Speaking English: 10 Simple Tips for Improving English Speaking Skill

Do you want to learn how to improve your English speaking?

Do you want to speak English well?

For ESL students and English learners, to improve your spoken English, the best thing to do is to talk with a native speaker. However, this is not the only choice we have to be able to master a language like English.

Here we’re going to explain how.

10 Simple Tips for Improving Your English Speaking

Speaking English Tip 1. Practice to think in English

As a rule of thumb, the most important key to English fluency is the ability to think in English, so you need to practice to think in English as native speakers do. Here are some useful tips to help you improve this typical skill.

• Stop the habit of translating between languages (if you have)
• Use an English to English dictionary to look up words
• Try to think in English anywhere, anytime. A student shared with us that she usually walks in the park and trying to describe people around her in English by using as much adjectives as she can. You can do the same, or create your own method to practice thinking English whenever you have “free time” to think.

You’ll notice that when you think in English, it’s easier for you to speak in English.

Speaking English Tip 2. Talk to yourself in English

Whenever you’re at home, you can practice your English with your favorite person: yourself. The following tips would help you to talk to yourself in English.

• Read out loud from your favorite books
• Speak out loud with your own thoughts in English on certain topics (e.g. sports, family)
• Use a mirror to practice as you can see your partner J
• Use a recording device (e.g. your phone) to record what you read/speak (you will be able to hear yourself speaking English and then finding out the pros and cons of your tone, pronunciation and even accent).

The most significant benefit of this method is that you will be more comfortable in speaking English and be aware of your own strengths as well as weaknesses in speaking. Then you can find the right tips to improve the specific weak points in your spoken English.

Speaking English Tip 3. Get a friend or partner to practice

It is always easier to improve your English with a friend or a partner especially if he or she is a native speaker. There are many ways to get to know such individuals online. However, you should be careful when talking or making friends with others on the internet.

It is suggested that you should join a language exchange website (e.g. fluentland.com) to find native language exchange parners – it’s a win-win situation.

Speaking English Tip 4. Read English Books, Newspapers

Reading English Books can open your mind to brilliant new worlds and take you to a new level of English language learning. The key to success is choosing the right book for you. If you do not know where to begin, you should find something that interests you.

Newspapers are also worth reading. Not only you can improve your English but you’ll learn about what’s going on, which can be handy when talking with native speakers.

Speaking English Tip 5. Watch English TV Shows, Movies

Watch TV shows or YouTube videos in English is another great way to help you – use them to improve your fluency. How will you do it?

• Pick a short part of your favorite TV shows
• Repeat what the speakers are saying line by line
• Try to sound just like them (matching the tone, speed and even the accent) – record yourself speaking if you can.
• Imagine that you are trying to learn a new song in English and you want to sing as good as the singer.

It doesn’t matter if you miss a few words, the important thing is to keep speaking. By practicing this method many times, you will notice that your spoken English will sound more like a native.

If you’re tired of reading books, there’s nothing better than learning English through movies and film. This might be the most fun way to learn English. You should choose a film with English subtitles which allow you to check up new words.  I would recommend the “Friends” TV Movie for you, watching this series kills two birds with one stone. It makes you laugh you heart out and will help to improve your English in a natural way.

Speaking English Tip 6. Writing Everyday in English

Writing is a great way of using new vocabulary and getting your head around grammar. Try and write something every day using new words and grammar that you’ve learned. Even if it’s only a few sentences, it’s very important to get into the habit of doing this.

Speaking English Tip 7. Learn with English songs.

Singing along to your favorite English songs is a great method for you to become more fluent. You will get familiar with the sound of English and have better understanding of the English language’s rhythm, tone and beat. Moreover, singing along to your favorite English songs will help you to remember new words easier as you are singing with your emotion.

Speaking English Tip 8. Learn phrases and English Idioms

As a rule of thumb, you should learn word phrases, not just words in English. For example, you can say “how do you feel today?” (the same way with your native language) but an English native speaker might say “how’re you doing?” or “what’s up?” instead. So one of the key to become more fluent in spoken English is to master English phrases. You should learn English phrases, not individual words.

English idioms and slang are also used so often in everyday English, if you don’t know them, it’s almost impossible to understand the context. Learning common everyday English idioms will help you fit in with most situations and your spoken English will sound more like a native. It is recommended to use idiomsandslang.com which is an easy site to learn common idioms and slang in English.

Speaking English Tip 9. The most common sayings in daily English

There are many common phrases which native speakers use in daily specific situations. For example, there are a great variety of ways to thank people in English, such as “you’ve made my day”, “that’s so kind of you”, etc. So, you should learn how to say your most commonly used phrases and words in English. Knowing them in English will help you speak as well in English as you do in your native language.

