Overcoming the fear of speaking English is about overcoming a psychological barrier.

Psychological barriers to speaking English as a second language (L2) are significant if not more significant than the grammatical and syntactical barriers.

Sometimes your biggest enemy is yourself.

As speakers of other languages, Greg and I have utilized the strategies we share in this session when studying and living abroad, to be able to speak at the level we do now in those languages.

Here are the strategies:

Believe You Offer Value

This allows you to focus on the message, rather than worrying about the delivery. While delivery is very important, when we are nervous to speak, focusing on delivering the message can cause us to be self-conscious about how we are saying something. It takes the pressure off of saying everything perfectly and focuses on saying things with clarity. Clarity reorients your frame of mind from “I have to say this perfectly” to “I have to get this message across clearly.”

It helps you as the speaker, and also the listeners when your message is clear. Being focused on the technical elements might distract from how clearly the message is being conveyed.

Focus on the Listener

Engage in active listening practices. Show them you’re actively listening to what they are saying by using the triple nod, leaning in, and using discourse markers. Triple nods, nodding quickly three times, encourage the speaker to speak more. Leaning in shows you care about what they say. Discourse markers encourage the speakers, saying things like “oh, hmm, mmm, yes, wow, interesting, ahh,” etc.

When people think better of you, they are going to listen better and hear you better.

As the speaker, you also want to focus on the listener. Pay attention to how well they are grasping your message and meaning. Check to see that they are following along. When focusing on the listener as the speaker, see whether they are nodding, leaning in, and giving discourse markers.

You can only tell if someone is following, by tracking how your listener is responding visually to what you are saying. We do this by observing nonverbal cues and facial expressions.

Focus on Intelligibility

Intelligibility is the ability to be understood by listeners. It does not mean knowing the language perfectly and having perfect grammar or syntax. It’s about being able to communicate with the language you have at the moment. It’s about using the language as fluently as possible. 

Instead of trying to use vocabulary that you don’t know as well, you might end up confusing the people around you. By using the language you are comfortable with, you can get a lot across without confusing anyone’s level of understanding.

Having an accent is something that is a positive thing. It shows that you speak more than one language, which is an amazing feat. Accents also bring a different cultural resonance and depth to the conversation. It increases the richness of the conversation.

Swap Out Words

If you are trying to explain something and you don’t know the specific words or expressions in English, use other words to explain something clearly. Swap out words that you know to share your insights and thoughts. 

In communicative competence, this would be strategic competence. Using phrasing and terminology that can convey the message, even though it might not be the exact phraseology or more words than necessary, allows you to get your point across.

***

The goal is to be communicative. You want to state your points as clearly as possible. And as we know, both from experience learning and mastering other languages, as well as teaching English as a Second Language, you don’t need to have perfect grammar, syntax, or accent to communicate effectively.

Practice is the most important thing. So set your fears aside and use these strategies to overcome your fear of speaking in English. These strategies are only helpful if you actually use them.

Thanks for joining us and we’ll see you in the next lesson!

Happy Advanced English Learning 

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive skills and professional development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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