Learning any language takes a lot of time and dedication. Grammar and vocabulary, it turns out, are the easiest things to learn. We all get our lessons at school and graduate with a good knowledge of English grammar and a fairly healthy amount of vocabulary, however, when it comes to using it in the real world it is often difficult to make our meaning clear and express ourselves as we would like. There are many techniques to improve language skills and I am including here the 10 things that I think are the most important. Hope this list helps you on your way.
Relax! The more nervous you become when trying to speak a foreign language, the more jumbled your message will become. Nobody expects perfection, and the idea is just to have fun and make yourself understood any way you can. So take a deep breath and talk on.
Use a Voice Translator app: When you really need to make yourself understood speak your language into your phone and Voila, It’s translated into English! (or any other language you choose.) There’s a variety of apps to choose from and many of them are completely free. These can be a real life saver in an emergency.
Use the KISS* rule: Don’t try to express everything you feel or want to say. Look for a very simplified way of saying what is needed to get your point across. At first you’ll feel like a child and it can be frustrating to not be able to express yourself well, but it will be much easier for the listener and people are less likely to become inpatient with you. Trust the process, and in time you will be completely fluent.
Be flexible: Can’t find the right word? Or the word you want to say is too hard to pronounce? Try substituting for something simpler. There are many ways to say things, if you are translating directly from your language, chances are you are over complicating things. Try to learn several words to express the same thing.
Sing: Song lyrics can be very helpful when learning English. Everyone loves to sing, even if it’s only in the shower. Take the time to memorize the lyrics to your favorite songs and sing them whenever you can. This will help you with pronunciation and it also helps lower the fear of speaking.
Read Picture Books:
Practice Vocal Exercises to warm up:
Pay special attention to the sounds of the short vowels:
Play video clips of popular shows and try to copy pronunciation and intonation:
Record your voice on your phone and let it type out your message: If Whatsapp can’t understand your pronunciation it will type it incorrectly. Then you’ll know exactly what you need to work on.
Memorize common sayings and frequently used phrases: By practicing these until they become second nature you will sound very confident when speaking.
Keep It Super Simple!