This evening, I held an English lesson at the International Center. My goal was to help my students become more comfortable speaking in English. So many of them have a great deal of experience and knowledge, and I believe that they are smart enough to become fluent speakers in a year or less.
The only thing getting in their way is opportunity, which is what slows down all language learners: they need chances to talk to English speakers. To help them along, the formal class ends thirty minutes sooner than my previous classes did, and then students have an opportunity to speak with English speakers in an informal language exchange. I watched many of my students sit with Americans who were there to learn Japanese. Just as I thought, I saw that my students have the skills necessary to engage in conversation and improves. I have confidence in them.
Here, I have included a few tips to help anyone who is interested in language exchange:
- Take risks. Do not be afraid to speak up, even if you might make mistakes.
- Ask questions that lead to more questions.
- Write things down. Very few people have perfect memory, so a pen and pad are very useful.
- Try to talk in the target language more than your native language.
- Listen! Pay attention to everything, even body language.
If you have more tips, leave a comment below.
