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SPEAKING BOOTCAMP A crash course in speaking fluently and
communicating better with native speakers
Introduction • Welcome! • We’re going to focus on speaking... it’s a deep
dive, and we have to stay focused • Not always glamorous, but it will be effective • Calls will be recorded and posted in a password
protected page • My goal: be off the call in 90 minutes • I’ll answer questions towards the end of the call
I’m not perfect! • I’m don’t have all the answers • I’m learning too • The right answer for you is something you’ll need to
figure out for yourself • The goal of this training is to bring you clarity over
certain issues so that you’re empowered to make your own decisions, find your own answers.
What I expect from you • Interaction in the process - the key to finding the
right answers for you • Don’t just sit and make notes • We’re focusing on your transformation • This won’t work if you don’t engage
• Be the 1%!
What’s your approach going to be?
• Are you in this for a quick fix? • Do you expect overnight miracles?
• Are you in this for the long-term? • Are you prepared to work harder in order to
improve your learning?
Map of the course
1. Beat your fear of speaking 2. Exactly how to find your ideal language partner 3. A step-by-step guide to speaking fluently and
interacting with native speakers 4. Techniques for learning new words and
memorizing vocabulary 5. The skills you need to survive in any situation
The theoretical bit
Highly practical
The system
Speaking sessions
New, relevant vocabulary
Flashcard system
Learn the new vocabulary
• Beat your fear • Finding people to
talk to
A word about Egypt! • Power cuts and blackouts • Backup calls are ready • Thank you for your patience
Module 1 Beat your fear of speaking –
How to turn shyness into strength
What we’ll cover • Distorted expectations of speaking • Why this causes pressure, resulting in fear and
anxiety • How this kills progress dead • Why speaking shouldn’t be something you do after
you learn • How finding the right person to speak to can be
transformational
Why fear is a big deal • Fear of speaking stops you speaking! • If you don’t speak, you don’t improve
• …fear stops you learning the language
What comes to mind when you hear this phrase? What are your first reactions? What emotions do you feel? What image does it conjure up for you?
“Speaking with native speakers.”
• Studying on my own • Books, grammar, tests • Always struggled with listening • Unsure about what to say • Speaking with native speakers was a constant source of
fear, embarrassment, discomfort. • I’d be nervous whenever anyone came to speak to me.
I’d be nervous about speaking to anyone. • I started to avoid contact with native speakers (although I
wanted it really badly). I was living in Japan! And this was my 5th language!
My Japan Story – Part 1
What is fear? When you speak a foreign language, do you… • Have a concern of being judged or evaluated? • Worry what others will think about you
(embarrassment, criticism, or rejection)? • Feel insecure and not good enough for other
people? • Assume that the other person will automatically
reject you?
“ is a discomfort or a fear when a person is in a social interaction that involves a concern of being judged or evaluated by others. It is typically characterised by an intense fear of what others are thinking about them (specifically fear of embarrassment, criticism, or rejection), which results in the individual feeling insecure and not good enough for other people, and/or the assumption that peers will automatically reject them.”
Social anxiety
Question: is this a linguistic issue?
…or a social issue?
This is what you told me…
• Shyness - I don't talk to people in my own language • Fear, intimidation or shyness of native speakers, even if
you speak the language • Fear or shame of making mistakes • Courage to keep talking • Fear when you know so little • How to stay calm when talking • Panic when faced with unexpected situations • Getting over feeling self-conscious and uncertain of
your ability Speaking with native speakers: is this a linguistic problem or a social problem?
When we speak, it happens with other people. So our fear is primarily about how we look. It’s about worrying what other people will think of us.
Language is a social phenomenon
fluent speaker beginner
knows very liUle, can’t speak
can speak confidently, few mistakes
How do we judge ourselves when it comes to speaking?
P R O C E S S
Zero to Fluent
• You should practise your language with strangers • You study at home, then you go out and speak • Stories of people learning languages by fearlessly
striking up conversations • Skype is a tool to chat with strangers
We have a common perception of native speakers as “the other”. We see them as the end result of our learning
Why are we obsessed with fluency?
This way of thinking and positioning native speakers means… • We have a huge pressure to perform • Mistakes appear to matter more • Added pressure of performing a social function
when speaking
What’s the consequence of this?
What are your expectations of “speaking”?
What is the effect on you?
Speaking doesn’t have to be the result of study Speaking (in the right circumstances) is study.
fluent speaker beginner
P R O C E S S
Speaking is a learning tool, just like
a textbook.
We learn to speak by speaking.
Speaking as a learning tool
Think about these common problems with fear of speaking. • How can I find someone who will talk to me and be
patient with me? • How can I talk when I’m just a beginner without
looking stupid? • How can I stop panicking?
Question: Is it easy to overcome these problems by speaking with strangers?
Common speaking problems
NO!
What would the opportunities be if you could somehow remove
those fears?
Question: If we no longer have to “perform”… then what? How can we eliminate the social pressure? Answer: Imagine a good friend who speaks the language you’re learning. Would you feel comfortable having a coffee and chatting with them in L2? Would they judge you? Would they laugh at you? Would you feel embarrassed?
How to eliminate social pressure
• Find someone you like and trust • Someone willing to help you • …and make THIS your environment for speaking
• Friends • Language exchange • Tutors/teachers
(We’ll cover exactly how to do this later)
The key to removing social pressure
Assuming you can find such a person…
• How often would you want to speak with them and practise?
• What would happen if you don’t know the word you need?
• Would you be able to switch into English from time to time without feeling stupid?
• Will you panic? • Would any particular fears remain?
The key to beating your fears • Remove the “social lottery” • Create an environment that you’re comfortable in • Start speaking regularly inside that environment
• And don’t stop!!!
My Japan Story – Part 2 • I was stuck, in a plateaux, getting despondent • Fear of speaking grew • Found conversation partners • I started making progress • My Japanese was transformed
Why language partners and tutors are so great
• They understand your situation • They are willing to help you and be patient with you • They won’t laugh at you • They see their role to correct your mistakes rather
than to laugh at them
fluent speaker beginner
P R O C E S S
language partners
Conclusion We’ve covered… • Your expectations will determine how you feel • Is it rational to expect yourself to be able to speak
comfortably with people at this stage? • Why this causes pressure, resulting in fear and
anxiety • How this kills progress dead • Why speaking should be part of the process • How finding the right person to speak to can be
transformational
Conclusion • Can you see the contradiction in how we think of
speaking with native speakers?
• Can you see how finding the right person to speak to can open up a world of opportunities?
• Can you see how you can be speaking a lot, without the fears you have had up until now?
• Are you prepared to work hard to find that person?
Module 1 homework In this call we’ve talked about finding the “right person” to talk to. • What does that person look like? • What are their likes, interests, etc. • What kind of person are they?
Start to get an image in your mind.
The system
Speaking sessions
New, relevant vocabulary
Flashcard system
Learn the new vocabulary
• Beat your fear • Finding people to
talk to
Congratulations!
• Well done for making it through the first call • Questions • Thank you!