How To Learn to speak a language

Many people who learn a language from a textbook can read and write but not speak.

On the other hand, those who can converse in some language, such as Mandarin, never learn to read or write.

I became painfully aware of the problem of having difficulty speaking a language, in Japan, when my knowledge of Japanese was limited to Sayonara, when I stopped some Japanese girls in the street and I asked them the way to a museum.

 'Teacher,' they said. 

 One girl ran off. She returned a moment later with a Japanese gentleman.

She introduced him to me,  proudly, 'English teacher!'

Unfortunately he could not answer my question, nor any other question.
Maybe he wanted to say, 'Sorry I don't know it.' Or, 'I am not from here'.

I felt obliged to hold a one-sided conversation: I praised Japan and his pupils and his good work teaching them English. I paused. 

He nodded but had nothing to add.

 So I said: 'Thank you so much for stopping (pause) and it was a pleasure to meet you (pause) and talk to you - and good luck to the girls in their English exams - and thank you again - and goodbye. Sayonara!'

That incident has haunted me for years. What are the causes of the problem of an inability to speak? Can identifying the causes suggest solutions?

First, let's be positive. If it's any consolation, speaking is considered the easy part of learning a language. Many people learn to chat away in a foreign language on holiday, after hearing locals speak their language, copying and joining in. Business people also often learn to speak, especially those in sales and negotiation. A further group who live in the country and take conversation lessons, manage to nod and smile and wave their hands around and make friends everywhere, whilst envying academics who can read and write the language correctly

What can you do?

First, listen to the language being spoken to understand the rhythm and  pronunciation.

Next concentrate on learning specific useful or everyday phrases.

Listen A Lot
Listen as you learn. It sounds obvious, but I was learning on the train or late at night. I did not want to disturb others with noise nor to wear headphones.

Practise Speaking

Now I realise that I am missing out on the ability to speak, I shall repeat what I hear three times and say it aloud at least twice.

Create Imaginary Conversations

Finally, I shall practise imaginary conversations. Instead of an imaginary guardian angel following me around and giving advice, I shall imagine a stranger wanting a guide to my current city.

 Where the teaching material uses the names of strangers, I shall replace them in my mind with my name and my family members' names.

So when the text of a multiple choice question in Duolingo reads something such as, James is from America, I shall change the sentence to read, 'Angela is from America. I am from England.'

Useful Websites

Chineasy

Author


Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.