This post gives you ways to develop your ability to Speak a new language well. What level of knowledge am I assuming you need to start this process? An intermediate one. But you could really use it at any level.
So! You know basic vocabulary. You know how to form correct – or mostly correct – sentences. Your pronunciation is accurate enough for you to be understood. You are also able to understand simple conversations. What can you do to improve your ability to speak efficiently and systematically?
1. Accept your level! You cannot speak faster or better than your actual knowledge and capacity allow. Be nice to yourself. You have done the best you could given your life circumstances. Of course, you could have done more; but you didn’t. Leave it at that! Any recriminations or critical judgements will seriously hamper your progress. Failures and lacks simply give us information about our next step.
2. When you speak, speak at your correct speed! By correct, I mean appropriate to your level and capacity. Would you rather speak bad French really fast or good French very slowly? Obvious when asked in this manner, isn’t it? So you might want to run a 4 minute mile, but if it takes you 8 minutes to cover the distance, it is the speed at which you will truly develop. What a relief! You don’t have to perform the impossible. Try the following experiment: try to speak your native language twice as fast as you normally do, and see what happens. Stammering, stumbling, bad diction. etc. You know when your speed is correct: you feel good. Stay there! 8 minute miles lead to 7 and 6 minute miles etc.
3. Be relaxed as you speak: If your speed is appropriate to your level, you should be able to breathe comfortably, keep your body relaxed and have a nice feeling inside (fun, satisfaction, sense of achievement, etc.). Whatever emotion you connect to an activity will automatically surface anytime you engage in the activity. So make sure you are feeling mostly happy every time you practice German or Russian. Train your body and your psyche to associate joy with your new language. It is not a positive thinking platitude. It will fundamentally determine the quality of your experience of the new language.
4. Speak in short logical units: This is probably the greatest open secret. In your own language, ……….. you break up ……… everything you say …….. in short logical units. Do the same when you practice speaking a new language. If … you … try … to …. speak… one … word … at … a time… you will not feel or sound good. You will also probably drive the natives crazy. Ifyoutrytospeakawholelongsentenceatonce,youwilldefinitelyforgetthebeginningbythetimeyoufinish!A beginner or intermediate student cannot physically compose a complex sentence on the fly and speak it. So… take your time …. and speak slowly … and deliberately. It will make…. a world of difference. You can speak the words of each unit fast if you want. Just do not rush the flow of the sentence beyond your capacity.
The final three are adjunct activities to the speaking process, but they are essential.
5. Keep studying grammar: you cannot express your thoughts if you don’t know how to phrase them in the new language.
6. Keep learning vocabulary.
7. Listen to native speakers live or on recordings as much as you can.
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