Speaking English Tip 10. Prepare for specific situations and don’t be afraid of making mistakes

People learn English for many specific reasons. One learns English so he or she can get a job in an English-speaking company. In that case, they should focus on practicing English for an interview. The others might just want to learn English so they can make more friends in America. Then they would need a different kind of English. So the point here is to focus on your purpose of learning English, you will find the suitable preparation methods for your spoken English.

You’ll feel more confident if you’re prepared!

You should also remember that making mistakes when learning English is Good! Making mistakes is a natural part of learning English and they are only bad if you allow them to be, and if you don’t learn by them. If you really want to be able to speak English, you really need to practice speaking English anywhere anytime.

So, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Practice makes perfect!

6 Practical Ways to Make Your Lessons Suit Your Students Better

You’re in charge of your class, what subjects you study, and what materials you use. But when students have input in to their own learning, they are more successful. They take ownership in a way that doesn’t happen when they are just passive observers of the materials and content you choose for class. That’s why it’s so beneficial to them and to you when students can have some input into what they learn in class. It’s not hard for you the teacher to make this happen, either. Here are some easy ways you can give your students a voice in what they learn in class.

6 Practical Ways to Make Your Lessons Suit Your Students Better

1. 1

   Magazine Library

   Something as simple as having a magazine library in your classroom can give your students a chance to contribute to what you do in class. Invite students to bring in English magazines that interest them and put them in a magazine corner in class. Then students can read those magazines during independent reading time, but you can do even more with them. When you are looking for reading material to use in class, an article for reading assignments or on a particular subject, choose something from one of the magazines your students have brought in. They will care more about what they are reading and also feel validated that you see value in what they have contributed to class when you use their materials for your lessons.
2. 2

   Suggestion Box

   Suggestion boxes aren’t just for your local restaurant or shopping center. By setting up a suggestion box in your classroom and explaining to your students how to use it, you will give them a voice in what they are doing in class. You will also get feedback you might not get otherwise. Some students will be afraid to share certain things to your face that the namelessness of a suggestion box will alleviate. You can ask students to write down not only things they might dislike about class but also things they want to study, things they don’t understand, and activities they have enjoyed in class. Make sure if you do set up a suggestion box you check it at least every other day, and be sure students have a chance to put their suggestions in the box when you aren’t looking by positioning it in the back or side of your room rather than up front or on your desk.
3. 3

   Student Evaluations

   You can learn a lot from your students by doing an evaluation with them not of them. This is particularly useful after a special activity or trip. Start by asking students what was good about the activity, and make a list of what they say on the board. Then ask them what was bad about the activity. Make a list of those, too. Finally, invite them to make suggestions of how to do things differently in the future (the ugly). That is the third list you make and the one that will be most useful to you. Not only will this give students input on your activities, it will help you execute that activity better in the future and give your students an easy speaking activity to do in class.
4. 4

   Set up a Vocabulary Wall

   Vocabulary is an area that even the most advanced ESL students can improve in (not to mention native speakers, too). Invite your students to encourage each other to expand their vocabularies by setting up a word wall or vocabulary wall. Invite students to bring in any unfamiliar English words they encounter while speaking to native speakers, while watching television, while reading, or at any other time. Have students write their words each on a separate index card. Then have them look up the definition of each word in English and write it on the back of the card. Finally, students should put each of their words on the designated bulletin board with a push pin. The next time you are putting together you vocabulary unit, supplement your list with words from the wall or even choose all of your words from the wall. Your students will have had a role in what they learn in class and may even have a leg up on the vocab unit if they already learned the words on their own.
5. 5

   Where in the World Is…?

   You may not have noticed it, but the materials in your text book or curriculum can be off-putting to your students without even meaning to. If you are teaching English overseas and the situations in your text book are all set in the U.S., your students can feel estranged from the material before they even learn what it is teaching them. So try rewriting the material to suite your students and where they are to help them connect more with what they read and listen to. If your textbook dialogue occurs in New York but you are teaching in Korea, change the story so it’s set in Seoul. You will probably be able to leave the rest of the dialogue just the way it is. You can make these types of changes with many of your materials, and that alone can have a surprising impact on your students and how they relate to what they are reading.
6. 6

   K/W/L Charts

   One of my favorite ways to start a new unit is with a K/W/L chart. If you aren’t familiar with it, it is a simple graphic organizer that you fill out during a discussion with your class. The chart centers around a topic you intend to teach. Start by having students divide a paper into three columns. Tell them the subject you will be studying. Any content area will work such as sports, food, travel, marine life, having a national language, the Olympics, etc. Have student label the first column with a K. This stands for what they already KNOW about the topic. Spend some time brainstorming with the class on the topic. Write what students say on your board and have the class write those same things in their first column. When the discussion dies down on what they already know, move to the second column labeled with a W. This stands for what students WANT to know. Spend some more time brainstorming, this time listing questions and curiosities. Take notes in the same way as you did before. Save the third column for after the unit is complete. This is another brainstorming session, this time about what they LEARNED about the topic. But before you get to the end of your unit or perhaps even plan the whole thing out, use the questions your students came up with in the second column as you plan what to cover in the unit. Students will notice, whether consciously or subconsciously, that the things they wanted to learn are a part of what you cover in class.

