You understand English but can't speak fluently? This is why! (ACTION PLAN!)

English with Lucy

22 Apr 202322:29

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this engaging video, English with Lucy addresses a common challenge faced by language learners: understanding English but struggling to speak it fluently. Lucy offers six practical tips to enhance spoken English skills, emphasizing the importance of balancing receptive skills like listening and reading with productive skills such as speaking and writing. She suggests talking to oneself, engaging with a tutor for personalized feedback, writing down and practicing responses to common questions, focusing on fluency over perfection, shadowing native speakers to improve pronunciation, and recording oneself to track progress. Additionally, Lucy provides a free PDF with the video transcript, vocabulary highlights, and a quiz to further aid in learning. She also introduces LanguaTalk, an online language tutor platform, offering a free trial session and a $10 credit for the first paid lesson with the code 10LUCY, ensuring a risk-free experience for students seeking to improve their English proficiency.

Takeaways

📚 **Speak English Fluently**: Understand that fluency in speaking English comes from practice and confidence, not just from understanding grammar and vocabulary.
💭 **Talk to Yourself**: Practice speaking English by narrating your daily activities to yourself, either in your head or out loud, to increase your language output.
📝 **Keep a Vocab Diary**: When you encounter unknown words while speaking or thinking in English, write them down and review them later to expand your vocabulary.
🤝 **Talk to a Tutor**: Engage with a tutor for personalized feedback, corrections, and to simulate real-life conversations in a safe learning environment.
📝 **Write Down Your Thoughts**: Prepare for speaking by writing down what you want to say, especially for common questions or situations, and then practice saying it aloud.
🚀 **Focus on Fluency Over Perfection**: Prioritize being understood over grammatical correctness when speaking, and embrace making mistakes as part of the learning process.
🎭 **Shadowing Technique**: Improve your speaking skills by shadowing or mimicking native speakers, which helps with pronunciation and understanding of natural speech patterns.
🎥 **Record Yourself**: Use recording as a tool to become familiar with your own voice and to track your progress over time, providing a benchmark for improvement.
📈 **Track Your Progress**: Record yourself answering a common question and revisit the recording after a year to notice the improvement in your speaking skills.
📚 **Free Resources**: Utilize the free PDF provided with the lesson for additional practice in listening, vocabulary, and a quiz to test your understanding.
🌐 **Online Tutor Platforms**: Consider using online platforms like LanguaTalk to find a suitable tutor, take advantage of free trial sessions, and receive personalized lessons.

Q & A

Why do many students understand English but struggle to speak it fluently?
-Students often struggle with speaking English fluently because they focus more on receptive skills like listening and reading, which are used for understanding the language. Speaking, however, requires productive skills, which involve active use and practice of the language.
What is the purpose of the free PDF that goes with the lesson?
-The free PDF contains the full transcript of the lesson, all the tips provided, key vocabulary highlighting, and a quiz to test understanding. It is designed to improve not only English skills but also listening, pronunciation, and vocabulary.
How can students balance language input and output to improve fluency?
-Students can balance language input and output by focusing more on practicing the use of the language (output) in addition to consuming English content (input). This includes speaking, writing, and actively engaging in language activities.
What is the first practical tip Lucy gives for improving spoken English?
-The first practical tip is to talk to yourself in English. This can be done either silently in your head or out loud. It helps increase output, improve fluency, and get comfortable with speaking the language.
How can keeping a vocab diary help in learning English?
-A vocab diary allows students to record words or phrases they encounter in their daily life that they don't know in English. By reviewing and practicing these words, they can expand their vocabulary and improve their language skills.
Why is speaking with a tutor beneficial for language learning?
-Speaking with a tutor is beneficial because it provides a safe space for making mistakes and receiving corrections. Tutors can also offer personalized feedback, help reenact past situations to overcome specific speaking challenges, and guide the conversation based on the student's needs.
What is the advantage of writing down what you want to say before speaking?
-Writing down what you want to say before speaking allows you to prepare, organize your thoughts, and practice saying it aloud. This can boost confidence, improve fluency, and help you become more efficient in expressing your ideas in English.
What is an 'elevator pitch' and how can it be used to practice English?
-An 'elevator pitch' is a brief, persuasive speech that effectively communicates your message within a short time frame. Practicing elevator pitch versions of frequently asked questions can help improve conversational skills, confidence, and fluency in English.
Why is focusing on fluency over accuracy important when learning to speak English?
-Focusing on fluency over accuracy is important because the goal is to be understood rather than to be perfect. Making mistakes is a natural part of learning, and it provides valuable learning opportunities that lead to improvement.
What is shadowing and how can it help improve English speaking skills?
-Shadowing is the act of imitating native speakers by repeating what they say. It helps activate the mind, improve understanding, and enhance muscle memory for forming words, as well as practice natural word stress and pronunciation.
Why is recording oneself speaking a useful exercise for language learners?
-Recording oneself speaking allows learners to become comfortable with how they sound, notice areas for improvement, and track their progress over time. It serves as a benchmark to reflect on their initial speaking abilities and measure their growth.
What is the challenge Lucy sets for the students at the end of the video?
-Lucy challenges students to record themselves speaking a frequently asked question, save the recording, and then record the same text again in one year to compare and notice the improvement in their English speaking skills.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Overcoming English Speaking Anxiety

