One of the most common problems students have is that they have nobody to speak to outside the class, as we all live in Spain. That is why it should be a priority for students to find a speaking partner and get together on a regular basis to speak in English. This is even more important for distance students, who only have an hour's tuition a week.
In addition to developing our oral skill, an English-speaking partner may help us with queries, with our written work and in some of the listening activities on this blog.
But what about if our availability to get together with a classmate is limited? Can a student develop the oral skill on their own?
Dominic Cole suggests a very interesting technique in this respect. He lists some advantages: it helps build your confidence and you learn to think in English. He also gives some suggestions on how you should implement the technique: talk about personal things and things that interests you. That way, he points out, you will also improve your vocabulary, a key element for fluency.
He puts forward two activities:
- Time yourself when speaking.
- Record yourself.
Visit Dominic Cole's webpage and find out a few more details about this technique. Dominic's webpage is one of the most interesting sites for intermediate English learners.
