As we already know writing and speaking are the skills that you normally need help to practice. We call them output abilities because these are the ones you have to produce; you have to write on paper and usually you have to speak to someone, to practice them.
You need the help of a teacher to correct your writing and guide you through conciseness and clearness and of course you need a partner to speak with and, hopefully, correct you when you’re wrong, to improve your fluency and vocabulary.
It almost seems impossible but there are some ways we can practice these skills at home alone, especially when it comes to practicing speaking, it feels a little awkward even, because we think “Am I supposed to talk to myself?”
Well,Yes! And it’s not as weird as you think! It might feel strange at first, but the more you do it, the more natural and fun it will become.
Besides, it’s not just about talking to yourself. It’s about finding creative ways to speak when you’re alone. And the secret here is to get more comfortable with hearing yourself speak in English and strengthen your pronunciation muscles!
Let’s check some ways you can practice your speaking alone:
1. Teach yourself a speech, monologue or memorize quotes
Yes, memorizing will have a big part in this and it can become a really entertaining way to learn and spend your time.
Choose a speech of someone famous you admire, inspirational quotes or even a scene from a movie or play and write it down to memorize it. Highlight the phrases or expressions you’re not familiar with and don’t know how to pronounce and look them up. Start small and take it step by step. Memorize a few sentences at a time and practice using them in different contexts to get comfortable with them.
And when it comes to inspirational quotes, if you’ve spent any time on social media, you know that quotes are an incredible way to connect with and inspire people instantly. And, if you don’t feel ready to memorize a speech yet, you should start with memorizing quotes.
The great thing about this strategy is that, if you check social media every day, you can make this part of your daily habit, which will expose you to expressions and slang that you might not find in other places, and lead you to a daily practice of the language. Just don’t forget to always read the quote out loud and repeat it until it sounds good to your own ears.
2. Memorize your favorite song and sing it!
Everybody has tried this one, but not everyone knows that there is a study that says that adults who sing in a new language instead of just speaking perform better on a series of language tests. Of course, some people don’t like to sing, feel a little self-conscious, but remember that you’ll be practicing by yourself, so there’s no need to feel embarrassed about your singing ability. And you too will see that it’s much easier to memorize a song than a speech or monologue because the rhythm helps a lot. Just try not to choose something difficult for a first song and pick you one you already enjoy and won’t mind listening over and over again. Memorize the song by reading the lyrics as you listen to it and then repeat out loud until you feel it’s something you can do by yourself, with no paper. Start with the chorus if you want, they are always catchier, and then take it down verse by verse until you know the song by heart. In no time you will be singing in the shower, the car, the supermarket, when no one is around, with no papers, no cellphone and until you get sick of it and are ready for a new song,
3. Have a discussion with yourself!
Everybody has had that moment at home where you think “I should’ve said that” or “I should’ve answered that way”. Well, now that you are at home alone, you can answer your boss, your mother or the guy at the supermarket, the way you really wanted to – in English! This is a good way to use that frustration in your benefit. To anticipate a difficult conversation or even a presentation at your work can also be a good way to practice. Come up with every possible question you may face, ask them aloud, be the other person, and then be yourself and answer, as if you were the two parts of the conversation. This will be good to practice English and even your public speaking ability.
4. Dictate your ideas instead of writing them down
You have probably seen this on movies of detectives and scientists where people have a little recording device and instead of taking notes on their progress or discoveries, they record them. You can do the same. Instead of taking notes try dictating your spoken words. Your cellphone can do that, even on whatsapp – that’s how we send audio messages, so just send audio messages to yourself to remember things, with your supermarket list or even just your thoughts about something that happens during the day. Dictating requires you to speak clearly and with a good pronunciation or else, the app won’t understand what you are saying. It might take a little bit of practice but be patient with yourself and, in no time, you’ll find yourself dictating like a scientist your progress on a given project 😉
5. Use the rubber duck method
This one might have you thinking “What the heck are you talking about?” I’ll explain: The Rubber Duck Method is very simple. If you feel strange about talking to yourself, just find an inanimate object – like a rubber duck (hence the name) or a house plant, and teach it something. Computer programmers created this method because they need to think out loud and talk about a problem, as if they were explaining it to someone, so clearly envision their code and find solutions. You can use it to practice your speaking, after all you won’t be talking to yourself but explaining / teaching something important to a “rubber duck”. Start with a topic you are passionate about so, if you like teaching people about sustainability, films, engineering, or gardening, write down a few bullet points on some notebook paper, and give a short presentation to an inanimate object. If you notice yourself making any mistakes, write them down, correct them, and try giving your presentation again with your corrections. Yes, we know it sounds strange, but it does work!
6. Record yourself speaking on video
This might not be for everyone, it depends if you’re comfortable with making videos but if you like watching or making videos on YouTube or Instagram, you should try making videos in English! You just need access to a camera, or just a camera on your phone or computer, to start recording yourself. You don’t need to show them to anyone but it’s a good way to keep track of your progress. Give yourself some guidelines for what you will talk about. Are you going to teach or discuss something? Review your favorite movie, or just share your thoughts of the day? It’s best to give yourself a specific focus so you don’t get too overwhelmed by the idea of being on camera. After a couple of months of doing this, at least once a week, I guarantee you will see some progress.
7. Check-in with your progress once a month
Practicing a skill like speaking on your own can be tough. But you’ll make more progress if you check-in with your goals every month.
You can use a calendar app on your phone or computer, or if you prefer to track goals on paper you can even use Brisk’s planner or a bullet journal to set aside one day a month to measure your progress.
Ask yourself: Are you making fewer mistakes? How many new English phrases or expressions have you learned? Have you memorized a speech, a song, a quote? Do you feel more comfortable when you’re speaking?
Even if you’re learning English with a teacher or in a classroom, learning how to keep track of your own goals helps you take charge of and stay invested in your progress, and it will have a bigger pay off in the end.
Know when to ask for help
If you’re feeling stuck or feel you’re not making enough progress, we are here to help. Don’t feel bad to reach out to an English teacher to help you figure out your own self-study path. We, at Brisk, can say that, as online teachers, we love empowering people to study on their own.
I know we’ve encouraged you to learn on your own in this article, but remember that it’s also okay to ask for guidance or help from a teacher if you need it.
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