Foreign programmers get more than 25% of programming jobs in the U.S., and many of them speak English as a second language. Perhaps, the only IT career where you can reach a certain level of success without strong English skills is computer science. Even in this case, however, you may need to use English in professional communication.
A good programmer with a mediocre level of English is still a good programmer. However, as you move forward in your career journey, strong English skills can make a big difference. Software developers and other IT professionals are required to know English at a decent level to land a job in a software development company. This way, companies can ensure effective communication between colleagues, so many people even need to take English proficiency exams, like TOEFL or IELTS.
Such tests often seem straightforward and simple, but the fact that you should complete written tasks makes them tricky. To pass such tests successfully, you should improve your English writing and make sure that your grammar is perfect. Although everyday communication with colleagues is less demanding, the nature of your job can also introduce some challenges because the tech industry has its specific jargon.
No matter what your goals are, it will be easier for you to improve your English skills if you follow our tips.
- Be confident
Although this piece of advice is not about the language itself, it’s nevertheless important. Many people get stuck in the learning process because they are simply afraid that they cannot do it. They lack confidence and feel anxious.
Of course, you may learn English slower than some of your friends or colleagues, but it shouldn’t damage your confidence and poison your motivation. If you’re a programmer, it means that you already know at least one programming language, and the chances are that you didn’t learn it overnight either. Any learning process takes some time and effort.
- Immerse yourself in English
You may have heard that it gets much easier to learn English after moving to an English-speaking country. The reason is that you immerse yourself in the new language. All the information that you consume is in English, and you can only use English for communication.
Of course, not everyone can move to the U.S., the U.K., Australia, or Canada. However, you can still immerse yourself in English at home if you change your content preferences. Read articles and news in English. Switch your language in Google to English, and use English every time you need to make a search. This way, you’ll learn much faster.
- Watch movies in English
Although binge-watching TV shows on Netflix won’t improve your formal writing skills, it certainly will help you better understand the language and improve your conversational English. If you make watching movies in English your habit, it will also be easier for you to start thinking in English instead of translating your thoughts from your native language. - Read more
Reading is crucial when it comes to learning languages. You should read as much as you can, and you should also make sure to choose the right reading materials. Any book in English will help you learn new words, but different types of content can be more or less useful for you. If you’re an IT professional, we recommend that you choose blogs and articles dedicated to your niche so that you’ll be able to immediately apply your knowledge in practice. - Start your own dictionary
Write down useful words and phrases. You may start a dictionary in a notebook or on your computer. The main thing is to get back to it regularly and to read the words from your list from time to time so that you can memorize them. Make sure to note not only the words but also the way they’re used in sentences, the context in which they are used, and their synonyms. - Use English in conversations
You won’t be able to study English effectively if you don’t use it interactively. Interaction is the main purpose of any language, after all. If you have English-speaking friends, switching to English in your conversations with them will be the best solution. However, even if you don’t know any native speakers, you can still talk to other people who learn English. - Set clear goals and practice
Practice makes perfect. No matter how many words you have in your personal dictionary and how often you read in English, you’ll only improve your skills if you speak and write in English as often as possible. To make the learning process more productive and effective, set clear goals. For example, you can learn one new word every day.
Wrapping Up
Many IT professionals need strong English skills because it’s the most popular language of communication in the tech world. Follow our tips to learn quicker and focus on the right aspects. Learning a new language takes some time and effort so you should be determined and you should also have enough practice.
