I watch Netflix all day – Why is my English Communication still very poor? | Gradway

Watching Netflix is the new way of staying abreast with people across the globe and with their languages. And for non-native English speakers, it has emerged as the number one source of learning. But for many, the going keeps on getting tough when they find themselves unable to speak as fluently as a native speaker. If you are among the lot, read on to know the mistakes you might be committing unknowingly.

Are you on the appropriate difficulty level?

You might be choosing the wrong movie or series according to the trend rather than your need. If you’re a beginner, go for children or action movies that have fewer dialogues. A movie that seems to win an Emmy or Oscar would be your best fit for advanced learning.

Are you focusing on your goal?

Your main aim is to learn the language, not understand the plot. To avoid wasting your efforts in enjoying the movie, research about the movie in detail. It would guarantee a focussed learning session.

Are you relying too much on the subtitles?

Subtitles can be helpful, but relying on them forever wouldn’t do you any service. Chart out a strategy to use them. You can always watch a scene with no subtitles and then watch that part again with subtitles to make your progress report. Or, to save time, skim them after watching every scene.

Are you repeating after them?

Repeating the dialogues of your favorite characters would help you understand the nuances of the language and get a hold of their accent. There is nothing better than a fool-proof revision of your lessons.

Are you an active listener?

Netflix is always watched passively with the psyche of having a fun time. If you take it as a movie session and not as your class, you are doing it wrong. Also, pause and take notes to memorize.

Are you using the knowledge in your speech?

Watching Netflix and doing all of the above might improve your listening skills but not the speaking ones. For that, have you tried practicing it in your speech?

Are you processing your thoughts in English?

An interesting but weird fact is that our thoughts naturally get processed in our mother tongue. If you haven’t consciously started thinking in English since your Netflix learning sessions, you are doing it all wrong.