Boost Your Speaking Skills in English While Growing Your Vocabulary—in Minutes a Day

Research shows that extensive reading is one of the best ways to increase your English vocabulary (as well as your overall understanding of English.)

As you read a word over and over in different contexts, you learn how and when to use it. You’ll see how its exact meaning may change depending on the context and the writer’s intention. You will not only remember it better than if you had memorized it from a list, but you will also be more likely to use it appropriately.

English reading or listening helps improve your fluency in English in other ways as well. English grammar starts to feel more natural (until you’ll often use common forms correctly without even thinking. They’ll just “sound right.”) You’ll also begin to use common phrases and even phrasal verbs because you have read or heard them so much.

I believe reading in English can also help you improve your speaking skills and confidence, IF you do a few short practice exercises immediately after you read whenever you can.

For example, you could summarize the main points of what you just read.* Then choose one point and explain why it’s important. Or you could explain why you agree or disagree with it. It’s O.K. if you need to write down your thoughts (in English, even if the English isn’t perfect.) But after you write it down, say it—without looking, if you can. If that’s too hard, then read what you wrote aloud.

*Trying to summarize an article, talk, or story is a good way to make sure you understand it. You need to consider which of its ideas or arguments are most important and how they all connect. This will also help you remember it better and decide if it’s worth sharing with others.

After you’ve tried this a few times, see if you can speak a few words about it without writing first. (If not, just keep writing and then reading it aloud. That will help you, even if it takes time before it gets easier.)

Think of how one or two of the new words you just read (if any) are related to your work. Is there a way you might use them in a meeting, conversation, or email? Try that conversation in your head-- or out loud if you’re alone It’s even better if you have a friend interested in the topic and in practicing English with you.

This isn’t just useful for what you read. Podcasts, TED talks, and even listening to the news in English can be opportunities to reinforce the vocabulary and ideas you are learning and also to practice your speaking skills using some of these same exercises.

Would You Like to Try This Type of Speaking Practice?

Do you wonder if this process could help you develop your speaking fluency?

Later this month, (March 24-28), I will be offering a free five-day email challenge using these techniques to build speaking skills (and review important professional vocabulary.) Most of the scientists I work with have very limited time, so it’s designed for maximum impact with a minimal time commitment—usually less than a half-hour a day.

Each day we’ll watch one fairly short video (6-7.5 minutes) or TED talk (about 15 minutes each) and then practice some of their important vocabulary and your speaking skills by answering a few questions (out loud, in English.) You can practice with a friend, another participant, or on your own. Share a recording of your answers with me or with the group IF you want to.

The goal is to see how you can keep working on your English, and get more confident speaking in English, even in a few minutes every few days. It all adds up!

Here’s a quick summary of each day:

Day 1: Watch this talk on the Power of Stories-- and respond to some questions about it out loud (or in writing—but at least read your answers aloud.)

Day 2: Questions in English including for Networking. Review and practice question formation and asking and answering questions during networking conversations.

Day 3: English Word and Syllable Stresses. Learn why word and syllable stresses matter in English and practice using them.

Day 4: Watch or read "Dare to Disagree" and use some of its vocabulary to talk about it in English.

Day 5: Review and Practice More Words for Agreeing and Disagreeing Politely and Professionally in English.

If you’d like to find out if this process can help you speak English more confidently, join us Mar, 24-28. It’s free—and won’t take much time from your days. (It’s also designed so you can do the work at whatever time is best for you, whenever you are free. Then share as much or as little as you feel comfortable sharing. If you want, share your email or LinkedIn profile with the group so you can practice with other participants—or do it all on your own.)

You can sign up here (or message me ‘Yes’) if you are interested in a free challenge like this.

Comment if you’ve tried something like this (how did it go?) or if you have any suggestions to make it better.