10 Ways Speaking a Language Helps You Learn It Faster
Do you want to know how to learn a language fast? You accomplish this by improving your way of speaking. In fact, speaking more and more is a highway to fluency!
Keep reading to explore how speaking helps you effectively learn a language. Find out why speaking is so important in learning a language like Spanish. I’ll also give you tips to learn a new language fast by speaking it from day 1.
What is the Role of Speaking?
Speaking is a life essential skill. You learn it at an early age to communicate with and relate to people around you.
Without speaking, we wouldn’t be able to make connections. We wouldn’t be able to express our wishes and feelings. Speaking is the basis of all human interactions. We use it to inform, instruct, entertain, and persuade.
Speaking skills are not only crucial in your mother tongue, but also in language learning. Speaking forces students to use vocabulary and grammar on the spot.
Why Is Speaking So Important?
Many learners measure their success in language learning by how well they engage in conversation. Most students see speaking as a goal, not as a learning strategy.
If you want to know how to learn a language fast, the answer is: speaking. Yes, speaking is language learning and it’s one of the fastest ways to learn.
Learning a language through speaking improves both linguistic and non-linguistic skills.
Speaking involves comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary, word order, intonation, and pronunciation. It also improves your self-esteem!
How to Get Started Speaking?
Speak from day 1. Create basic sentences and short dialogues. Practice imaginary conversations in your head. Talk to yourself and record yourself.
- Download apps that help you practice speaking. Chat apps are a great tool if there are no people to practice with near to you.
- Sing songs, repeat movie dialogue, and read aloud in your target language.
- Find a language partner to talk to. If you’re studying Spanish, you can babysit a kid of your Spanish-speaking neighbor. Kids are great to practice languages with!
10 Ways to Learn a Language Fast by Speaking It
If you want to learn a language quickly, let me show you how speaking it from the beginning can help you do just that.
1. Apply What You Know
There’s no point in learning a language if you’re not using it. And speaking is the supreme act of using a language spontaneously.
When studying a language, we tend to start by collecting blocks: vocabulary, basic grammar structures, etc.
Speaking is using these blocks to make your own creations. You need to juggle all the elements to hold even a short conversation.
2. Identify Areas of Opportunity
Speaking a new language reveals what you still need to learn.
Imagine you’re holding a conversation with a new friend. You want to tell them what you did over the weekend. You might realize that you need to practice past tense verb conjugation, for example.
3. Give Context to your Learning
Speaking gives context to your learning. Do you remember when you had to memorize all the names of fruits and vegetables? Going to a local store and finding the things on your shopping list gives context to your knowledge.
4. Learn from your Mistakes
While speaking, you become aware of your own mistakes and how to correct them. For example, if you say Ayer yo fue al doctor, you may realize it doesn’t sound right.
Perhaps the person you’re talking to will correct your mistake and say:
Ayer fui al doctor.
Yesterday I went to the doctor.
5. Improve Pronunciation, Intonation, and Speed
By speaking, you improve your pronunciation, intonation, accent, and speed. These elements are an essential part of speaking skills. You can only improve your speaking skills by speaking.
Imitate other people’s way of speaking. Parrot their accent and intonation. Training your throat and mouth muscles improves your pronunciation.
The more you speak, the faster you speak and the more native you sound.
6. Improve Comprehension and Listening Skills
Conversations are interactive. While speaking, you’re also working on your comprehension and listening skills. You can’t talk to others without listening to what they say, understanding, and reacting to it.
7. “Feel” the Language
By talking with native speakers, you get a natural feeling for the language. Things will start to sound right or wrong to you.
Why? Listening to certain words and phrases leads you to use them while speaking.
8. Improve Your Fluency
The more you speak, the better your speaking becomes.
While speaking, you’re working on your fluency. Fluency does not mean “accuracy.” You may still make grammar mistakes. Fluency means “how smoothly and efficiently you can speak on a range of topics in real time.” This is only achieved through speaking.
To communicate with native speakers, it’s not necessary to speak with 100% accuracy. If you produce a clear and concise message, people will understand you.
9. Boost your Confidence
How would you feel after your first-ever 10-minute conversation in Spanish? Happy and proud! Like there are no limitations to what you can achieve.
The sense of accomplishment is great. There’s no better motivation to further and faster learning than seeing that you’re able to use it.
10. Make your Studies Meaningful
To learn a language fast, make your studies meaningful. Again, you do this by speaking.
As I mentioned before, there’s no point in studying a language unless you’re going to use it. By speaking, you see how useful studying is.
International travel is easier if you know the local language. You speak with people from different cultures and backgrounds. You see that the language you’re studying is a tool.
Start Speaking Spanish Today
Do you want to improve your Spanish-speaking skills? Do you want to overcome the fear of expressing your thoughts in a foreign language? Imagine how your life will change after you learn a foreign language. Remember, speaking is not a goal in language learning, speaking is a learning method.
Here at Homeschool Spanish Academy, we help you learn Spanish through real-life conversations. Sign up for a free class and practice your speaking skills with one of our friendly, certified teachers from Guatemala.
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