How to improve my English

You could for example:

1. Join English internet forums to improve reading and writing in English ( you already did, by joining Inside-Volley-forum )
2. Watch English tv-programms/series/soaps (on the internet)
3. Listen to English music/watch English clips at (for example) youtube
4. Search on the internet for language-courses Chinese <--> English

Quote from flyingdutchman

You could for example:

1. Join English internet forums to improve reading and writing in English ( you already did, by joining Inside-Volley-forum )
2. Watch English tv-programms/series/soaps (on the internet)
3. Listen to English music/watch English clips at (for example) youtube
4. Search on the internet for language-courses Chinese <--> English

As a student, studying English in school is very important. Thanks to my teachers, my English is quite average even though there are a lot of things that I still must learn .I was 14 too when I joined that great forum, and I must say reading the comments and writing something here really helped me to improve my English.

For example I watch american sitcom "Friends" (in english with english subtitles). It's availabe on youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…ndex=1&feature=plpp_video

OK, maybe I don't learn so much but at least I have some fun

All of the above (and I agree that watching some American TV series with English subtitles may be a real fun way of learning ). Plus, if you're patient enough, read a lot. Articles, books, whatever - there are even some pieces of literary classic rewritten in easier language, especially for learners of English. You probably won't understand everything, but do not get discouraged, just use a dictionary. Reading is the most efficient way of picking up new words, phrases and grammar rules.

At the beginning you should listen (with lyrics) and translate a lot of songs to improve your listening and translating skills. Watching tv series with sub will be the next step. When you want to learn or improve a new language you must study (no way out) the grammar and you should try to remember new words and the easy way is by translating songs...

I am a native-speaker, obviously. But what I found most important when learning other languages is making sure you have solid grammatical fundamentals. While it may not be the most exciting part of studying a language it is of utmost importance. Once you master the grammar you will add vocabulary as you have more and more contact with the language whether it be music, reading, television, etc.

You guys provided great tips indeed, but there is a certain one of them that I would refrain from suggesting to beginners. Listening to music is fun, but it's quite often a bad way to learn phrases, etc. Composers/song writers often try to "fit" in the rhythm and make deliberate mistakes to make the sounding/singing appropriate. Examples can be easily found, almost every second song. I would suggest listening to lyrics as a way to improve your based skills when you already have some background and can distinguish between right and wrong, but not as a way to start from scratch. My middle school teachers (I studied at a very good English Language Middle School in Bulgaria) were all people with a vast experience in teaching English and advised us not to pay attention to lyrics at all

Of course you must choose song written "well" not others...

Not only about English as foreign language, but also about any foreign language to you:
it depends on the foreign language where you'll use.

For example, if it is American English,
if you will be using in social communications, in daily life, among ordinary folks, find a Texasian girl on the chat and tell her keep speaking as if you are an American Texas boy.
If you will be using in a profession, say, in engineering field, find someone who will speak formal English with you.

I had farmer friends from USA and also engineers, their ways of talking are totally different as the formers speak informal and the latters speak formal languages and sometimes they don't understand each others but I understood the both. Technical English differs even in the same country, however, it isn't only about English, but, any other language. You are from China. Do you speak their speaking of medicine doctors? I guess you don't.. Although I can speak engineering technical English fluently, I can't even understand any English talk if it is about soccer, for ex. But, I can understand an American farmer who too may not understand soccer English like me.

So, it depends on where you'll use a foreign language you are learning. If dailylife english, don't talk with an American engineer, s/he won't use slangs etc when chatting with you, while you'll hear all kinds of slangs when chatting with an American rural girl.