Hey guys, welcome to the new video!
I have been wanting to make this video for a long time
let me tell you my story
Before moving to France for my studies
my language learning journey was like many others
I studied English in China up to the university level
My English learning began around middle school
In our Chinese schools, English is a very big deal
So much so, that in our university entrance tests
there are three main subjects
Chinese, Math, and English!
I always studied hard
and my English test scores were pretty good
It’s not because I have a strict Asian parents
I remember the first time I went abroad
I realized that while I could read and understand what people were saying
I couldn't put together a complete sentence
let alone have a fluent conversation with someone
I was like, so what is this high score for?
Any way
Then over the years, I started learning various languages
in addition to improving my spoken English
This journey made me reflect
why before, despite all my hard work studying English, I could not speak it?
In today's video, I'll be sharing my thoughts on this topic
based on my personal experience
I'll also tell you how I went from 'mute English' to fluent English
This insight comes from my experiences while learning different languages
I hope this video will be helpful and inspiring!
If you like it, don't forget to give me a like and subscribe!
The first thing I thought of was our educational system
and teaching methods
When learning English in China
we usually have a textbook
We have to learn a lot of grammar
do a lot of exercises, and we learned a lot of
test-taking strategies
For example
if there's a listening exercise
we focus on how to pick the right answer through keywords
even if we don't understand the content
I admit, we Chinese students are indeed very good at taking exams
But if we think about it, does this approach really help improve our language skills?
Maybe it helps consolidate grammar and expand vocabulary
but it does not improve our comprehension and ability to communicate effectively
And the problem with this method is that it frames language learning
as a means for passing exams
That’s so sad
We're told to read this and that article
because it might be on the test
instead of enjoying the language itself
But, after all, language is just a tool to gain knowledge and communicate with others
Another common learning method we used at school is to recite textbooks
I hate it
They say as long as you memorize this textbook, you'll be fluent
Having learned multiple languages
I want to say, this approach is among the least effective
and can be extremely boring
It turns language learning into a form of torture!
I am sorry to say that
But it was my experience
I think a big reason why we can't speak English
is that we're too focused on the textbooks
As I mentioned in previous videos
textbooks are often disconnected from context
and have no connection to the learner
So, if we just focus on textbooks
do exercises, and memorize words and grammar points
without really understanding and absorbing the language
we won't be able to use it
Actually, It's a matter of balancing input and output
We focus a lot on input, and we're not even sure
if it's the comprehensive input or not
Now I realize, we barely did any output exercises
I don't mean to say we shouldn't use textbooks
They are created by experts
and can certainly help us learn a language in a more structured way
What I want to say is, when learning a word
it shouldn't be about rote memorization
but about learning to express it in our own words
to create original sentences
and to listen to how native speakers use it in real-life situations
By practicing sentences on a topic, we get better at talking about it
Speaking English is like exercising
You can't learn how to exercise by only reading books or watching YouTube videos
You have to practice a lot
don’t think that you can study in silence
and then suddenly talk fluently to a native speaker
and impress them
It won’t happen
I have learned 6 foreign languages
And I can tell you even with a lot of practice before
The first chat with native speaker is still nerve cracking
We are not used to real conversations
And we will make a lot of mistakes
And that’s a part of the process
For practicing speaking, I recommend finding language partners
You can find language partners on apps like Tandem or HelloTalk
or join my Discord community to chat with other learners
and find your own language partner
Another method is to practice with teachers
I would like to thank this video's sponsor, the English teacher platform Cambly
Cambly's teachers are native English speakers from the UK
the US, Australia, and Canada
You can connect anytime, which is super flexible
Plus, they're from all walks of life, making lessons really interesting
I've been taking classes with a teacher who's a photographer and videographer
By discussing our shared work, I've improved my spoken English a lot
and learned new things
Blurry background
Yeah, so there’s a word for that actually
It’s called Bokeh
Bokeh?
