How to start speaking FASTER and sound more CONFIDENT in English?

Veronika's Language Diaries
12 Mar 202413:28
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this video, the speaker discusses strategies for building confidence in speaking a foreign language. They emphasize the importance of mastering pronunciation, shadowing native speakers to improve fluency, and focusing on core phrases that are commonly used in daily conversations. They also highlight the value of recording oneself to track progress and identify areas for improvement. The speaker shares personal experiences, including their struggle with the pronunciation of their name in Spanish and how they overcame it. The video also promotes a Skillshare class on Canva for non-designers, offering a free trial for viewers.

Takeaways
  • 😀 Confidence in speaking a foreign language is often linked to the speaker's pronunciation abilities.
  • 🎯 To build confidence, one should practice challenging sounds until they become easy to pronounce.
  • 📚 The speaker overcame the challenge of pronouncing her name correctly in Spanish by understanding and practicing the unique Mexican 'V' sound.
  • 🌟 Shadowing, or mimicking native speakers, is a powerful technique to improve fluency, pronunciation, and accent.
  • 📈 The Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) can be applied to language learning by focusing on the most common words and phrases first.
  • 📝 Learning and practicing core phrases is crucial for everyday conversations and can significantly boost confidence.
  • 🔍 Recording oneself speaking a foreign language can help identify areas for improvement in pronunciation, intonation, and fluency.
  • 📈 Tracking progress over time by comparing recordings can motivate and show tangible improvements in language skills.
  • 🚫 Avoiding excuses and actively speaking the language is essential for building confidence and fluency.
  • 🎨 The speaker recommends Skillshare as a resource for learning new skills, such as Canva, and mentions a one-month free trial offer.
  • 🔗 Skillshare's learning paths are designed to help users progress from novice to professional in various creative fields.
Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is building confidence when speaking a foreign language.

  • Why is pronunciation important for confidence in a foreign language?

    -Pronunciation is important for confidence because it helps you speak without having to think about how each individual word is pronounced, making communication smoother and more natural.

  • What is the speaker's experience with the Mexican 'V' or 'B' sound?

    -The speaker struggled with the Mexican 'V' or 'B' sound, initially pronouncing her name 'Veronica' incorrectly due to the influence of her native Russian and English pronunciation.

  • What technique did the speaker use to improve her pronunciation and accent?

    -The speaker used the technique of shadowing, where she mimicked the pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and body language of native speakers by listening to recordings.

  • What is the significance of the Pareto Principle in language learning according to the speaker?

    -The Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule, suggests that one can achieve most of the results with a small part of the effort. In language learning, this means focusing on the most common words and phrases to achieve fluency.

  • How does the speaker use the Pareto Principle in her language learning journey?

    -The speaker focuses on learning the most common words and phrases first, then moves on to frequently used expressions and grammar rules, which allows her to communicate effectively in everyday situations.

  • What is the role of recording oneself speaking in the language learning process?

    -Recording oneself speaking helps in tracking progress, identifying areas for improvement in pronunciation, intonation, and fluency, and setting future goals for language proficiency.

  • Why is it important to speak the language frequently to build confidence?

    -Speaking the language frequently helps to overcome fear and excuses, and it is essential for becoming fluent and advanced in the language, as practice enhances comfort and proficiency.

  • What is Skillshare and how does it relate to the video?

    -Skillshare is an online learning community for creatives with thousands of classes led by industry professionals. It is mentioned in the video as a resource for learning new skills, such as Canva design, which the speaker uses for her YouTube thumbnails.

  • What is the offer for the viewers from Skillshare mentioned in the video?

    -The first 500 people to use the link provided in the video description will receive a one-month free trial of Skillshare.

  • How does the speaker suggest overcoming the fear of speaking a foreign language?

    -The speaker suggests overcoming the fear by not making excuses, focusing on the goal of becoming fluent, and practicing speaking the language as much as possible.

Outlines
00:00
🗣️ Building Confidence in Foreign Language Pronunciation

The speaker introduces the topic of confidence in learning a foreign language, focusing on the importance of mastering pronunciation. They share personal experiences of struggling with the pronunciation of their name in Spanish and how it was influenced by their native Russian language. The speaker emphasizes the significance of being able to pronounce words confidently without overthinking, and suggests practicing challenging sounds until they become easy. They also mention the technique of shadowing native speakers to improve fluency and accent, using their own experience with the Mexican 'V' sound as an example.

05:03
🎨 Enhancing Language Skills with Canva and Skillshare

The speaker discusses taking a Canva class on Skillshare, which taught them various design tricks useful for creating YouTube thumbnails and work presentations. They highlight Skillshare as a platform with thousands of classes for creatives across different fields. The speaker introduces a learning path called 'Become a Canva Expert for Digital Asset Design' and offers the first 500 viewers a one-month free trial of Skillshare through a link in the video description. They also touch upon the importance of focusing on core phrases in language learning, using the Pareto Principle to achieve fluency with minimal effort.