Lucy addresses a common issue among English learners: understanding English but struggling to speak it fluently. She empathizes with students who feel they go blank when speaking and forget their grammar and vocabulary. Lucy promises to provide practical skills to improve confidence in spoken English. She mentions a free PDF with the lesson transcript, tips, vocabulary, and a quiz for further practice. The PDF is available for download by signing up for her mailing list. Lucy also discusses the difference between receptive skills (listening and reading) and productive skills (speaking and writing), emphasizing the need for a balance and more active practice.

05:01

📚 Practical Tips for Enhancing English Fluency

Lucy offers six practical tips to improve English speaking skills. The first tip is to talk to oneself in English, which can help with fluency and fluidity. She suggests that students should narrate their daily activities in English, either in their heads or out loud, to increase language output. Lucy also recommends keeping a vocabulary diary to note down unknown words and phrases, using modern technology like smartphones to facilitate this process. She then discusses the benefits of speaking with a tutor, which allows for tailored practice, correction of mistakes, and a safe space for making errors. Lucy introduces LanguaTalk, an online language tutor platform, and provides a special offer for her viewers.

10:03

📝 Writing as a Preparation for Speaking

The third tip involves writing down what one wants to say before speaking, which can be practiced regularly. Lucy suggests thinking about common conversation topics and preparing 'elevator pitch' versions of frequently asked questions. This approach can build confidence and fluency over time. She also recommends presenting these written answers to a tutor for feedback. Lucy emphasizes focusing on fluency over perfection or accuracy, and encourages learners to be comfortable with making mistakes as part of the learning process.

15:05

🎭 Embracing Mistakes and Shadowing for Learning

Lucy shares personal anecdotes about learning Spanish and how she turned her mistakes into funny stories. She understands that learning English out of necessity can be challenging and encourages learners to see mistakes as learning opportunities. She advises learners to ask for corrections if they want them and to keep a record of these corrections. Lucy introduces the technique of shadowing, which involves imitating native speakers by repeating what they say to improve pronunciation and muscle memory. She mentions that not everyone may find shadowing suitable, but for those who do, it can be highly effective.

20:07

🎙️ Recording Yourself to Track Progress

The sixth and final tip is to record oneself speaking English. Lucy explains that hearing one's own voice can be surprising and is essential for improvement. Recordings can help learners become comfortable with their speaking voice and identify areas for improvement. She suggests a challenge where learners record themselves answering a common question, save the recording, and then record the same question again a year later to measure progress. Lucy also reminds viewers to download the free PDF for further practice and to take advantage of the LanguaTalk offer. She invites engagement on social media and mentions her upcoming C1 program.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Fluency

Fluency refers to the ability to speak a language smoothly and effortlessly. In the context of the video, it is emphasized over grammatical accuracy. The speaker encourages learners to focus on being easily understood rather than striving for perfection, which can inhibit learning and confidence in speaking English.

