SMART Goals to Improve Your English Learning

SMART目标来提高您的英语学习

Hi, I’m Oli.

嗨，我是Oli。

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

欢迎来到Oxford Online English！

In this lesson, you’re going to learn about setting goals for yourself in your English

在本节课程里，您会学到为自己的 英语学习设定目标，

studies, and how it can help you to learn English faster.

以及它如何帮助您更快地学习英语。

Setting goals?

设定目标？

What’s that got to do with English?

那和英语有什么关系？

Actually, it’s incredibly important.

实际上，它是难以置信地重要。

Mistakes with goal setting are a big reason why English learners don’t reach their goals.

设定目标错误是英语学生为什么没有 达到他们的目标的一个很大的理由。

When we meet new students at OOE, the first thing we do is talk about goals and help students

当我们在OOE遇到新学生，我们 做的第一件事情是谈论目标，

set clear study targets.

并帮学生设定明确的学习目标。

We often hear students say things like:

我们通常听到学生们说些事情，像是：

“I want to be fluent in English.”

“I want to be fluent in English.”

“I want to speak English like a native speaker.”

“I want to speak English like a native speaker.”

“I want to speak without making pronunciation or grammar mistakes.”

“I want to speak without making pronunciation or grammar mistakes.”

Here’s the thing: these goals are no good.

这里是问题所在：这些目标不好。

If you say things like this, you’ll create problems for yourself.

如果您的目标像是这样， 您会给自己找麻烦。

Let’s think about why that is.

我们想想那是为什么。

Firstly, these goals are too big, and too unclear.

首先，这些目标太大， 太不明确了。

What does ‘fluent’ mean?

“fluent”意思是什么？

How will you know when you’re fluent in English?

您会怎样知道您什么时候 会英语流利？

Ask ten different people what ‘fluent’ means, and you’ll get ten different answers.

问十个不同的人“fluent”意思是什么， 您会得到十个不同的答案。

Because you have this goal which is huge and unclear, you don’t know where to start.

因为您有的这个目标太大、太不 明确了，您不知道从哪里开始。

You know you want to do something, but you don’t know what.

您知道您想做某些事情， 但是，您不知道是什么。

Even if you do make some progress, you don’t feel like you’re getting closer to what

即使您有了一些进步，您没有 感觉到您在接近

you want.

您想要的。

Then, you feel discouraged.

然后，您感到很泄气。

“Why can’t I learn English?”

“Why can’t I learn English?”

“Why is my English still so bad?”

“Why is my English still so bad?”

“Why am I spending all this time studying if my English isn’t getting better?”

“Why am I spending all this time studying if my English isn’t getting better?”

At this point, many people give up.

在这一点上，很多人放弃了。

But, it doesn’t have to be like this.

但是，那不必像是这样的。

There’s a better way: SMART goal setting.

有一个更好的方式：SMART目标设定。

SMART is an acronym; it stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, timebound.

SMART是首字母的缩写词； 它代表specific、 measurable、achievable、relevant、timebound。

To make progress in English, you need to think about your goals.

要在英语上取得进步， 您需要考虑您的目标。

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to set SMART goals, and how this can help you to

在本节课里，您会学到怎样设定SMART 目标，以及这可以怎样

learn English faster.

帮助您去更快地学习英语。

First, let’s look at SMART goals in more detail.

首先，看看SMART目标的更多细节。

The ‘s’ in SMART stands for ‘specific’.

SMART里的“s”是指“specific”。

Your goals need to be specific.

您的目标要是具体的。

“I want to speak English like a native” is not specific; “I want to be able to talk

“I want to speak English like a native” 不是具体的；“I want to be able to talk

about everyday topics without hesitating”, is better.

about everyday topics without hesitating”， 比较好一点。

“I want to improve my English grammar”—not specific enough.

“I want to improve my English grammar” — 不够具体。

“I want to learn how to use past verb forms accurately” is better.

