How to Practice English Speaking Alone at Home

 

This lesson is perfect for those people who want to improve their English pronunciation and fluency.  This is very important if you struggle to lessen any accent you may have and become more understandable when speaking English.

You have no problem practicing your English reading, writing, or listening skills when you’re alone, but when it comes to practicing speaking, what are you supposed to do? 

You need to practice peaking 

Everyone says that you have to practice speaking in order to improve, and that reading, writing, and listening are not enough. But it’s not always possible to find an English teacher or friend to speak with, right? Are you supposed to talk to yourself?

Yes! And it’s not as weird as you think! It might feel strange at first, but the more you do it, the more natural and fun it will become.

Besides, it’s not just about talking to yourself. It’s about finding creative ways to speak when you’re alone. 

Teach yourself a speech or monologue

You need to practice speaking, but if you don’t know what to talk about, memorizing something.  It’s a great place to start. It allows you to get more comfortable with hearing yourself speak in English.  Also strengthens your pronunciation muscles!

So, to begin, you should find your favorite scene from a movie or play and memorize it.  Or a joke from your favorite stand-up comedian. I promise this can be a really entertaining way to spend your time. 

If this sounds overwhelming, take it step by step. Choose a short passage to memorize, maybe a few hundred words. Read the passage and underline or highlight any phrases or expressions you don’t know. Look them up and practice using them in sentences so you can get comfortable using them. 

Then, take the monologue or speech and break it down into small sections. Start with memorizing just a few sentences at a time. Subsequently moving on to lengthier material.

Memorize your favorite quotes to repeat out loud

If you’ve spent any time on social media, you know that quotes are an incredible way to connect with and inspire people instantly. And, if you don’t feel ready to memorize a speech yet, you should start with memorizing quotes.

The great thing about this strategy is that, if you check social media every day, you can make this part of your daily habit. It can also expose you to expressions and slang that you might not find in other places.

If you need ideas, just search for #inspirationalquotes on Instagram.  Also search Google for quotes about a particular subject, like self-care or perseverance.

In the beginning, I recommend that you give yourself a small goal of learning one quote per week. Then repeat it to yourself or to friends and family, over and over, until they say, “Please find a new quote!” 

 Memorize your favorite song and sing it!

Many of my students laugh at me when I ask them if they’ve ever tried singing in English, but there’s a method to my madness! In a 2013 study conducted at the Reid School of Music in Edinburgh, researchers discovered that adults who sang in a new language instead of just speaking it performed better on a series of language tests. 

I understand that people don’t like to sing, or they feel self-conscious about their ability, but if you’re by yourself, you should give it a try! And you’ll find that, because you’re singing it, it will be much easier to memorize a song than it is to memorize a monologue or famous speech.

Easy one first

For your first song, try not to choose something that’s too challenging or fast-paced, but do choose a song that you really enjoy so that you’ll want to listen to it again and again. 

Listen to the song first as you read the lyrics and look up any words or phrases you don’t know. Then, play the song again, and try singing along as you read the lyrics. Do this a couple of times until you feel ready to start singing the chorus – or the part of the song repeated after each verse – without reading the lyrics. 

Once you’ve memorized the chorus, work on the first verse. Take the song one verse at a time until you know it by heart (without reading the lyrics).

Then, sing it all the time: in the shower, in the car, in the supermarket when no one’s around. Sing it until you’re sick of it, and you’re ready for a new song.

If you need inspiration, I highly recommend choosing a song from The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, or Prince. These are just a few examples of musicians who have been around for a long time, but who are still popular and who have really influenced modern culture.

Source:  englishwithlove©

Related:  How to Improve Speaking Fluency – TUTORING YOU