How to Improve English Speaking Skills to Speak Clearly and Be Understood
Many foreign-born professionals are looking for work, to advance in their career and speak up and out for the causes they believe in.
Non-native speakers of English can experience difficulties in delivering their message when speaking to a group of people on stage, in a board room or during one-on-one conversations.
Non-native speakers might hear things like “I don’t understand what you are saying” or “You have a heavy accent”. If you are a non-native speaker of English struggling with your accent, here are 7 tips you can use to improve your English speaking skills and change the way you communicate:
1. Record yourself
Record what you are saying during your next presentation and listen to it. . When you record yourself, you will pick up on things that you might not have noticed before. Ask a native speaker of English to listen to it. Identify the words that are hard to hear or understand. Practice pronouncing these words and using them in a sentence. This will help you improve your presentation skills.
2. Take Accent Reduction and Pronunciation Course for Non-native Speakers of English
Take accent reduction classes to improve your pronunciation so others can understand what you are saying. When you sound clear and articulate, others will listen. An Accent Reduction Course will help you reduce your accent, build confidence and get your point across clearly.
Improve English pronunciation to make sure you speak clearly, and people understand what you are saying. The more you speak like a native speaker, the easier it is for the locals to understand you.
3. Get a partner
Get a speaking partner who can help you improve English communication skills by helping you see and hear the things you are not picking up on. Someone who can call you out when you say a word wrong, aren’t pronouncing things correctly or using the wrong grammar. Ask for feedback anytime you are speaking to get better at communicating.
4. Speak slower
If you speak too fast it slurs your words together and on top of your accent it can be hard to digest what you are saying. Remember slow down, pause, and enunciate your words.
5. Practice one sound at a time
Find the sound that is the hardest for you to say (V, R, W, Th or P). Practice just saying those sounds over and over again. Pick words that have those sounds in them and get your mouth comfortable with finding out how to properly say them without being distracting.
6. Find synonyms for words you can’t pronounce
There are words in English that are difficult to pronounce. Try to avoid them. Find words that are similar to them and use those instead.
7. Practice speaking English everyday
Practice Makes Perfect. Be confident and speak as often as possible to as many people as you possibly can! The more you practice the better and more confident you will become in your pronunciation and vocabulary. Remember, speaking is a skill like learning a musical instrument or new sport – the only way you can get good is to actually do it!
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