“I want to learn how to use past verb forms accurately”更好。

Sometimes, you might need to talk to a teacher or an expert to help you make your goals specific.

有时，您也许需要和一位老师或一位专家 交谈，来帮助您让您的目标具体。

Alternatively, you might need to do some research to set specific goals.

或者，您也许要做一些研究 以设定具体目标。

‘M’ stands for ‘measurable’.

“M”是指“measurable”。

There needs to be a way you can check your progress.

必须有您可以检查 您的进步的办法。

So, here’s a better goal: “I want to be able to talk about five everyday topics for

所以，这里是一个更好的目标：“I want to be able to talk about five everyday topics for

one minute without hesitating.”

one minute without hesitating.”

‘A’ stands for ‘achievable’.

“A”代表“achievable”。

Your goal shouldn’t be too easy, but it also shouldn’t be too hard.

您的目标不能是太容易的， 但是，它也不能是太难的。

If you say something like, “I want to speak perfect English,” that isn’t achievable.

如果您像这样说： “I want to speak perfect English,”，那是不可实现的。

That doesn’t mean you can never do it, but it’s a goal which will take years—or decades—to

那不意味着您永远做不到那个，但是， 那是一个要花几年 — 或

reach.

几十年 — 来达成的目标。

You need a goal you can achieve in a relatively short time period.

您需要一个您能在一个相对较短的 时间期间内实现的目标。

So, if you have a bigger goal, like “I want to speak English fluently,” you need to

所以，如果您有一个比较大的目标， 像是“I want to speak English fluently,”，

break that goal into smaller, more achievable steps, like, “I want to be able to talk

您需要把目标分解成更小的、更可 实现的步骤。像是： “I want to be able to talk

about five everyday topics for one minute without hesitating.”

about five everyday topics for one minute without hesitating.”

Next is ‘R’, which stands for ‘relevant’.

接下来是“R”，它代表“relevant”。

This means that your English-learning goals need to connect with other parts of your life.

这意味着您的英语学习目标需要与 您的生活的其他部分相关联。

If you want to improve your pronunciation, think about why you need this.

如果您想改善您的发音， 考虑您为什么需要这个。

What will it help you to do?

它会帮助您做什么？

What will change in other areas of your life if your English pronunciation is better?

如果您的英语发音更好，在您的 生活的其他部分里什么会改变？

You need an answer to this, because it’s almost impossible to stay motivated if your

您对这要有一个答案，因为如果您的 学习没有改变您的

studies don’t make a difference in other parts of your life.

生活里的其他部分， 您几乎是不可能保持有动力的。

Finally, the ‘T’ stands for ‘timebound’.

最后，“T”代表“timebound”。

This means you need a time limit on your goal.

这意思是您需要在您的 目标上有一个时间限制。

You need to set a date where you can say, “I did this!” or “I didn’t do this…”

您需要设定一个您可以说“I did this!” 或“I didn’t do this…”的日期。

Hopefully, because your goals are specific, achievable and relevant, you’ll be able

希望是这样，因为您的目标是 具体的，可实现的和相关联的，

to say, “I did this!” more often than not!

您会更常说“I did this!”， 而不是说没有！

So, let’s add a time limit to our goal: Now you know what SMART goals are.

所以，我们对我们的目标添加一个时间 限制：现在您知道SMART目标是什么了。

Let’s look at how you can set yourself SMART goals to improve different areas of your English.

我们看看您怎样自己设定SMART目标， 来提升您的英语的不同领域。

Do you want to improve your English speaking?

您想要提高您的英语口语吗？

Of course you do!

当然，您要。

Everyone we meet wants to speak English better.

我们遇到的每一个人都想要 讲英语讲得更好。

Here’s something we often hear from students:

这里是一些我们常常从 学生们那里听到的：

“I want to express myself better.

“I want to express myself better.

I feel like I don’t have enough vocabulary when I speak English.”

