When we think about improving our English-speaking skills, we often focus on the basic capabilities one should have in order to speak fluently.
Those skills, such as vocabulary words, grammar, and pronunciation, are fundamental for speaking correctly. However, we should also pay attention to an additional ingredient that is essential to manifest those skills into actual speaking.
For most language learners, the most common thing holding them back from practicing their speaking is the fear of making mistakes. Especially for those who are attempting to speak English because it is considered the common global language, used by almost everyone, which allegedly everyone should know.
If you lack of confidence in your ability to speak English, here are a few tips for overcoming your fear:
1. Practice in front of the mirror - It might feel a bit strange at first, but hey, it is only you :) There is no reason to be ashamed. Think of a conversation you had earlier in the day in your native language, and then try replicating it into English.
2. Record yourself speaking - This is an excellent way to hear yourself and hopefully understand that your speaking is not as bad as you think. Additionally, you can identify your mistakes, work on them, and then try again. You can also try to combine it with the first idea (i.e., record yourself speaking in front of the mirror).
3. Realize that everyone makes mistakes - If you want to improve your speaking ability, you have to give yourself permission to make mistakes. That is probably one of the most challenging obstacles English learners face, but once they overcome this fear, they practice a lot more, and their speaking skills improve dramatically. Think about a time when you or one of your friends made a mistake in your native language. How bad did it bother you? Would it prevent you from speaking? Ultimately, mistakes are part of life, and everyone has their share.
4. Practice with an English-speaking partner - Several services offer an English-speaking companion you can talk to. This allows you open-ended conversations where you can practice your speaking skills in a shame-free environment. Unfortunately, prices range between $10 to $50 per hour, which is expensive for the average student. Unless you are planning to spend hundreds of dollars a month, this option won't allow you to practice with the frequency you need to make progress.
5. Talking with Lingos - O.k., so we are a little biased on this last tip, but it must be mentioned. For those who don’t know, Lingos is an AI-powered persona that you can speak with via voice messages on Facebook messenger. Lingos helps you learn new words, get feedback on grammar, role-playing language situations, etc. Unlike the expensive services mentioned above, Lingos is incredibly affordable and provides the
ultimate platform for practicing English without any fear (you can be sure that Lingos will never judge you).
Remember, the more you talk, the quicker you will gain confidence, and improve your English-speaking skills.
The Lingos team