When I speak to a student for the first time I’m pretty confident that they are going to tell me that they want to improve their spoken English. It usually goes something like this:
I feel quite confident when I am reading and listening but when I talk I get nervous and can’t remember what I have learned. I find speaking English very difficult.
I feel that there are two reasons why the majority students say that spoken English is their main weakness: The first reason is that it is one of the hardest skills in English.
When speaking you have to put together all that you have learned in a cohesive and understandable way, reacting to the person you are speaking to as quickly as possible, while at the same time thinking about the correct pronunciation.
The second reason is that most students don’t practice this skill enough; practicing grammar through exercises, reading an article or watching a TV series in English is a lot easier to do.
This article is going to look at how you can improve your spoken English. If you following the advice of this article then you will start seeing improvements right away.
Put yourself Out There
Put yourself in situations where you have to speak English and don’t be afraid of speaking as it’s important to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to you.
This can be difficult mentally If you are naturally a shy person, or if you just feel embarrassed by your English, but it is important to remember that people are generally impressed with someone who can speak a foreign language and especially someone who is trying hard. Once you get over the initial embarrassment then speaking English starts to feel more natural.
Speaking is just like any other skill; the more you practice, the better you become. So put into practice what you have read or learned about in your lessons and use the English you know as often as possible.
Finding Opportunities to Speak English
Speaking English in natural situations is vital when wanting to improve your spoken English. It is a way for you to put everything into practice and give yourself the confidence in what you say. Learning a new word is one thing but using it in context in a real conversation gives you satisfaction, confidence that what you have learned is right and also helps you remember vocabulary and structures better for future use.
If you live in an English speaking country, or if you live somewhere that receives English speaking tourists, then you have ample opportunity to meet people and practice. Another way is to sign up for English lessons at your local institute or online and speak with your tutor and fellow students.
A language exchange is becoming more popular with students as it is a free and fun way to practice while meeting people from around the world. In a language exchange you will spend half the time speaking in English and half the time speaking in your language. Your partner is a native English speaker who wants to learn your native language. My Language Exchange and Polyglot are two websites where you can search for language partners.
Self-Learning
Although speaking naturally involves more than one person, you can learn the different skills involved on your own or together with your tutor. Here are some ideas:
Listen and Repeat
Drilling is a very productive way to improve your pronunciation and fluency. There are different audio courses, books and websites that are focused on listening and repeating exercises and drills. Most course books have many listening activities, and these can be used for drilling.
Audio courses are usually aimed at beginners but there are some good courses for the intermediate and advanced speakers. Through drilling you mimic the sounds of native English speakers, saying the words and phrases in the correct way.
Pronunciation Courses
Pronunciation courses will improve your spoken English quite dramatically. These courses will help you with your pronunciation, going through topics such as vowel and consonant sounds, intonation, linking words, stress patterns, relaxed pronunciation and more.
Knowing the correct pronunciation makes you sound a lot better and it also stops any hesitation from not knowing the correct way to say different words and phrases. Many online tutors offer pronunciation courses and there are also many dedicated books that go through these topics.
Read Out Loud and Record Your Voice
The next time you read any English text say the words verbally and record yourself. Reading out loud is a simple way to practice your spoken English and listening to your voice in English will help you notice any errors and mistakes that you make. This is a simple yet effective way to help you improve.
Sing in English
There are so many videos on websites such as Youtube where you can listen to a song in English while reading the lyrics. Choose your favorite songs, read the lyrics and then sing along. A good time to do this is at the start and end of your study session.
Start Online Lessons
Online English lessons have really taken off recently, with many students discovering the benefits of having your own private tutor. An English tutor will constantly give you feedback, using the best methods to improve your spoken English.
Taking lessons is a fun way to practice your English in a relaxed environment, feeling confident to use your English knowing that the feedback will be constructive for your learning.