One of the most important things about learning a language is practicing conversational skills. After all, probably your main goal is to be able to communicate with others. Many people feel fear or shy when it comes to speaking. In this article, you can find a few tips which can help you develop your conversation skills and make you more confident about them.
Language Exchange
Try to find a language exchange group with which you can practice talking. It would be good if you met some native speakers. You can always offer a tandem exchange, in which you teach a language you know, and your peer teaches you the language you want to learn to speak italian. Meeting with people who also study languages gives you a supportive environment to practice your conversational skills. Moreover, it can widen your horizons and help you to find friends who have similar interests as you. Learning in a group can also increase your motivation.
Interactive Language Learning Apps
While apps won’t replace a well-tailored language course, they can surely help you improve your language skills. You can use them anywhere you are, at any time that’s convenient. They usually offer quick practice sessions, thanks to which you can keep up with your learning routine.
There are apps where you can watch videos from native speakers and use pronunciation practice sessions. This Memrise Review says a bit more about this option.
Language Immersion
When you don’t have to use the language, you will be more likely to postpone or avoid talking in a foreign language. Because of that, you should try to immerse yourself in a language as soon as possible. One of the best ways to do it is to visit a country where the language is used. You will need to overcome your fear in order to get what you need, which can motivate you to talk, and as an effect, show you that you are able to communicate, even if only on a basic level. If that’s not possible, try to organize a meeting with friends or find a tutor and decide that you will only use the language which you want to learn.
Repeat, Read Out Loud, and Record Yourself
Language learning gives you more opportunities to speak than you would think. When you listen to recordings, repeat what you heard. Try to read out loud and record yourself. This method can help you get used to speaking and familiarize yourself with your voice. With recordings, you can also verify where you make mistakes, which words don’t sound that great, and find other areas to improve.
Be Consistent
As with other areas of a language, learning how to speak requires consistent work. Make sure that you practice at least a little bit every day. It can even be something small, like telling yourself out loud what you did during the day. The more dedicated you are, the sooner you will notice great effects.
