Immersing yourself in a new culture as an international student can be difficult. From feeling unsure of social etiquette to not knowing your way around your new city, the process of emigrating to school can be overwhelming.
One of the most significant factors that can contribute to your feelings of unease is your inability to speak the local language. If you’re studying in an English-speaking country, this means feeling uncomfortable speaking English.
Fortunately, brushing up on your English speaking abilities can beneficially transform your experience as an international student. In addition, taking advantage of key tips can help simplify the process and get you to speak like a pro in no time.
Here are five ways to improve your English speaking skills as an international student in a modern education environment.
Overcome Shyness and Embarrassment
One of the biggest barriers to becoming comfortable speaking a new language is shyness and embarrassment. If you’re constantly judging yourself and holding back from speaking because you think someone will judge you, you’re going to have a lot of difficulty improving your speaking skills.
Though it can be difficult, it’s vital that you take the necessary steps to get over your shyness and become comfortable making speaking mistakes.
To begin this journey, it can help by practicing with others who speak English as a second language as well. This is because you’ll feel less vulnerable in these contexts and won’t feel judged if you make a speaking mistake.
Practice Every Chance You Get
As the maxim goes, practice makes perfect. While you can read all the books in the world about conversational English, it won’t make a difference if you’re not implementing what you learn. This being the case, it’s important to take every chance you get to practice your English.
Whether it’s striking up conversations with people in coffee shops, answering more questions in class, or regularly calling friends, you need to spend as much time as can speaking to become proficient.
While you may feel a little nervous or shaky at first, over time you’ll develop a deeper sense of comfort. Eventually, after practicing speaking English every single day, it will practically feel like second nature.
Understand Physical Communication
When it comes to speaking any language, the physical motions that go with words can have a significant impact on what things mean. This being the case, ft you truly want to become a master of communicating in English, it’s important to understand the physical gestures that accompany the language.
When it comes to teaching English as a second language, many teachers make it a point to help their students understand physical gestures. This is because this can make one feel more comfortable communicating in English.
By mastering common physical gestures associated with speaking English, you’ll likely always be able to get your point across even if you forget or don’t know certain words. This being the case, taking time to study and understand the physical gestures of English speakers is a great way to become more comfortable speaking English.
Watch and Listen to Content
Though it might seem like a purely fun and enjoyable activity, ingesting English language content can make you a better English speaker. This content can include many different things such as movies, music, podcasts, audiobooks, and radio shows.
By listening to more English language content, you’ll begin to internalize more words, phrases, and figures of speech. In addition, you’ll get a better sense of how some words or phrases are used differently in different contexts.
For these reasons, though it may be a leisurely pastime, listening to English language content can make you a more proficient English speaker.
Get an English Tutor
While being disciplined and practicing on your own is a great way to boost your English speaking skills as an international student, having a tutor can help you take your skills to the next level. This is especially true if you believe you have speech problems such as receptive language disorder.
When enlisting the help of a tutor, you have someone who you can practice with regularly who will also correct you when you make mistakes. Your tutor can also help you practice conversations around topics that you find difficult, helping you feel comfortable speaking in all situations.
Given that you’re an international student, it can help to explore your school for tutoring resources. In fact, it’s more than likely that you’ll be able to find a tutor that will help you completely for free, making it easier than ever for you to gain confidence as an English speaker.
You’re Capable of Becoming a Confident English Speaker
Though it can seem overwhelming when first learning English, becoming a confident English speaker is something you’re more than capable of accomplishing. From practicing whenever you can to watching movies in English, these tips will make your path of English speaking improvement easier.
As such, you should incorporate these approaches into your daily routine and make the most out of your international student experience.