I feel like I don’t have enough vocabulary when I speak English.”

Let’s make some SMART goals from this idea.

我们来为这个想法设定一些SMART目标。

First of all, what do you want to talk about?

首先，您想谈论什么？

Everyday topics, like your home, your family, or your hobbies?

日常主题，像是您的家、 您的家人或者您的喜好？

Or, do you want to talk about more abstract or poetic, like history, psychology, or love?

或者，您想谈一些更抽象的或 更诗意的，像是历史、心理学或爱？

Choose something.

选择某些事情。

Everyone’s different, so we can’t choose a topic for you, but choose one for yourself.

每个人是不同的，所以我们不能为您选择 一个主题，但是，您要自己选一个。

Next, make your goal measurable.

接下来，设定您的目标是可测定的。

Adding a time element is a good way to do this; for example:

添加一个时间元素是做 这个的好方式；例如：

“I want to be able to talk about Van Gogh’s life and paintings in detail for three minutes

“I want to be able to talk about Van Gogh’s life and paintings in detail for three minutes

without running out of words.”

without running out of words.”

Next, you need to ask yourself: is this achievable and relevant?

接下来，您需要自问：这是 可实现的并有关的吗？

Is this realistic for you, and does it connect to other areas of your life?

这对您来说是现实的吗，以及与 您的生活的其他领域有关联吗？

Looking at our example goal—talking about Van Gogh’s life and paintings—the answers

看看我们的目标例子 — 谈论梵高 的生活和油画 — 答案

will probably be ‘no’!

有可能是“no”！

That’s because it’s an example which we gave you.

那是因为那是我们 给您的一个事例。

But, when you make your own goals, you should ask yourself the same questions: is it realistic,

但是，当您制定自己的目标，您要自问 同一个问题·：那是现实的吗，

and does it connect to other areas of your life?

是有和您的生活的其他领域有关的吗？

If you don’t do this, you’ll waste time working towards goals which are unrealistic

如果您没有这样做，您会浪费 时间朝着不切实际的

or irrelevant.

和不相关的目标努力。

This will hurt your motivation.

这会减少您的动力。

Finally, you need to make your goal timebound; for example:

最后，您要制定您的目标的时间限制； 例如：

“By the end of this month, I want to be able to talk about Van Gogh’s life and paintings

“By the end of this month, I want to be able to talk about Van Gogh’s life and paintings

in detail for three minutes without running out of words.”

in detail for three minutes without running out of words.”

To reach your goal, you may need to set yourself additional, minor goals, such as:

要达到您的目标，您也许要自己设定 额外的、次要的目标，像是：

“By the end of this week, I will learn the English names of ten of Van Gogh’s paintings.”

“By the end of this week, I will learn the English names of ten of Van Gogh’s paintings.”

“By the end of next week, I will be able to describe ‘Sunflowers’ in detail, without

“By the end of next week, I will be able to describe ‘Sunflowers’ in detail, without

forgetting any words.”

forgetting any words.”

“By tomorrow, I will have read this English article about Van Gogh’s life, and I‘ll

“By tomorrow, I will have read this English article about Van Gogh’s life, and I‘ll

underline twenty words and phrases to learn.”

underline twenty words and phrases to learn.”

In this way, a big, vague goal becomes specific, and you have clear steps which you can follow

用这种方式，一个大的、模糊的目标 成为具体的，您有了您可以遵循

to make progress and improve.

以便取得进步和提高的清晰步骤。

Let’s do another example to see how you can use SMART goals to improve your English

我们来做另一个例子，来看看您 可以怎样使用SMART目标

pronunciation.

来提高您的英语发音。

Here’s something we often hear from students:

这里是一些我们常常从 学生们那里听到的：

“I want to sound more natural when I speak English.”

“I want to sound more natural when I speak English.”

Let’s see how you can take this goal and make it SMART.

