We know, we know – most people dislike hearing their voice recorded – but it’s actually an extremely beneficial way to improve your speaking! Hearing yourself on tape shows you things you might not realize (maybe you tend to speak quickly when nervous, swallow your “s’s” or mumble). (This is a great time to use tip 4, and prepare a list of questions and useful vocabulary to help you during your call!) 6. To feel more confident on the phone, start small with phone conversations with friends – then move on to more challenging calls like making appointments or inquiries. Why? Because on the phone, we can’t see the other person’s body language or watch their mouth move, both of which are tools that really help communication. Most people find phone conversations particularly challenging. Use the technique before going to pay a bill, eating at a restaurant, job interviews, making a complaint, or for any other situation that might make you anxious.
Are you going to the doctor’s? Before your appointment, research vocabulary relating to your condition and some common phrases you’ll probably need. Part of nervousness around speaking is the feeling of not knowing what to say. All this will provide more “meat” for you to use next time you practice. When listening and reading, find new and interesting expressions, slang terms and synonyms, write down this new material and look up anything you’re not familiar with. You need words in order to talk, right? Class time is great for learning vocabulary, but there are other ways you can increase yours: Watch movies, listen to music, the radio and to podcasts. How did it go? How much do you think you understood? How comfortable did you feel with that subject matter? Did you encounter any unknown words? The mere act of thinking about it in this way will increase your confidence for the next time you speak (and give your targeted things to work on, for example vocabulary you didn’t understand).
Reflect on your conversationsĪfter your conversation is over, take a moment to reflect. If you’re learning in your own country, increase your practice time by meeting your classmates after class, finding an language exchange partner or joining an online community of learners. Do you already live or study overseas? Take advantage of the thousands of native speakers in your immediate community, such as your friends, their families, your coworkers, classmates, employees at the coffee shops, supermarket, post-office and other places you visit. That would be too easy, right? Basically, the best way to speak better is to, well – speak! Commit to practicing often and with as many different people as possible. Let’s start right off by saying that there isn’t a magic pill for better speaking.
Just like improving your writing, listening or any other skill, there are techniques you can use to improve your spoken English in a targeted way.
#I LIKE TO MOVE IT MADAGASCAR SING ALONG DRIVERS#
When learning a foreign language, you’ll find yourself talking with all kinds of native speakers – your teacher, servers in restaurants, taxi drivers and your landlord, so it’s vital that you feel comfortable. When you ask a language student what their goals are, almost everyone says “improve my speaking”.
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