10:06
📝 Tracking Progress and Overcoming Excuses in Language Learning

The speaker shares tips on building confidence in speaking foreign languages, starting with the idea of not comparing oneself to others. They discuss the benefits of recording oneself speaking to track progress and identify areas for improvement. The speaker also talks about the importance of speaking the language frequently to build confidence, urging viewers to overcome common excuses that might hinder their language learning journey. They conclude by encouraging viewers to take action towards fluency and to utilize resources like Skillshare to aid in their language learning.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Confidence
Confidence in this video script refers to the self-assurance and belief in one's abilities, particularly when speaking a foreign language. It is central to the video's theme as the speaker discusses various strategies to build and improve confidence in language learning. For example, the speaker mentions that knowing one's pronunciation is great contributes to feeling confident when speaking English or Spanish.
💡Pronunciation
Pronunciation is the way words are articulated when spoken. In the context of the video, it is a key aspect of language learning that affects a learner's confidence. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being able to pronounce words correctly and fluently, as it helps in overcoming the fear of speaking and enhances language proficiency. The script includes personal anecdotes about struggling with the pronunciation of the speaker's name in different languages.
💡Shadowing
Shadowing is a language learning technique where learners listen to a recording and try to mimic the speaker's pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. The video discusses shadowing as a method to improve speaking fluency and accent. The speaker shares their experience of shadowing native speakers to sound more like them, which is a practical application of this technique in language acquisition.
💡Accent
An accent refers to the distinct way of pronunciation unique to a particular region or social group. In the script, the speaker talks about using shadowing to improve their accent, aiming to sound more like native speakers. This is part of the broader goal of achieving a natural and fluent speaking ability in a foreign language.
💡Language Learning
Language learning is the process of acquiring new languages. The video script is centered on this concept, offering advice and personal experiences on how to gain confidence and improve in foreign languages. The speaker discusses various strategies such as focusing on pronunciation, shadowing, and recording oneself to track progress, all of which are integral to the language learning journey.
💡Pareto Principle
The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is mentioned in the context of focusing on the most important aspects of language learning to achieve maximum results with minimal effort. The speaker uses this principle by learning the most common words and phrases first, which allows for effective communication in everyday situations despite not knowing every single word or grammar rule.
💡Grammar
Grammar refers to the set of structural rules governing the composition of sentences, phrases, and words in a language. The script discusses the complexity of certain grammar aspects in foreign languages, such as the example of saying 'have a good day' in Spanish, which is more complicated than in English. Understanding grammar is essential for accurate communication but can be challenging for language learners.
💡Recording
Recording oneself speaking is highlighted in the video as a method for self-assessment and tracking progress in language learning. The speaker mentions recording as a way to identify areas for improvement in pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. This practice allows learners to compare their current speaking abilities with past recordings and set goals for future improvement.
💡Skillshare
Skillshare is an online learning community mentioned in the video script as a platform offering various classes, including language learning and other creative skills. The speaker discusses a specific class on Canva and positions Skillshare as a resource for learners to improve their skills through structured learning paths, emphasizing its value for personal and professional development.
💡Fluency
Fluency in language learning refers to the ability to speak a language smoothly, quickly, and accurately. The video script discusses the importance of achieving fluency as a goal for language learners. Strategies such as shadowing, focusing on core phrases, and recording oneself are presented as ways to improve fluency in a foreign language.
💡Excuses
Excuses are reasons or explanations put forward to justify a fault or offense, in this case, for not practicing or improving in a foreign language. The speaker in the video discourages the use of excuses such as fear or lack of time as barriers to language learning, emphasizing the need to overcome these to achieve fluency and confidence.
Highlights

Importance of confidence in foreign language learning and overcoming the fear of speaking.

The role of good pronunciation in boosting confidence when speaking a foreign language.

The speaker's personal experience with the pronunciation of their name in different languages.

Influence of native and other learned languages on pronunciation habits.

Technique of shadowing to improve pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and body language.

Learning to pronounce sounds that are challenging and making them easy through practice.

Common pronunciation habits of native speakers, such as dropping certain letters.

The use of Canva in creating YouTube thumbnails and its learning path for digital asset design.

Skillshare as a platform for creative learning with various classes and learning paths.

Focusing on core phrases and essential expressions for everyday conversations.

The Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) applied to language learning for efficiency.

Recording oneself speaking as a method to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

The significance of speaking the language frequently to build confidence.

Overcoming excuses to practice speaking a foreign language.

The impact of starting a YouTube channel on the speaker's language learning progress.

Encouragement for viewers to record themselves to track their language improvement.

Skillshare's offer of a one-month free trial for the first 500 users and its benefits.

Transcripts

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Language LearningConfidence BuildingPronunciation TipsShadowing TechniqueForeign LanguageAccent ImprovementSkillshare ClassCanva TutorialYouTube ChannelPareto Principle