我们看看您可以怎样设定 这个目标并让它SMART。

Especially with pronunciation and other linguistic knowledge, you might need some help to make

尤其是发音和其他语言学知识， 您或许需要一些帮助来让

your goal specific.

您的目标具体。

Often, when we teach people pronunciation, they need our help because they don’t really

通常，当我们教人们发音时，他们需要 我们的帮助，因为他们真的

know where to start.

不知道要从哪里开始。

If this is your situation, then you either need help from a teacher, or you need to do

如果您的情形是这样，那么, 您要么 需要一位老师的帮助，要么

your own research.

您要做您自己的研究。

You need to do something, because a goal like, “I want to sound more natural when I speak

您要做某些事情，因为，一个像 “I want to sound more natural when I speak

English,” isn’t enough.

English,” 这样的目标是不够的。

Let’s see how you could make this more specific:

我们来看看您可以怎样让这个更具体：

“I want to improve my intonation and stress in English, so that I sound more natural.”

“I want to improve my intonation and stress in English, so that I sound more natural.”

Maybe, for you, this will be different.

或许，对您来说，这会是不同的。

Maybe you need to learn more about consonant sounds, or long versus short vowels, or syllable

或许，您需要学有关辅音的音，或 长元音和短元音，或音节

stress, or something else.

重音，或某些其他的事情。

Whatever your goal, you still need to make it measurable.

无论您的目标是什么，您仍然 需要让它是可以测定的。

This is more difficult with pronunciation goals, but you still need to try.

这在发音目标上是更难的， 但是，您仍然要去试。

You could add something like:

您可以添加某些东西，像是：

“I want to study these five units from this pronunciation book on intonation and stress,

“I want to study these five units from this pronunciation book on intonation and stress,

and practice with the audio until it feels easy.”

and practice with the audio until it feels easy.”

Then, you need to ask yourself if your goal is achievable and relevant, like you do with

然后，您要自问您的目标是否是 可实现的和有关联的，就像

every goal.

您制定每一个目标一样。

Finally, set a time limit:

最后，设定一个时间限制：

“Within two weeks, I want to study these five units from this pronunciation book on

“Within two weeks, I want to study these five units from this pronunciation book on

intonation and stress, and practice with the audio until it feels easy.”

intonation and stress, and practice with the audio until it feels easy.”

Your time limits should always be as short as possible.

您的时间限制应当总是尽可能地短。

Can you see why?

您可以看出为什么吗？

You know what happens if you have a deadline far in the future?

如果您在远久的未来有一个 最后期限，您知道会发生什么吗？

You won’t do anything until the deadline is close.

您不会做任何事情， 直到最后期限接近了。

You need to feel that you don’t have enough time, so that you start working towards your

您需要感觉到您没有足够的时间， 这样您很快就开始朝着

goal sooner.

您的目标努力。

Let’s do one more example together, to see how SMART goals can help you to improve your

我们一起再做一个例子，来看看 SMART目标怎样能帮助

English grammar.

您去提高您的英语语法。

Again, let’s start with something we often hear from students:

同样，我们从我们常从学生们 那里听到的某些事情开始：

“I want to be more accurate in English, and make fewer mistakes when I speak or write.”

“I want to be more accurate in English, and make fewer mistakes when I speak or write.”

What should I do first?

首先我要做什么？

We hope you know the answer by now.

我们希望您现在知道答案。

Hopefully, you’re thinking, “That goal needs to be more specific!”

希望您在考虑 “That goal needs to be more specific!”

So, you need to know: what mistakes do you make now?

所以，您需要知道：您现在 犯了什么错误？

And, what exactly do you want to learn to improve your grammar?

以及，您确切地想要学什么 来提高您的语法？

Again, maybe you need some help at this point; you might need to find a teacher to show you

同样，或许您在这一点上需要一些 帮助；您也许要找一位老师来

where you make mistakes, and what you need to study.

告诉您您在哪里犯错了， 以及您需要学习什么。

Or, you can do your own research to find exactly what to focus on.

