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Techniques used for speaking fluency? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies |  | |
| LinguaMan Diglot Newbie United States Joined 5076 days ago 20 posts - 34 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish | Message 1 of 17 31 March 2011 at 2:14am | IP Logged | |||||
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The last thread that I posted I was curious to know what languages skills do some of you practice more. Now I'm curious to know, what techniques did some of you use to achieve speaking fluency? Did anyone achieve fluency without ever reading or writing? Did anyone just build vocabulary through online dictionaries and use those words in context? My approach has been talking to myself and having imaginary conversations. I build my vocabulary the majority of the time through wordreference.com and other online dictionaries. Sometimes through reading. I keep a vocabulary journal to keep track of new words and put a star next to those I've used in a few sentences out loud or in an imaginary or real conversation. I've been asked many times if I'm Latino and how did I learn Spanish. Well, that's how. I have had good results with my method and it's been 9 years since I've embarked on my Spanish journey. Just by choosing the words I want to learn rather than reading, and using those words in imaginary situations mentally and out loud has been the bridge to fluency. To note, I'm referring to after I had a solid understanding of grammar where all I needed to do was build vocabulary. So is it really necessary to read to achieve fluency? Did anyone achieve fluency by reading? I know reading exposes you to grammatical structures and gives you a feel for the language. Writing allows you to use words in context and see them used which reinforces them in your mind. I write my own created sentences for that reason. After that I mentally review them, create associations or create my own mental representation of the word, if it's an abstract term, and then start using them. That's my method. What's yours? I know Arekkusu uses the same method of creating mental dialogues.
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| koba Heptaglot Senior Member AustriaRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5869 days ago 118 posts - 201 votes  Speaks: Portuguese*, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, French | Message 2 of 17 31 March 2011 at 5:06am | IP Logged | |||||
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As far as I can tell from my experience in language learning, dictionaries are good references when you have already a high level in a language and you want to check up a term you forgot, an expression or something of this kind, but for learning new words it doesn't work so well.
Simply because it's not easy to memorise words without a context, your brain can't assimilate them so well and therefore most of what you read there will probably be forgotten. However, if you look up words in the dictionary as you watch movies, TV and as you read, you will definitely absorb more vocabulary and, consequently, have a better eloquence, because you will always have the context as a memory aid. Now, about fluency, if you mean fluency here in the general sense of speaking readiness and ability to communicate, the technique I've been using and that has showed to be the most effective is pretty much what you have been doing: talking to yourself. As for me, I usually start a monologue about a random subject (usually about something I just watched or read about so it's something that is still fresh in my mind) and I keep talking to myself about it, I make use of the words and expressions I heard/read, I use them in different situations and the results are great. After that practice I even find myself thinking of them randomly during the day or sometimes in a conversation I come up with one of those expressions I learned, and just like this, effortless, they come into my mind. 5 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Arekkusu Hexaglot Senior Member Canada bit.ly/qc_10_lec Joined 5382 days ago 3971 posts - 7747 votes Speaks: English, French*, GermanC1, Spanish, Japanese, Esperanto Studies: Italian, Norwegian, Mandarin, Romanian, Estonian | Message 3 of 17 31 March 2011 at 4:21pm | IP Logged | |||||
You can have a solid understanding of grammar and still NOT be fluent. On the other hand, one could only know a few grammatical structures and use them efficiently, with a certain fluency and ease. While mastery of grammar takes times, fluency doesn't have to wait and can be fostered right from the start. I don't personally like reading all that much, at least not fiction, so I prefer to get my sense of the language through video, audio and real life. It also allows a more direct transfer to my internal dialogues, since it includes intonation and performance, rather than I needing to simulate it (inevitably being wrong at least some of the time). However, reading is also part of the language, so I wouldn't recommend anyone tune it out. I try to incorporate some reading after the initial phase of basic structure and vocabulary acquisition. When I started learning Japanese, I read a method that used romaji (Latin alphabet), so I didn't have access to any other written material anyway. I used to think that relying on romaji had been detrimental to my learning kana and kanji, but I now think it gave me a boost in oral ability right from the start. Edited by Arekkusu on 31 March 2011 at 4:25pm 3 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Arekkusu Hexaglot Senior Member Canada bit.ly/qc_10_lec Joined 5382 days ago 3971 posts - 7747 votes Speaks: English, French*, GermanC1, Spanish, Japanese, Esperanto Studies: Italian, Norwegian, Mandarin, Romanian, Estonian | Message 4 of 17 31 March 2011 at 4:32pm | IP Logged | |||||
I think you are saying that internal dialogue is only an effective tool for improving fluency of words you've already acquired. I think it's a great tool for acquiring words as well. If you have a decent dictionary that offers proper examples, it's can be an excellent source of new words, and internal dialogue is a good way to incorporate that vocabulary into your fluent domain, as you create the appropriate context yourself. Your understanding of the exact usage (or pronunciation) of the word will not be perfect, but it can never be after a first encounter. That's why you need to continue to monitor your internal representation of the language, to ensure it matches the language used around you. I will not deny however that acquiring words in real life situations is more powerful than reinforcement through internal dialogue, but we can, with the right amount of imagination, create certain conditions that come fairly close to real life. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Solfrid Cristin Heptaglot Winner TAC 2011 & 2012 Senior Member Norway Joined 5335 days ago 4143 posts - 8864 votes Speaks: Norwegian*, Spanish, Swedish, French, English, German, Italian Studies: Russian | Message 5 of 17 31 March 2011 at 5:10pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I am arriving at the conclusion that I am unable to learn languages the traditional way. My only chance of real fluency,is by total immersion for a prolonged time.
I learned Spanish and French as a kid, living in the countries, and Italian by extensive reading and short time immersion. German, which I have just learned at school, is however more tricky, and although I can speak it, in the sense that I am able to communicate, I have never acheived the effortless speech that I have in my other languages. I have tried both Polish and Russian by self study/ evening classes, and I cannot really boast of much progress. I think I need to run away from home and find a Russian family to live with... 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Sennin Senior Member Bulgaria Joined 6035 days ago 1457 posts - 1759 votes 5 sounds | Message 6 of 17 31 March 2011 at 5:18pm | IP Logged | |||||
Here's the key to fluency and advanced conversational skill: Get rid of the idea you are speaking a foreign language. It is not foreign, it is your language. You have spend countless hours studying it, you love it, adore it, and therefore the idea of it being "foreign" is completely nonsensical. :-). But this is more of an advanced-level technique. If you are just starting the thing you need is simply more practice. Don't worry about mistakes and don't give up. That's it. Edited by Sennin on 31 March 2011 at 5:23pm 10 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Arekkusu Hexaglot Senior Member Canada bit.ly/qc_10_lec Joined 5382 days ago 3971 posts - 7747 votes Speaks: English, French*, GermanC1, Spanish, Japanese, Esperanto Studies: Italian, Norwegian, Mandarin, Romanian, Estonian | Message 7 of 17 31 March 2011 at 6:16pm | IP Logged | |||||
So the key to fluency and advanced conversational skill is a jedi mind trick that is only usable when you are already at an advanced level? 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Sennin Senior Member Bulgaria Joined 6035 days ago 1457 posts - 1759 votes 5 sounds | Message 8 of 17 31 March 2011 at 7:04pm | IP Logged | |||||
Yes. It is a master-jedi trick. For the apprentice jedi the critical things are exposure to the language, practice, patience, and getting rid of inhibitions. And also meditation if you feel inclined :-p. 4 persons have voted this message useful |
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