💡Receptive Skills

Receptive skills are the language abilities that involve understanding or receiving language input, such as listening and reading. The video discusses how most English learners focus on these skills through activities like watching films and reading books, which is great for building vocabulary but not as effective for improving speaking fluency.

💡Productive Skills

Productive skills are those that involve creating or producing language output, such as speaking and writing. The video highlights the importance of practicing these skills to improve fluency in speaking English. It suggests that learners need to take a more active role in using the language to enhance their speaking abilities.

💡Vocabulary Diary

A vocabulary diary is a tool for recording new words and phrases that one encounters and does not know. In the video, the speaker recommends keeping a vocabulary diary, either a physical notebook or using digital tools like smartphone apps, to note down unknown words while narrating daily activities in English. This helps in expanding one's vocabulary actively.

💡Tutor

A tutor is a private instructor who provides personalized guidance and feedback. The video suggests talking to a tutor as a way to improve English speaking skills. Tutors can correct mistakes, provide a safe space for learners to make errors, and help recreate scenarios that the learner found challenging, thus enhancing practical speaking abilities.

💡Elevator Pitch

An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that effectively summarizes one's message and value. The video uses this term to describe preparing concise and impactful responses to common questions in English, such as where one is from or what one does for a living. This preparation can boost confidence and fluency in social and professional settings.

💡Shadowing

Shadowing is an imitation technique where learners listen to a native speaker and repeat what they hear, focusing on pronunciation and intonation rather than grammar or vocabulary. The video presents shadowing as an effective method for improving pronunciation and the natural flow of speech in English.

💡Recording

Recording oneself speaking is a method for self-assessment and improvement. The video encourages learners to record their speech to become familiar with their own voice, notice areas for improvement, and track progress over time. This practice can help build confidence and provide a tangible measure of one's language development.

💡Language Input

Language input refers to the exposure to a language through listening, reading, or other forms of consumption. The video discusses how language input, such as watching English-language media, is beneficial for building vocabulary but may not sufficiently enhance speaking skills, which require active language output.

💡Language Output

Language output is the active use of language in speaking, writing, or other forms of expression. The video emphasizes the need for a balance between language input and output, with a particular focus on increasing language output to improve spoken English. This involves more than just passive consumption of the language but actively practicing its use.

💡Mistakes

Mistakes are errors made in language use that can occur during speaking or writing. The video encourages learners to embrace making mistakes as a natural part of the learning process. It suggests that learners should not fear mistakes but instead use them as opportunities for feedback and improvement, which is crucial for advancing speaking skills.

Highlights

Lucy addresses a common issue among English learners - understanding the language but struggling with fluent speaking.

She emphasizes the importance of balancing receptive skills (listening and reading) with productive skills (speaking and writing).

Lucy introduces a free PDF with the lesson transcript, tips, and a quiz to improve English skills.

Speaking English requires active practice and focusing on language output.

The challenge of finding language output opportunities is discussed, with suggestions to overcome it.

Tip #1: Talk to yourself in English to increase fluency and practice vocabulary.

Using a vocabulary diary to record unknown words and setting reminders for review is recommended.

Tip #2: Engage with a tutor for personalized feedback and correction of mistakes.

LanguaTalk is introduced as a platform for finding qualified English tutors with a free trial session.

Tip #3: Write down what you want to say and practice it aloud to prepare for speaking situations.

Creating 'elevator pitch' versions of common questions can build confidence and fluency.

Tip #4: Focus on fluency over perfection to improve speaking skills.

Making mistakes is a crucial part of learning and should be seen as an opportunity for growth.

Tip #5: Shadowing, or mimicking native speakers, can help with pronunciation and muscle memory.

Tip #6: Recording yourself speaking allows self-assessment and tracking of progress over time.

Lucy challenges students to record themselves now and again in a year to notice improvements.

The free PDF is available for download for further practice and to reinforce lesson content.

LanguaTalk offer includes a free trial session and a $10 lesson credit with the code 10LUCY.

Transcripts

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