Learning How to Speak (again)
6.1 Method
he way most courses and teachers work can actually stop you speaking English. his is because they
teach you to write before they teach you to speak. When you try to speak you make sentences as if you
were going to write them. So you translate and create whole sentences in your head.
When you are in a conversation and have to respond quickly to keep the communication going the
more you try to create grammatically perfect sentences the more pressure (“arousal” or “anxiety”) you
experience.
All language learners need some time to absorb and get used to the basic patterns of communication in
the second language. It is OK not to talk and just to read and listen. he more you do this and the more
you understand of what you read and hear the better. his is how you get going and lay foundations
for speaking.
If you are a real beginner and have never studied English before the best thing you can do is to start
reading like a small child and get used to the sounds and patterns of very simple sentences. You don’t need
to know the rules (grammar) but if you really want something to be a bit clearer it is OK to look up the
rule or have someone explain it to you. But don’t just study grammar and expect it all to stick. It won’t.
Most English learners have had some exposure to English already and oten, because of the teaching
techniques used, have studied a lot of grammar already. If you have studied a lot of grammar it doesn’t
necessarily mean you can also speak comfortably.
In fact, the reverse is oten true and people who know a lot of grammar and can read and write fairly
well are still very low level speakers. Again, this is because they try to speak the way they write.
6.2 Correction
hrough most courses teachers correct students’ accuracy and pronunciation, oten in front of other
students in the class. his can cause problems because students who get very little opportunity to speak
anyway are faced with a severe test of their ability to speak accurately in front of all of their friends and
the teacher. Ask most students what was the scariest thing about their language lessons in school and
they will usually say “speaking in class”.
Download free eBooks at bookboon.com
I Still Can’t Speak English
16
Learning How to Speak (again)
Download free eBooks at bookboon.com
I Still Can’t Speak English
17
Learning How to Speak (again)
Everyone needs some correction, but the wrong kind of correction can be very damaging to conidence
and when damage has been done it is oten extremely hard to repair.
English Out here repairs this damage by preparing and enabling learners to have positive speaking
experiences, with non-teachers.
6.3 Personalization
Every conversation you have is unique and highly personalized. Even if you try to have exactly the
same conversation separately with three diferent people each conversation will be very diferent. he
only constant in each will be you. So if you record and listen to them again they will, naturally, be
personalized to you.
By recording your English Out here conversations and listening again you are creating an amazingly
personalized and super-interesting English course for your brain to learn from naturally.
6.4 Transparency
In a second language, especially when you are at the beginning, you need to get comfortable using the
main patterns of conversation. Oten these are the hardest things to grasp because they are deeply rooted
in the natural low of the language. Oten they involve grammatical rules that someone a long time ago
decided should only be taught at a higher level.
English Out here lessons sometimes give you bits of language and don’t explain them. hey are there
because that is how people speak and they help you get into a conversation in which you understand
the meaning of what is being discussed.
So, how do you make sure you can practice properly when you have the opportunity to speak with a
luent English speaker who is happy to help you? You prepare before you speak.
It is better to have lots of short similar conversations with lots of diferent people in which you, the
learner, are in control, than to have one long conversation in which you are not in control and end up
struggling for understanding and also struggle for something to say.
English Out here gives you more control of your practice and having fewer surprises lowers your level
of anxiety. When you are less anxious it makes it easier to speak.
Having three or four similar practice conversations with diferent people but based upon the same lesson
and language means that you will become less anxious each time you have a successful conversation and
your conidence will start to grow. his is very important to your development as an English speaker.
You will begin to enjoy using English.
6.1 Method
he way most courses and teachers work can actually stop you speaking English. his is because they
teach you to write before they teach you to speak. When you try to speak you make sentences as if you
were going to write them. So you translate and create whole sentences in your head.
When you are in a conversation and have to respond quickly to keep the communication going the
more you try to create grammatically perfect sentences the more pressure (“arousal” or “anxiety”) you
experience.
All language learners need some time to absorb and get used to the basic patterns of communication in
the second language. It is OK not to talk and just to read and listen. he more you do this and the more
you understand of what you read and hear the better. his is how you get going and lay foundations
for speaking.
If you are a real beginner and have never studied English before the best thing you can do is to start
reading like a small child and get used to the sounds and patterns of very simple sentences. You don’t need
to know the rules (grammar) but if you really want something to be a bit clearer it is OK to look up the
rule or have someone explain it to you. But don’t just study grammar and expect it all to stick. It won’t.
Most English learners have had some exposure to English already and oten, because of the teaching
techniques used, have studied a lot of grammar already. If you have studied a lot of grammar it doesn’t
necessarily mean you can also speak comfortably.
In fact, the reverse is oten true and people who know a lot of grammar and can read and write fairly
well are still very low level speakers. Again, this is because they try to speak the way they write.
6.2 Correction
hrough most courses teachers correct students’ accuracy and pronunciation, oten in front of other
students in the class. his can cause problems because students who get very little opportunity to speak
anyway are faced with a severe test of their ability to speak accurately in front of all of their friends and
the teacher. Ask most students what was the scariest thing about their language lessons in school and
they will usually say “speaking in class”.
Download free eBooks at bookboon.com
I Still Can’t Speak English
16
Learning How to Speak (again)
Download free eBooks at bookboon.com
I Still Can’t Speak English
17
Learning How to Speak (again)
Everyone needs some correction, but the wrong kind of correction can be very damaging to conidence
and when damage has been done it is oten extremely hard to repair.
English Out here repairs this damage by preparing and enabling learners to have positive speaking
experiences, with non-teachers.
6.3 Personalization
Every conversation you have is unique and highly personalized. Even if you try to have exactly the
same conversation separately with three diferent people each conversation will be very diferent. he
only constant in each will be you. So if you record and listen to them again they will, naturally, be
personalized to you.
By recording your English Out here conversations and listening again you are creating an amazingly
personalized and super-interesting English course for your brain to learn from naturally.
6.4 Transparency
In a second language, especially when you are at the beginning, you need to get comfortable using the
main patterns of conversation. Oten these are the hardest things to grasp because they are deeply rooted
in the natural low of the language. Oten they involve grammatical rules that someone a long time ago
decided should only be taught at a higher level.
English Out here lessons sometimes give you bits of language and don’t explain them. hey are there
because that is how people speak and they help you get into a conversation in which you understand
the meaning of what is being discussed.
So, how do you make sure you can practice properly when you have the opportunity to speak with a
luent English speaker who is happy to help you? You prepare before you speak.
It is better to have lots of short similar conversations with lots of diferent people in which you, the
learner, are in control, than to have one long conversation in which you are not in control and end up
struggling for understanding and also struggle for something to say.
English Out here gives you more control of your practice and having fewer surprises lowers your level
of anxiety. When you are less anxious it makes it easier to speak.
Having three or four similar practice conversations with diferent people but based upon the same lesson
and language means that you will become less anxious each time you have a successful conversation and
your conidence will start to grow. his is very important to your development as an English speaker.
You will begin to enjoy using English.
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