They create very nice bokeh
If you're a bit shy and not ready for one-on-one lessons
Cambly just started 1-on-3 small group classes
You'll get to meet students from different countries
So they are all wonderful medals
Some are better than others
So, If you're interested in Cambly
use the referral code for a free trial lesson and exclusive discounts
Ok, I've shared my stories with you
If I could go back to my school days when I was learning English
here's the advice I'd give to myself, and to you as well
First, get past the fear of speaking
Lots of people worry about making mistakes or sounding bad
But everyone starts at the beginning
and the only way to get better is to practice
It's important to think about it positively
If you make a mistake, don't worry about it
Just think
Ok I messed up this time
but I learned something
I'll do better next time
and I'll keep getting better the more I practice
Plus, speaking in real life is different from learning from books
Whenever I start learning something new
like a language or fitness routine
I remind myself that everyone starts somewhere
the mistakes people make at the start are the cute phase of language learning
All experts were beginners once.
Remembering that helps me keep going
if you use textbooks, use them to learn the basics
Instead of just memorizing, try to use them actively
Here's a tip: make sentences that matter to you
They'll be easier to remember
If you learned the word 'cat'
you might write, 'I had a fight with my cat this morning'
'My cat's name is Dota, or 'he wakes me up every morning!'
Writing in a journal can also be very helpful
Maybe at the end of the day
you can write a couple of sentences or a short paragraph about what you did
You could say, "Today, I took my cat to the vet, he didn’t like it”
When you're writing these sentences
you're not just practicing the word 'cat'
you're also practicing other words and grammar
Third, find things you enjoy listening to
I want to share another story
When I first started studying in France
and was learning French in language school
I still adopted the traditional “Chinese” method
Every day, I memorized long lists of words and did grammar exercises
I was good at grammar, but not speaking
Moreover, studying in this way puts me under a lot of stress every day
Then, I changed how I studied
I listened to the audiobook at that time "L´etranger" by Albert Camus
I had read in Chinese before
It was my first time reading a book for fun
not just for school or exams
I liked the way the author wrote
so I liked reading it out loud to practice my speaking skills
Soon, I did this every day
I would write down new words and make sentences about the book
I did the same thing to get better at speaking English
I picked podcasts that I enjoyed and listened to them
and did shadowing exercises every day
I wrote down new words and used them to write my thoughts
about the podcast in English
I wrote about what I learned, things I agreed with, and things I disagreed with
If you like what you’re listening to, you will want to keep learning
Another thing that helped me a lot
was taking online open classes in English
I used a site called Coursera, and I took classes on things I was interested in
like the Middle East and philosophy
I would listen to the lectures
and read the course materials and books the teachers suggested
I took notes and did home works!
It feels like I was studying at an English-speaking university
Fourth, try talking to yourself
I’ve mentioned it several times
This might seem weird
But it's an excellent way to make the new language a part of your daily life
For beginners, you can start with easy sentences about your day
Say things like, 'the traffic is bad,' or 'I’ll be late for work.'
As you get better, you can start talking about your thoughts and feelings
in the new language
And more complicated sentences like
“who spends 45 minutes in the bathroom?”
The more you do this, the better you will get at making sentences
in the new language
Fifth, try not to translate everything
When you're new to a language
you might think of what you want to say in your own language first
then translate it into the new language
But try to build sentences directly in the language you're learning
instead of creating them in your native language and then translating
Direct translation is a bad habit
Different languages have their own rules, sentence structures, and grammar
For example, if you're learning French and you see a chair
think of the French word for chair (la chaise) instead of the word in your language
This will take some practice
but it will help you think and speak in the new language faster
Remember, learning a language takes time and practice.
Don't rush it
The more you use the new language, the easier it will get
Sixth, don't worry if you're not in a place
where the language you're learning is not spoken
Guys, guys, I've never lived in an English-speaking country
I know many people who are fluent in English as well
I learned a lot of English while living in France
Nowadays, the internet gives us plenty of ways to practice a new language
Especially for English!
I have friends who got better at English by playing video games
or watching TV and movies
Use online open class websites
you feel like you're studying in a country where the language is spoken
You can find tons of stuff to listen to in English on YouTube
There's something for every interest
So, instead of being upset about not living where the language is spoken
think about how you can use the internet to help you learn
At the end of this video, I would like to say, nobody starts perfect
Even the best speakers were beginners once
Keep trying, and one day, you'll find you're living the language, not just learning it
If this video helped you, please like it and subscribe to the channel
See you next one, bye guys, bye