It’s frustrating , isn’t it, when you know lots of English but find speaking English difficult? Do you feel nervous when speaking English or anxious that you might get it wrong? It is completely normal to feel that way! Everyone feels the same.
It’s very brave of you to learn a new language. You may not have attempted any formal learning since you were at school. I’m sure you discovered it is a wonderful and fulfilling thing to do. You may have been learning English for a little while. Your knowledge of the language will have grown and grown.
The problem is you still don’t feel confident when speaking English. That’s completely understandable. It may feel worrying. But don’t worry, there are lots of things you can do to improve your English speaking skills!
Improving your confidence is key! That may seem easy to say, but harder to do. We understand.
But confidence comes with practice. Speak English whenever you can. Practise on your own or, even better, practise with someone else.
Here are a few ideas of how you can practise your English speaking:
Read out loud – this is a great way to practise speaking and build your confidence. You can practise your reading skills at the same time! It also removes the pressure you may feel when needing to think about what to say next.
Use your smartphone/tablet – Footballers will often watch a recording of a match they have played in afterwards. It allows them to see what they did well and also see areas where they need to improve. Why not record yourself speaking English on your phone or tablet so that you can listen to it? You will actually be pleasantly surprised how well you are doing! We are all too hard on ourselves most of the time. Listening to yourself speaking English will help you to hear how much you are improving. You can also hear any areas you may need to improve.
Words of the week – choose a few words to concentrate on every week. If there are words you find particularly difficult to pronounce, practise saying them in different sentences, every day if you can. By the end of the week you will have mastered them!
Here at IH Manchester we realise that speaking English can be a concern for lots of students.
We are here to provide the guidance and support you need. We have a specific course which concentrates on English for speaking. The course is held live online so you can join from wherever you are in the world! You can join for 2,3,4 or 5 hours a week.
These classes are good for students who:
- want to fit classes around work, child-care or other commitments
- have difficulty using the language that they already know when speaking
- want to improve their listening for conversations
- live outside the UK but want a trusted UK based school and to speak to people from different countries
- want to improve their English for personal development
- want to improve their English for work
- want to use English for travel
- want to enjoy using English in daily life e.g. online, when reading, watching films/movies or listening to music
In these classes you will:
- practise speaking and listening skills in English through conversation with other students of your level
- practise vocabulary and grammar from your level when speaking
- improve your pronunciation
- get level-appropriate feedback and advice from a supportive teacher
- get access to extra online resources for study outside class
- learn how to study independently, so you have the skills to continue to improve after you have finished your classes.
You can find out lots of information on our English for Speaking webpage.
Why not try a free trial lesson with us? Join us in class to experience an English for Speaking lesson yourself.
Let IH Manchester help you to gain the skills and confidence you need to speak English well.
