A 3-step strategy to develop speaking skills

By Murodov Sukhrob

Being able to speak a good English and to communicate ideas effectively are of outmost importance for success in language exams. There are 3 main steps to take to improve the spoken English: learning, practicing, and integrating.

Learning:

When we say learning, we do not just mean a certain subject. With language, you have to make a certain amount of effort to learn many things at once. This might involve learning strategies, content and language.

Strategies:

Before you start working on your weaker areas, you should think about your long-term plans. In this case, we mean the exam you are going to take (IELTS, Cambridge qualifications or Business qualifications). If you are preparing for IELTS, for example, you have to learn how the test is structured and what kinds of questions might follow. As soon as you reach a decision, you can start learning about the test and master particular skills for success in it.

Content:

The speaking portion in all language exams are bound to contain complex or abstruse questions about different topics. You obviously need some background knowledge of those topics to ensure that you can express yourself clearly and confidently. But, with a lack of ideas, your confidence will be lost, and your communication will be hindered. You might be asked a question like ‘’why is the world becoming more and more globalized?’’, which requires you to be informed about globalization and its potential effects. To make sure that you can answer these questions and get a satisfactory score, you should gain content on different topics. A good way of accomplishing this is to read global news, articles, blogs and keep abreast of all the current affairs. It is also effective to read books and watch documentaries.

Language:

We have already discussed the significance of content, but can we show it off without enough vocabulary or grammar skills? The answer is obviously no. In order to convey your ideas precisely to the listener and to avoid ambiguities, you have to able to use vocabulary and grammar precisely and accurately. It would be good to practice grammar and learn new words everyday. You can take up unfamiliar expressions from different texts and jot down new grammatical structures that you encounter in your notebook.

Practice:

We need to put our skills and knowledge into practice so that they yield their results. After learning new words or grammatical structures, we have to implement them in our speech. There are 3 methods we can adopt: applying knowledges in everyday situations, making conversations and doing exam practices.

Talking in English everyday:

One way of practicing the skills and knowledge we receive is to speak in English on day-to-day basis. You might simply chat in English with your friends or talk in English on your own. This will be particularly useful in enhancing your fluency and will give you an opportunity to make use of words you have learnt earlier.

Making conversations:

Another method you can use is to make conversations with your friends. This will prove invaluable in taking your content and language to the next level. As you choose a specific topic for discussion, you will be able to use topic-based vocabulary and relevant content that you acquired.

Exam practice:

After learning certain strategies or skills to do well in your exam, you have to put them into practice. By answering exam questions, you will be able to structure your response correctly, and make sure your speech adheres to all the set criteria.

Integration:

Integrating means connecting everything you have learnt into one and then spotting the gaps in your knowledge. It might be in the form of a presentation or simply a public speech.

Presentation:

When you start noticing that your spoken English has become rich in language and more meaningful, it is time to challenge yourself. Making a presentation on any topic pressures you into speaking endlessly, which in turn gives you an opportunity to note the gaps in your knowledge. You might, to illustrate, still have problems with connecting the sentences or simply making your speech flawless. 20 - minute long presentations will give you a chance to find such weaknesses and then work on them.

Public Speech:

You also can give a speech in front of the audience where you give your opinions on particular issues. What makes this method distinct is that it does not restrain you from shining with language and showing off your abilities. As you are simply giving your views on certain matters, you can use any form of language and practice using what you have previously encountered or learnt.

In summary, boosting speaking skills requires you to learn and put everything into practice. At the end, you have to integrate all the skills into one presentation or public speech, to find both improvements and weaknesses.