Improve your English Communication, this is the biggest hurdle everybody face in their life. If you think we are talking about your mother tongue (first language), nope, we are discussing about the global language, English. In India only 30% of people can speak English fluently and the other 70% also speak English but still find it difficult to put out the words. So, how do you overcome these problems as a student? Because as a student it is very important to learn English in order to build relationships with various people for bright future. We will guide you through everything and clarify all of your doubts. Stick around, do not skip anything.
Before we dive in, let us look at the few issues you face while learning to speak English
- Fluency
There is this misconception that fluency is speaking fast, using fancy words, contractions etc. but it is a myth. People exists where they use contractions, fancy words, speak fast and yet they are unable to convey their message. We say you are fluent in English when you are able to express your thoughts, ideas, feelings, emotions in a way that your listeners can understand. You do not have to use fancy words (a wide range of vocabulary can help you but using jargon words will not help you every time), contractions (of course basic contractions are required) and moreover, you do not have to speed up your language to sound more professional.
- Starting with grammar
Many, including your English teachers, say that you should start learning English with grammar, yep it is correct for little extent. But we here at Samagra Foundation go against it, because grammar is like a vast ocean and comes with certain rules for every topic and every sentence you speak. Those set of rules will confuse you from time to time and sentence to sentence. In order to avoid that confusion, we highly recommend you to begin with tenses and verb forms.
- How can English help me network with people or Why can’t I use my first language to connect with people?
English is a global language, which means every person (or at least half) speak English all around the world irrespective where he/ she is from and what their first language is. Their first language might be different but still they speak English to connect with the other person whose first language also might be different. So, what do think might happen if they communicate in their native languages? They cannot sync with each other, right? Similarly you too should learn English to communicate for successful human relations.
- How can English help me secure a job?
Many say English is important to get a job, yes that is absolutely correct. Whatever the question your interviewer poses, you should be fluent to answer, besides language too matters.
For instance: you are an Indian and you are from Andhra Pradesh where Telugu is spoken widely and your interviewer might be from Punjab, northern India where Punjabi is spoken widely. so, when your interviewer ask you a question in Punjabi or when you answer in Telugu, will you both get in sync (understand each other)? Which is why the whole world follow one common language, English.
How to improve your English communication?
Tips and tricks provided here are super basic, they are easy to follow. They might be small to look at but the results will be gigantic. Anything you learn will consume time and will not work till you put it into practice.
1. Listen as much as you can
You listen all the time from morning till the evening you go bed. You listen songs and talk to people, but the conversation what you have among your peers is entirely different compared with the conversation you have with a stranger, right? One of the best ways to improve your English communication is to listen to sample conversations, audio books, podcasts, speeches, ted talks or anything that runs on English as a primary language.
The content you get through listening is unmatchable with any other learning methods. When you listen with utmost focus, you not only listen people talking but also you will observe everything the words they use, accent they follow, the way they frame sentences, clarity in their talking etc.
Note:
Always carry a book and a pen or a note taking app on your phone to jot down the unknown words that you come across in a day. So that it will make easier for you to search and learn definitions, meanings to reuse them in your further conversations later and help you Improve English communication.
Results from listening:
- Develops your accent
- Builds strong vocabulary
- Learns how to connect to people
Listen for at least 10 minutes in a day with utmost focus for better results.
2. Practice English with a partner
Practicing is the most crucial part when it comes to learning. As your subjects in college are concerned, you write on a sheet of paper what you’ve learnt. Similarly whenever you learn a new thing in English such as vocabulary, phrasal verbs, grammar etc. you should put it into practice right away. And that practice can be done through writing and oral activity.
But make sure you have a learning partner to communicate to correct each other’s mistakes.
Note:
Try framing sentences using the words you have learnt and to check if the sentences are correct, use Google, Grammarly etc. you can also take to your learning partner to discuss about your work and frame such more sentences.
Results from practicing:
- Good speaking skills
- Better knowledge about the written words and spoken words
- Better logical thinking
Your practice shouldn’t be only limited to framing sentences but also you slowly should start writing paragraphs and work on other areas without any internet and your peers influence. Do not worry about the mistakes you are going to make, but worry for you are not getting started as early as possible.
3. Read children books and comics
Reading is as important as practicing, because what we learn and read is what we put into practice. Reading lets you explore the language a little deeper. The type of language we use to talk and the way the books are written are entirely different. Books are written in a way that lengthens a single topic into hundreds of pages where as we try to reduce the length of the topic/sentence to make it easier to use and spell.
However, there are two main reasons why you should read books. Reading helps you write better and also develops your language either in vocabulary or in the sense of expressing yourself.
Results from reading:
- Better writing skills
- Better reading skills
- Command over language
As a beginner, we wouldn’t suggest you to complete a book within a day. But as you progress grow the number of pages you read.
4. Take advantage of free online media
You spend most of your time on social media. But how do you spend it? Do you spend texting or watching YouTube or you use that time for productivity? Few social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook provides free content in any area you want. All you just need to do is to search for the content in the right way.
Other courses taking platforms like Udemy, Coursera, Alison etc. gives you language learning courses for free. You can take up any one of those but before, look for rating and reviews for the particular course.
Note:
YouTube provides tens and hundreds of video content for free and if you know how to connect the dots between the topics and if you practice in a way it should be, trust me you do not require any professional training to talk like a professional.
5. Believe in yourself
We will stress on this for as long as we can. English is not a piece of cake to learn within a day or a week or a month. It takes months and sometimes years of hard work to excel at it. A constant dedication and preparation with a constant motivation is what going to help you in this journey.
…Believe me…
You are going to be amazing
