From listening to speaking: How to boost your English fluency
Want to gain confidence in your spoken English at university and beyond? These three simple steps will help you practice and improve your fluency and self-confidence.
Tune in: Listen to English content to build fluency
Being a good speaker starts with being a good listener! Maximize your exposure to spoken English through listening to podcasts, songs, movies, or conversations by native speakers. Sometimes overhearing people on the bus can teach you great English phrases! Keep an ear out for useful phrases and common sentence structures. Pay close attention not just to individual words but to how words combine into phrases and sentences. Record what you find interesting in a vocabulary journal and review them regularly. After listening, note taking and reviewing for a while, you’ll start recognizing patterns, which you can use as models for your own speaking.
Jump in: Practice what you’ve learned in conversations
You will truly start learning these vocabulary items when you use them in actual conversations. Try to insert the phrases you’ve learned in everyday conversations with classmates, friends, or professors. To create more practice opportunities, you can also simulate conversations and other speaking exercises. The Academic Skills Centre (ASC) offers practice sessions where you can engage in guided conversations with a tutor. Such sessions provide a space for you to try out your new language items, so you can become comfortable using them. Make a list of the phrases you’re learning and set a goal to use at least three new phrases during each session.
Check in: Get feedback to fine-tune your speaking
Seeking feedback is essential for improving. Once you’ve practiced speaking, ask a friend, classmate, or tutor to listen and provide feedback on your fluency and use of new phrases. Feedback helps identify areas of improvement and shows you where you’re doing well.
The ASC offers personalized feedback sessions, where you can focus on specific areas such as pronunciation, grammar, or the natural flow of conversation. After receiving feedback, note common patterns in mistakes or areas for improvement in your vocabulary/language journal. You can also bring your journal to the ASC, so that we can discuss your observations and identify specific strategies for improvement. Then, focus on refining one or two areas at a time, so you can track your progress and build confidence gradually.
To learn more about this topic and to get help
Book a free in-person or online appointment with an academic skills advisor at the Academic Skills Centre!