To be fully proficient and fluent in a language, one needs to master reading, writing, listening and speaking in that language. Out of the 4 attributes, speaking is arguably the hardest as it requires one to think on their feet. You’re not given the ample time to think of the proper answer that is grammatically and syntactically correct, especially if you’re new to the language. Furthermore, you’re not able to hide away to recollect yourself if you make a mistake in real-time.

To ameliorate your anxiety over speaking, we’ve gathered a few tips that are bound to improve your confidence!

Enrol In A Language Class

On top of having an experienced tutor to guide you, you’d want to be in an immersive environment that requires you to actively use the language. Being amongst your peers will give you an avenue to engage and discuss ideas and opinions in the language, and at the same mastery level. Furthermore, you won’t need to be too embarrassed when you make a mistake, as the other students are there to also learn. Consciously forming words and sentences on the go may be rather tricky at first, but as time goes by, you’d be more comfortable and confident speaking!

If you’re hoping to gain a certification, enrolling in a language class is prudent. For instance, if you wish to expand your career options to overseas, an IELTS certification will automatically give you a competitive advantage that other applicants may not have. Thus, you’d want to enrol in an IELTS preparation course as it’ll give you a rundown on the exam and what is required to score. Thus, having a clear goal in mind will further streamline your learning and you can focus on achieving the level of fluency needed to ace the exam.

Learn To Listen

When you’re engaging in a discourse with another person, the conversation will not be one-sided. Learning to speak and communicate isn’t complete if you don’t learn how to listen. It may sound rather simple, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t have the skills to do so! Some native speakers can’t communicate well in their own language just because they don’t listen.

By listening, it’s not a matter of just hearing the words that come out of one’s mouth. You’d need to actively register and engage with your conversation partner, and comprehend the messages that go behind whatever they’re saying. You’ll need to understand the point of each conversation and deduce the underlying meaning. Of course, this is ultimately challenging for those that just picked up a foreign language, so start by being present and making an effort to actively listen!

Be Self-Aware

When you’re speaking in a foreign language for the first few times, it’ll feel rather awkward and stiff. As a starting point, you may want to record yourself speaking. Trust us when we tell you that you’ll be surprised when you first listen to the recording. You may come to notice the filler words that you unconsciously sprinkle in the sentences, the slight accent and even your poor enunciation and pronunciation of certain words. By being aware of your own talking habits, you’ll be able to correct your mistakes and be one step closer to be an eloquent and articulate speaker.

At English Explorer, we are determined to help you master the attributes needed to fully master the English language. Learn English online with our online classes and you’d be surprised how fast your speaking skills will exponentially improve!