Unleash Your Inner English Speaker: Essential Tools & Advice for Speaking Success

Tania Ceniccola

24 ott 2023Tempo di lettura: 6 min

Not being able to communicate is so frustrating!

I, instead, want you to feel comfortable and relaxed when speaking in English,

so here is some good advice for you to Unleash Your Inner Speaker!

Make sure you read my Practical Tips at the bottom of this page:

Chatbots

Not quite prepared to venture into interactions with human beings?

No need to worry. There are plenty of options on the web to help you become accustomed to the process – chatbots being the main one. These programs are designed to converse with you as if you were talking to a real person, but without the pressure of truly having to do so. You can pretend to type messages as if you're talking to another person and thus get ready for an actual conversation.

Another great idea for the shy ones is to talk to virtual assistants. What language do you use to communicate with Siri, Alexa, Google, Cortana, or any of your other virtual companions? English is the best way to get some real practice with speaking the language fluently and correctly. It also requires you to speak clearly and pronounce words correctly, so you get some much needed exercise in real-world communication.

Video Game Voice Chat

Do you enjoy playing video games on a PC or a console, such as Xbox or PlayStation? Good news! You already have some English-speaking acquaintances! Quite a lot of games come with a built-in voice chat now, so you can talk to people using a headset with a microphone. In fact, it can be simpler than conversing in the real world since nobody knows who you are. You don't have to worry about making mistakes because you don't have to talk to them again if you don't want to. Bear in mind that you may not learn perfect grammar from video game chat, but you will get to hear native speakers speak naturally. Some video games may be more ”aggressive” and thus imply less pleasant atmosphere and conversation. Nevertheless, there are lots of great gamers who would be happy to help you out and have a great time while you chat and play games.

Physical Meetings

Having a virtual chat buddy is convenient, but it is even more enjoyable to make a new friend in person. Put yourself in an English speaking environment if possible! Seek out a local group of individuals who share the same language and hobby as you, or find other people who want to learn English. You can take advantage of websites like Meetup to locate a group of people meeting near you. You can even find events for those who are looking to do language exchanges. In language exchanges, you will teach your native language to someone and they will give you English lessons. Of course, it is no professional solution, nonetheless it allows some good practice and gain of confidence.

Moreover, when planning to go to a place where English is the primary language, instead of reserving a hotel, try websites such as Airbnb or Couchsurfing. You will be able to meet and talk with real people, and maybe even make some new English-speaking friends.

Online Resources

BBC Learning English

This Free British English resource will never leave you feeling bored, as the lessons range from elementary to difficult and come in a variety of formats. The topics featured in the classes are often engaging, as they include regularly updated news stories. Additionally, there is a series on how to speak English in a natural way, as well as a podcast, “The English We Speak”, that discusses modern slang. Furthermore, there are pronunciation workshops that cover every sound in English. Furthermore, these lessons come with videos, transcripts, fill-in-the-blank quizzes, and grammar information. This is a must-have website as new material is added on a regular basis!

British Council

The British Council provides plenty of free resources for anyone looking to study English autonomously. With the subscription, you can access teacher-led lessons, audio clips, and more. Every month, new content is released to help you stay up to date with your skills. For those seeking a more interactive learning experience, there are also live classes where you can converse with other learners or be tutored one-on-one. You can work at your own pace and gain valuable communication skills for both social and professional situations.

EngVid

EngVid has an extensive collection of online courses that cover vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and more, with over a quarter of them being dedicated to speaking English. These lessons include topics such as courteous and professional English, how to converse about the weekend, and expressions to commend and motivate others. Typically, the free English courses take the form of a video where instructors explain concepts on a whiteboard, followed by a quiz to assess comprehension and a chat box for questions. The Resources subsection also offers a list of written lessons, such as 60+ words often used in conversation and 100+ basic business queries and responses.

FutureLearn

If you are looking to increase your ability to communicate in English for an examination, the British Council's FutureLearn platform offers a course tailored to the IELTS exam - the most commonly used test for assessing language proficiency across the world. You only need to commit three hours over three weeks to complete the course.

Tips for Speaking Better English

Now that you have the resources, be aware of the fact that you can seriously speed up the process of enhancing your communication skills with a few simple strategies : Utilize synonyms, related terms, and different sentence structures to improve your speech instantly. Also, take the time to practice regularly and seek out new ways to express yourself to help you become a more confident and capable speaker. Finally, do the following:

· Practice in front of a mirror or with a friend.

Become a master of verbal communication by practicing your words and body language in front of a mirror. Focus on your gestures, expressions, and posture. Invite a trusted friend or family member to provide constructive feedback on your progress.

· Use a pronunciation app and a voice recorder.

The English language has some peculiar regulations and the best method to determine a word's correct pronunciation is often to look it up in a dictionary. Additionally, there are apps that make use of voice recognition software and alert you if you are articulating it appropriately or not. Furthermore, you can record your own voice and listen back to it to assess your progress.

· Watch English content.

Immersing oneself in English culture via films or shows on Netflix or YouTube is an excellent way to increase one's understanding of the language. It can provide insight into nuances that may not be covered in grammar books, giving a fuller comprehension of the language.

· Choose an AB (accountability buddy).

To reach your goal of becoming a proficient speaker, it is essential to commit to hard work and dedication. Inform a friend or classmate that you are on a mission to improve your English speaking abilities, so they can keep track of your progress. Becoming a skilled English speaker overnight is, of course, not achievable - it is a long journey that necessitates lots of effort and dedication on your part. However, if you continue to practice and push yourself beyond your limits, you will eventually attain your desired outcome.

If you try these Tips & Tools , I am sure your speaking will improve!

If instead you are already trying, or have already tried similar approaches and they are not working, or have not worked for you,

you might be in need of a more personalized approach to address your specific learning necessities, as complex problems often become approachable when talked over with a real human being and a professional trainer.

If that’s the case, feel free to reach out to me anytime,

for information and support on how to improve your English

and finally Speak Readily without feeling overwhelmed.

Now that you’ve practiced reading, complete your training with a quick listening! ▶️ Check out these TED Talk videos! 🔝