Probably the skill your students are most interested in improving, speaking takes time and effort to develop. Share our three tips with your students and find them conversing with ease quicker than you expect.
1 - Listen
The first step in improving your students' English speaking skills is to spend time listening, especially to native English speakers. They will get used to the correct pronunciation of words, and they will become familiar with phrases and expressions used regularly by native English speakers, not just individual words that that they have memorized in classes or from the dictionary. Your students will also quickly get a better understanding of how native speakers use intonation and rhythm to convey specific meaning or emotion. Having a good understanding of all of this will help them communicate better!
2 - Take your Time
Your students have been studying the grammar and vocabulary, and now it's time to put it all together in a normal conversation. They need to think about the words that are coming out of their mouths and put the things you've been teaching into action. They need to relax! We all hear people saying they speak better in their second language when they drink alcohol. They aren't necessarily speaking better, but their inhibition has been lost; they feel more relaxed and are willing to take risks, which helps them improve. You can lower your students' stress levels by choosing activities and topics that are interesting and applicable to the real world.
3 - Practice, Practice, Practice
Let's be real! Your students won't improve if they don't try. They need to take advantage of any opportunity that comes their way: conversation groups, language exchange websites, spending time with native English speakers, and even other English students! Today, technology has a lot to offer us. There are apps like Duolingo (and it's free!) or programs like Rosetta Stone that will allow students to practice pronunciation and get feedback. And although it won't directly help them improve their ability to communicate, reading aloud will help them experiment and practice pronunciation and accents.
Now, there is no need to make this stressful! Have fun improving your English students' speaking skills! And if you aren't yet certified to teach English, contact us today about taking our 4-week, onsite TEFL course in Costa Rica!