Try These 12 Techniques for Beginning a Lesson:

It’s true for more than just classic musicals. Where else would your ESL class start but at the beginning? Whether a bell rings or you just call your students to attention, how you start your class can have a big impact on the rest of the day.

If you haven’t yet figured out what works best for you or if you are looking to change things up a bit, here are twelve different ways you can start class today.

Try These 12 Techniques for Beginning a Lesson:

1. 1

   Discussion

   Discussion is one of the most versatile activities for ESL classes. It gets students speaking and listening and can introduce a new topic or grammatical structure. Try having students gather in groups of two or three and give them a discussion question related to what you plan to teach. It will help get them ready for what comes next.
2. 2

   Total Physical Response

   If you are more of the jump right in type, try a short session of Total Physical Response to start class. Don’t worry about translating what you say or whether your students will understand. Simply go into English only mode and give your students directions on how to move. Use any vocabulary you think is necessary. The most important thing is that your students have a physical response to what you are teaching them in English.
3. 3

   Games

   Games are great! Everybody loves a game, and there are tons to choose from when you are looking to practice or review some aspect of the English language. They can be as simple and no prep as Simon Says or as complicated as making your own board game. Use games to get your students interested in class and remember what they learned yesterday.
4. 4

   Discovery Grammar Method

   If you like to start class off with a real challenge, try giving your students a worksheet – with the answers already in place! You can introduce a new grammar concept this way. By giving students the answers before you teach them the grammatical construction, you will give your class a chance to figure the rule out on their own before you tell it to them. Your logical/mathematical learners will love this type of instruction, and it’s a great preview for whatever grammar lesson you are going to give later in the class period.
5. 5

   Small Talk

   Don’t minimize the value of chatting with your students as they enter class. Letting them chat with you and each other gives them practice with the all too elusive skill of small talk. They will learn what topics are appropriate for chatting with friends and acquaintances and may even encounter some unfamiliar language in the process.
6. 6

   Explain the Plan for the Day

   Some people like to have a plan. When they are students in your class, they are at the mercy of what you have scheduled for the day, but that doesn’t mean they have to feel completely out of control. Try starting your class by reviewing the schedule for the day and letting your students know the objectives of your activities. You don’t have to go into too much detail about your lesson plans, but just knowing what comes next and what you hope they get out of it may be enough to set these students at ease.
7. 7

   Warm Up or Ice Breaker

   Whether your students are starting their first day of class or they have been learning together for many months, it’s fun to start class with a warm up exercise or an ice breaker. It is always a pleasure to get to know our peers more, and it seems like everyone has more interesting secrets to learn if you just take the time to ask. Plus, warm up activities are good for just that – warming up to English before you tackle greater challenges. Take a look here for some great ideas for icebreakers and warmups that you can use to start your class today.
8. 8

   Review

   Do you remember what you had for lunch yesterday? Ok, that’s probably not as important as what your students learned in class yesterday, but they do have something in common. They can both be easy to forget. Taking a few minutes to review what you did last class, especially if you had to stop in the middle of an activity, can be a great help to your students. It will get their brains back in gear for language learning, and it might also bring up some questions that didn’t come up the day before – questions that your students may not have even known they had yesterday.
9. 9

   Checking Homework

   Did you give your students homework yesterday? You may want to start your class period by reviewing it. Like doing a quick review at the beginning of class, going over homework can bring up some questions or difficulties that students didn’t even know they had when you presented your lesson the day before. Plus, if you’re anything like me, it’s good to get homework review out of the way before getting caught up in whatever great things you have planned for today. Reviewing homework in class also gives students a chance to help each other out in so doing cementing the concepts in their own minds.
10. 10

    Brainstorm

    Was the last time you did a whole class brainstorm when you introduced the last vocabulary unit in class? If so, why not try starting your day with a different kind of brainstorm. It serves as a nice warm up, and your students might also encounter some unfamiliar language in the process. Even if they don’t, it’s a nice way to get students thinking in English and lubricating those brain muscles for the challenges you have set out for the day. Choose any topic you like. It doesn’t have to relate to what you’re planning on teaching today, but bonus points for you and your students if it does.
11. 11

    Show a Picture

    Pictures are great sources of inspiration, and you can find a picture of just about anything online. Try projecting a picture on your front board and having students talk about what is happing there, describe the scene, or use it as a writing prompt for class. Pictures are so versatile and can be so creative.
12. 12

    Correct Sentences with Errors

    Having one or two error filled sentences on the board when your students get to class is another good way to start. I like to have student copy the sentence as I have written it into a designated section of their notebooks and then write the corrected sentence beneath it. The advantages to starting class this way is that latecomers have a few extra minutes to arrive and get settled and, even more important, students develop an eye for finding mistakes in their own writing. You can also use this class start to introduce new grammar or review areas students are making mistakes.

