Sometimes it seems like we work very hard to improve, but we can't observe any progress. We hit a "learning plateau" and seem to stay the same.
If you are feeling frustrated about the pace of your improvement, there are two things you can do:
1) First, consider keeping an English diary. This can be a written diary, in a book or on a computer. Or this can be an oral diary, where you record your thoughts on tape. Your diary entries can be brief or long, but you should always try to communicate your thoughts and feelings as well as you can. As time passes, you can look pack at what you have written, and see the progress you have made.
2) Second, give yourself assignments in a new "domain." For example, if you usually read general English texts, set yourself reading assignments in a specific topic, for example French movies, Japanese kendo, the history of the telephone--- read two or three articles on the same topic. When you first read these, you will discover many new ideas and vocabulary words, but don't spend too much time looking up the meaning in the dictionary. Not at first. Try to guess the meaning based on the context. Later, you can look up words in a dictionary, and try to understand their usage.
By "exploring" these new domains you will find that you are highly motivated. You will feel "traction," like tires gripping the road when a car is building speed. And you will find that your oral English will also improve-- as your "English world" expands.
