SPEAKING  BOOTCAMP A crash course in speaking fluently and

communicating better with native speakers

Introduction •  Welcome! •  We’re going to focus on speaking... it’s a deep

dive, and we have to stay focused •  Not always glamorous, but it will be effective •  Calls will be recorded and posted in a password

protected page •  My goal: be off the call in 90 minutes •  I’ll answer questions towards the end of the call

I’m  not  perfect! •  I’m don’t have all the answers •  I’m learning too •  The right answer for you is something you’ll need to

figure out for yourself •  The goal of this training is to bring you clarity over

certain issues so that you’re empowered to make your own decisions, find your own answers.

What  I  expect  from  you •  Interaction in the process - the key to finding the

right answers for you •  Don’t just sit and make notes •  We’re focusing on your transformation •  This won’t work if you don’t engage

•  Be the 1%!

What’s  your  approach  going  to  be?

•  Are you in this for a quick fix? •  Do you expect overnight miracles?

•  Are you in this for the long-term? •  Are you prepared to work harder in order to

improve your learning?

Map  of  the  course

1.  Beat your fear of speaking 2.  Exactly how to find your ideal language partner 3.  A step-by-step guide to speaking fluently and

interacting with native speakers 4.  Techniques for learning new words and

memorizing vocabulary 5.  The skills you need to survive in any situation

The theoretical bit

Highly practical

The  system

Speaking  sessions

New,  relevant   vocabulary

Flashcard  system

Learn  the  new   vocabulary

•  Beat  your  fear •  Finding  people  to  

talk  to

A  word  about  Egypt! •  Power cuts and blackouts •  Backup calls are ready •  Thank you for your patience

Module  1 Beat your fear of speaking –

How to turn shyness into strength

What  we’ll  cover •  Distorted expectations of speaking •  Why this causes pressure, resulting in fear and

anxiety •  How this kills progress dead •  Why speaking shouldn’t be something you do after

you learn •  How finding the right person to speak to can be

transformational

Why  fear  is  a  big  deal •  Fear of speaking stops you speaking! •  If you don’t speak, you don’t improve

•  …fear stops you learning the language

What comes to mind when you hear this phrase? What are your first reactions? What emotions do you feel? What image does it conjure up for you?

“Speaking  with  native  speakers.”

•  Studying on my own •  Books, grammar, tests •  Always struggled with listening •  Unsure about what to say •  Speaking with native speakers was a constant source of

fear, embarrassment, discomfort. •  I’d be nervous whenever anyone came to speak to me.

I’d be nervous about speaking to anyone. •  I started to avoid contact with native speakers (although I

wanted it really badly). I was living in Japan! And this was my 5th language!

My  Japan  Story  –  Part  1

What  is  fear? When you speak a foreign language, do you… •  Have a concern of being judged or evaluated? •  Worry what others will think about you

(embarrassment, criticism, or rejection)? •  Feel insecure and not good enough for other

people? •  Assume that the other person will automatically

reject you?

“ is a discomfort or a fear when a person is in a social interaction that involves a concern of being judged or evaluated by others. It is typically characterised by an intense fear of what others are thinking about them (specifically fear of embarrassment, criticism, or rejection), which results in the individual feeling insecure and not good enough for other people, and/or the assumption that peers will automatically reject them.”

Social anxiety

Question: is this a linguistic issue?

…or a social issue?

This is what you told me…

•  Shyness - I don't talk to people in my own language •  Fear, intimidation or shyness of native speakers, even if

you speak the language •  Fear or shame of making mistakes •  Courage to keep talking •  Fear when you know so little •  How to stay calm when talking •  Panic when faced with unexpected situations •  Getting over feeling self-conscious and uncertain of

your ability Speaking with native speakers: is this a linguistic problem or a social problem?

When we speak, it happens with other people. So our fear is primarily about how we look. It’s about worrying what other people will think of us.

Language  is  a  social  phenomenon

fluent   speaker beginner

knows  very  liUle,   can’t  speak

can  speak  confidently, few  mistakes

How  do  we  judge  ourselves  when  it  comes  to  speaking?

P R O C E S S

Zero  to  Fluent

•  You should practise your language with strangers •  You study at home, then you go out and speak •  Stories of people learning languages by fearlessly

striking up conversations •  Skype is a tool to chat with strangers

We have a common perception of native speakers as “the other”. We see them as the end result of our learning

Why  are  we  obsessed  with  fluency?

This way of thinking and positioning native speakers means… •  We have a huge pressure to perform •  Mistakes appear to matter more •  Added pressure of performing a social function

when speaking

What’s  the  consequence  of  this?

What are your expectations of “speaking”?

What is the effect on you?

Speaking doesn’t have to be the result of study Speaking (in the right circumstances) is study.

fluent   speaker beginner

P R O C E S S

Speaking  is  a  learning  tool,  just  like  

a  textbook.

We  learn  to  speak  by  speaking.

Speaking  as  a  learning  tool

Think about these common problems with fear of speaking. •  How can I find someone who will talk to me and be

patient with me? •  How can I talk when I’m just a beginner without

looking stupid? •  How can I stop panicking?

Question: Is it easy to overcome these problems by speaking with strangers?

Common  speaking  problems  

NO!

What would the opportunities be if you could somehow remove

those fears?

Question: If we no longer have to “perform”… then what? How can we eliminate the social pressure? Answer: Imagine a good friend who speaks the language you’re learning. Would you feel comfortable having a coffee and chatting with them in L2? Would they judge you? Would they laugh at you? Would you feel embarrassed?

How  to  eliminate  social  pressure

•  Find someone you like and trust •  Someone willing to help you •  …and make THIS your environment for speaking

•  Friends •  Language exchange •  Tutors/teachers

(We’ll cover exactly how to do this later)

The  key  to  removing  social  pressure

Assuming you can find such a person…

•  How often would you want to speak with them and practise?

•  What would happen if you don’t know the word you need?

•  Would you be able to switch into English from time to time without feeling stupid?

•  Will you panic? •  Would any particular fears remain?

The  key  to  beating  your  fears •  Remove the “social lottery” •  Create an environment that you’re comfortable in •  Start speaking regularly inside that environment

•  And don’t stop!!!

My  Japan  Story  –  Part  2 •  I was stuck, in a plateaux, getting despondent •  Fear of speaking grew •  Found conversation partners •  I started making progress •  My Japanese was transformed

Why language partners and tutors are so great

•  They understand your situation •  They are willing to help you and be patient with you •  They won’t laugh at you •  They see their role to correct your mistakes rather

than to laugh at them

fluent   speaker beginner

P R O C E S S

language  partners

Conclusion We’ve covered… •  Your expectations will determine how you feel •  Is it rational to expect yourself to be able to speak

comfortably with people at this stage? •  Why this causes pressure, resulting in fear and

anxiety •  How this kills progress dead •  Why speaking should be part of the process •  How finding the right person to speak to can be

transformational

Conclusion •  Can you see the contradiction in how we think of

speaking with native speakers?

•  Can you see how finding the right person to speak to can open up a world of opportunities?

•  Can you see how you can be speaking a lot, without the fears you have had up until now?

•  Are you prepared to work hard to find that person?

Module  1  homework In this call we’ve talked about finding the “right person” to talk to. •  What does that person look like? •  What are their likes, interests, etc. •  What kind of person are they?

Start to get an image in your mind.

The  system

Speaking  sessions

New,  relevant   vocabulary

Flashcard  system

Learn  the  new   vocabulary

•  Beat  your  fear •  Finding  people  to  

talk  to

Congratulations!

•  Well done for making it through the first call •  Questions •  Thank you!