In this special episode, you'll hear la crème de la crème on all things speaking. If improving your speaking skills and confidence is your main focus, don't overwhelm yourself with too many tips and tricks. This compilation of the best tips from the podcast will help you focus on what matters most. Apply the steps from these selected episodes (don't just try once, but truly incorporate them into your routine!), and your speaking skills will completely transform. Yes, it can be that simple :)
In today's episode, you'll learn:
- that fluency is only one of the 3 elements of speaking development, and what that means for your own learning routine
- how to develop fluency by simplifying your French
- how to develop accuracy and convey meaning through your intonation
- how to recentre and stop getting stuck if you tend to freeze
- how to optimise your routine if you cannot seem to ever speak fluently
- how to speak fluently when you use complex sentences structures
Today's takeaway:
1. Do you want to speak fluently? Fluency is not the end goal.
It's only one element you can develop, and is on a spectrum. Consider all three dimensions instead: fluency, accuracy and complexity. Each dimension develops at the expense of the other two. Use this to your advantage. For more details, check out Your own path to fluency #5
2. Do you want to speak better? Simplify your French.
Speaking more and using complex language slows you down and creates more opportunities for mistakes. Use synonyms, opposite, rephrase... and stop overdoing it. You'll speak better (less mistakes, improved pronunciation) and sound better (more confidence and more personality). For more info, check out Boring is the new fluent #26
3. Do you want to convey more personality and be clearer? It's not just about words, but intonation
Intonation changes the meaning of your words. To practise intonation, start doing shadowing exercises. These exercises will help you improve your accent, convey information more accurately, but also boost your confidence. For more details, check out Intonation carries meaning #44
4. Do you want to do your best each time you speak? You already have what it takes
Instead of talking aimlessly, learn to take your time and plan your answers before you talk. Learn to sit in silence and think of what you'll say for a few seconds. During that time, decide on 3 bullet points - the beginning, the middle, and the end of the idea you want to share. Then start talking. Focus on your idea, not on the words you are going to say, and you'll speak so much better and more clearly. To find out more, check out In 15 minutes, you'll speak better #10
5. Do you want to speak fast and fluently? Practise effortlessness
When you practise French, trying to get things right is not enough to build fluency. Fluency is all about your ability to speak effortlessly. Think about your learning as a three-step process: the stage where speaking is hard and you make mistakes, the stage where you can speak without making mistakes and the last stage, the fluent stage, where you can speak effortlessly. Make sure you keep revisiting the same tasks over and over until you reach the effortless stage, and you'll speak more fluently in no time. For more info, check out Why you're still not fluent in French... and what to do about it #46
6. Do you hesitate a lot when you speak? Manipulate the language and develop flexibility
Hesitations are partly due to a lack of flexibility. You're not used to using some language elements, like more complex grammar and sentence structures. So you hesitate. To develop fluency, even when you use complex grammar, practise manipulating the language until you stop hesitating. Tell the same sentence/story and each time, change the grammar. Repeat until it feels effortless. More details at Say "au revoir" to hesitations with this fluency exercise #41
Resources and references:
Listen to the episodes in full to get the full benefits of today's tips:
Alors? Ça t'a plu?
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