6 Tips for Improving English Conversation Skills at Home
Improving your English conversation skills at home may seem difficult if you don't live near many English speakers. However, there are many study methods and tools you can use to practice even when you're alone. In this article, we'll briefly explain six excellent choices and their benefits.
Watch unscripted videos
A script is the written text of things like films, plays and speeches. If something is "unscripted," it means nothing is written in advance, so people are speaking naturally and without preparation. Watching unscripted videos can help you learn practical and natural spoken English.
Some examples of unscripted videos include:
YouTube videos
Find YouTubers who talk about things that interest you and watch them regularly. In addition, you can use the comment section to interact with the creators or other viewers to add even more to your study experience.
Interviews
Interviews are basically unscripted since at least one person is responding questions they might not expect. That means interviews are great examples of natural communication, including speaking speed and use of casual expressions.
Talk shows
Similar to interviews, talk shows feature people discussing various topics without much preparation. Talk shows, however, may offer a higher challenge for learners since there may be more than two people in the discussion and because there are usually few or no questions prepared in advance.
Speak to yourself
As we've mentioned before, it may not always be easy to find other English speakers to chat with. So if you can't, talking to yourself can be a good way to practice on your own. You may be wondering what we mean, so here are a few examples of things to try:
Practice in front of a mirror
"Have a conversation" with yourself in front of a mirror. Practice making facial expressions and gestures for specific phrases which you may have been embarrassed to try when speaking with others. Now is your chance to do it freely!
Shadowing
This is another great study method if there is no one to speak with. Improve both your listening and pronunciation by listening to recordings of native speakers and repeating or speaking aloud with them at the same time. This can greatly improve your speaking rhythm and flow.
Record yourself
Listening to recordings of yourself speaking English will allow you to check your pronunciation and identify weak points so that you know where to focus your attention. It may feel strange to hear your own voice at first, but you will get used to it the more you do it.
Listen to podcasts
Podcasts are great sources of both entertainment and education. There are a wide variety of shows focusing on different themes, including English education. However, even shows that are not specifically about studying can still be useful since you can listen to different English accents and improve your listening comprehension.
Here are some recommended podcasts:
BBC Learning English News Review
This show offers a variety of programs for different levels of English learners. It features interesting topics to help you improve your vocabulary and language comprehension.
TED Talks Daily
TED Talks are short presentations by experts on different topics. Because of the variety available, you can choose a theme you find interesting and study English while learning about something you enjoy.
This American Life
This is a radio show that features people's real stories and experiences from everyday life. The speaking speed is a little quicker than the other suggested podcasts, but it can help you to get better at understanding the natural speaking pace.
Read aloud
Reading English text out loud can help you improve your pronunciation and intonation. Here are a few ideas for things to read:
Novels, newspapers and magazines
Just like with videos, TED Talks, etc., choosing a topic or theme that interests you will make studying more enjoyable. Be sure to spend extra time on the sentences and phrases that you find difficult.
Audiobooks
Read the text aloud together with the audiobook's narrator to strengthen your listening and reading skills at the same time.
Movie scripts
This study method is the opposite of our unscripted video suggestion, which we mentioned earlier. Read along with the script while watching a film. Try to copy the characters' intonation and feeling, which can help you get a better understanding of the emotion that certain words and phrases communicate.
Use an AI chatbot
AI, or artificial intelligence, is a powerful and valuable tool. Chatbots allow learners to study at their own pace and without fear of embarrassment or judgment from mistakes. They are also extremely convenient since you can use them anywhere whenever you have free time.
Read about some of Engoo's newest AI-powered features here: Improve Your Self-Study with Our New AI Tools
Take online English lessons
For learners who do not have the time to go to a real English conversation class, we recommend taking online lessons at home — or anywhere that is convenient for you.
Online lessons allow you to choose the date and time according to your schedule. They also add a little bit of positive pressure, since it is sometimes easy to ignore your study plans if they don't include other people!
Instead of being limited to English speakers in your area, online lessons let you connect with tutors from around the world. This means you can learn to understand and speak with specific accents depending on which countries or cultures you are interested in.
Finally, you don't need to be at home to take a lesson; as long as you have an internet connection and a comfortable place to talk, you have all that you need. Many beginner students are often nervous when taking lessons, but you can feel more relaxed in a comfortable space that you are already familiar with.
If you would like to try online English lessons, we recommend studying with us at Engoo. We offer many kinds of lessons, from business English to help with pronunciation. Additionally, you can meet with tutors from all over the world and pick from a variety of useful lesson materials. We also offer full customer support, so you can easily find help if you have any questions or concerns.
Wrap-up
There are more ways to study and improve your English than ever before. Because there are so many choices, feel free to try more than one option until you find the ones that work best for you. Also, remember that you don't need to choose only one. In fact, using a variety of study methods helps keep your learning fresh and interesting.
No matter what you choose, we hope this article has given you some great ideas and the motivation to get started today!
Written by Amy, adapted by David
