SECTION THREE
SPEAKING
Get Motivated, get organized, get disciplined and Speak!
HOW TO PRACTICE SPEAKING
Language students often say: “I understand pretty well. I can read OK. But I can’t speak. I can’t say what I want and need to say!”
Here is a technique that really helps with this problem.
(I have taught it to many students and successfully used it myself with a number of languages.)
PRELIMINARIES
- To practice this technique, you first need to feel reasonably comfortable with your pronunciation. You need to be reasonably at ease saying and reading your new language.
- You also need to be quite familiar with the most important and recurring vocabulary: the words we use constantly (I, go, and, but, my etc.) Programs like Duolingo or first-year school textbooks will contain all this vocab. I am providing a link to a useful 625-word list you can use. (The list appears in the second half of the article.) https://blog.fluent-forever.com/base-vocabulary-list/
Having this base will allow you to practice smoothly and enjoyably. The more you practice in this way, the easier it will be for you to speak.
Once you pronounce reasonably well and are familiar with basic vocabulary, you are ready to begin.
The more you practice, the easier and the more natural it will become for you.
You will eventually be able to practice speaking at any time, without any effort or preparation.
You will finally be able to function flawlessly in your new language, as naturally as you do in your native language.
ROUTINE
Let’s establish a simple and automatic routine. This will work exactly like a gradual exercise program.
I suggest you commit yourself for six weeks or to a 100-day challenge.
You will practice for 15 minutes.
You can divide your practice into short 2 or 3-minute rounds.
If you like, use a timer. Speak as best as you can until the bell ring. Then stop.
Your job is simply to make sentences for that time.
Do the 15 minutes in one session or subdivide your time into 3 or more mini-sessions.
There are only 2 rules:
- Keep making sentences
- Relax
You will most likely make some mistakes. That’s OK. Do not worry.
(I intend to make a recording to help you understand how to do this if you need help.)
(Once upon a time) …… (there was a magician) ….. (who lived) ….. (in a forest.)
This is the way you want to structure your sentences.
Notice that I am subdividing each sentence into short logical units!
This is the secret.
It is a natural way to speak. It is the way we speak our native language: not word by word; not in long complicated sentences.
You also do this automatically when you read a story out loud to a small child.
The princess returned home ….. and ….. they lived ….. happily ever after.
WHAT’S IMPORTANT
As you practice, understand that flow and rhythm are at least as important as the words you are speaking.
When you have the recording (soon to be made available), go through it as many times as you want.
When you feel ready, do your best to do the same thing on your own.
- You can start by making a sentence in English and translating it. (The way the future recording will do it.)
- Once it becomes easier, you can speak directly in the new language: slowly, clearly and in short logical units.
- If you prefer, skip the translation step, and start making sentences right away.
Your story does not have to make sense. Make simple statements and connect them with words like : “but”, “therefore”, “if”.
MY PRACTICE STORY
Notice that my story does not particularly make sense. It is pure practice language.
It contains many words and constructions which we constantly use when we communicate.
To help you with memorizing your vocabulary, you are generating sentences containing the core words. (Keep the vocab list handy, if you like.)
Master these words. There are not many, and they are pure gold for you.
ON YOUR OWN
When you start out, you should practice with one subject at a time.
- I … I … I … I….
- I live in the city … and…. I work at night. I love vegetables… but… I don’t eat them. I watch television… with my friends… on the weekend… in the Spring. I drive my car… in the city… and… in the country. I drive fast… because… I am always late.
Or
- we … we …we.
- We eat in the morning …. But…. we sleep at night. We buy houses… in the city… and we sell them… to young people… with red hair. We never complain. We always laugh. We want to go… to Hawaii… next month. We need to buy… airline tickets… immediately. We will stay… in an airbnb. We will shop… in the city… and we will go… to the beach.
When you are comfortable making a story with one person, you can use two or more:
- I … she … I … we, etc.
- I love to sleep… but… she loves to run… She buys me diamonds… and… I buy her… red shoes. She loves shoes… because… she likes to run… with her friends… at night.
If the language you use has verb conjugations – like French, German or Hindi – it will help a lot to do this work one step at a time.
BABY STEPS.
Most people know the language information (vocab and grammar) 75-85% but they are unable to come up with it fast enough to communicate.
They may feel stuck or frustrated. Self-confidence may suffer.
The type of practice I suggest specifically works to remedy this problem.
To do it effectively, you must understand that it only about creating language. It is never about what you say.
A football player constantly practices running many patterns. If he does so effectively, he will be to use them in an actual game. This is exactly what you are doing.
Be smart about it and have fun practicing. Make up amusing or strange stories; or discuss things which are important to you.
Once you get used to the process, it is quite a bit of fun and extremely satisfying to do.
It also automatically tells you
- What you don’t know how to say (and want to).
- What vocab or grammar you need to learn.
- What pronunciation issues you feel.
PREPARATIONS
Decide what you will talk about (my trip to Hawaii in June, my view of the universe or my cousin’s volley ball tournament). Learn or review the vocab and the grammar you need to perform reasonably well.
You can make notes, have cue cards and prompts available.
Make it easy on yourself. Prepare the terrain.
If you want to run, you buy good shoes and you stretch. You pick a good time on a good day. You don’t run barefoot on thorns in 115 degree weather. Except for Steven.
Make mistakes, get stuck … but keep going.
You can record yourself if you like. It will reveal much to you when you listen to yourself. Be analytical and solution-seeking; not judgmental and critical.
Do an honest self-evaluation, and let it tell you what you need to do next.
SAMPLE SCRIPT
This would be a way of practicing these useful verbs: can, want, could, must, will, should, going to etc.
I want to work… in Australia… but… I want to live… in Europe. I don’t want to live… in Norway… because… I can’t speak Norwegian. I can’t speak Italian… so… I don’t want to live… in Italy. I need to buy a house… in Paris. I don’t need to buy… a big house. I want to buy… a small apartment. But first… I must buy a hat. I cannot live… in Paris… if I don’t have… a good hat. I could buy… a blue hat. I could steal… a green hat… but… I should not steal. I should eat vegetables… and… exercise every day.
Tonight… I want to sleep… but… I must work. I have a problem… I have to work… and… I have to sleep. If I sleep… I can’t work… and… if I work… I can’t sleep. Tomorrow… I will find an assistant. When I sleep… I won’t have to work.
Now… I can go… to Tucson. I must take a plane. I can’t drive… because… I need to arrive… at 8. Etc…..
Notice that the story doesn’t really make sense; but I am certainly practicing my verbs! I am practicing making well-constructed sentences. My body and my mouth are getting used to creating language.
Regardless of what you are saying, make it sound good, make it sound smooth. Keep speaking clearly and slowly.
MISTAKES AND NOT KNOWING
People worry they are making mistakes or being ignorant will somehow ruin their future progress.
Not true!
It’s OK not to know. The important thing is to decide what you want to learn that you don’t know.
You will definitely make mistakes or be unsure how to say something. Here is how to use this situation.
- Don’t worry about mistakes you are unaware of. (That will drive you mad.)
- If you make a mistake with something you feel is important, jot down a quick note. (for example: “Review past tense” or “need word for house”)
- If it seems unimportant, move on and forget it.
Speak. Do the best you can. Keep at it. Figure out what you need and what is missing.