1. SING ALONG
Singing something in the target language is a great way to practice pronunciation and make you get used to speaking that language. Even if at first you don’t really know what you are singing, it’s fine! Just tune into the language, enjoy the rhythm and sing. At first you will feel ridiculous, and awkward, but with time you will realise how this impacts your learning for the best. I know Italian friends who know Chinese and Korean from listening to songs in that language so I mean, it really works. The best part of this is that you can do it whenever you want, in your home, with friends, while you shower, you can put on a playlist while you make food or clean your house. So yes, the possibilities are endless. And if you don’t want to do this alone, share your interest with a friend who might like the music and enjoy a karaoke night. Having fun is compatible with learning languages!
2. REPETITION EXERCISE
Here is a small example of what a repetition exercise would look like. Set up a small period in which you can focus on your speaking daily. Lockdown is perfect, but this could be as simple as a single week or , if you are rushing, also a three days period would work. After that, write a list of your themes, if you can’t, no worries, there are plenty of lists for repetition exercises online. Here I leave mine, which I use with my students. What you have to do is write down or take notes on a paper and then record yourself in an audio or video while you speak in the target language. Here are some examples for beginners:
Introducing myself to others.
-My daily routine.
-My favourite movie.
-My best memory from a trip.
-My favourite food.
-Describing myself,
-My plans for the future.
-My ideal job.
-My message for a loved friend who lives in (...).
-What the weather is like where I live
(if you want, come and find me on my profile as a teacher, I will create a personalized repetition exercise for you free of any charges).
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3. TANDEM
Tandem.net is a great opportunity for you to practice a language and improve your speaking skills as well as feeling more confident in your speaking. In fact, you can find different people who are from the country where your desired language is spoken. Most likely, the natives of that country will be interested in learning your native language and this is amazing not only for learning purposes but also for motivation and support. This way, you will empathize with people who want to share the same experience as you and you will see your improvement in just a few weeks if you do it consistently. For example, a Tandem session weekly for a month will make your pronunciation go up a gear, as well as enriching your vocabulary with new words. And, it is free. So, don’t be afraid to make mistakes and join this amazing community!
4. SPEAKING EXAMS SAMPLES IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE
If you are studying for an exam where you will be tested on your speaking skills, this is a great tip for you. Google sites where find samples of speaking tests and practice them. This usually lasts a short amount of time, maybe from 10 to up to 20 minutes if the level is really high in your exam. Just make sure you practice out loud, if you like, you can again record yourself or practice in front of a mirror. This will make you feel more prepared for your exam because you will see what you look like while you speak and if there are some things you really want to correct. This could be accent, inflections, mumbling,wrong posture and also sign language. It is important to have a perception of what your speaking looks and sounds like in order to improve. The best results can be achieved by self assessment but, you can ask someone to listen to you , even if they don’t understand what you are saying, this will immediately make you feel more accustomed to speaking the target language in front of somebody.
5. SPEAKING PRACTICE VIDEOS
To back up the exercise I mentioned before, you could watch videos related to speaking exams. Youtube truly is our ally when it comes to learning how to speak a new language. You could search for speaking exams and try to catch some mistakes, or repeat what they are saying in the exams. This way, you will practice both speaking and listening at the same time and you become more used to the exam setting. This tip is great if you are scared to do an exam because you don’t know what it will feel like to be examined in that target language. I did this for English speaking exams and it worked so well for me because I felt more prepared after watching people doing what I was going to do as well. So, you can really just try and practice while you hear or you can also do this in class, with your friends or teacher. The easiest way is to google the target language and then speaking exam and follow a video or blog. You will see that the exam probably does not look as bad as you think it is and you will familiarise with questions and topics that might come up during the exam. If you read up to this point, I wish you best of luck and don’t forget that practice makes perfect! I will see you next time on Lingueenee, the platform for enthusiastic language learners.
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