Mistakes are a necessary part of the learning process. Embrace them.
To become a better speaker, embrace the learning process and start speaking, little by little.
Are you afraid to speak English?
Are you worried about making mistakes?
Are you worried about being judged?
Do you lack confidence?
If you answered yes to the questions above, you probably have very little English speaking practice. Am I right?
Confidence is built through successful practice.
Put Aside Your Fear
Learning any new skill takes practice. To become good at a sport or playing a musical instrument, we have to practice a lot. Speaking is a skill.
Your ability to use your instrument well, whether it is your body, your violin, or your voice, will improve with practice, practice, and more practice. There is nothing to be afraid of.
Mistakes are natural.
If you want to improve your English speaking ability, you must be brave and start speaking. You can get speaking practice to improve your speaking ability even without anyone to talk to.
With practice, you can:
- Gain confidence
- Improve your English fluency and communication skills
- Increase your vocabulary and knowledge of “real English“
- Improve your listening and communication skills
- Learn practical English and natural expressions
- Understand the connection between language and culture and why it’s important (Korean vs. English examples)
Off the Cuff: The Value of Mistakes
If you view this video on YouTube, you can see explanations of vocabulary and expressions in the description. I also explain some of the expressions during the video. Be sure to click on CC if you want accurate subtitles.
Expressions you’ll hear:
- to have a laugh at someone’s expense
- to be used to something
- to hold someone back
- to sink in
I also speak a little Korean in this video, so feel free to have a laugh at my expense!
Mistakes: An Important Part of the Process!
You will absolutely, 100% make mistakes. That is guaranteed.
3 Ways to Practice Speaking
1. Check out this video on learning how to think in English. Follow Emma’s advice to stop translating (“buffering”) and start thinking in English. By practicing a little each day, you’ll increase both your vocabulary recall and your ability to speak more fluently. You can also practice speaking English with Siri.
I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you decide to purchase a course I recommend. I only recommend products and services that I trust and wish I had created myself.
2. Connect with my affiliate Shayna over at Espresso English. Check out her reasonably priced speaking courses. She offers:
- Free samples
- 45 lessons per level
- Dialogues from daily life
- Opportunities to send in recordings of your speaking for feedback
3. Find someone to practice with. I’ve heard good things about iTalki. Find English teachers on italki.com.
Never stop learning!
~ Trey
