Saturday, November 20, 2010
Study Tip: How to Speak English Fluently, Part 1
These are the most common questions I am asked! Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question.
The fastest way to learn English is to move to an English-speaking country and go to school or work with native speakers.
If you are serious about learning a language, take any opportunity you can to spend time in an English-speaking country (for a long period of time, not just one or two weeks).
For many people, however, this is not possible!
If you can’t go to an English-speaking country, you need to recreate an English-speaking environment as much as possible!
- When you get up in the morning, listen to an English radio station, watch an English TV channel, or read an English newspaper.
- On your way to work, listen to English music, English podcasts, or English radio stations (in your car or on your phone)
- Speak English to everyone and everything: your family, children, friends, co-workers (if possible), pets, plants…
- After work, watch English TV shows and movies (it’s OK to watch with English subtitles if you need to!)
- Write something in English! Even if you only write one sentence a day, this will help you focus and ‘think’ in English. Write it in a diary. Start your own blog. Use Twitter, Facebook or MyEC. Just start!
- Do you like to cook? Use English cookbooks.
- Do you like clothes and fashion? Read English fashion magazines.
- Do you like to know what’s going on in your country? Look for English newspapers and magazines that talk about local or national issues in your part of the world.
- Use an English day planner or calendar (or set your phone/email calendars to ‘English’)
The more you listen to and read English, the more comfortable you become with it and the easier it is to remember new words. You get used to the sounds of English and you can imitate them when you speak!
7 comments:
雅憲 said…
I’m not god at speaking even when I speak in Japanese-my mother tongue. To say the truth, I feel difficulty in making human relationships in my daily life.
But I like reading and writing. Is there any good book written in English to improve my introverted character?
P.S. I began to read “Anne of green gables.”
Teacher Melanie said…
Hello 雅憲,
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment! I love ‘Anne of Green Gables’! In Canada, the ‘Anne’ series of books were made into popular TV movies.
In English, there is a genre of books called ‘self-help’ books – pschology books to help people with their problems. You may find some of them useful:
“How to Win Friends and Influence People” – Dale Carnegie
“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” – Stephen Covey
Here are some others on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/bestsellers/books/942404/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_3_3
I hope this helps!
Melanie
= )
雅憲 said…
Thank you for your kindness. I’ll read some of these books. You can pronounce 雅憲 as ”Masanori.” See you!
Teacher Melanie said…
It’s nice to meet you Masanori!
= )
Luana just of my personality said…
Hello Melanie, How are you?
I’m a Brazilian girl and I appreciated your advices, I try to do some things in your list, but is hard…I think the best way for I to learn English is to go to English-speaking country.
Thank you again….Have a good week Melanie!
sihtisham_haq said…
thank u very much it’ll really help.
Teacher Melanie said…
Hi, Luana!
I agree that the best way to learn English is to go to an English-speaking country, but only if you are surrounded by native speakers and only if it is for a long period of time! It doesn’t help if you go to an English-speaking country and are surrounded by non-native speakers, or if you only go for a short time.
Try to recreate an English-speaking environment at home as much as possible! Every little bit helps.
Good luck!
Melanie
= )
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