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The path to mastering a second language can seem a long one. There are just so many aspects you can improve. Solely within the skill of speaking we have to deal with grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and fluency. Then within the area of pronunciation we have intonation, word stress, speed and chunking. It’s like an endless string of handkerchiefs coming out of a magician’s sleeve.
Of course, I’d love to work with my students full time, carefully fine tuning each aspect of their English, like training an Olympic athlete; perfecting writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, singing, dancing, baking, etc. But unfortunately for me, time is short, and for students, time is money. I'm also awful at baking.
This is why we often need to prioritise.
As an English language coach, I try to establish learning priorities in my classes by agreeing on specific objectives with my clients. We can then use these objectives to focus on the areas of English that will be most beneficial.
One common example of this is with speaking. Often, when speaking, students will focus on the accuracy (grammar and vocabulary), trying to create perfect sentences. This is fine, but it can come at the cost of speaking fluently.
You see fluency and accuracy are connected like the sun and the moon. One goes up, the other goes down. The more we concentrate on producing accurate grammar and vocabulary, the slower we speak. On the other hand, the faster we speak, the worse our grammar and vocabulary gets.
With time and practice, we can improve both of these issues simultaneously, but often a student will have a priority need. For example, the need to get more involved in meetings. This often comes down to speaking fast. If ten business egos are round a table trying to outdo each other, then speaking too slowly can be a real disadvantage. Other participants can get distracted by the pauses, talk over you, even start to fidget or yawn, and it can really affect your confidence.
Speaking carefully in this situation is like driving carefully at a rally. What we need is speed (and a sharp pair of elbows).
So, how do we increase speaking speed?
Well, let’s forget about accuracy for now. Let’s allow ourselves to make mistakes in order to increase our speaking speed. Let’s become that amazing communicator we’ve all met whose English is worse than everyone else in the room, but whose fluency and confidence lets them rule the meeting.
Here are two exercises to help you achieve this.
Exercise 1
First. Get an idea of what it feels like to speak quickly. A good level to aim for is 140 words per minute. Below is an extract from an interesting article on Finland from the Guardian. The extract is 138 words.
Start a timer or stopwatch and see how long it takes to read it. Then try again until you can almost read it in one minute.
Now you have an idea of the speed we’re aiming for.
Extract: ‘But Finns also trust each other more than most. Corruption and organised crime are all but non-existent. And it is trust that breeds confidence, and a willingness to innovate: the World Economic Forum ranks Finland the most innovative country, per capita, in the world. For years dominated by monolithic mining and forestry firms, then by the once-mighty Nokia, Finland today is close behind Silicon Valley in the number of start-ups per head.
The magic sauce, then, seems based mainly on basic virtues: self-confidence, cooperation, equality, respect for education, trust. At bottom and in practice, says Anu Partanen, a Finnish journalist who now lives in New York, it boils down to a different quality of relationship. She calls it – since it is shared to a greater or lesser extent by Sweden, Norway and Denmark – the Nordic theory of love.’
How did it go? If you finished in around one minute, well done - You’re well on track. If it took you longer, don't worry, try again. Throw caution to the wind and go for it.
Exercise 2
When you have completed step 1 a few times, set the timer again for one minute and this time talk spontaneously about a familiar topic. for example, your typical day. Try to keep the speed and energy similar to that from exercise 1. Don’t worry about correcting yourself. Concentrate on speed and go for it.
When you have finished, laugh, stand up and walk around for a bit, then try again.
If you are really motivated, you can record yourself speaking then go back and count the words. Remember, we’re aiming for 140 words per minute. Now you have a target which you can try and beat next time.
This exercise is great for changing the focus of speaking: prioritising. When you are on the clock, there’s no time for worrying about perfection, just speed. Goodbye accuracy, hello fluency!
Do this regularly and your brain will adjust. Like adding a new exercise to your workout: first it seems impossible, soon it will feel normal.
You’ll get used to speaking quickly and you’ll begin to access language more quickly. Most importantly of all, it’s more practice, which is the real secret to improving your English.
I'm a native English speaker based in Helsinki, Finland. I offer English language coaching and training for individuals and businesses, face to face and online.
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