5 Techniques for Increasing Student Vocabularies

Knowing a large number of words is key for being able to communicate in any language. That’s why it’s every ESL teacher’s responsibility, at least in part, to make sure their students develop and expand their vocabularies on a regular basis. It’s not as hard as it might seem, either. Here are some strategies you can use to make sure your students have an ever growing lexicon.

5 Techniques for Increasing Student Vocabularies

1. 1

   Set Up a Word Wall

   Invite your students to take a role in increasing their own vocabularies with a word wall. When students encounter an unfamiliar word outside of class, whether while reading, watching television, or talking to a native speaker, have them write down the word. At the next class, ask your student to write down that word on an index card in large letters and then check an English dictionary for the definition. The student should write the definition on the back of the card. Then post that card on your vocabulary wall where all of your students can see it. They should feel free to check the definition any time they want to learn one of the words. But you can make your word wall more than just a word bank. Use some of the words posted there to supplement your next vocabulary unit, or take your entire unit from the wall. Students will love that they had a hand in creating their next set of words to learn. And they may even have a leg up learning that unit if they were the ones who posted the words to begin with.
2. 2

   Play Games

   Do you know that there are many games you can use to increase student vocabulary? Scrabble is perhaps the most common. When you play along with your students, you will undoubtedly use words they are not familiar with. They’ll also learn words when they use the dictionary to try and figure out how to use up all of their letters.
   Another great game for vocabulary learning is Scattergories. The point of the game is to think of a word that fits one of several categories, and all of those words must begin with the same letter. For ESL students you might want to limit the letters you choose from since they will have a huge struggle with letters like J or V.
   Another DIY game you can play is to display a picture with many little objects in it, such as a picture from an I Spy book. Have students label their paper from A to Z and then try to find an object in the picture that begins with each of those letters. It’s unlikely anyone will get all twenty-six, but they will still encounter new words and synonyms when you review the words everyone has written down.
3. 3

   Teach Word Families

   If you could teach your students five words or one word, which would you choose? Naturally, we want our students to learn as much as they can, especially when it comes to vocabulary. Teaching word families is one way to accomplish that. Instead of simply teaching one word, such as run, teach five words with similar meanings such as dash, race, sprint, rush, and surge. Then have students use a dictionary to determine the nuances of each word. Now they will have five words they can use instead of one.
   You can let your students be a part of this process, too, by inviting them to find synonyms of the words you put on your next vocabulary list. As homework, ask each student to find one synonym of each of your vocabulary words. The next day, compare notes and make a list of each of the words your students found related to your original one. Then make sure students learn these words as well as the originals on your list.
4. 4

   Use the Right Tools

   A thesaurus is one of the best tools for increasing ESL student vocabulary. I make sure each of my students can use one and that I have several on hand in class. Though similar to a dictionary, a thesaurus is better for finding synonyms and related words. Often, too, an entry will contain one or more antonyms. I teach my students to navigate a thesaurus and then encourage them to use one whenever they are writing.
   Thesauruses don’t have to be musty old books, either. Did you know you can highlight a word in your word processing program, right click on it, and bring up synonyms for that word? Make sure your students know how to do this and they will have a digital thesaurus at their fingertips whenever they are typing.
5. 5

   Make a Banned Word List

   You can only encourage your students so much to expand their vocabularies. Sometimes you just have to put the cheerleading aside and get tough. I’m not talking about going crazy with the red pen. I am talking about designating banned words. Banned words are just what they sound like – words students are not allowed to use. You should come up with your banned word list by noting what simple words your students use over and over when they could be using more complex words (for example, big, nice, good, etc.) You can also ask your students to identify one or more words that are boring or common and add them to your list.
   For each banned word, take a moment in class to talk about alternatives your students could use. For example, if you were to ban the word big, write it at the top of a large piece of paper or a poster board. Then ask students for synonyms of the word big and write them underneath it. (Huge, gigantic, enormous, massive, etc.) Post the paper in class and declare that “big” is now banned. Students will not be allowed to use it in their writing or speech. They can however use any of the words listed beneath it. This will encourage your students to expand their vocabularies without putting an undue burden on them to do so.