily life and help you retain the information better are ideal for the busy adult English learners.
What is habit stacking?
Habit stacking is a simple way to build new habits by connecting them to habits you already do every day.
For example, if you brush your teeth every morning, you can add a new habit right after, like drinking a glass of water. This makes it easier to remember and stick to the new habit because it's connected to something you already do.
Designing Effective Daily Learning Routines
Identify Existing Habits
First, you need to identify your personal habits and routines. Here are some examples
drinking your morning coffee
brushing your teeth
commuting to work or school
eating breakfast, lunch or dinner
walking the dog
exercising
reading before bed
taking a shower or bath
Incorporating English Learning into Daily Habits
Next, incorporate English learning into your daily habits.
Morning Routine: drink morning coffee + read English newspaper
Commuting on Bus: sit on bus + review English flashcards on Quizlet
Exercise: put on running shoes + listen to English pop music on phone
Evening Routine: get in bed + complete 1 activity on USALearns.org
You can also add the English activity in the beginning or middle of your current habit.
Walking the dog: put on walking shoes + download & start English podcast + grab dog lease + leave the house
Evening Routine: complete 1 activity in English workbook + turn on Netflix
Practical Tips for Habit Stacking to Learn English
Starting Small
It's important to make these new English learning habits small and manageable.
For example, instead of having a goal of reading a chapter in your English book before lights out, focus on reading just one page or for just 2 minutes before turning off the lights to go to sleep. If you meet that goal, you can always keep reading.
Using Technology
Technology can be your best friend (convenient English apps and websites on your phone) or your worst enemy (mindless scrolling on Facebook and Instagram).
Use technology to your advantage. Most people almost always have their cell phone with them. So why not add an English app to your home screen so it is convenient to learn on-the-go and you see it as a reminder every time you pick up your phone.
You can also save a webpage like USALearns.org to your home screen just like an app for easy access, rather than going to your web browser and getting distracted.
Most English apps have built-in reminders and notifications that will send a push message to your phone to remind you to study. Set the notifications for a convenient study time so that you don't ignore them.
Accountability and Motivation
Finding a language partner or study group can hep you stay motivated and provide accountability for when you don't feel like studying. When I taught English in Japan, one year I went to my co-worker's neighboring apartment after dinner where I studied Japanese books left by previous teachers. Another year, a co-worker and I traveled by train and bus to attend Japanese classes together.
Another accountability option is to find a language exchange partner where you teach your partner your native language and your partner teaches you English. Make a plan to meet each week at the same day and time. Routines are also helpful.
Tracking progress and rewarding achievements improves motivation as well. Some apps like Duolingo and USALearns.org keeps track of your progress for you or you can make your own progress chart for the book or website that you are using. Find a method to works for you. Decide on the reward you want to achieve after reaching your goal.
Habit Stacking to Learn English: Next Steps
In short, habit stacking to learn English means linking a learning habit to an existing habit. Create your English learning habit stacks by following these steps:
Identify existing habits
Determine your English goal
Select a new English learning habit to stack
Track your progress
Start small and build momentum
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