How To Improve English Speaking Skills
Many students master the fine points of English
grammar but find themselves at a loss when it comes to actually having a
conversation with native speakers. In reality, the only way to develop fluency
in speaking is by huge amounts of listening, and then practicing. The following
are a few tips for improving English speaking skills. Don’t forget that
listening is the foundation for speaking!
Here are the ways to
inprove your English speaking skills!!!
1. Find an English-speaking
conversation partner
First
of all, it’s important to find native speakers to practice with. Students who
are living around many English speakers may be able to find informal
opportunities to chat with neighbors and local business people. Joining a club
or a volunteer organization can be a great way to get to know people
informally. If that isn’t an option, consider hiring a private tutor. A lot of
students find and meet with tutors online via tools like Skype or Google
Hangouts.
2. Make sure to listen as
well as speak
When
practicing with a native speaker, try to balance your listening and speaking.
It’s a good idea to prepare questions in advance so that the conversation will
flow back and forth. If your conversation partner asks you a question and you
answer at length, you can always turn the question back to your partner by
asking, “What do you think?” or “What about you?”
3. Record your conversation
practice
Recording
is a great way to get the maximum benefit from a conversation with a native
speaker. When you listen again, you can evaluate your own pronunciation and
notice areas where you need to improve. You can also review the content of the
conversation, take notes on new vocabulary or misunderstandings, and prepare
questions for the next meeting.
4. Surround yourself with
the english language
Another
way to improve your English speaking skills is to immerse yourself in English
as much as possible. Watch movies or TV in English, with subtitles if you need
them, and watch the same programs over and over. Most people find that they understand
more each time. Listening helps you become familiar with the rhythms and
intonations of English. Once the sounds are familiar, try imitating them.
5. Practice With Music and
Movies
Listen
to music in English and sing along. Music is one of the best tools for learning
intonation pronunciation. Listening to and singing songs might also help you
remember vocabulary and phrases (if the song is easy to understand), and it
will help you learn to pronounce English rhythm in a more natural way. By
unconsciously imitating the singer, you’ll learn to pronounce phrases the way
native speakers do. One good song for ESL or EFL students is “Tom’s Diner” by
Suzanne Vega because it uses simple language to describe everyday scenes and
actions. Movies are a much better choice for learning English. You’ll learn
vocabulary, idioms, slang, pronunciation, and listening by watching movies.
6. Read aloud
Reading
out loud is a great way to practice speaking when there are no conversation
partners available. Reading aloud gives you a chance to focus on pronunciation
and pacing without worrying about coming up with words. Make sure to practice
with material that you can understand. Some students find videos online that
have transcripts. Many TED talks, for example, include word-for word
transcripts of the talk. By reading aloud from a transcript, you can check your
pronunciation by listening to how the speaker says something.
7. Talk to yourself
Saying
your thoughts out loud or narrating your actions (“I am drinking coffee, and
now I’m going to open my book”) can be a very effective way to practice spoken
English. By talking to yourself, you can become more fluent in translating your
thoughts into spoken words. Practicing alone is also a low-pressure way to
practice, since no one will hear your mistakes.
Reference:
Hoge, 2017. How To Improve English Speaking Skills. Accessed on https://effortlessenglishclub.com/improve-english-speaking-skills
(online)
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