或者，您可以做您自己的研究， 来准确地找出要着重什么。

However you do it, you need to set a specific goal, like this:

然而，您做那个，您需要设定 一个具体的目标，像是这个：

“I want to understand the difference between the present perfect and the past simple.”

“I want to understand the difference between the present perfect and the past simple.”

“I want to learn how to write complex sentences, using relative clauses, conjunctions, and

“I want to learn how to write complex sentences, using relative clauses, conjunctions, and

adverbials.”

adverbials.”

“I want to make fewer mistakes with grammar I’ve known for years, like forgetting to

“I want to make fewer mistakes with grammar I’ve known for years, like forgetting to

add ‘s’ to a verb in the 3rd person present simple.”

add ‘s’ to a verb in the 3rd person present simple.”

Next, you need to make your goals measurable.

接下来，您要让您的目标是可测定的。

The best way to do this is in writing.

做这个的最好的方法是写下来。

For example, if you write something for your teacher, and your teacher shows you ten mistakes

例如，如果您写某些东西给您的 老师，您的老师告诉您十个

with the present perfect and past simple, your goal could be:

在现在完成式和过去简单式 上的错误，您的目标可以是：

“I want to write a 300-word essay with fewer than three mistakes involving the present

“I want to write a 300-word essay with fewer than three mistakes involving the present

perfect and past simple verb tenses.”

perfect and past simple verb tenses.”

What’s next?

接下来是什么？

You should know the answer to this question, too!

您也应当知道 这个问题的回答！

Hopefully, you remember that you need to ask yourself if your goal is achievable and relevant.

希望您记得您要自问是否您的 目标是可实现的和相关联的。

These are questions that only you can answer!

这些是只有您可以回答的问题！

Finally, set a time limit:

最后，设定一个时间限制：

“By the end of next week, I want to write a 300-word essay with fewer than three mistakes

“By the end of next week, I want to write a 300-word essay with fewer than three mistakes

involving the present perfect and past simple verb tenses.”

involving the present perfect and past simple verb tenses.”

Again, you might need to set minor goals to help you reach your major goal; for example:

同样，您可能要设定次要目标来 帮助您达到您的主要目标；例如：

“Today, I will study this unit on the present perfect tense, and repeat the exercises until

“Today, I will study this unit on the present perfect tense, and repeat the exercises until

I can get every answer correct.”

I can get every answer correct.”

“Tomorrow, I’ll review the mistakes I made in the last three things I wrote, and

“Tomorrow, I’ll review the mistakes I made in the last three things I wrote, and

make the mistakes into Quizlet cards, so that I can remember them.”

make the mistakes into Quizlet cards, so that I can remember them.”

This might seem like a lot of effort at the beginning, but it’s worth it.

这可能看上去像是在初期要努力很多， 但是，那是值得那样做的。

Once you get used to setting SMART goals, it’ll become more instinctive.

一旦您习惯去设定SMART目标， 那会成为更直觉的动作。

The clearer your goals, the more chance you’ll have to reach them and get what you want.

您的目标越明确，您就越有机会 实现它并获得您想要的。

If you get better at setting goals, you’ll feel a sense of progress.

如果您在设定目标上做得更好， 您会感到有进步的感觉。

This will give you motivation and confidence, which will make it easier to continue learning

这会给您让继续学习和 提高会更容易的

and improving.

动力和自信。

Now, we have a question for you: what’s your first SMART goal?

现在，我们有一个问题给您： 您的第一个SMART目标是什么？

Share it in the comments, and tell us if you made it or not!

在评论栏里分享它，并告诉 我们您实现了吗还是没有！

Remember that you can find many more of our free English lessons on our website: Oxford

记住您可以在我们的网站找到 更多的免费课程：

Online English dot com.

Oxford Online English dot com.

Thanks for watching!

感谢观看！

See you next time!

下次见！