5 Ways That You Might Be Wasting Your Time If Your Goal Is To Speak English More Effectively

As someone who has spent the better part of the last two decades helping English language learners to speak more effectively and confidently, it is easy to see which approaches are successful and which are a waste of time.

Successful approaches to self-improvement are those that improve on the fundamentals.

For example, if you want to improve your ability to play a sport or a musical instrument, you know that you must spend time playing and building on your fundamental skills. After all, you don't expect to improve just by sitting around and watching videos of games or performances, do you?

Similarly, if you want to speak English more effectively, you must actually practice speaking out loud. Of course, it's more involved than that, but voicing your thoughts--and focusing on the ways you voice them--are fundamental steps towards improvement.

This is why some people are surprised when they stumble over words or have a difficult time articulating their thoughts despite hours of preparation. This begs the question: what kind of preparation did they do? Well, they researched, they outlined their thoughts, they took good notes on the points they wanted to raise... But they did not bother to practice saying any of these points out loud.

You're busy, so let's cut to the chase. Are you wasting your time?

Here are some of the most common ways that people waste their time when all they want to do is to speak English more effectively and confidently.

1. Reading in English

Generally speaking, reading is a helpful activity and is undeniably useful for a number of reasons. Thus, if your aim is to more broadly improve your English, then you are on the right track. But--as the focus of this article indicates--if you are simply focused on speaking more effectively, don't expect any instant benefits from reading.

The reason why is that if you are reading without reflection, absorbing the information without even trying to voice any new expressions, this passive way to approach the written word is not going to magically turn you into a better speaker.

2. Taking General English Classes

Again, if your goal is to speak more effectively, this implies that you already speak effectively, yes? So why waste time attending a class where you find yourself reviewing the same grammar points yet again and writing essays that you will never use professionally or want to share?

And here is another reason why a general English class might be ineffective for your speaking goals: pronunciation is one of the most difficult elements of English to teach. As such, many teachers receive little to no training on how to teach pronunciation, let alone which topics are actually important for you to learn.

Don't believe me? Have you ever learned the reason why saying "This is a GOOD class" differs in meaning from "THIS is a good class"? How about understanding why someone could take your compliment of saying "nice glasses" as an insult?

General English classes do not always have the time to get into these complicated issues of stress and intonation, yet when you are speaking, they are hugely important and could result in misunderstanding and hurt feelings. To speak English more confidently, you will need to use stress and intonation effectively.

3. Using Apps Like Duolingo

There are a lot of great language learning apps on the market, and Duolingo is a particularly fun one since it gamifies learning--in other words, it makes learning fun. And if you are having fun, you are more likely to play and learn. This app and others like it certainly have advantages.

But what are you learning and what are your goals? If your goal is to speak fluently but you are practicing a series of unrelated phrases, is that going to help? If you want to be able to explain a complicated topic in a simple way, is this the best way for you to practice? Apart from warming up your articulators and getting into an English mindset, this app will not play a significant role in helping you to speak more effectively.

4. Making Small Talk in English With Whomever You Happen to Meet

Understand me well when I say that YES, YOU SHOULD SPEAK ENGLISH WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES. But if your opportunities are few and far between, you won't have as much practice as you need.

Furthermore, chance encounters and conversations will only get you so far with your speaking skills if you are not thinking about these experiences. If you know that you pepper your speech with "uh, um," do you think that this distracting habit will suddenly disappear if you speak more frequently? It probably won't disappear unless you actively work on reducing the times you say these fillers.

Are you going to take the time when connecting with someone to figure out how to pronounce words more clearly (like "comfortable, world, Earth, specific") so that you do not stumble over them in the context of the sentence? Maybe not. A lot of people will just stumble through to get to their point or avoid those words altogether.

So, while speaking practice is definitely one ingredient to improving your confidence, it alone will not necessarily help you to speak more effectively unless you are thoughtful and methodical. 

5. Seeking Professional Support

Like the language learning apps, another benefit that we have of living in an age where it is easy and convenient to connect with people all around the world is that you have access to thousands of English tutors at your fingertips. And there are many services out there that can connect you with a tutor of your choice.

By the same token, nearly anyone can hang out their shingle as an English tutor...

While most tutors are affable and well-meaning, many are inefficient or even ineffective. Just because someone speaks a language does not mean that they can also teach that language. Furthermore, if you never know with which tutor you will be working, neither of you will know how much progress you have made, if any at all. This to me, seems like a large waste of time. 

If you want a conversation partner, that's one thing; speaking practice is useful. If you prefer to work alone at this moment, however, make sure that your methods align with your goals. 

But if you want someone who can help you to assess what you need to improve, and give you the tools and techniques to succeed, then you will need a knowledgeable and experienced professional.

If you choose to work with a coach who has the expertise to help you with your situation, here are a few benefits:

• The coach will get to know you well. They will know the specific challenges you face, the mistakes you make, and how to really help you succeed.
• The coach will learn about your use of English--when, where, and for what purposes you speak English--so that the solutions offered to you are focused on these areas and immediately practical.
• A coach will not only guide you, but they are invested in your success and will hold your hand to make sure that you have your best chance. 

What You Can Do To Speak More Effectively

To expedite your improvement and learn to speak more effectively and confidently in the fastest way possible, you will need to find an experienced expert who can assess your situation and help you achieve your speaking goals. A specialist who really understands your needs and can help you to achieve your goals.

I’ve got the knowledge and experience to help you do just that: overcome the obstacles that are preventing you from speaking English as well as you would like.

Since 2006, I have helped hundreds of advanced English speakers from around the world to achieve success in speaking more effectively and confidently. My master’s degree is in Linguistics, and my Ph.D. is in Cultural Studies in Education, and I apply this knowledge by presenting and reviewing proposals for the major conferences that address effective, intelligible speaking, especially for people whose first language is not English. As well, I stay current in pronunciation research and learning technologies so that my tools and techniques can continue evolving to meet your needs. 

Recognizing the need to promote sustainability, I would like to amplify the voices of those with the same goal. Specifically, I help environmental leaders and influencers to deliver influential messages to promote sustainability by coaching them to express themselves confidently and effectively in English.

If you would like to learn more, watch a free training video here to learn more about how you can speak English more effectively and confidently in less than 3 months so that you can do your part to promote sustainability. And remember:

Work smarter, not harder.