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https://www.facebook.com/Talk2MeEnglish

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This is the question that I am most frequently asked by students.

Last week I created a post for my social media sites '5 Ways to Improve Speaking', immediately after posting I received a number of messages from language learners asking for recommendations and links to websites. So, what better way to start 2017 than to get back to blogging and write a post to try and answer this question in more detail!

In order to improve your English speaking skills, it is extremely important to practise regularly. I recommend spending at least 10 minutes every day doing something you enjoy in English. Here are some suggestions of ways to practise and examples of activities that will help you to improve your speaking skills:

Make friends with English speakers and use social media to connect with other learners or native speakers. Use platforms like How Do You Do , Lingoglobe , , Easy Language Exchange and . Chat about current affairs, learn about each other's cultures and exchange ideas about language learning.

If you are living in an English speaking country, speak to anyone, speak to the cashier in the supermarket or your taxi driver (they usually love to chat). Use every opportunity to practise your speaking skills and don't be afraid to make mistakes. The more you practise, the faster you will improve and the more confident you will feel.

Speak to yourself in the shower, in the car, whilst doing the dishes, anytime, anywhere, speak and speak aloud. Speaking aloud will help you to practise and improve pronunciation and fluency. Keep it simple, use short precise sentences, express your thoughts, ideas, try out new words and expressions, sing English songs. Be vocal and build confidence.

If you have a pet, make a conscious decision to only speak to that pet in English. Have a chat with your pet in the evening, tell them about your day, tell them about your plans for tomorrow and talk to them about anything you like. I'm sure they will love the attention and they'll never interrupt you.

Listen to the pronunciation of words and learn new expressions. You will improve your ability to comprehend different accents. Exercise the skill of not translating as you listen, learn to grasp the general meaning of what is being said and learn not to panic when you don't understand every word. Improving your listening skills is an essential part of learning English, and not only will it improve your ability to understand, it will also help you to communicate better.

The more you read the more words and expressions you are exposed to. Reading is essential for language acquisition. When you read a lot, you increase the possibility of seeing the same words in different contexts, this will help you to retain the language (to remember it). Choose books that are interesting and suitable for your level. Ask friends or search for book recommendations.

Read up-to-date news articles that are graded according to level on the Breaking News English website. Knowing what's going on in the world and having the vocabulary to talk about it will help you to communicate in social situations and make small talk.

Read language learning blogs, London Language Lab introduces an authentically British phrase each day and English with a twist shares practical business expressions for more advanced learners. Learning authentic phrases and expressions will help you to communicate more naturally with native speakers.

When we participate in activities that we enjoy, our focus is on the activity and not on the language, it makes it much easier to learn and takes less effort. If, for example, you love cooking: read food to learn authentic language, join an English Facebook group, try out the recipes that are shared, share your own recipes, write comments and give feedback, create a YouTube channel, make a video, make new contacts and chat or Skype with the members of the group. Surround yourself with English while doing things you enjoy.

Taking a lesson with a professional, qualified teacher is probably the best way to improve your speaking skills. An online teacher will encourage you to speak and you won't feel so nervous about speaking online (if you are really shy, you can even switch off your video). However, your teacher will be there to listen, to give feedback and to correct. When you have a one-on-one online lesson, you will get maximum speaking time which guarantees that you will improve fluency and pronunciation and you will progress faster. When your progress is noticeable, you will feel more confident, you will feel relaxed, and you will communicate more successfully.

Talk2Me English specialisesin helping students to improve their spoken English. Your personalised online course is created by gathering information about you, your interests, your language needs, your current level and your language learning objectives. The lessons are topic based, practical and interesting. You'll do most of the talking and you'll receive the correction you need in order to progress quickly. After every lesson, you will receive a detailed report containing: the lesson materials, feedback, new vocabulary and corrections, pronunciation tips, and activities for self-study. See what Emma's students say about her lessons .

offers professional lessons with qualified teachers and informal lessons with community tutors (native speakers). offers lessons with qualified teachers and also free practice groups with fellow language learners.

As you can see, it's all about the practice. So be practical, practise often, be vocal and most importantly speak, speak, speak.

Feel free to comment, your feedback is always appreciated. If you are a Google+ member please comment below. If you're on please message me there and you can always send me a message via my website: Facebook Talk2meEnglish

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This is the question that I am most frequently asked by students. Last week I created a post for my social media sites '5 Ways to Improve Speaking', immediately after posting I received a number of messages from language learners asking for recommendations and links to websites.

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Advanced course materials

http://englishoutthere.com/

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I'll explain about Task

7 and 8 in our next lesson

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Cockney rhyming slang (sent via google docs)

Read the article

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Out there task

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Can you predict the answers to these two questions?

1. What does the word 'actually' mean in English?

2. What subjects do you think the English most enjoy talking about?

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English conversation (sent via google docs)

Read the article and complete the 'Vocabulary development' exercise.

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Complete Task 5 - Out there task

You can use Skype, Facebook, italki, Google Hangouts or Speaky to find a language partner to practise what you've learnt.

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Speaky - language exchange community to practice languages online

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Find and meet native speakers from all around the world. Browse our community to find your ideal language partner and improve your language skills.

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In our next lesson we will talk about euphemisms.

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Learn about euphemisms in three minutes!

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Cockney Slang

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We interviewed 3 people at Lord John Russel Pub in the Bloomsbury area of London, in regards to their knowledge of Cockney rhyming slang, a cryptolect of English developed to confuse authorities that has since embedded itself as a semi-common slang in areas of London. It now mainly serves to confuse foreigners.

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Cockney Slang

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Cockney Rhyming Slang Appreciation Society

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In honour of the Cockney Rhyming Slang Appreciation Society on Facebook, Unlimited hits the streets of London to see who knows their apples and pears from their Billie Pipers...